and men were all that could be desired. The
leaders of this army were the best of men, and being seconded by
intelligent and enthusiastic subordinates, they soon overcame their
physical difficulties; but they knew nothing of the strength, position
or previous movements of the enemy, no news having reached them from
either Fort Ridgely or New Ulm. Any mistake made by this force,
resulting in defeat, would have been fatal. No such mistake was made.
Having now shown the principal forces in the field, we will turn to the
movements of the enemy. The Indians felt that it would be necessary to
carry Fort Ridgely and New Ulm, before they extended their depredations
further down the valley of the Minnesota, and concentrated their forces
for an attack on the fort. Ridgely was in no sense a fort. It was simply
a collection of buildings, principally frame structures, facing in
towards the parade ground. On one side was a long stone barrack and a
stone commissary building, which was the only defensible part of it.

THE ATTACK ON FORT RIDGELY.

On the 20th of August, at about 3 p. m., an attack was made upon the
fort by a large body of Indians. The first intimation the garrison had
of the assault was a volley poured through one of the openings between
the buildings. Considerable confusion ensued, but order was soon
restored. Sergeant Jones attempted to use his cannon, but to his utter
dismay, he found them disabled. This was the work of some of the
half-breeds belonging to the Renville Rangers, who had deserted to the
enemy. They had been spiked by ramming old rags into them. The sergeant
soon rectified this difficulty, and brought his pieces into action. The
attack lasted three hours, when it ceased, with a loss to the garrison
of three killed and eight wounded.

On Thursday, the 21st, two further attacks were made on the fort, one in
the morning and one in the afternoon, but with a reduced force, less
earnestness, and little damage. On Friday, the 22d, the savages seemed
determined to carry the fort. About eight hundred or more, under the
leadership of Little Crow, came down from the agency. Concentrating
themselves in the ravines which lay on several sides of the fort, they
made a feint, by sending about twenty warriors out on the prairie for
the purpose of drawing out the garrison from the fort, and cutting them
off. Such a movement, if successful, would have been fatal to the
defenders; but fortunately there were men