New Ulm review., 1912-08-14
"Reminiscences Of Early Days.
Edttsd hy HUGO Roos

" q, '>-,s n, Nd. z, Y.
Tueday morning, sixteen men, some
lin wagons and some on horseback, un'
dertook q accommodating tour 20
| |Iaayenworth I to warn the farmers ana
to bring them to New Ulm. The
sheriff also sent messenger to GOV.
Ramsey with the request that he SEND
men and ammunition 1T once because
|it was quite apparent that this was 9!
real uprising. During the forenoon
the companies were organized ana
weapons and ammunition examined,
The arriving farmers were housed as
we'll as possible under the circum-
stances. and the wagons as they came
in were used as barricades and
pickets were posted.
About noon q few farmers came
afoot and reported that they nad
been chased by the Indians until be-
yond the Cottonwood River. lmme-
diately fifteen rife men were sent out
/ to make the necessary investigation.
The small party was about one mile
away from the center of the city when
second party of thirty men, with
double barreled shot guns were sent
after them in case the Indians should
he too strong for them. The second
nartv had gone about as far as Gass-
mann's, near the brickyard, When tne
Indians suddenly made their appear
ance at Sternlein's (near the Nursery
on horse back and covered the DIS
tance between that place and the
heart of the city at full gallop. At
This time there were only about two
or three rifles and about forty other
guns in the city. Signals were imme-
diately given to the parties that nao
been sent out and runner was as
matched to overtake them. The sig
nails we're understood at the right
moment and conveyed by the second
party to the first. Both partles then
came back one after the other IN
double time. Some of them lmmeal-
atelv ran up State St., while the others
divided up and came up on Mlnneso-
ia. Broadway and German Streets:
The Indians had now reached
noint Immediately back of the Post
Office and were firing their guns from
this elevation into the city but When
they saw the large number OF men
approaching from the southern part OF
the city at full speed they seemed TO
lose their courage and rapidly with
drew. The forty firearms that were III
the city were used without mucn ln'
termission. At any rate the men were
firing against the enemy as rapldly
as the guns could be loaded. After
these two parties had arrived WITHIN
the lines of defence, things moved
more smoothly. The rifle men looked
for a vantage ground to keep BACK
the red devils, while others made sal
lies to drive back the rascals, who mad
already set fire to Choppers, Benin S
and Steinhauser's log houses, on
broadway near 3rd North Street. ,
During the first battle 1t began 10
rain and while the rain was pouring
down, the sixteen men who mad start
ed out for Leavenworth in the morn
ing returned: When almost WITHIN
hailing distance of Minnesota ST.,
thew were attacked by Indians ana
nine of them were killed. The rest
of them luckily escaped thru good run
ming and the great speed OF their hors-
eS.
The engagement now settled down
RI a firing upon moving objects ana
not only the whites but also the reus
sought shelter for their own protec-
ton.
between four and five o'clock in the
afternoon seven men with rifles ar
rived from Nicollet Township. l be-
lieve one of them was the later capt.
|Vanderburgh. A few Of these seven
we're in favor of an immediate attack
upon the Indians by part OF our fore
es to get more room and to prevent
the Indians from burning the houses
Twenty men volunteered for this ser
vice and by running from house to
lhouse they fought their way thru tc
the Rehfeld house. This mouse was
Immediately taken possession OF ano
} from there, as it gave a pretty gooo
lview of the surrounding country, II
was possible to prevent the turthel
advance of the Indians. Ten men re
NAMED in this house until night-tall
|keeping the Indians in check. Wher
night came on, no Indians were visible
in front of them and 1t began to ge
rather monotonous when all at onc'
terrible screaming and rapid gun-nr
ling were heard in the southern par
of the city. As it continued for SOM
time it was generally believed tha
the city had been attacked in the real
After a hurried consultation the shous
was left and the open space, 'whlcl
separated the men from the real par
Of the barricades was covered at ful
sneed, While they were running the
had the pleasure Of drawing a volle
from their red besiegers but wlthou
anyone's being hurt. After they wltni
the barricade they heard that rell
forcements had arrived from st. Petel