New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-03-07
CHIPPEWAS MEYER
NEAR GRACEYlLLE
DULUTH MAN CONFIRMS STORY
OF LAST BATTLE WITH THE
SIOUX.
O. H. CLARK WAS EYEWITNESS
TO ENCOUNTER BETWEEN
TWO TRIBES.

O. H. Clark, of Duluth, whose father,
was merchant at Shakopee back in the
pioneer days of Minnesota, and who
was brought up from childhood among
the Indians, has written letter to
Richard Pfefferle regarding some of the
early day doings Of settlers and Indians.
ME-. Clark, who was then small boy,
was present at the last battle between
the Sioux and Chippewas, which he says
was in 1858. In part Mr.. Clark says:
'"The last battle between those two
tribes, to the best Of my recollection,
was in 1858. The Inkpadutah massacre
at Spirit Lake, Iowa, was in 1857, and the
Shakopee battle was the year following.
My father was keeping store in Shake
pee at the time, and sold and gave away
all the ammunition and guns that he had,
to help the Sioux beat the Chippewas.
After he had given them all the powder,
etc., that he had, he and a Mr.. Murphy,
who lived there at the time, went down
and crossed the river, and watched the
fight. In fact they got right into the
middle of it, and had hard time getting
out, as the Indians were fighting all
around them. In many instances they
were chasing each other around trees,
trying to stampede each other;
Battle Ferry Landing.
"This Mr.. Murphy was operating
the ferry across the river at Shakopee
at the time, and the fight occurred at the
ferry landing, on the opposite side of the
river. The Chippewas came early in
the morning and surprised the Sioux.
They first killed Sioux Indian who was
fishing from his canoe, in the river, and
that shot aroused the Sioux at once,
and the fight was on. The Sioux came
to my fathers house and got him out
of bed to 60 to his store and give them
ammunition. He hesitated at first, be-
cause he feared the Sioux had broken
out and intended to massacre us all.
His, reason for this fear was because it
was so close following the outbreak in
Iowa.
''The Indians, however, were so
earnest in their request that he finally
gave in and gave them all the ammuni-
ton that he had. .-' go
''The Indians had a big scalp dance
in the streets of Shakopee that night
and we all went to see it. I remember
it very distinctly, although I was then
quite young.
Last Battle At Shakopee
''The last battle fought between the
Sioux and Chippewas was this one at
Shakopee. I never heard of a Chippewa
getting so far into Sioux territory as
Graceville, and if he did he is probably
there yet. The Sioux were too plenti-
full around Lake Traverse and Big Stone
Lake in those days for any body of
Chippewas to ever get anywhere near
there. In fact when they attacked the
Sioux at Shakopee it was said at that time
the Chippewas had never before gotten
so far into Sioux territory, and that was
what surprised the latter tribe
Mr.. Clark has several reasons why
he feels certain that the battle was fought
in 1858. His fathers family left Shako-
pee the following fall, going to St.
Lawrence where they lived for time.
Mr.. Clark is well known to many of
the pioneers of this part of the state.
His father the late Miles P. Clark,
Joined the Union army in 1861, and for
time was stationed at Fort Ridgely,
his family being with him.
Continuing his letter to Mr.. Pfeferle,
Mr.. Clark says:
Must Keep History Pure
There are many incidents to show
how carefully we must watch history to
keep it pure and correct. There are
so many impostors, would-be Indian
fighters, heroes, heroines, public notori-
ETY. seekers and glory grafters' watching
for chance to break into the spot light
that those who know the truth of the
matter wonders what they will do next.
'The monument erected to the memory
of the Battle of Birch Coolie is six miles