Birch Coulee Battlefield

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Birch Coulee
Birch Coulee Battlefield monument.JPG
Birch Coulee Battlefield with historical marker
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LocationJunction of Renville County Highways 2 and 18, Birch Cooley Township, Minnesota
Nearest city Morton, Minnesota
Coordinates 44°34′34″N94°58′35″W / 44.57611°N 94.97639°W / 44.57611; -94.97639 Coordinates: 44°34′34″N94°58′35″W / 44.57611°N 94.97639°W / 44.57611; -94.97639
Area82 acres (33 ha)
NRHP reference No. 73000995 [1]
Significant dates
FoughtSeptember 2–3, 1862
Added to NRHPJune 4, 1973

Birch Coulee Battlefield in Renville County, Minnesota, United States, was the site of the Battle of Birch Coulee, the costliest military engagement for U.S. forces during the Dakota War of 1862. It is now a historic site with self-guided trails and markers interpreting the battle from both sides. [2] Birch Coulee was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places for having state-level significance in military history, [3] and was listed in 1973. [1]

Contents

Geography

Birch Coulee Battlefield lies on what, in 1862, was open prairie stretching on to the north and west, with woods to the south. Defining the east edge is a steep wooded ravine, a landform known locally by the French term "coulee," also spelled "coulie" or "cooley." Birch Coulee, known to the Dakota as Tanpa Yukan (Place of the White Birch), is 60 feet (18 m) deep and runs for a total of seven miles (11 km) down to the Minnesota River. A few hundred yards to the west of the coulee, the prairie rises slightly onto a gentle knoll. [4]

Battle of Birch Coulee

On September 1, 1862, a reinforced burial detail including 170 Minnesota volunteer infantry, cavalry, teamsters and civilians with Major Joseph R. Brown camped on the prairie, 200 yards from the timber along Birch Coulee. [5] The site was selected by Captain Hiram P. Grant of the 6th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment. A group of Dakota led by Gray Bird (Zitkahtahhota), upon arriving in Little Crow's village to collect plunder they had left behind, saw Captain Joseph Anderson's mounted guards in the distance and sent scouts to track them to the campsite. [6] Although its proximity to wood and water was convenient, the campsite was in a poorly defensible position, easily surrounded within gunshot distance while providing cover for attackers. [5]

That night, 200 Dakota warriors surrounded the camp while they slept; [6] Brown's men believed that they were safe, having encountered no signs of Dakota over the first two days of the burial expedition. Around 4 am on September 2, one of the sentinels shot at a figure moving in the grass, triggering an ambush by the Dakota which inflicted heavy casualties and killed most of the horses within the first hour. Although the Dakota forces had planned to capture the camp, Brown's men returned fire, using the carcasses of the dead horses as barricades and hastily digging rifle pits. As the siege dragged on, both sides resorted to conserving ammunition and fired only occasionally; trapped within the "corral," the burial party was completely cut off from fresh water. [5] [7]

Sixteen miles (26 km) away at Fort Ridgely, a guard reported distant gunfire, and 240 men led by Colonel Samuel McPhail were dispatched as a relief party. They came within sight of their besieged comrades, but Chief Mankato took about 50 of his men out to meet them. [6] Whooping and shouting while moving around in the tall grass and in the ravine, they frightened McPhail into thinking they were surrounded by several hundred Dakota; he ordered his troops to retreat two miles and sent a messenger back to Fort Ridgely for more reinforcements. Shortly after midnight, Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley reached McPhail's bivouac with his entire remaining force and artillery. [5] [4] After daybreak, Sibley made his way slowly to Birch Coulee, shelling the area as he went; he finally entered the campsite around 11 am, as the Dakota slipped away, ending the 31-hour siege. [5] The U.S. casualties in the battle were thirteen soldiers dead on the ground, almost fifty wounded, and ninety horses killed; [7] many more died afterwards of their wounds. In his famous narrative of the Dakota War of 1862, Chief Big Eagle (Wamditanka) recalled that only two Dakota men had lost their lives in the Battle of Birch Coulee. [6]

