evacuation of New Ulm, on the 25th of August, the most exposed part of
the southern frontier was occupied by quite a strong force. I did not
expect that any serious incursions would be made along this line, but
the state of alarm and panic that prevailed among the people rendered it
necessary to establish this cordon of military posts to prevent an
exodus of the inhabitants. No one who has not gone through the ordeal of
an Indian insurrection can form any idea of the terrible apprehension
that takes possession of a defenseless and noncombatant population under
such circumstances. There is an element of mystery and uncertainty about
the magnitude and movements of this enemy, and a certainty of his
brutality, that inspires terror. The first notice of his approach is the
crack of his rifle, and no one with experience of such struggles ever
blames the timidity of citizens in exposed positions when assailed by
these savages. I think, all things being considered, the people
generally behaved very well. If a map of the state is consulted, taking
New Ulm as the most northern point on the Minnesota river, it will be
seen that the line of my posts covered the frontier from that point down
the river to South Bend, and up the Blue Earth, southerly, to Winnebago
City, and thence to the Iowa line. These stations were about sixteen
miles apart, with two advanced posts, at Madelia and Chain Lakes, to the
westward. A system of couriers was established, starting from each end
of the cordon every morning, with dispatches from the commanding officer
to headquarters, stopping at every station for an indorsement of what
was going on, so I knew every day what had happened at every point on my
line. By this means, the frontier population was pacified, and no
general exodus took place.
In September Major General Pope was ordered to Minnesota to conduct the
Indian war. He made his headquarters at St. Paul, and by his high rank
took command of all operations, though not exerting any visible
influence on them, the fact being that all imminent danger had been
overcome by the state and its citizens before his arrival. In the latter
part of September the citizen troops under my command were anxious to
return to their homes, and on presentation of the situation to General
Pope, he ordered into the state a new regiment just mustered into the
service in Wisconsin--the Twenty-fifth--commanded by Col. M. Montgomery,
who was ordered to relieve me. He appeared at South Bend on the 1st of
October, and after having fully informed him of what had transpired, and
given him my views as to the future, I turned my command over to him in
the following order: I give it, as it succinctly presents the situation
of affairs at the time.
"HEADQUARTERS INDIAN EXPEDITION
SOUTHERN FRONTIER,
"SOUTH BEND, October 5, 1862.
"_To the Soldiers and Citizens who have been, and are now engaged
in the defense of the Southern Frontier:_
"On the eighteenth day of August last your frontier was invaded
by the Indians. You promptly rallied for its defense. You
checked the advance of the enemy and defeated him in two severe
battles at New Ulm. You have held a line of frontier posts
extending over a distance of one hundred miles. You have erected
six substantial fortifications, and other defensive works of
less magnitude. You have dispersed marauding bands of savages
that have hung upon your lines. You have been uniformly brave,
vigilant and obedient to orders. By your efforts, the war has
been confined to the border; without them, it would have
penetrated into the heart of the state.
"Major General Pope has assumed command of the Northwest, and
will control future operations. He promises a vigorous
prosecution of the war. Five companies of the Twenty-fifth
Wisconsin Regiment and five hundred cavalry from Iowa are
ordered into the region now held by you, and will supply the
places of those whose terms of enlistment shortly expire. The
department of the southern frontier, which I have had the honor
to command, will, from the date of this order, be under the
command of Colonel M. Montgomery of the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin,
whom I take pleasure in introducing to the troops and citizens
of that department as a soldier and a man to whom they may
confide their interests and the safety of their country, with
every assurance that they will be protected and defended.
"Pressing public duties of a civil nature demand my absence
temporarily from the border. The intimate and agreeable
relations we have sustained toward each other, our union in
danger and adventure, cause me regret in leaving you, but will
hasten my return.
"CHAS. E. FLANDRAU,
"_Colonel Commanding Southern Frontier._"
This practically terminated my connection with the war. All matters yet
to be related took place in other parts of the state, under the command
of Colonel Sibley and others.
COLONEL SIBLEY MOVES UPON THE ENEMY.
We left Colonel Sibley, on the 4th of September, at Fort Ridgely, having
just relieved the unfortunate command of Major Joseph R. Brown, after
the fight at Birch Coulie. Knowing that the Indians had in their
possession many white captives, and having their rescue alive uppermost
in his mind, the colonel left on the battlefield at Birch Coulie the
following communication, attached to a stake driven in the ground,
feeling assured that it would fall into the hands of Little Crow, the
leader of the Indians.
