The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-03-24

comfortable as possible.
On Wednesday at 500 P. M. the
Goth, of August, the Indians appeared
in great numbers and commenced a
fierce battle. The Fort is situated on
the edge of the prairie about a half
mile from the Minnesota River tim
bered bottom intervening and wood
ed ravine running up out of the bot
tom around two sides of the Fort
within about twenty rods of the build
ings affording shelter for the enemy
on three sides within easy rifle or
musket range. The men were instant
ly formed in line of battle by order of
Lieut.. Sheehan. Two men, Mark NJ
Grear of Company C. and VIM. Goode
of Company B. fell at first fire. after
which the men broke for shelter and
from windows and the shelter of the
buildings fired upon the enemy Rob
ert Baker, citizen, who has escaped
from the Lower Sioux Agency, was
shot through the head and instantly
killed while standing at window in
the quarters. The forces in the Fort
at this time were the. remnant of
Company B. 5th, Regiment. NJ V.
Culver's 80 men, about so men of
Company c. The Renville Rangers
under the command of Lieut.. German.
Sargent Jones of the regular army,
brave and skillful man, took charge
of the artillery of which there was in
the Fort, six pieces of which three
were used, two six Founders and one
twenty four pound field piece. One
of the guns was placed in Cargo of
citizen named j. C. Whipple, who had
seen service in the Mexican War and
in the United States Navy. One in
charge of Sargent McGrew of Com
pany c. the other in charge of Sar-
gent Jones in person. The number of
the Indians that were engaged was
estimated at five hundred warriors,
lead by Little Crow. To render the
position of beleaguered garrison more
critical, the magazine was some twen-
ty rods outside of the main works On.
the open prairie. Only a small por-
ton of ammunition had been removed
inside. Men were at once detailed to
take the ammunition into the Fort,
which duty they performed, working
all the afternoon with Indian bullets
raining across the open space over
which they had to pass, until the last
ounce was safely within the barracks.
In the meantime the Indians had
got into some of the log houses used
for the soldiers families and behind
some hay stacks, from which they
poured heavy volleys into the Fort,
but a few well directed shells from
the howitzers set them on fire, and
when night came it was sight never
to be forgotten, to those who wit
messed the scene. The great danger
feared by all was that the Indians
would crawl under cover of darkness
to the buildings and set fire by fire
arrows, igniting the dry roofs, but
the loving eye of God was watching
over us and about midnight the
heavens opened and the rain began to
fall, "Rain, Rain, Thank God, Thank
God" went around the beleaguered
garrison. Men women and children
breathed once more in comparative
safety. In this battle two were killed
and nine wounded; during the battle
of the twentieth, Indians had taken
possession of a stable in the rear of
Sargent Jones' quarters and held it
until night, when Whipple was or
dered to shell it and set it on fire,
two shells were thrown from the
mountain howitzer, both bursting in
side of the building, setting the hay
on fire. Two half breeds, Joe Latour
and George Dashner of the Reiwille
Rangers were stationed at the bakery
within easy rife range of the stable.
As shell went crashing into the
building, an Indian sprang out of the
door and started for the ravine; a
ball from Dashner's rife brought him
to the ground and when he tried to
crawl away from the burning build
ing, Dashner, seeing the move, drop
ped gun and simply saying, Come
Joe," they started for the stable and
siezing the wounded, struggling
wretch, pitched him headlong into
the flames and shouting the Indian
warhoop returned unhurt.