at one o'clock in the afternoon, the sentinel saw at two miles
distance great numbers of Indians approaching on horseback. As they
neared the fort they dismounted, and advancing from three different
points under cover of the ravines, where the shells from the field
pieces could do them but little damage, they opened a terrible fire on
the garrison. But the previous two days' siege had steadied the nerves
of the whites, and they received the onslaught coolly, reserving their
fire until they could obtain a fair view of the enemy, and do effective
execution. The "big guns," of which Indians stand in so great dread,
were also well served. The fight raged all the afternoon, from two until
half past six o'clock. Once the savages pressed up so near that the
halfbreeds in the fort could distinguish the shout of the chiefs
ordering a charge for the purpose of capturing the guns. It was a
concerted movement; a feint to draw the fire of the field pieces, and an
immediate rush was made to secure them before they could be reloaded.
But the old artillery sergeant was not to be trapped; he reserved the
fire of his own gun, and when the storming party emerged into open view,
he planted a shell among them which sent them howling back to their
shelter. At nightfall the savages reluctantly gave up the siege and
retired, carrying away a considerable number of killed and wounded.
Those in the fort escaped miraculously; only one man being killed, and
three or four slightly wounded.

The next morning, Saturday, the Indians were seen again approaching the
fort, apparently to renew the attack; but it was soon discovered they
were withdrawing, to wreak their thwarted vengeance on the devoted town
of New Ulm. In the interim since the first attack, the town had been
reenforced by about one hundred volunteers, and had also been put in a
partial state of defence. Fire, murder, and pillage marked the way of
the savages toward it; the garrison noted their approach by the clouds
of smoke which the burning dwellings of the settlers sent up to heaven.

The Indians reached and again attacked New Ulm, on Sunday morning at
about eleven o'clock. The commanding officer of the whites had placed
pickets, and a considerable part of his force to support them, along the
outer edge of the town toward the foe; but so fierce and impetuous was
the attack, that the whites were forced back into the town at the first
onset of the enemy, giving them possession of several