New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-08-11
THRILLING STORY
OF INDIAN FIGHT
SAMUEL McAULIFFE VISITS
SCENES OF SIOUX UPRISING
IN 1862.
ONE OF TWO survivors OF FOR.
LORN HOPE EXPEDITION
TELLS STORY,

New Ulm was honored last week by
visit from one of the old defenders who
stood to his gun thru the stirring week
OF the Indian outbreak fifty three years
ago. Samuel McAuliffe of Rochester,
N. Y, returned to the scenes of the most
thrilling days of his life and spent few
days looking over the old landmarks.
Mr.. McAuliffe was an intimate friend of
Capt. S. A. George who played promi-
nent part in the uprising.
AS he sat and told of those stirring
days, the three story brick office build
ings, the white way" and the paved
streets of our city changed to the row
OF struggling log cabins of the early
settlers. The bluffs to the south seemed
infested with the red devils of the Souix
under the command of Little Crow and
it was easy enuf to fancy the yells of the
Souix cavalry in it's charge to the very
barbados of the beleaugered little town.
Quietly and with no attempt at
dramatic effect he told a story of the
outbreak that, against the background
of the charred embers of ruined homes,
broken family ties and the horrors of
warfare that knew no quarter, placed in
bold relief the bravery of those early
pioneers. The very absence of dramatic
effect made the tale powerfully dramatic.
Altho he is seventy-fve years of age, Mr..
McAuliffe has an alertness and keenness
OF faculties that man of fifty might we'll
envy him. He is a fighter, is this quiet,
unassuming man with the keen gray
eyes and the brisk manner of address.
AS boy of little more than twenty he
played an important part in the last big
battle of the Sioux. AS seasoned cam
paigner in the Army of the Potomac he
took part in tWenty-seven battles of the
Civil War. And he is not afraid of a
political argument today, he declares.
1t is impossible to recount the thrilling
story to the readers of the Review in the
way the old fighter told it. Bare history
is cold and colorless as compared with the
relation of its intimate details by one who
has had all its record scared indellibly
in his brain in the white heat of action.
The retelling of such a story only takes
away it's power and vivid coloring.
when the outbreak came" said Mr..
McAuliffe, Il was at cabin on the north
bank of the Cottonwood. On the 18th
of August, I crossed over to the south
side OF the stream to the Jackson, Kirby
and Bluem cabins. This is near where
the Larrabee Bridge now stands. While
here courier came dashing up and told
us of the uprising and warned us to save
ourselves. And off in the distance we
could already see the smoke rising from
the burning wheat stacks that marked
the trail of the Indians. We at once
prepared for trouble. All the families
were gathered together in the Jackson
cabin as this was the fartherest from the
woods that would afford shelter to the
Indians in case of attack.
''The suspense and uncertainty caused
William Carroll to suggest that if some
one would go with him he would endeavor
to find out more about the danger. At
Frenchman's Lake (now the city of
Sleepy Eye) there lived an old French
man and his Indian squaw. We thot
that in all probability they would be
warned of the danger. I offered to
accompany Carroll and in the early after
noon we started off. Carroll had a
saddle but had only buffalo robe
thrown over my horses back. Before
starting out I wanted to go across the
river for my rifle but Carroll feared that
Indians might be lurking in the vicinity.
When we reached the cabin of the French
man at Frenchman's Lake we observed
that the log hut was deserted and SO we
rode on to Ross Lake where another
French squaw-man had his cabin. AS
we approached to within quarter of a
mile of the house, we saw the black smoke
arising from the little grove and knew
we were too late and that the Sioux were
not even sparing their French friends.
We heeled our horses just as the Indians
caught sight of us and gave pursuit.
Carroll shouted to me to slip of the
buffalo robe and ride as light as possible.
At the same time lost my hat. +.
.'Then began grim eighteen mile race
for New Ulm against the Sioux. We
soon struck the New Ulm trail and settled
down to task.of out-racing our pursuers.
We were better mounted than they were
on their Sioux ponies and by carefully