Remembering the Past, Educating the Future
Siege of Ft. Abercrombie
Company D of the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry was detatched to Garrison Ft. Abercrombie.
Known historically as "the Gateway to the Dakotas," Fort Abercrombie was the first permanent United States military fort established in what was to become North Dakota. It was also the only post in the area to be besieged by Dakota (Sioux) warriors for more than six weeks during the Dakota conflict of 1862. During the Dakota Conflict, Minnesota Volunteer soldiers manned the fort when area settlers sought shelter there. The "regular" U.S. Army soldiers had been withdrawn during the Civil War and had been replaced by the Minnesota Voluteer Infantry. The fort was not protected by blockhouses or a palisade during the seige, but these defensive structures were constructed soon afterward.
The fort guarded the oxcart trails of the later fur trade era, military supply wagon trains, stagecoach routes, and steamboat traffic on the Red River. It also was a supply base for two major gold-seeking expeditions across Dakota into Montana. Fort Abercrombie served as a hub for several major transportation routes through the northern plains (courtesy of Ft. Abercrombie SHS).
The 5th Minnesota Company D was stationed at Fort Abercromie with 87 men. A detatchment of about 30 were further deployed to staff a small outpost attached to the fort. On August 23, 1862, news had reached Captain Vander Horck, the commander of Fort Abercrombie, that Dakota warriors were killing settlers and destroying farmsteads. He ordered his 30 man detatchment to return to Fort Abercrombie.
Captain Vander Horck sent a detatchment to catch up with a trade caravan which had recently passed though. The Caravan made it back to Ft. Abercrombie for protection. It was estimated that approximately 80 civilians sought refuge at the fort. One of the caravan teamsters informed the commander that his wagon contained shotguns and ammunition which were supposed to be traded or sold to Indians. Captain Vander Horck ordered that the civilians be armed with the shotguns, forming a militia to supplement his outnumbered company. It was estimated at the time that there were four hundred Dakota warriors attacking the fort.
When Company D arrived at the fort, they were equipped with .69 cal 1842 Springfield rifle muskets which were somewhat outdated. The Regular Army troops which were previously stationed at Ft. Abercrombie carried modern firearms which used a different size of ammunition.
When Company D defended Ft. Abercrombie against the Dakota in 1862, the garrison quickly discovered that the fort's arsenal contained no .69 caliber ammunition. They only brought 2000 rounds of ammunition with them and were told that the fort would have more than enough ammunition to equip the company once they arrived. Instead, the fort was stocked with ammunition for more modern firearms in a different caliber. It also contained ammunition for the two mountain howitzers stationed at the fort. The men from Company D manned the howitzers to great effect. Also, these infantrymen broke open the canister rounds and discovered that the lead balls inside of the canister shot were the same calibre as their rifle muskets. So presto! They now had ammunition for their muskets.
Although they had two mountain howitzer cannons, the 5th Minnesota Company D and their shotgun toting civilian sidekicks were outnumbered and surrounded. The attacks kept coming. Captain Vander Horck sent several messengers to St. Paul's Fort Snelling to beg for assistance.
A rescue party fo about 450 men was formed from detatchments of the 3rd Minnesota Infantry Regiment, the 7th Minnesota Infantry Regiment Co. D, the 8th Minnesota Infantry Regiment Co. G, and an additional cannon under the command of Lieutenant R. J. McHenry. The reinforcements reached the fort on September 24th, 1862.