Location of state monument

The first effort to officially preserve the Birch Coulee battlefield came in 1893, when the Minnesota Legislature appointed a commission to acquire the land with a $2,500 budget and authority to use eminent domain. Inexplicably the commission chose instead to acquire a 1.75-acre (0.71 ha) property two miles (3.2 km) south of the battlefield, on the fairgrounds of the Renville County Agricultural Society east of the village of Morton. [8] In response to protests about the location of the planned monument, the commission let it be known that the owner of the battlefield site was asking for an exorbitant price and that a sufficient area had been donated at their preferred location, which would be "graded, inclosed and beautified without cost to the state." [8] Furthermore, they argued that their preferred location was attractive, situated high on a bluff overlooking the Minnesota River and the battleground, and that the monument itself would be visible to railroad travelers. [8]

In the summer of 1894, the commission raised a 46-foot (14 m) granite monument of conventional design on the former fairgrounds. At the dedication ceremony of the Birch Coulee State Monument on September 3, 1894, former governor William Rainey Marshall lambasted the commission in his speech, criticizing both the incorrect location of the monument and its inscriptions as falsifying history. [9] [8]

Battlefield preservation

The state legislature provided additional money in 1895, along with clear instructions to secure acreage on the actual battlefield, but no action was taken. As of 1926, the site had become a wheatfield; the condition of the property at that time is described in detail by Battle of Birch Coulee survivor Robert K. Boyd, who also noted "slight elevations and slopes" in the terrain. [10] In retracing the location of the campsite, he observed that it had been on "a slight swell of ground" that had allowed the Dakota forces to easily drop below their line of sight while exchanging fire. [10]

It wasn't until 1929, following a resurgence of community advocacy, that the state acquired the site and proclaimed it the Birch Cooley Battle Field State Memorial Park. In 1937 a Works Progress Administration crew helped develop the park, reseeding the land and building amenities like trails, roads, picnic area, and a parking lot. [9]

In 1976 legislative action redesignated the property a state historic site and transferred management to the Minnesota Historical Society. [9] The Historical Society redeveloped the battlefield beginning in 1998 and it reopened to the public in 2000. [7] Self-guided interpretive signs describe the battle from the perspectives of Captain Joseph Anderson and Wamditanka (Chief Big Eagle), [11] illustrated with sketches by soldier Albert Colgrave. Guideposts mark the U.S. camp and the positions of the surrounding Dakota. [2] Management has since been transferred to the Renville County Parks Department, which also maintains a campground on site. [12]

Future of monuments

Birch Coulee State Monument in 2011 Birch Coulee State Monument-02-2011.jpg
Birch Coulee State Monument in 2011
Faithful Indians' Monument in 2011 Faithful Indians' Monument-signage-2011.jpg
Faithful Indians' Monument in 2011

In 1899, the Minnesota Valley Historical Society erected a 52-foot (16 m) granite monument to "The Faithful Indians" on a site adjacent to the Birch Coulee State Monument. [13] The Faithful Indians' Monument stands "in recognition and commemoration of the conduct and services of the Indians who were truly loyal and faithful to the whites during the great Sioux war of 1862." [14] The Minnesota Valley Historical Society, with the Honorable Charles D. Gilfillan as president and Return I. Holcombe as historiographer, chose to commemorate only "full-blood" Dakota who had remained "unwaveringly loyal and who had saved the life of at least one white person." [13] The six Dakota named on the monument include Other Day (Ampatutokicha), Paul (Mahzakutemanne), Lorenzo Lawrence (Towanetaton), Simon (Anahwangmanne), Mary Crooks (Mahkahta Heiya-win) and Maggie Brass (Snana-win). [14]

In 2020, an article in the Rochester Post-Bulletin pointed out the damage to, and neglect of, both the Birch Coulee State Monument and the Faithful Indians' Monument. Accessed via a steep craggy road, the two obelisk-shaped monuments are no longer visible from a distance, obscured by the surrounding trees and brush. Efforts to address repair and maintenance issues had been held up due to disagreements over which level of government – city, township, county or state – is responsible for upkeep of the site and the road leading up to it. Although there have been many calls over the years to relocate the monuments to the actual Birch Coulee Battlefield site, the Post-Bulletin reported that it was unlikely that they would be moved in the near future, primarily due to the costs associated with such a move. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

Renville County, Minnesota County in Minnesota, United States

Renville County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census the population was 14,723. Its county seat is Olivia.

Battle of Killdeer Mountain

The Battle of Killdeer Mountain took place during Brig. Gen. Alfred Sully's expedition against the Sioux Indians in Dakota Territory July 28–29, 1864. The location of the battleground is in modern Dunn County, North Dakota. With a total of more than 4,000 soldiers involved, Sully's expedition was the largest ever carried out by the U.S. army against Indians.

