THE ONLY ORIGINAL STRUCTURE, A MAGAZINE, AT THE ONE-TIME SITE OF FORT RIDGLEY. IT WAS USED AS A BLOCKHOUSE DURING A BATTLE. : PHOTO BY CHARLIE JOHNSON BENNETT

When word of the Sioux Uprising reached Ft. Ridgely, the garrison had seventy-six men and two officers. Most of the men were in Company B, 5th MN. Captain Marsh, a veteran of Civil War service, had never fought Indians, and a majority of his men had yet to see combat. Fugitives from all over the countryside came streaming into the fort, talking about the Indians, and "raising hell at the Lower Agency."

Troop Types

TYPE	MORALE	FIRE
Sioux	Green/Regular	Green/Regular
CIVILIANS	Green	Green
VOLUNTEERS	Green/Regular	Green/Regular
ARMY	Regular/Elite	Regular

Marsh decided to go down to the agency and see for himself just what he could do. Marsh took with him 46 men of Company C and interpreter Peter Quinn. He left the fort with 29 men under a green, 19 year-old Lieutenant. The soldiers met a lot of panic-stricken settlers along the way, who warned Marsh and his men about the Indians, and that he had not taken enough men. They told him not to go down beyond Redwood Ferry. Confident of his mens ability to put down some rowdy Indians, Marsh did not listen.

A mile from the Ferry, Marsh's men had to get out of the wagons they rode in and began walking. In a single file line, they marched through the thick brush along the river. Around noon the soldiers approached the grassy landing at the ferry. Hazel and willow brush grew thick all along the banks of the river.

A few trees bowed over the lazy stream and meadow larks piped playfully on the bluffs above. The ferry house was quiet. The boat rode tethered to the shore.

From across the river came a voice beckoning Marsh to cross over with his men. The man calling was White Dog, a "cut-hair" who had been hired to teach the Sioux how to farm. He called for Marsh to come over and have a council. (Later, at WhiteDog's trial, he would claim that he did in fact warn Marsh not to come over and that there was an ambush.)

MONUMENT AT THE SITE OF FORT RIDGLEY, MN : PHOTO BY CHARLIE JOHNSON-BENNETT As Marsh talked over the situation with Quinn, a restless shot rang out and then a full volley ripped from hidden Indians. Quinn was hit and Marsh's Mule went down. Twelve other men were hit in the first volley. Marsh rallied his men and gave fire to some of the Indians who had taken the ferry house. The soldiers were hit from three sides.

Nearly surrounded Marsh led his men down the only route of escape. He took to the heavy brush that ran along the river for about two miles. Once clear of the brush he figured on turning to the open prairie where he could match the Indians on open ground. When the men got to the end of the brush, they saw more Indians blocking the way back to the fort. The only way to go now was across the river.

As he led his men swimming across the river, Marsh drowned. Sgt. John Bishop then took command, and under cover of dark, got the fifteen survivors back to the fort and relative safety. Eight more men came in later that night. It was a miracle that any man made it back at all. Only one Sioux had been killed. The fight at the ferry had given the Indians confidehce. Now they knew that they could "kill the white men like sheep."

The Game