andel were there, having
accompanied the volunteer cavalry from St. Paul; Dreis joined on the
4th and Fandel, being wounded in the hand, went to the hospital.
Thiele, too, was present at this fight. About this time Lieutenant Exel
with the seven furloughed Winona men returned.

Shortly after this affair the order of the adjutant general of the
state was received and published, fixing the letters of the companies
according to the rank of the respective captains. The Sigel Guards were
the fifth company, and so became E; in position it was therefore the
seventh from the right wing of the regiment, and had, when marching
during the summer, Company A of the Ninth Regiment in front, and
Company K of the Sixth in the rear.

While preparations for the campaign were progressing, the troops were
drilled daily in the "school of the soldier" and "of the company;" and,
among other things, trenches were dug at the fort, and beyond the
camps. About the middle of the month Eberdt was detailed as regimental
pioneer.

On the 18th of the month the expeditionary force took up the line of
march from its base at Fort Ridgley. Crossing at the ferry near by, the
route pursued was on the south side of the Minnesota River, fording the
Red Wood at the usual place, and touching Wood Lakes, about three miles
from Yellow Medicine, which was reached on the 22nd. On the morning of
the 23rd the Indians surprised a foraging party half a mile distant
from the camp. The Third Regiment formed in line, and, crossing a
ravine, opened fire on the Indians, but immediately received orders to
fall back. The Third recrossed the ravine, and, the Renville Rangers
coming to their support, the Indian advance was checked. Captain
Hendricks placed his artillery in a raking position at the head of the
ravine, and soon dislodged the enemy. On the right, Colonel Marshall
with five companies of the Seventh Regiment, and Companies A and I of
the Sixth under Lieutenant Colonel Averill, charged and drove the
Indians from their position. On the left, a similar flank movement was
repelled by Major McLaren with Companies F and K of the Sixth, while
the remainder of the regiment was held in reserve. The action lasted
about two hours, at the end of which time, the Indians being unable to
withstand the murderous fire of shot and shell rained upon them, fled
with great precipitation, and thus ended the battle of Wood Lake. The
whole plan of battle seems to have been of defense, f