Battle of Fort Ridgely

The Battle of Fort Ridgely was an early battle in the Dakota War of 1862. Built between 1853–1855 in the southern part of what was then the territory of Minnesota, Fort Ridgely was the only military post between the Dakota Reservation and the settlers. As of August 18, 1862, the fort was garrisoned by 76 men and two officers of Company B of the 5th Minnesota Infantry Regiment, under the command of Captain John S. Marsh, who had fought in the Civil War in the First Battle of Bull Run.

Fort Ridgely Former frontier U.S. Army outpost in present-day Nicollet County, Minnesota (1851-67)

Fort Ridgely was a frontier United States Army outpost from 1851 to 1867, built 1853–1854 in Minnesota Territory. It was located overlooking the Minnesota river southwest of Fairfax, Minnesota. Half of the fort's land was part of the Dakota reservation in the Minnesota river valley. Fort Ridgely had no defensive wall, palisade, or guard towers. The Army referred to the fort as the "New Post on the Upper Minnesota" until it was named for three Maryland Army Officers named Ridgely, who died during the Mexican–American War; Randolph and Lott Henderson were killed in action and Thomas died in Baltimore, Maryland in Dec 1847.

Little Crow Chief of Kaposia band of Mdewakantons

Little Crow III was a Mdewakanton Dakota chief who led a faction of the Dakota in a five-week war against the United States in 1862.

Andrew Myrick American trader

Andrew J. Myrick was a trader who, with his Dakota wife, operated stores in southwest Minnesota at two Indian agencies serving the Dakota near the Minnesota River.

Battle of Whitestone Hill

The Battle of Whitestone Hill was the culmination of the 1863 operations against the Sioux or Dakota people in Dakota Territory. Brigadier General Alfred Sully attacked a village September 3–5, 1863. The Native Americans in the village included Yanktonai, Santee, and Teton (Lakota) Sioux. Sully killed, wounded, or captured 300 to 400 Sioux, including women and children, at a cost of about 60 casualties. Sully would continue the conflict with another campaign in 1864.

Camp Release State Monument United States historic place

Camp Release State Monument is located on the edge of Montevideo, Minnesota, United States, just off Highway 212 in Lac qui Parle County, in the 6-acre Camp Release State Memorial Wayside. The Camp Release Monument stands as a reminder of Minnesota's early state history. The Minnesota River Valley and Montevideo were important sites in the Dakota War of 1862.

Big Eagle Native American leader (Dakota chief)

Big Eagle was the chief of a band of Mdewakanton Dakota in Minnesota. He played an important role as a military leader in the Dakota War of 1862. Big Eagle surrendered soon after the Battle of Wood Lake and was sentenced to death and imprisoned, but was pardoned by President Abraham Lincoln in 1864. Big Eagle's narrative, "A Sioux Story of the War," was first published in 1894, and is one of the most widely cited first-person accounts of the 1862 war in Minnesota from a Dakota point of view.

The 6th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that fought in the Union army during the American Civil War. The 6th Minnesota Infantry spent much of the war in the Northwest fighting Dakota Indians rather than participating in the battles with the Confederacy. Led by William Crooks, the regiment saw action in the American Civil War mainly with the Dakota Tribe.

Fort Abercrombie United States historic place

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Battle of Wood Lake Final battle in U.S.–Dakota War of 1862

The Battle of Wood Lake occurred on September 23, 1862, and was the final battle in the Dakota War of 1862. The two-hour battle, which actually took place at nearby Lone Tree Lake, was a decisive victory for the U.S. forces led by Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley. With heavy casualties inflicted on the Dakota forces led by Chief Little Crow, the "hostile" Dakota warriors dispersed. Little Crow and 150 followers fled for the northern plains, while other Mdewakantons quietly joined the "friendly" Dakota camp started by the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands, which would soon become known as Camp Release.

Battle of Birch Coulee Siege during U.S.–Dakota War of 1862

The Battle of Birch Coulee occurred September 2–3, 1862 and resulted in the heaviest casualties suffered by U.S. forces during the Dakota War of 1862. The battle occurred after a group of Dakota warriors followed a U.S. burial expedition, including volunteer infantry, mounted guards and civilians, to an exposed plain where they were setting up camp. That night, 200 Dakota soldiers surrounded the camp and ambushed the Birch Coulee campsite in the early morning, commencing a siege that lasted for over 30 hours, until the arrival of reinforcements and artillery led by Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley.

