Timothy J. Sheehan

Name: Timothy J. Sheehan Company: C Veteran; First Lieutenant March 9, 1862; previously served as private in the Fourth Minnesota Infantry.
Birth Date: about 1838 Place: Ireland	Mustered In Date: March 9, 1862 Rank: First Lieutenant Age: 24 Residence prior to military service: Ireland; Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota Vocation prior to military service: Laborer
Death Date: July 14, 1913 Burial: Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota (Section 40, Block 35)	Mustered Out Date: September 6, 1865 Rank: Captain Age: about 26 Residence following military service: Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota (1870, 1880); St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota (1900, 1910) Vocation following military service: Deputy Sheriff (1870), Sheriff (1880), Deputy U.S. Marshal (1900)

Timothy J. Sheehan Biography and Civil War Narrative

Timothy J. Sheehan was born December 1836 in Ireland. He migrated to America in 1850 at about age 12. In 1860, Sheehan worked as a Laborer in Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota, living with Reuben (a 29-year-old Carpenter and Joiner) and Elizabeth (age 41) Williams.

The following year Sheehan enlisted as a Private in the 4th Minneesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment on October 11, 1861. He was promoted to Corporal, and on February 15, 1862, Corporal Sheehan was discharged from the 4th Minnesota to accept a commission in the 5th Minnesota Regiment. On March 9, 1862, Sheehan was appointed First Lieutenant of Company C.

Indian Wars

Company C began its active service with garrison duty at Fort Ripley, north of Little Falls, Minnesota. On June 19, Sheehan left Fort Ripley with a detachment of 50 men to report to Fort Ridgely near the Minnesota River. Marching about 200 miles via Elk River and Henderson, they reached Fort Ridgely on the evening of June 28th, and reported to Captain Marsh who commanded the post. On June 29th, the detachment was sent on to the Sioux Agency on the Yellow Medicine River to help preserve order during the annuity payment to the Sioux. They camped at the Lower Sioux Agency along the Minnesota River the night of June 30th, and arrived at the Upper Sioux Agency at Yellow Medicine on July 2nd, reporting to Major Thomas Galbraith, the Sioux agent at that place.

On August 4th, about 800 Sioux warriors surrounded the camp of the detachment and stormed a government supply warehouse, which Sheehan and his soldiers defended. After annuity goods were distributed to the Indians, the detachment marched back to Fort Ridgely, arriving on the evening of August 12th. Five days later (August 17th), Lieutenant Sheehan and his detachment began marching back to Fort Ripley to join the rest of their company who had remained there.

News that a massacre was taking place at the Lower Sioux Agency arrived at Fort Ridgely the next morning (Monday, August 18th) so Captain Marsh quickly sent a mounted messenger with the following dispatch:

HEADQUARTERS FORT RIDGLEY
Aug. 18, 1862.

Lieut. SHEEHAN:
It is absolutely necessary that you should return with your command immediately to this post. The Indians are raising hell at the Lower Agency. Return as soon as possible.

JOHN S. MARSH,

Captain, Commanding Post.

Marsh left Fort Ridgely leading a rescue team to the Lower Sioux Agency and left Lieutenant Thomas P. Gere in command at the fort. When the orders reached Sheehan on Monday evening, he and his detachment had already marched 42 miles from Fort Ridgely and were setting up camp between New Auburn and Glencoe. Sheehan immediately led a forced march back to Fort Ridgely and arrived back at the fort on Tuesday. They had marched 42 miles in 9 1/2 hours. Upon their arrival at Fort Ridgely, Lieutenant Sheehan took command of the fort. Meanwhile, about 2 miles west of the fort, Indians under the leadership of Little Crow were congregated and planning their movements.

On Wednesday, August 20th, while Little Crow approached the fort from the west, a party of 500-600 Indians attacked from the northeast. Soon the fort was surrounded, and the Indians kept up their attack on the fort for five hours, the defenders responding with artillery and muskets. At nightfall the firing ceased and Little Crow withdrew his forces to the lower agency.