"If Little Crow has any proposition to make, let him send a
half-breed to me, and he shall be protected in and out of camp.
"H. H. SIBLEY,
"_Colonel Commanding Military Expedition._"
The note was found, and answered by Little Crow in a manner rather
irrelevant to the subject most desired by Colonel Sibley. It was dated
at Yellow Medicine, September 7th, and delivered by two half-breeds.
Colonel Sibley returned the following answer by the bearers:
"Little Crow, you have murdered many of our people without any
sufficient cause. Return me the prisoners under a flag of truce,
and I will talk with you like a man."
No response was received to this letter until September 12th, when
Little Crow sent another, saying that he had 155 prisoners, not
including those held by the Si-si-tons and Wak-pay-tons, who were at Lac
qui Parle, and were coming down. He also gave assurances that the
prisoners were faring well. Colonel Sibley, on the 12th of September,
sent a reply by Little Crow's messengers, saying that no peace could be
made without a surrender of the prisoners, but not promising peace on
any terms, and charging the commission of nine murders since the receipt
of Little Crow's last letter. The same messenger that brought this
letter from Little Crow also delivered, quite a long one from Wabasha
and Taopee, two lower chiefs who claimed to be friendly, and desired a
meeting with Colonel Sibley, suggesting two places where it could be
held. The Colonel replied that he would march in three days, and was
powerful enough to crush all the Indians; that they might approach his
column in open day with a flag of truce, and place themselves under his
protection. On the receipt of this note a large council was held, at
which nearly all the annuity Indians were present. Several speeches were
made by the Upper and Lower Sioux, some in favor of continuance of the
war and "dying in the last ditch," and some in favor of surrendering the
prisoners. I quote from a speech made by Paul Ma-za-ku-ta-ma-ni, who
will be remembered as one of the Indians who volunteered to rescue the
white captives from Ink-pa-du-ta's band, in 1857, and who was always
true to the whites. He said among other things:
"In fighting the whites, you are fighting the thunder and
lightning. You say you can make a treaty with the British
government. That is not possible. Have you not yet come to your
senses? They are also white men, and neighbors and friends to
the soldiers. They are ruled by a petticoat, and she has the
tender heart of a squaw. What will she do for the men who have
committed the murders you have?"
This correspondence was kept up for several days, quite a number of
letters coming from the Indians to Colonel Sibley, but with no
satisfactory results. On the 18th of September, Colonel Sibley
determined to move upon the enemy, and on that day camp was broken at
the fort, a boat constructed, and a crossing of the Minnesota river
effected near the fort, to prevent the possibility of an ambuscade.
Colonel Sibley's force consisted of the Sixth Regiment under Colonel
Crooks, about three hundred men of the Third under Major Welch, several
companies of the Seventh under Col. William R. Marshall, a small number
of mounted men under Colonel McPhail, and a battery under the command of
Capt. Mark Hendricks. The expedition moved up the river without
encountering any opposition until the morning of the twenty-third of
September. Indians had been in sight during all the march, carefully
watching the movements of the troops, and several messages of defiance
were found attached to fences and houses.
THE BATTLE OF WOOD LAKE.
On the evening of the 22d the expedition camped at Lone Tree lake, about
two miles from the Yellow Medicine river, and about three miles east
from Wood lake. Early next morning several foraging teams belonging to
the Third Regiment were fired upon. They returned the fire, and
retreated toward the camp. At this juncture the Third Regiment without
orders, sallied out, crossed a deep ravine and soon engaged the enemy.
