The History of Minnesota and Tales of the FrontierFlandrau, Charles E. (Charles Eugene)
History
The History of Minnesota and Tales of the Frontier
Flandrau, Charles E. (Charles Eugene)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Minnesota; Minnesota -- History
St. Paul, ordered Major Wilkinson of Company "E," of the Third Regiment
of United States Infantry, stationed at Fort Snelling, with his company
of eighty men, to the scene of the troubles. General Bacon accompanied
these troops as far as Walker, on the west bank of Leech lake, more in
the capacity of an observer of events and to gain proper knowledge of
the situation than as part of the force. On the 5th of October, 1898,
the whole force left Walker in boats for a place on the east bank of the
lake, called Sugar Point, where there was a clearing of several acres
and a log house, occupied by Pug-on-a-ke-shig. They were accompanied by
R. T. O'Connor, the United States marshal of Minnesota, and several of
his deputies, among whom was Col. Timothy J. Sheehan, who knew the
Indians who were subject to arrest. This officer was the same man who,
as Lieutenant Sheehan, had so successfully commanded the forces at Fort
Ridgely, during the Indian War of 1862, since when he had fought his way
through the Civil War with distinction. When the command landed, only a
few squaws and Indians were visible. The deputy marshals landed, and
with the interpreters went at once to the house, and while there
discovered an Indian whom Colonel Sheehan recognized as one for whom a
warrant was out, and immediately attempted to arrest and handcuff him.
The Indian resisted vigorously, and it was only with the aid of three or
four soldiers that they succeeded in arresting him. He was put on board
of the boat. The whole force then skirmished through the timber in
search of Indians, but found none, and about noon returned to the
clearing and were ordered to stack arms preparatory to getting dinner.
They had scouted the surrounding country and had seen no Indians or
signs of Indians, and did not believe there were any in the vicinity,
when in fact the Indians had carefully watched their every movement, and
were close to their trail, waiting for the most advantageous moment to
strike. It was the same tactics which the Indians had so often adopted
with much success in their warfare with the whites. While stacking arms,
a new recruit allowed his gun to fall to the ground, and it was
discharged accidentally. The Indians who were silently awaiting their
opportunity, supposing it was the signal of attack, opened fire on the
troops, and a vicious battle began. The soldiers seized their arms, and
returned the fire as best they could, directing it at the points whence
came the shots from the invisible enemy, concealed in the dense thicket.
The battle raged for several hours. General Bacon, with a gun in his
hands, was everywhere, encouraging the men. Major Wilkinson, as cool as
if he had been in a drawing room, cheered his men on, but was thrice
wounded, the last hit proving fatal. Colonel Sheehan instinctively
entered the fight, and took charge of the right wing of the line,
charging the enemy with a few followers and keeping up a rapid fire. The
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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