The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-30
TALE OF BEATING BACK
SAVAGE HORDE RET0lD

Fairfax, Mimi, August 23.-Out of
New Ulm Wednesday night, like an
army shifting base in darkness,
there came across the country eight
cen miles, host of people, to the
place where fifty years ago in the
second attack at old Fort Ridgely
the Minnesota soldiers and the pio-
neers beat back savage horde
and checked an Indian onslaught
that, had it carried the fort, would
have meant the sweeping down of
the savages through the Minnesota
valley to it's farthest end. On this,
the field where that great stand was
made, yesterday the dedication cere-
monies were conducted that have
given to the state beautiful me-
mortal park commemorative of the
great deeds of half century ago.
Governor A. o. Eberhart and staff
remained in New Ulm until p. NJ.
yesterday when a special came over
on the Minneapolis and St. Louis
road to Fairfax, but scarcely had
the New Ulm exercises closed when
the second battalion of the ninth
regular infantry, Company A of the
second infantry, Minnesota national
guard and Burg's battery, were in
motion.
Story of Fort RideeIy.
Fort Ridgely's story is a fighting
chapter from the pages of the past.
The federal government put it here
at time following the 1851 initia-
tive, when, with the treaties of Ira.
verse des Sioux and old Mendoza,
the Sissetons, Yanktons, the upper
and the lower Sioux gave up much
land Statesmen desired that in the
carrying out of the general policy
of pushing civilization west and to
the north, settlers might not be de-
tered from entering Minnesota
through lack of protection Far out
upon the country's frontier, it stood,
a post of four scant companies.
Then, when the great war came up
on the country and trained soldiers
were needed in the south, it found
its garrison in successive companies
OF Minnesota men newly enlisted for
the civil strife, one following an
other as the troops went south
On that memorable day, August
II, 1862, when the Indian hunting
party near Action clashed with the
whites and the red men rose for
slaughter, it was from here that
Captain John S. Marsh of Company
B of the Fifth Minnesota went out to
Redwood Ferry to lay down his life
and leave twenty-five of his forty
eight men dead on the field Here
crept in by night survivors from
bloody Redwood Ferry to tell the
tale. Lieutenant Thomas Gere, who
had twenty-nfne soldiers and 200 ref
ugees in the fort, sent out the recall
order for Lieutenant T. J. Sheehan
and fifty men on their way to Fort
Ripley and for fifty Renville rangers
who had started for Fort Smelling.
Here came Sheehan's soldiers from
a heart-breaking forced march of
forty-two miles, and here went out
that private soldier, William J. Stur-
gis, hero of memory long neglect
ed, to ride his horse to death to
Shakopee to spread the warning.
1t Was Proud Day for Hopkins.
On this spot August %, 1862, with
800 refugees inside the walls, $50
fighting men beat off Little Grow
and 800 warriors and here yesterday
the park was dedicated.
c. H. Hopkins of Renville was the
proudest man of the many here, for
it was he who has labored for TWEEN
ty-five years to have the state &C.
quire the ground and hold it in per.
petuity. The legislature of 1911
made the appropriation.
So many state officials and poll.
ticians were here that the fact could
not pass without comment. Four men
whose names have figured in the
gubernatorial talk and two in the
field for secretary of state were on
the program. State Auditor S. G.
lverson made the presentation adj
dress and Governor Eberhart the
speech of acceptance. Captain B. P.
Nicklin, julius A. Schmahl, Henry
N. Benson, Albert Pfaender, Frank
Murray and Former Governor L. F.
Hubbard, L. C. Spooner, G. H. Matt
son, Frank Clague, Edward T.
Young, S. Y. Gordon, Charles R. Da-
Wis and E. E. Lobeck were on the
program and the closing words were
left for Mr.. Hopkins, whose work
for the park and whose knowledge
of the country surrounding and it's
history brought him the assignment
to speak on Fort Ridgely"