They were ordered back by the commander, and had not reached camp before
Indians appeared on all sides in great numbers, many of them in the
ravine between the Third Regiment and the camp. Thus began the battle of
Wood Lake. Captain Hendricks opened with his cannon and the howitzer
under the direct command of Colonel Sibley, and poured in shot and
shell. It has since been learned that Little Crow had appointed ten of
his best men to kill Colonel Sibley at all hazards, and that the shells
directed by the colonel's own hand fell into this special squad and
dispersed them. Captain Hendricks pushed his cannon to the head of the
ravine, and raked it with great effect, and Colonel Marshall, with
three companies of the Seventh and Captain Grant's company of the Sixth,
charged down the ravine on a double quick, and routed the Indians. About
eight hundred of the command were engaged in the conflict, and met about
an equal number of Indians. Our loss was about nine killed and between
forty and fifty wounded. Major Welch of the Third was shot in the leg,
but not fatally. The Third and the Renville Rangers under Capt. James
Gorman bore the brunt of the fight, which lasted about an hour and a
half, and sustained the most of the losses. Colonel Sibley, in his
official report of the encounter, gives great credit to his staff and
all of his command. An-pay-tu-tok-a-cha, or John Otherday, was with the
whites, and took a conspicuous part in the fray.
Thus ended the battle of Wood Lake. It was an important factor in the
war, as it was about the first time the Indians engaged large forces of
well organized troops in the open country, and their utter discomfiture
put them on the run. It will be noticed that I have not in any of my
narratives of battles, used the stereotyped expression, "Our losses were
so many, but the losses of the enemy were much greater, but as they
always carry off their dead and wounded, it is impossible to give exact
figures." The reason I have not made use of this common expression is,
because I don't believe it. The philosophy of Indian warfare is, to kill
your enemy and not get killed yourself, and they can take cover more
skillfully than any other people. In all our Indian wars, from the
Atlantic westward, with regulars or militia, I believe it would not be
an exaggeration to say that the whites have lost ten to one in killed
and wounded. But the battle of Wood Lake was quite an open fight, and so
rapidly conducted and concluded that we have a very accurate account of
the loss of the enemy. He had no time or opportunity to withdraw his
dead. Fifteen dead were found upon the field, and one wounded prisoner
was taken. No doubt many others were wounded who were able to escape.
After this fight Colonel Sibley retired to the vicinity of an Indian
camp, located nearly opposite the mouth of the Chippewa river, where it
empties into the Minnesota, and there encamped. This point was
afterwards called "Camp Release," from the fact that the white prisoners
held by the enemy were here delivered to Colonel Sibley's command. We
will leave Colonel Sibley and his troops at Camp Release, and narrate
the important events that occurred on the Red River of the North, at and
about
FORT ABERCROMBIE.
The United States government, about the year 1858, erected a military
post on the west side of the Red River of the North, at a place then
known as Graham's Point, between what are now known as the cities of
Breckenridge and Fargo. Like most of the frontier posts of that day, it
was not constructed with reference to defense, but more as a depot for
troops and military stores. It was then in the midst of the Indian
country, and is now in Richland county, North Dakota. The troops that
had garrisoned the fort had been sent south to aid in suppressing the
Southern rebellion, and their places had been supplied by one company of
the Fifth Regiment of Minnesota Volunteers, which was commanded by Capt.
John Van der Horck. There was a place down the river, and north of the
fort, about fifty miles, called Georgetown, at which there were some
settlers, and a depot of stores for the company engaged in the
navigation of the river. At the commencement of the outbreak Captain
Van der Horck had detached about one-half of his company, and sent them
to Georgetown, to protect the interests centered at that point.
About the 20th of August news reached Abercrombie from the Yellow
Medicine agency that trouble was expected from the Indians. An
expedition was on the way to Red lake to make a treaty with the Chippewa
Indians, consisting of the government commissioners and party,
accompanied by a train of thirty loaded wagons and a herd of two hundred
cattle. On the 23d of August, news reached Fort Abercrombie that a large
body of Indians were on the way to capture this party. A courier was at
once dispatched to the train, and it sought refuge in the fort. Runners
were also sent to all the settlements in the vicinity, and the warning
spread of the approaching danger. Happily nearly all of the surrounding
people reached the fort before the arrival of the enemy. The detachment
stationed at Georgetown was also called in. A mail coach that left the
fort on the 22d, fell into the hands of the Indians, who killed the
driver and destroyed the mail.
