Ojibwe Warriors Join the Battle of Spotsylvania

[TomSea]

Ojibwe Warriors Join the Battle of Spotsylvania
A Wisconsin Civil War Story

On May 9, 1864, Ojibwe Indians from the 7th Wisconsin Infantry help Colonel Rufus Dawes and his regiment, the 6th Wisconsin Infantry, drive back enemy skirmishers with American Indian war tactics in Spotsylvania, Virginia.

From Original Text: "Along the edge of timber skirting the open field we constructed a strong log breastwork, which may be called our base of operations during the five days of fighting at Laurel Hill.

This breastwork was in the valley. The rebel line of entrenchments was upon the hill-top. The skirmishers of each army occupied the tangled brush and woods between the lines, and they kept up, day and night, a ceaseless and deadly fire.

Our men in the entrenchments were constantly harassed by the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, who were posted in trees or upon higher ground.


Swearing-In Native American Civil War Recruits, 1861
Thomas Bigford (in cap, on left) and another official swearing-in two Native American Civil War recruits. View the original source document: WHI 1909

Continued: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=N:4294963828-4294963805&dsNavOnly=N:1170&dsRecordDetails=R:CS3238