Surrender at Camp Release

The Surrender at Camp Release was the final act in the Dakota War of 1862. After the Battle of Wood Lake, Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley had considered pursuing the retreating Sioux, but he realized he did not have the resources for a vigorous pursuit. Furthermore, he was aware that Chief Little Crow had been losing support and was in contact with several Mdewakanton chiefs who had signaled their opposition to further conflict.

Dakota War of 1862 Armed conflict between the United States and four bands of the eastern Dakota

The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of eastern Dakota also known as the Santee Sioux. It began on August 18, 1862, at the Lower Sioux Agency along the Minnesota River in southwest Minnesota.

Joseph Renville

Joseph Renville (1779–1846) was an interpreter, translator, expedition guide, Canadian officer in the War of 1812, founder of the Columbia Fur Company, and an important figure in dealings between white men and Dakota (Sioux) Indians in Minnesota. He contributed to the translation of Christian religious texts into the Dakota language. The hymnal Dakota dowanpi kin, was "composed by J. Renville and sons, and the missionaries of the A.B.C.F.M." and was published in Boston in 1842. Its successor, Dakota Odowan, first published with music in 1879, has been reprinted many times and is in use today.

Gabriel Renville

Gabriel Renville, also known as Ti'wakan, was Chief of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe from 1866 until his death in 1892. He opposed conflict with the United States during the Dakota War of 1862 and was a driving force within the Dakota Peace Party. Gabrielle Renville's influence and political leadership were critical to the eventual creation of the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation, which lies mainly in present-day South Dakota.

Joseph R. Brown

Joseph Renshaw Brown (1805–1870) was a politician, pioneer, fur trader, newspaper editor, businessman, inventor, speculator, and Indian agent who was prominent in Minnesota territorial and state politics for over 50 years.

James William Lynd was a member of the Minnesota State Senate, elected 1861, and the first person killed in the initial action of the Dakota War of 1862. A historical marker stands at the site he was killed. The town of Lynd, Minnesota is named for him.

Snana Dakota woman also known as Maggie Brass

Snana (1839–1908), also known as Maggie Brass, was a Mdewakanton Dakota woman who rescued and protected a fourteen-year-old German girl, Mary Schwandt, after she was taken captive during the Dakota War of 1862. She was reunited with Mary Schwandt Schmidt in 1894, leading to a feature article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Snana’s narrative of the war, “Narration of a Friendly Sioux,” was edited by historian Return Ira Holcombe and published in 1901.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. 1 2 "Minnesota Historic Sites: Birch Coulee Battlefield" . Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  3. ↑ Mitchell, Diana (1973-03-27). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: Birch Coulee". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-05-19.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. 1 2 Christgau, John (2012). Birch Coulee: The Epic Battle of the Dakota War. Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Carley, Kenneth (1976). The Dakota War of 1862: Minnesota's Other Civil War. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. pp. 40–44. ISBN   978-0-87351-392-0.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "July 1, 1894: Chief Big Eagle Speaks". StarTribune. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  7. 1 2 3 Weber, Eric W. (2015-01-07). "The Battle of Birch Coulee, September 2–3, 1862". MNopedia. Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Folwell, William Watts (1921). History of Minnesota. Vol. 2. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society. p. 386.
  9. 1 2 3 Meyer, Roy W. (1991). Everyone's Country Estate: A History of Minnesota's State Parks. St. Paul, Minn.: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN   0-8735-1266-9.
  10. 1 2 Boyd, Robert K. (1928). "The Battle of Birch Coulee: A Great Disaster in the Indian War of 1862 - Who should bare the blame?". Two Indian Battles. Eau Claire, Wisconsin. pp. 16–17.
  11. ↑ "Two Men, One War". HMdb.org, The Historical Marker Database. June 16, 2016. Archived from the original on 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  12. ↑ "Park Facilities". Renville County. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  13. 1 2 Folwell, William Watts (1921). A History of Minnesota. Vol. 2. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society. p. 390.
  14. 1 2 "The Faithful Indians' Monument". HMdb.org, The Historical Marker Database. June 16, 2016. Archived from the original on 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  15. ↑ Guerry, Matthew (September 11, 2020). "Groups say Birch Coulee Battle Monuments in Minnesota are worth preserving, but by who?". Post Bulletin. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
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