The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-08-27

the four or i've hOrSemen VINO fode
before us reported that the Indians
were in sight and Immediately after
this the Indians fired volley and
made their appearance on piece OF
rising ground covered with brush and
trees, thirty or forty rode in front of
us. We got out of the wagon and
formed into line in open order and
fired while some of the Indians, about
half of whom were mounted, rushed by
us and soon had us surrounded on all
sides.
Charge Defeats Indians.
"We stood and fought them for
while until the men began to fall
fast and the Indians were hemming us
in; then the caption ordered charge
OH them in front. When charged on
they fed from our front to our rear
and to the left of us. We were or
dered to get on the wagons and retreat,
which we did as fast as we could.
At every knoll we came to the cap
tain ordered the men to give them
vOlley. This was well done. Besides
this we kept up an almost continual
skirmish with them for the distance
of eight miles. which they followed
us. They stopped then, suppose from
exhaustion, and we went on to Hutch
inson without further molestation, al
though we were continually in dread
that they would cut us off.
"Our force numbered about sixty
FIVE, inclusive of teamsters, while the
number of Indians were estimated from
$50 to 200. We entered the fight in
four sections and in open order, the
section l was in being in advance.
I When the Indians attacked us in the
position, which it held during the fight
on the field While on the field I felt
remarkably cool. My gun did not go
on the first fire so | had to borrow a
pin to pick the tube from the next
man. After we were ordered to retreat
got somewhat excited as l feared
that / might get exhausted or shot be-
fore l could reach the wagon, when
l would probably be left and barbar-
ously murdered by the savages.
"When | tried to get on the wagon
was run over by one of the wheels
and was slightly hurt. 1t run across
my body and my right leg. l was soon
on my feet again and was hauled up
into the wagon. In little while / got
rested an dgot out of the wagon again
and had a shot at a redskin."
List of the Dead
Our loss in the fight was three killed
and twenty-five wounded, none mortal
ly, but three or four badly. Six or
eight were but slightly scratched. The
balance were able to help themselves.
Poor Tom Marshall was wounded in the
abdomen, but the ball did not 60 deep
enough to kill him. The killed were:
| Edwin Stone from Minneapolis, George
w. Gideon from Excelsior and Alva
Getchell of Brooklyn. The first was a
much respected citizen of Minneapolis
and member of the Congregational
church, about thirty five or forty years
of age, and leaves wife and two chill
him when he fell, but am told that he
| fell behind. either from exhaustion or
| from the effects of a wound, and was
barbarously tomahawked by an Indian.
Gideon was my pricipal associate
on the expedition until his death. We
ate and slept together. He was Is
years old, six feet tall, and a good and
generous boy. Those who saw him fall
| said he was killed in the early part of
the fight by ball entering his heart.
me at the time he was killed. | saw
him when he fell. The ball struck him
in the head or neck, killing him in
stantly. He uttered no moan. He was
the first one / had seen in the fight
and his death cast a gloom over me
and made me more fully realize now
near my own end might be. He was
about 20 years of age and fine fell
low. l called to someone to take with
me his body to a wagon, but their bet
ter judgment refused. If we had taken
him some of us would most likely have
been shot while doing it. They were
three brave men. May their bones rest
in peace, and the field where they fell
and their spirits dwell in happiness
with their maker above
"When we arrived at Hutchinson we
had the wounded cared for and had
something to eat at the hotel Never
will | forget how the bullets whizzed
in that fight, or the awful thirst we en-
dured. When | came to a mud marsh
| put my hand down into it, and never
did water taste sweeter than that
muddy stuff while the bullets went
whizzing by me-"
The citizens who went from Mime
apolis were: F. Adkins; William c.
Allan, real estate dealer, 1924 Second
avenue S; Jim Blonde; R. C. Both
mick, William Braun, wounded; O..
Corrett; T. NJ. Cushin; NJ. Cushin; A.
j. Doughterty; C. H. Douglas; J.
w. Day; Joel Florida, wounded; Alloys
Fredericks, III Fourth street NE;
George Gemache; John Green; j. P.
Hale; c. ID. Ham; ID. c.. Hawkins; j..
C. Hucking; j. Hart; j. G.. Higgins, SUI
perintendent Monarch elevator, 1910
Twelfth avenue S; A Hoag, A. B. Hans
l n IL