Information courtesy of the
Minnesota Civil War Commemoration Task Force
(www.mncivilwar150.com and “Minnesota Civil War 150” on Facebook)
Major Highlights for the Week
Wednesday August 20, 1862
ATTACK ON FORT RIDGELY, MINN.
Sioux Indians under the leadership of Chief Little Crow attack the frontier outpost of Fort Ridgely, Minnesota with 400 warriors. The Indian attack penetrated to within a few yards of the log buildings comprising the fort, which did not have a stockade wall for protection. Four artillery pieces deployed around the fort’s parade ground fired upon the Sioux with canister rounds, which dispersed the attackers.
Thursday August 21, 1862
Because of a rainfall, a cessation of hostilities occurred in the Minnesota frontier. Defenders at Fort Ridgely and the town of New Ulm used this day to strengthen defenses, inventory supplies, tend to the wounded and make preparations to withstand a future Sioux Indian attack, if at all possible.
Elsewhere, Major General John Pope’s Army of Virginia skirmished with General Robert E. Lee’s Confederates along the Rappahannock River at Kelly’s, Beverly and Freeman’s Fords. Federal troops evacuated Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a skirmish occurred at Neosho, Missouri.
Friday August 22, 1862
SECOND ATTACK ON FORT RIDGELY, MINN.
The Sioux Indians returned to Fort Ridgely with twice the strength. Led by Little Crow and Mankato, the Sioux surged towards the fort, reaching as far as the stables where they released the livestock. Well-placed shots of canister and case-shot from the artillery pieces inside the fort were enough to scatter the attacking Sioux before they reached the main part of the compound. Little Crow withdrew his forces by the end of the day. Chief Big Eagle lamented, “But for the cannon I think we would have taken the fort. The soldiers fought us so bravely we thought there were more of them than there were. The cannons disturbed us greatly but did not hurt many. We did not have many Indians killed.”
Saturday August 23, 1862
SECOND BATTLE OF NEW ULM, MINN.
After creating a diversion in the direction of Fort Ridgely, approximately 650 Sioux Indians led by Wabasha, Mankato and Big Eagle, attacked the town of New Ulm, Minnesota, from the west around 9:30 a.m. As the Indians advanced, some of the defenders fell back, abandoning buildings that the Indians either occupied or set on fire. The Indian advance swept forward, wrapping around both flanks of the town. Just as the Indians were about to charge, the town’s defenders led by Charles Flandrau, led a counterattack, which robbed the Sioux of their initiative. Fighting continued to nightfall, before the attack was over. Ninety-four civilian casualties occurred during the two attacks at New Ulm, with more than one-third of them fatal. There were 190 buildings in the town that were destroyed by fire.
Sunday August 24, 1862
It was another rainy night on the Minnesota frontier, which created another cessation of hostilities. Settlers in New Ulm took advantage of the lull to make evacuation plans.
Near the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, the C.S.S. Alabama was commissioned as a cruiser in the Confederate Navy and received its armament and supplies.
Monday August 25, 1862
NEW ULM, MINN. EVAUCATED
The town of New Ulm, Minnesota was evacuated following the second battle against the Sioux Indians. Fearing that an attack was imminent, approximately 1,500 people fled the town in a train comprised of 153 wagons. They made it the thirty-miles to Mankato, Minnesota without incident.
Two farmers were killed by Indians in Dakota Territory one-mile from modern-day Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Tuesday August 26, 1862
Confederate cavalry under Fitzhugh Lee entered Manassas Junction and captured the rail point. Other Confederates under Major General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson pushed to nearby Manassas, site of the Bull Run/Manassas battle a year before, and captured a few hundred prisoners and large amounts of quartermaster and commissary supplies. Not understanding Jackson’s intentions, Federal Major General John Pope rested his Army of Virginia, while Major General George B. McClellan’s Second Crops left Fort Monroe, continuing the Army of the Potomac’s evacuation from Virginia’s Peninsula near the James River.
Skirmishing occurred at Cumberland Iron Works and Cumberland Gap, Tennessee and near Rienzi, Mississippi.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of August 20-26, 1862
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Continued the move from Harrison’s Landing to Alexandria, Virginia as part of McClellan’s retreat from the Peninsula.
2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Continued the march towards Pelham Gap, Tennessee.
3rd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – At Murfreesboro, Tennessee after receiving their parole.
4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – At Jacinto, Mississippi for garrison duty.
5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Companies B, C and D remained in Minnesota and Dakota Territory on garrison duty while the remaining companies were moved to Tuscumbia, Mississippi. Companies B and C were part of the defending force during the Fort Ridgely battles.
6th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Participated in Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley’s march to relieve Fort Ridgely.
7th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Companies A, B, F, G and H participated in Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley’s march to relieve Fort Ridgely.
8th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On frontier duty at various points in Minnesota: Anoka, Princeton, Monticello, Kingston, Manannah, Paynesville, Fort Ripley, Sauk Center, Pomme de Terre, Alexandria and Fort Abercrombie until May 1864.
9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Organized at Camp Release, Hutchinson, St. Peter, Fort Snelling, Glencoe and Fort Ridgely, Minnesota beginning August 15. Company A joined the 6th Minnesota Infantry on Aug. 25 to march in relief of Fort Ridgely.
10th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Organized at Garden City, Winnebago Agency, Fort Snelling and St. Paul, Minnesota beginning August 12. A detachment of Company I assists in the defenses of Fort Ridgely, Aug. 20-22 and returns to join the rest of Company I plus Company G for the defense of New Ulm, Aug. 24-25.
Brackett’s Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry – Skirmish at Fort Donelson, Tennessee on Aug. 25.
1st Minnesota Light Artillery Battery – On garrison duty at Corinth, Miss.
2nd Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery – March through Alabama en route to Nashville, Tennessee.
2nd United States Sharpshooters, Company A – Participated in Major General John Pope’s campaign in Northern Virginia with the Army of Virginia and skirmished at Beverly, Freeman’s and Kelly’s Fords.
