time and opportunity for the whites to organize for systematic action.
Had they not met with this early check, it is more than probable that
the Chippewas on the Upper Mississippi and the Winnebagoes in the Lower
Minnesota valley would have joined them, and the war have been carried
into the heart of the state. Instances of a similar character have
occurred in our early wars which illustrate my position. The battle of
Oriscany, which was fought in the Revolutionary War in the valley of the
Mohawk, between Rome and Utica, was not more of an encounter than
Ridgely or New Ulm, yet it has been characterized as one of the decisive
battles of the world, because it prevented a junction of the British
forces under St. Ledger in the west and Burgoyne in the east, and made
American independence possible. The State of New York recognized the
value of Oriscany just one hundred years after the battle was fought, by
the erection of a monument to commemorate it. The State of Minnesota
has done better, by erecting imposing monuments on both the battlefields
of Ridgely and New Ulm, the inscriptions on which give a succinct
history of the respective events.

The state also presented each of the defenders of Fort Ridgely with a
handsome bronze medal, especially struck for the purpose, the
presentation of which took place at the time of the dedication of the
monument, on the twentieth day of August, 1896.

The medal has a picture of the fort on its obverse side, surrounded
by the words, "Defender of Fort Ridgely, August 18-27, 1862." Just
over the flag staff, in a scroll, is the legend, in Sioux,
"Ti-yo-pa-na-ta-ka-pi," which means, "It shut the door against us,"
referring to the battle having obstructed the further advance of the
Indians. This was said by one of the Indians in the attacking party in
giving his view of the effect of the repulse, and adopted by the
committee having charge of the preparation of the medal as being
appropriate and true. On the reverse side are the words, "Presented by
the State of Minnesota to----," encircled by a wreath of moccasin
flowers, which is the flower of the state.

The state has also placed monuments at Birch Coulie, Camp Release and
Acton. I regret to be compelled to say that a majority of the committee
having charge of the building of the Birch Coulie monument so far failed
in the performance of their duties as to the location of the monument
and formulating its inscriptions that the legislature