The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-08-31
BATTLE OF FORT RIDCELY
CONTINUED From Page Five.)

a Continued From Page Five.)
The noise Of cannonading always ter
rifying to Indians, this kind of. it was ex-
tremely unpleasant to them, and the
whole bunch broke into an ignominious
retreat, followed by grape and canister
and bursting shells, until beyond range.
And so ended this six hour and last
attack upon this fort.
During this attack the heroic band of
women in the barracks were busy mould
ing bullets and making cartridges, while
the men, not on the firing line, were busy
cutting nailrods into slugs to use as
substitutes for bullets
In this engagement the fatalities at
the fort were but three men killed and
thirteen wounded. This remarkably
small loss may we'll be credited to the
fact that these heroic defenders took
forded by the buildings, especially the
stone barracks, and the poor class OF
arms carried by the Indians, and their
great nervousness, caused by the can
nonading and bursting shells. Lieuten-
ants Sheehan and Gere estimated the
number of Indians engaged on the goth
at from 500 to 600, and on the 22d at
from 1000 to $500, and the Indians
killed at no less than 100.
After the troubles were over, Big
Eagle, a chief engaged in both battles,
said that by actual count the secon,
day there were but 800 Indians engaged
some of them being Winnebagoes from
near Mankato under Little Priest, and
some Of them being boys with bows
and arrows. He said that our estimate
of the Indians killed were considerably
too high.
Whatever may be the fact as to these
things, 1t seems to- me utterly amazing
that the fort was not captured and all
Of the defenders and refugees slaugh-
tered. Had there been the least faltering
or of xUno ETonc orr ivoi6i fx hxy fho
defenders on any side of that deleaguered
garrison at any time, even for a bare
moment, an opening would have been
made and the defense would have been
no longer possible and when we con-
slider the want Of experience of the de-
tenders, their very exposed position, the
terrified women and children driven
from their homes, with whose defense the
garrison was charged, it seems that
nothing less than an overruling provi-
dence directed the result.
Companies B. and G of the 9Th Mimi.
had been in actual services but abou
ever in Indian warfare. and the Renville
Rangers were recruited but a few days
before the battle / may say here also
that number of the Renville Rangers
were Sioux half breeds who enlisted to
go south, but when called to the defense
of Fort Ridgely several Of them desert
ed and went to the aid of the Indians,
after making efforts to disable the can
mons at the fort. The rest were farmer
boys, as were the citizens who aided in
the defense.
One hundred and eighty men against
at least 500 Indians, the buildings of
the fort affording practically as much
protection 70 the Indians as to the de-
tenders, the Indians having the still
farther and more valuable protection of
the ravines and timbered slopes.
All things considered, the defense of
this spot should go down in history as
NJ tho horOiP and CllccaScf11l
ever recorded.
1 was not favored with personal ac-
Quaintance with Captain Marsh, although
he was a brother of the Lieutenant Col
Lieutenant Sheehan I knew for many
years before his death. After the war
he was for many years United States
marshal. A sturdy Irishman, with mus
cles of iron and nerves of steel, he knew
no such thing as fear; self-willed and
determined, he would carry out any prof.
ect which he undertook, as his forty
years of life after the war clearly proved.
1t was my pleasure to knew Lieutenant
afterward Captain, Gere. He was for a
time chief engineer and later assistant
superintendent Of the ST. PAUL & S. G.
r. r. Modest, somewhat retiring, never
self-asserting, cool and brave, a perfect
gentleman on all occasions. knew him
in prosperity, and under the most try
ing times in unexpected adversely. and
he was always the same considerate, po-
courtesies Of life; brave and a good
man.
Both Lieutenant Sheehan and Captain
Gere have gone to the great beyond, and
they should be entitled for all time to
come to reap rich reward for deeds
on earth.
On December 26, 1852, I stood with
my company as one of the guard, and
witnessed the execution of thirty eight
of the Sioux at Mankato, many or all
of whom were engaged in the attack
on this fort.
Mr. Lincoln, our big hearted, and aft
erward martyred, president, was bitter
ly criticised because he did not permit
the whole 800 who were then in Mankato
under sentence of death, to be then and
there executed. But they were mostly
blanket Indians, untutored, uneducated
and uncivilized; they knew no law save
unrelenting revenge for wrongs and
grievances, real or imaginary.
F'ifty-five years have passed and gone
since those fateful days, and we have
had time to pause and consider.
Fifty-five years of peace and plenty,
during which time the nations of the
earth have made wonderful strides in
the arts, the science, literature and mu-
Sic in higher education, in culture and
all that should go to make good citizen
ship and highly moral and benevolent
people. But let us pause and look across
the sea, and recall events transporting
there during the three years last past;
view, and then compare them with the
events of 1862, and ask ourselves in all
candor, are we making progress along
all lines Of better citizenship, and ask
ourselves where. among the people of the
earth, the American Indian of 1862 should
be classed. Should he go into the rec
ord as the worst BARBARIAN that the
world has ever known, whose cruelties
yet shock the nerves of our neighbors
across the sea, the leaders of the world
in culture, in arts and sciences, the
higher education and the production of
sweetest melodies, and in the teaching
Of all that goes to make life more worth
while.
Let us leave the answer to the histor-
ians of the bye and bye. 1t will be re-
corded and go down to our posterity
for all time to come, and the American
Indian will some day have his proper
place among the people Of the earth.
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