Redwood Ferry Site 
Site where Marsh and his men were attacked
(Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society)
ABOUT THE REDWOOD FERRY
    The Redwood Ferry was the site where Captain Marsh and his men were ambushed.  The boat was a flat-bottomed ferryboat.  It was moored as if people were waiting to take off across the river.  The Indians were hiding in the grass to three sides waiting for Captain Marsh and his men to start to cross the river.  White Dog was a cut hair who told Capt. Marsh to bring his men and cross the river and then Capt. Marsh and the Indians would hold a council.  White Dog then discovered the ambush and told Captain Marsh to stay where he was.  The soldiers never crossed.  Then everybody heard a single shot.  Then the fighting began.  In the end, White Dog's interpreter, Quinn, was dead along with at least twelve soldiers.  Marsh and his men shot towards the Sioux Indians which had taken over the ferry house.  Then Marsh, who was surround on three sides, left the area on his only way out, through some thicket.  They walked that way for two miles.  Capt. Marsh and his men decided to cross the river when he saw the Sioux up ahead.
The mound represents the spot in which White Dog stood.
(Photo taken at Lower Sioux Agency)
This is a drawing of what the Redwood Ferry looked like before it was attacked.
(Picture cortesy of "The Sioux Uprising of 1862" By Kenneth Carley.)
This is a map of the area where the indian uprising started.  The Redwood Ferry site is pointed out by an arrow.
(Photo courtesy of "The Sioux Uprising of 1862" by Kenneth Carley)

    Once Captain Marsh was on the ferry, the Sioux attacked.  They attacked from three directions.  Captain Marsh decided that he would try to defeat the Sioux that were standing  next to the ferry house.  He defeated them and went on shore.

To the right is where Capt. Marsh had his troops.
To the left were the indians.
(Photo taken at the Lower Sioux Agency)
This is the area where the ferry was.  The rope maybe was tied to a tree like the lone
tree on the other side.  Capt. Marsh would continue to run to the right.
(Photo taken at the Lower Sioux Agency)
Across the river is the area in which Capt. Marsh lead his men down the river.
Farther down is the area in which Capt. Marsh drowned.
(Photo taken at Lower Sioux Agency)

    When Capt. Marsh got to shore, he proceeded to lead his troops down the riverbank next to roots of fallen trees.  He went as far as he could but he was forced to cross the river.  As the troops were crossing, Captain Marsh drowned.  This was unusual because of the fact that Capt. Marsh was in good health, he was a good swimmer, he had plenty of men to help him, and the water in which they were crossing was only six to seven feet deep.

 
 
The three photos above are places where the Sioux hid before the Uprising.
(Photos taken at Lower Sioux Agency)
This Page Built By: Steven Baune & Zach Barker
Photos taken by Steven Baune
November 10, 1999
 
 


 
Courtesy of "The Sioux Uprising of 1862" By Kenneth Carley