Morton in Renville County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Birch Coulee State Monument

Sept. 2d. & 3d., 1862.

Battle of Birch Coulee Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013

1. Battle of Birch Coulee Monument

Inscription.

Birch Coulee State Monument. Sept. 2d. and 3d., 1862.. , north side Erected by the State of Minnesota in grateful remembrance of the Heroism of those gallant soldiers and citizens who fought the Battle of Birch Coulee and to perpetuate their names. , , Capt. Hiram P. Grant. Co. A. 6th Minnesota Vol. Inf. Commanding. · J.W. Daniels Surgeon. , , Co. A Killed. , Sergt. W. Irvine, J. Cooledge, Corp. W. Cobb, G. Colter, C.F. Coyle, C.L. King, H. Rolleau, W. Russell, H. Whetsler. , , Co. G. , T.C.W. Beneken, B.S. Terry. , , Co. A. Wounded. , Corp. S. Carbuckle, G.W. Eagles, E. Brown, E.S. Blase, S. Fielding, S. Hapt, A. Hayford, D.G. House, C. Mayall, D.H. McCauley, W.A. Newcomb, F.C. Shanley, C.W. Smith, W. Vayhinger, S.J. Weiting. , , Co. G. , S. Clark, T. Barnes, B. Viles. , , east side 2nd Lt. G.W. Turnbull, Sergt. L.S. Elliot, Corp. J.C. Hooper, J.T. Farley, A.B. Dunn, Corp. J. Caursole, F.C. Griswold, T. Connelly, C.A. Earle, G. Weaver, T.E. Byrne, J. Galbraith, W. Hart, M. Nelson, J. Osia. , , Citizens. , W. Caplowe, D. Caruthers, A. Faribault, C.H. Faribault, W.H. Grant, H. Krueger, J.J. Frazer, F. Patch. , , Killed. , J.W. De Camp, D. Holbrook, H. Smith. , , Wounded. J.R. Brown, D. Blair, J.J. Galbraith, C.D. Redfield, F. Rose, J.E. Sherwin, J. Shaska, W. Forman. , _______ . Erected 1894. , C. D. Gilfilan, A. G. Stoddard, R. B. Henton, J. W. Daniels, S. G. Arbuckle, W. H. Grant, Comm. , , west side Co. D. and E. , C. Swargert, L. Klinkhammer, R. Miller. , , Co. F. , R. K. Boyd, E. Braman. , , Co. I. , J. S. J. Bean, H.M.L.T. Brown. , , Co. K. , M. McDonald, John Gunn. , , Co. A. , Capt. H.P. Grant, 1st Lt. H.J. Gillham, 2d. Lt. J.E. Baldwin, Sergt. W. Pratt, G. Brennan, A.P. Connelly, Corp. S. Walters, W.F. Barnes, J. Staples, M.B. Field, R. Olson, B.F. Arbuckle, J. Auge, W.W. Bolton, C. Bryant, W.H. Bowers, P.H. Burnes, L. Brunelle, P. Brunelle, W.H. Gaine, B. Derosie, E.A. Erickson, P. Felix, D. Felix, P.H. Freaney, C.B. Gardner, H. Greenlee, G.W. Hard, W. Havens, J.H. Havens, A.G. Hillberge, J. Howard, F. Jarvis, M. Johnson, John R. King, A. Kilpatrick, J.S. Leyda, H.C. Marsden. , , south side S. Linstrom, L. Malo, J. Madison, M. Meneken, T. Miller, D. Murphy, M. Nealey, G. Memo, H. Olson, J. Quinn, W.H. Rassman, W. Schurer, M.R. Seaman, D. Sweaney, D.F. Teswilleger, P.H. Thielan, F. Trepan, B. Webber, R. White, J. Right, T.S. Wirt, J. Young. , , Co. B. , A. Thompson, J. Lafens. , , Co. D. , J.N. Richardson. , , Co. E. , Lewis Thiele. , , Lt. J.H. Swan Co. I. 3d Regt. Minn. Vol., , Capt. Anderson's Co. Killed. , R. Baxter, J. Freeman, R. Gibbens. , , Wounded. , Capt. J. Anderson, P. Burkman, E.W. Earle, J. Martin, T. Barton, J. Cunningham, H. Fandle, D.M. Smith, A.H. Bunker, G. Dashney, C. Holmes, C.P. Troxel. , , Company. , 1st Lt. J. Brown, G.W. Brown, J.J. Egan.

north side Erected by the State of Minnesota in grateful remembrance of the Heroism of those gallant soldiers and citizens who fought the Battle of Birch Coulee and to perpetuate their names.

Capt. Hiram P. Grant. Co. A. 6th Minnesota Vol. Inf. Commanding. · J.W. Daniels Surgeon.

Co. A Killed.
Sergt. W. Irvine, J. Cooledge, Corp. W. Cobb, G. Colter, C.F. Coyle, C.L. King, H. Rolleau, W. Russell, H. Whetsler.

Co. G.
T.C.W. Beneken, B.S. Terry.

Co. A. Wounded.
Corp. S. Carbuckle, G.W. Eagles, E. Brown, E.S. Blase, S. Fielding, S. Hapt, A. Hayford, D.G. House, C. Mayall, D.H. McCauley, W.A. Newcomb, F.C. Shanley, C.W. Smith, W. Vayhinger, S.J. Weiting.

Co. G.
S. Clark, T. Barnes, B. Viles.

east side 2nd Lt. G.W. Turnbull, Sergt. L.S. Elliot, Corp. J.C. Hooper, J.T. Farley, A.B. Dunn, Corp. J. Caursole, F.C. Griswold, T. Connelly, C.A. Earle, G. Weaver, T.E. Byrne, J. Galbraith, W. Hart, M. Nelson, J. Osia.