The garrison had been strengthened by about fifty men capable of duty
from the refugees, but they were unarmed. Captain Van der Horck
strengthened his post by all means in his power, and endeavored to
obtained reinforcements. Captain Freeman, with about sixty men, started
from St. Cloud, on the Mississippi, to relieve the garrison at
Abercrombie, but on reaching Sauk Center the situation appeared so
alarming that it was deemed imprudent to proceed with so small a force,
and no addition could be made to it at Sauk Center. Attempts were made
to reinforce the fort from other points. Two companies were sent from
Fort Snelling, and got as far as Sauk Center, but the force was even
then deemed inadequate to proceed to Abercrombie. Part of the Third
Regiment was also dispatched from Snelling to its relief on September
6th. Another expedition, consisting of companies under command of
Captains George Atkinson and Rollo Banks, with a small squad of about
sixty men of the Third Regiment, under command of Sergeant Dearborn,
together with a field piece under Lieutenant Robert J. McHenry, was
formed, and placed under the command of Capt. Emil A. Burger. This
command started on September 10th, and after a long and arduous march,
reached the fort on the 23d of September, finding the weaned and anxious
garrison still in possession. Captain Burger had been reinforced at
Wyman's station, on the Alexandria road, on the 19th of September, by
the companies under Captains Freeman and Barrett, who had united their
men on the 14th, and started for the fort. The relief force amounted to
quite four hundred men by the time it reached its destination.
While this long delayed force was on its way the little garrison at the
fort had its hands full to maintain its position. On the 30th of August
a large body of Indians made a bold raid on the post, and succeeded in
stampeding and running off nearly two hundred head of cattle and one
hundred head of horses and mules which were grazing on the prairie. Some
fifty of the cattle afterwards escaped, and were restored to the post by
a scouting party. This band of marauders did not, however, attack the
fort. No one who has not experienced it can appreciate the mortification
of seeing an enemy despoil you of your property when you are powerless
to resist. An attack was made on the fort on the 3d of September, and
some stacks burned and a few horses captured. Several men were killed on
both sides, and Captain Van der Horck was wounded in the right arm from
an accidental shot from one of his own men. On September 6th a second
attack was made by a large force of Indians, which lasted nearly all
day, in which we lost two men and had several wounded. No further attack
was made until the 26th of September, when Captain Freeman's company was
fired on while watering their horses in the river. These Indians were
routed and pursued by Captain Freeman's company, and a squad of the
Third Regiment men, with a howitzer. Their camp was captured, which
contained quite an amount of plunder. A light skirmish took place on the
29th of September, in which the enemy was routed, and this affair ended
the siege of Fort Abercrombie.
CAMP RELEASE.
Colonel Sibley's command made Camp Release on the 26th of September.
This camp was in the near vicinity of a large Indian camp of about 150
lodges. These Indians were composed of Upper and Lower Sioux, and had
generally been engaged in all the massacres that had taken place since
the outbreak. They had with them some 250 prisoners, composed of women
and children, whites and half-breeds. Only one white man was found in
the camp, George Spencer, who had been desperately wounded at the Lower
Agency, and saved from death by an Indian friend of his.
The desire of the troops to attack and punish these savages was intense,
but Colonel Sibley kept steadily in mind that the rescue of the
prisoners was his first duty, and he well knew that any demonstration of
violence would immediately result in the destruction of the captives. He
therefore wisely overruled all hostile inclinations. The result was a
general surrender of the whole camp, together with all the prisoners.
As soon as the safety of the captives was assured, inquiry was
instituted as to the participation of these Indians in the massacres and
outrages which had been so recently perpetrated. Many cases were soon
developed of particular Indians, who had been guilty of the grossest
atrocities, and the commander decided to form a military tribunal to try
the offenders.
TRIAL OF THE INDIANS.
The state has reason to congratulate itself on two things in this
connection. First, that it had so wise and just a man as Colonel Sibley
to select this important tribunal, and, second, that he had at his
command such admirable material from which to make his selection. It
must be remembered that this court entered upon its duties with the
lives of hundreds of men at its absolute disposal. Whether they were
Indians or any other kind of people, the fact must not be overlooked
that they were human beings, and the responsibility of the tribunal was
correspondingly great. Colonel Sibley at this date sent me a dispatch,
declaring his intention in the matter of the result of the trials. It is
as follows:
"CAMP RELEASE, NINE MILES BELOW LAC QUI PARLE,
Sept. 25, 1862.
