US ResearchConflictsCivil WarMinnesotaAction, Fort Ridgely
Civil War

Action, Fort Ridgely

1862
Minnesota
Era
Civil War
Year
1862
Location
Minnesota
Status
Verified engagement
Part ofCivil War in MinnesotaThe Civil War
The Battle

History & Significance

Action, Fort Ridgely was a Civil War engagement fought in Minnesota, 1862. It was a Union victory.

The Battle of Fort Ridgely was an early battle in the Dakota War of 1862. As the closest U.S. military post to the Lower Sioux Agency, the lightly fortified Fort Ridgely quickly became both a destination for refugees and a target of Dakota warbands after the attack at the Lower Sioux Agency. It came under attack by the Dakota on August 20, 1862, two days after a company of soldiers responding from the fort to the attack on the Lower Sioux Agency had been ambushed and defeated at the Battle of Redwood Ferry. The Dakota besieged and partially destroyed the fort, but were unable to storm it before the August 27 arrival of Colonel Henry Sibley with 1,400 men from Fort Snelling prompted them to…

Result
Union victory
Forces engaged
Santee Sioux
Casualties
3 killed, 13 wounded (Union, per Dyer)
Outcome
United States victory
Duration
3 days (August 20, 1862 - August 22, 1862)
Around this battlefield

Nearby Civil War engagements

Action, Hutchinson
1862 · 35 mi away
Affair, Mankato
1862 · 41 mi away
Affair, Spirit Lake
1864 · 73 mi away
Action, Sauk Centre
1862 · 90 mi away
Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Action, Fort Ridgely take place?
Action, Fort Ridgely took place in 1862. 3 days (August 20, 1862 - August 22, 1862).
Where was Action, Fort Ridgely fought?
Action, Fort Ridgely was fought in Minnesota, United States.
What was the significance of Action, Fort Ridgely?
The Battle of Fort Ridgely was an early battle in the Dakota War of 1862. As the closest U.S. military post to the Lower Sioux Agency, the lightly fortified Fort Ridgely quickly became both a destination for refugees and a target of Dakota warbands after the attack at the Lower Sioux Agency. It came
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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Action, Fort Ridgely

Fort Ridgely
Early Republic · 0.2 mi
Minneapolis and St. Louis Depot
Industrial · 5.2 mi
All battles in MinnesotaCivil Warconflicts ›Historic sites in Minnesota
Source

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