outbreak, should not have retreated to
the fort. Of course, forty-five men could do nothing against five or six
hundred warriors, who were known to be at or about the agency. The Duke
of Wellington, when asked as to what was the best test of a general,
said, "To know when to retreat, and to dare to do it." Captain Marsh
cannot be justly judged by any such criterion. He was not an experienced
general. He was a young, brave, and enthusiastic soldier. He knew little
of Indians. The country knows that he thought he was doing his duty in
advancing. I am confident, whether this judgment is intelligent or not,
posterity will hold in warmer esteem the memory of Captain Marsh and his
gallant little band than if he had adopted the more prudent course of
retracing his steps. Gen. George Custer was led into an ambush of almost
the exact character, which was prepared for him by many of the same
Indians who attacked Marsh, and he lost five companies of the Seventh
United States Cavalry, one of the best fighting regiments in the
service, not a man escaping.

Immediately previous to the outbreak Lieut. Timothy J. Sheehan, of
Company "C," Fifth Minnesota, had been sent, with about fifty men of his
company, to the Yellow Medicine Agency, on account of some disorder
prevailing among the Indians; but having performed his duty, he had been
ordered to Fort Ripley, and had on the 17th left Fort Ridgley, and on
the 18th had reached a point near Glencoe, distant from Fort Ridgley
about forty miles. As soon as Captain Marsh became aware of the
outbreak, he sent the following dispatch to Lieutenant Sheehan, which
reached him on the evening of the 18th:

"_Lieutenant Sheehan:_

"It is absolutely necessary that you should return with your
command immediately to this post. The Indians are raising hell
at the Lower Agency. Return as soon as possible."

Lieutenant Sheehan was then a young Irishman, of about the age of
twenty-five years, with immense physical vigor, and corresponding
enthusiasm. He immediately broke camp and returned to the fort, arriving
there on the 19th of August, having made a forced march of forty-two
miles in nine and one-half hours. He did not arrive a moment too soon.
Being the ranking officer after the death of Captain Marsh, he took
command of the post. The garrison then consisted of the remnant of
Marsh's Company "B," fifty-one men, Sheehan's Company "C," fifty men,
and the Renville Rangers, fifty men. Th