The Fort lacked a stockade or other fixed defences, but Gere was fortunate in having the assistance of a giant Sergeant of Artillery, John Jones. Jones hastily taught some of the Minnesota volunteers the rudiments of gunnery, and used them to man his 24 pdr howitzer, two 12 pdr mountain howitzers, and a 6 pdr field gun. With enough men to man three guns, he placed these at three corners of the fort.

A large party of Sioux appeared on the morning of August 19th, and could easily have overrun the fort. They were urged to do so by their leaders, Little Crow, Mankato and Big Eagle, but the warriors preferred what they expected would be the easier target of New Ulm and the loot which it contained. The chiefs, wanting no part in an attack on civilians, went back home. Thus given a vital breathing space, Fort Ridgely's defenders were reinforced later in the day by 50 men of C Company, 5th Minnesota, under Lieutenant Timothy J. Sheehan, who had marched all night and covered a distance of 42 miles. With the Volunteers came four dozen Renville Rangers and some armed civilians from the town of St Peter. Sheehan, as senior Lieutenant, took over command of the augmented garrison of about 180 men.

Meanwhile, at New Ulm, the women and children had huddled in the shelter of the buildings whilst the town militia under Jacob Nix opened fire on the Sioux, who had begun sniping at the town from a nearby bluff. The militia easily held off the leaderless Sioux, who did little damage, though they killed 11 defenders, and in the afternoon were persuaded to withdraw by the onset of a heavy thunderstorm.

Reinforcements were now arriving in New Ulm, including 125 men under Judge Charles Flandrau, who was eventually able to muster about 300 defenders.

Attack

On the afternoon of August 20th, Little Crow was able to persuade about 400 of the chastened Sioux to move against Fort Ridgely. They surrounded the fort, and whilst Little Crow attempted to distract the defenders by pretending that he wanted to parley, some of his men on the eastern side launched a charge, whilst others crept up the gullies and ravines on the north-east and south-western corners of the fort. The Sioux occupied some buts on the north side of the fort, but were driven out again by musketry and artillery, firing canister. The battle settled down into a long range exchange of fire, and ineffectual attempts by the Sioux to set the roofs of the buildings ablaze with fire arrows. These attempts were frustrated by the effects of the previous day's thunderstorm, and the Sioux, greatly impressed by the fire of the howitzers, withdrew at nightfall.

They reappeared on August 22nd, now about 800 strong, including 400 warriors from the Sisseton and Wahpeton clans. Camouflaged with grass, berries and wild flowers, the Indians crept through the undergrowth close to the fort, and then charged with "demonic yells". Once more heavy defending fire checked the attackers, except on the south-west corner, where the stables and a sutler's store were occupied. Again, although the buildings were set alight, the Sioux were driven out by artillery fire. Elsewhere renewed attacks with fire arrows were frustrated by the damp roofs.

The battle continued throughout the afternoon; Gere recollected: "The hail of bullets, the whizzing of arrows, and the blood-curdling war-hoop were incessant. The fire in front of Jones' gun became so hot and accurate as to splinter every foot of timber along the top of his barricades." Little Crow was slightly wounded, and his men gathered behind Mankato for a final charge against the south west corner. But two shots from the 24 pdr and a mountain howitzer landed among them. Gere wrote "the ponderous reverberation echoed up the valley as though 20 guns had opened, and the frightful explosion struck fear into the savages." The Indians fled and the battle was over. Six defenders had been killed and 20 wounded, whilst Little Crow had lost 100 dead and many more injured.

Meanwhile, at 9 a.m, on August 21st, the Sioux had made a renewed attack on New Ulm. Flandrau witnessed their charge: "Their advance upon the sloping prairie in the bright sunlight was a very fine spectacle. When within about one mile and a half of us the mass began to expand like a fan, and increase in the velocity of its approach. Then the savages uttered a terrific yell, and came down upon us like the wind."

Flandrau had deployed some of his irnen in the open, and these fled before the attackers, and the Indians occupied some outlying buildings. But the defenders rallied, and a firefight began. The Sioux set some buildings alight, and advanced under the cover of the smoke. Flandrau concentrated about 60 men, and made a countercharge, driving the Sioux back again. They gave up the attack at nightfaIl. The defenders of New Ulm had lost 36 dead and 23 wounded; Indian casualties, whilst unknown, must have been heavy.

Much of New Ulm now lay in ruins, and next day Flandrau ordered an evacuation. About 2,000 people safely made their way 30 miles down river to the town of Mankato.

The defeats at Fort Ridgely and New Ulm were a serious blow for the Sioux uprising, and the Indians swung away to the north and north-west. They were joined by some Dakota Sioux, and continued plundering and killing but were repulsed every time they attacked fixed defences.

More The Minnesota Uprising, 1862

Sioux Rebellion
Fort Ridgely
Counterattack

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