Citizens.
W. Caplowe, D. Caruthers, A. Faribault, C.H. Faribault, W.H. Grant, H. Krueger, J.J. Frazer, F. Patch.

Killed.
J.W. De Camp, D. Holbrook, H. Smith.

Wounded. J.R. Brown, D. Blair, J.J. Galbraith, C.D. Redfield, F. Rose, J.E. Sherwin, J. Shaska, W. Forman.
_______ Erected

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1894.
C. D. Gilfilan, A. G. Stoddard, R. B. Henton, J. W. Daniels, S. G. Arbuckle, W. H. Grant, Comm.

west side Co. D. & E.
C. Swargert, L. Klinkhammer, R. Miller.

Co. F.
R. K. Boyd, E. Braman.

Co. I.
J. S. J. Bean, H.M.L.T. Brown.

Co. K.
M. McDonald, John Gunn.

Co. A.
Capt. H.P. Grant, 1st Lt. H.J. Gillham, 2d. Lt. J.E. Baldwin, Sergt. W. Pratt, G. Brennan, A.P. Connelly, Corp. S. Walters, W.F. Barnes, J. Staples, M.B. Field, R. Olson, B.F. Arbuckle, J. Auge, W.W. Bolton, C. Bryant, W.H. Bowers, P.H. Burnes, L. Brunelle, P. Brunelle, W.H. Gaine, B. Derosie, E.A. Erickson, P. Felix, D. Felix, P.H. Freaney, C.B. Gardner, H. Greenlee, G.W. Hard, W. Havens, J.H. Havens, A.G. Hillberge, J. Howard, F. Jarvis, M. Johnson, John R. King, A. Kilpatrick, J.S. Leyda, H.C. Marsden.

south side S. Linstrom, L. Malo, J. Madison, M. Meneken, T. Miller, D. Murphy, M. Nealey, G. Memo, H. Olson, J. Quinn, W.H. Rassman, W. Schurer, M.R. Seaman, D. Sweaney, D.F. Teswilleger, P.H. Thielan, F. Trepan, B. Webber, R. White, J. Right, T.S. Wirt, J. Young.

Co. B.
A. Thompson, J. Lafens.

Co. D.
J.N. Richardson.

Co. E.
Lewis Thiele.

Lt. J.H. Swan Co. I. 3d Regt. Minn. Vol.,
Capt. Anderson's Co. Killed.
R. Baxter, J. Freeman, R. Gibbens.

Wounded.
Capt.

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013

2. Battle of Birch Coulee Monument

J. Anderson, P. Burkman, E.W. Earle, J. Martin, T. Barton, J. Cunningham, H. Fandle, D.M. Smith, A.H. Bunker, G. Dashney, C. Holmes, C.P. Troxel.

Company.
1st Lt. J. Brown, G.W. Brown, J.J. Egan.

Erected 1894 by the State of Minnesota. (Marker Number 7.)

Topics. This monument and memorial is listed in this topic list: Wars, US Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.

Location. 44° 33.153′ N, 94° 58.36′ W. Marker is in Morton, Minnesota, in Renville County. Memorial can be reached from East Monument Drive, half a mile east of Walnut Drive. East Monument Drive is a narrow unpaved road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Morton MN 56270, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Surrounded at the Coulee (a few steps from this marker); Solid Friendships (within shouting distance of this marker); The Faithful Indians' Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Caught Unaware! (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Battle of Birch Coulee (approx. 1½ miles away); Minnesota's Civil War (approx. 1½ miles away); The Story of the Land (approx. 1½ miles away); a different marker also named The Battle of Birch Coulee (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morton.

More about this

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013

3. Battle of Birch Coulee Monument

monument. This monument was the seventh of 23 state monuments that were erected by the Minnesota legislature between 1873 and 1929. These monuments represent Minnesota's first public efforts to mark historic sites.

Regarding Birch Coulee State Monument. The defenses of New Ulm, Fort Ridgely and Birch Coulie were as gallant episodes as any that are recorded in the military annals of the Republic, and yet the American historian commonly gives them but the briefest mention, or omits them entirely from his pages... 868 men, women, and children perished by actual count. Those killed whose remains were never found and the soldiers and citizens killed or mortally wounded in the hostile engagements with the Indians made the total death list number at least 950.
excerpt from: Monuments and Tablets Erected by the Minnesota Valley Historical Society 1902

Also see . . .
1. Birch Coulee Battlefield. Minnesota Historical Society website entry:
"The battle of Birch Coulee was fought on Sept. 2 and 3, 1862. On Sept. 1, a burial detail of 160 to 170 soldiers and civilians was dispatched from Fort Ridgely to bury the remains of settlers who had been killed in the early weeks of the U.S.-Dakota War. At the end of their first day out, a flat, open piece of ground near Birch Coulee Creek was selected for the night’s camp. During

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013

4. Battle of Birch Coulee Monument

the night, the detail was surrounded by Dakota, who attacked at dawn. Badly outnumbered and highly exposed, the detail was under siege for nearly 36 hours." (Submitted on October 20, 2013.)

2. Birch Coulee Monuments. RRCnet website entry:
Photos, and a postcard of the monuments from around the turn of the century. (Submitted on October 20, 2013.)

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013

5. Battle of Birch Coulee Monument

Road to Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013

6. Road to Monument

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013

7. Battle of Birch Coulee Monument

View from State Highway 19; the Birch Coulee State Monument is the left monument of the two monuments at the top of the hill.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2013, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,057 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on October 20, 2013, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.