Battle of Redwood Ferry

Overview

The Battle of Redwood Ferry took place on August 18, 1862, on the first day of the Dakota War of 1862. A United States Army company responding to the Dakota attack at the Lower Sioux Agency from Fort Ridgeley was ambushed and defeated at Redwood Ferry.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Redwood Ferry occurred on the opening day of the Dakota War of 1862, marking one of the earliest engagements of the conflict. A U.S. Army company dispatched from Fort Ridgeley to respond to the Dakota attack at the Lower Sioux Agency was ambushed and defeated at Redwood Ferry. The defeat demonstrated that Dakota forces under Santee Sioux command could effectively counter U.S. military response in the field from the outset of hostilities, complicating the Army's ability to contain the uprising in its earliest hours.