Near Morton in Renville County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
After the Battle
Photographed by K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013
1. After the Battle Marker
"Soon after the battle I, with many others who had taken part in the war, surrendered to Gen. Sibley."
"As soon as I surrendered I was thrown in prison," Wamditanka said. After three years in jail, he rejoined his band in Nebraska. He moved back to Minnesota in 1869 and died in Granite Falls in 1906.
Joseph Anderson was wounded at Birch Coulee and went home to St. Paul after the battle. He left Minnesota in 1877, returning once in 1894 for the dedication of the Birch Coulee monument in Morton. He died three years later in Oklahoma City.
"They Say Minnesota Nice"
Francis J. Yellow is a member of the Lakota Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. A visual artist and poet, he expresses his belief in the sacredness of humanity through his work.
In this painting, Yellow depicts the clash of cultures that culminated in the U.S.-Dakota War. The scaffold at the upper right refers to the governments trial and execution of 40 Dakota men after the war.
Birch Coulee Battlefield
Erected by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker
this page online
Location. 44° 34.574′ N, 94° 58.483′ W. Marker is near Morton, Minnesota, in Renville County. It can be reached from County Road 18 0.2 miles south of 690th Avenue (County Road 2), on the left when traveling south. Marker is within Birch Coulee Battlefield/State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 68634 County Road 18, Morton MN 56270, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Minnesota and specifically in the Minnesota River Valley. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and on the Great Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Battle of Birch Coulee (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Battle Ends (about 300 feet away); "A Beautiful Place to Encamp" (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named The Battle of Birch Coulee (about 500 feet away); The Story of the Land (about 500 feet away); Minnesota's Civil War (about 500 feet away); Two Men, One War (about 500 feet away); Wrong Place, Wrong Time (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morton.
More about this marker. caption: Francis J. Yellow, Minnesota
Photographed by K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013
2. After the Battle Marker
looking west towards the U.S. campsite
A Review of the Minnesota Historical Society Birch Coulee Battlefield Trail Signs
The Dakota War of 1862 website entry
Click for more information.
Also see . . .
1. Birch Coulee Battlefield. Minnesota Historical Society website entry (Submitted on December 15, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Chief Big Eagle. Find A Grave memorial for Jerome Big Eagle (Wamditanka). (Submitted on February 6, 2014.)
3. Capt Joseph Anderson. Find A Grave memorial for Joseph Anderson. (Submitted on February 6, 2014.)
4. They Say Minnesota Nice. Show Me website entry (Submitted on February 6, 2014.)
Additional commentary.
1. Chief Red Legs
Thomas Husasa "Red Legs" Whipple, 1805-1892; Catholic Cemetery, Santee Agency, Knox, Nebraska. (Surname Whipple taken from Minnesota Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple.) His son Benjamin was a scout for Gen. Custer.
— Submitted February 6, 2014.
Additional keywords. U.S.-Dakota War of 1862
Photographed by K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013
3. After the Battle Marker
Photographed by K. Linzmeier, September 25, 2013
4. Trail towards Birch Coulee Creek
Hushasha (Chief Red Legs) and his soldiers occupied this area east of the U.S. campsite. The marker can be seen in the distance along the left side of the trail.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 6, 2014, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 873 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 6, 2014, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