"Colonel: [After speaking of a variety of matters concerning the
disposition of troops who were in my command, the battle of Wood
Lake (which he characterized as "A smart conflict we had with
the Indians"), the rescue of the prisoners and other matters, he
adds:]
"N. B.--I am encamped near a camp of 150 lodges of friendly
Indians and half-breeds, but have had to purge it of suspected
characters. I have apprehended sixteen supposed to have been
connected with the late outrages, and have appointed a military
commission of five officers to try them. If found guilty they
will be forthwith executed, although it will perhaps be a
stretch of my authority. If so, necessity must be my
justification.
"Yours,
"H. H. SIBLEY."
On the 28th of September an order was issued convening this court
martial. It was composed of William Crooks, colonel of the Sixth
Regiment, president; William R. Marshall, lieutenant colonel of the
Seventh Regiment; Captains Grant and Baily of the Sixth, and Lieutenant
Olin of the Third. Others were subsequently added as necessity required.
All these men were of mature years, prominent in their social and
general standing as citizens, and as well equipped as any persons could
be to engage in such work. What I regard as the most important feature
in the composition of this most extraordinary court is the fact that the
Hon. Isaac V. D. Heard, an experienced lawyer of St. Paul, who had been
for many years the prosecuting attorney of Ramsey county, and who was
thoroughly versed in criminal law, was on the staff of Colonel Sibley,
and was by him appointed recorder of the court. Mr. Heard, in the
performance of his duty, was above prejudice or passion, and could treat
a case of this nature as if it was a mere misdemeanor. Lieutenant Olin
was judge advocate of this court, but as the trials progressed the
evidence was all put in and the records kept by Mr. Heard. Some changes
were made in the personnel of the court from time to time as the
officers were needed elsewhere, but none of the changes lessened the
dignity or character of the tribunal. I make these comments because the
trials took place at a period of intense excitement, and persons
unacquainted with the facts may be led to believe that the court was
"organized to convict," and was unfair in its decisions.
The court sat some time at Camp Release, then at the Lower Agency, and
Mankato, where it investigated the question whether the Winnebagoes had
participated in the outbreak; but none of that tribe were implicated,
which proves that the court acted judicially, and not upon unreliable
evidence, as the country was full of rumors and charges that the
Winnebagoes were implicated. The court terminated its sittings at Fort
Snelling, after a series of sessions lasting from Sept. 30 to Nov. 5,
1862, during which 425 prisoners were arraigned and tried. Of these 321
were found guilty of the offenses charged, of whom 303 were sentenced to
death, and the rest to various terms of imprisonment according to the
nature of their crimes. The condemned prisoners were removed to Mankato,
where they were confined in a large guardhouse, constructed of logs for
the purpose, and were guarded by a strong force of soldiers. On the way
down, as the party having charge of the prisoners passed through New Ulm
they found the inhabitants disinterring the dead, who had been hastily
buried in the streets where they fell during the fights at that place.
The sight of the Indians so enraged the people that a general attack was
made on the wagons in which they were chained together. The attacking
force was principally composed of women, armed with clubs, stones,
knives, hot water and similar weapons. Of course, the guard could not
shoot or bayonet a woman, and they got the prisoners through the town
with the loss of one killed and many battered and bruised.
While this court martial was in session the news of its proceedings
reached the eastern cities, and a great outcry was raised, that
Minnesota was contemplating a dreadful massacre of Indians. Many
influential bodies of well-intentioned but ill-informed people beseeched
President Lincoln to put a stop to the proposed executions. The
president sent for the records of the trials, and turned them over to
his legal and military advisors to decide which were the more flagrant
cases. On the sixth day of December, 1862, the president made the
following order:
"EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C.,
"Dec. 6, 1862.
"_Brigadier General Henry H. Sibley, St. Paul, Minn._:
"Ordered, that of the Indians and half-breeds sentenced to be
hanged by the military commission, composed of Colonel Crooks,
Lieutenant Colonel Marshall, Captain Grant, Captain Bailey and
Lieutenant Olin, and lately sitting in Minnesota, you cause to
be executed on Friday, the nineteenth day of December, instant,
the following named, to-wit:
(Here follow the names of thirty-nine Indians, and their numbers
on the record of conviction.)
"The other condemned prisoners you will hold, subject to further
orders, taking care that they neither escape nor are subjected
to any unlawful violence.
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
"_President of the United States._"