Two days later on Friday, August 22nd, Little Crow again attacked Fort Ridgely, this time with a force of 1200-1500 men. For six hours the battle continued, but once again the fort was successfully defended. In the following days, defensive works were strengthened. On Wednesday, August 27th, additional reinforcements arrived.

When Captain Francis Hall of Company C was promoted to Major on August 31, 1862, First Lieutenant Timothy J. Sheehan was promoted to Captain of Company C. That same day a burial party made up largely of the 6th Minnesota, Company A, began the task of burying the remains of citizens and soldiers who had died in the massacre on and about August 18th. Early in the morning of September 2nd, the guard on picket at Fort Ridgely heard guns from a battle between Indians and the burial party, who had camped at Birch Coolie, some 15 miles from the fort. Under Colonel McPhaill, a detachment of 240 men from Fort Ridgely--including Timothy Sheehan--was organized to provide aid. When McPhaill's detachment was also attacked, McPhaill dispatched Sheehan to Fort Ridgely to bring out the full force. During his ride back, Sheehan's horse was mortally wounded.

Sheehan and his detachment once again left Fort Ridgely on September 18th to return to their companions of Company C at Fort Ripley. Concluding their service at Fort Ripley, Company C joined the rest of the 5th Minnesota on December 12, 1862, near Oxford, Mississippi.

Civil War

Captain Timothy Sheehan led his Company C throughout the rest of the Civil War. They participated in numerous battles and engagements including the Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi (May 18-July 4), the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee (December 15-16, 1864), and the Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely near Mobile, Alabama (March 26-April 8), as well as many other smaller engagements.

Early in 1864, members of the 5th Minnesota were given the option of re-enlisting as veterans. Those who did so were given a two-month veterans furlough from June 17 to August 17, 1864. While the veterans were gone home, Captain T. J. Sheehan was given command of the soldiers of the 5th Minnesota who had not re-enlisted. On July 14th, they participated in the battle of Tupelo, Missouri, in which the Union Army under the command of General A. J. Smith protected the supply lines for William T. Sherman's army in Georgia from destruction by Confederate Cavalier Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Captain Timothy J. Sheehan was mustered out with the rest of the 5th Minnesota on September 6, 1865.

Family Life

About 1866, Timothy Sheehan married Jennie (sometimes referred to as Jane), born in November 1844 (1846?) in Ireland. She had come to America in 1848. Timothy and Jennie had three sons: Jeremiah (born September 1867 in Iowa or Minnesota), George W. (born February 1871 in Minnesota), and Edward S. (born September 1875 in Minnesota).

At the time of the 1870 U.S. Census, Timothy (age 33), Jane (age 24), and Jeremiah (age 3) were living in Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota, where Timothy worked as Deputy Sheriff. Ten years later, the Sheehan family continued to live in Albert Lea (on College Street). Timothy was now Sheriff, and sons George and Edward had been added to the household. A servant (Matilda Jenson, age 17, born in Denmark) also lived with them.

By 1900, the Timothy Sheehan family had moved to St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, where they lived at 831 Ashland Ave. All three sons continued to live with Timothy and Jennie: Jeremiah (age 32, no occupation listed), George (29-year-old Broker), and Edward (24-year-old Clerk at the Post Office). Timothy now worked as a Deputy U.S. Marshal. Timothy (age 74), Jennie (age 65), and Jeremiah (age 41) still lived at the same address in 1910, but George and Edward had moved out.

"Last Indian Uprising"

In October 1891, Deputy Marshal Timothy J. Sheehan participated in an historic final engagement between Native Americans and U.S. troops. The clash took place in the vicinity of Leech Lake in Cass County, Minnesota. In the events that transpired on the shores of Leech Lake that October, several soldiers and civilians were killed, and Sheehan and others were wounded.

Timothy J. Sheehan died on July 14, 1913, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Following Timothy's death, Jennie Sheehan continued living in St. Paul. At the time of the 1920 U.S. Census, her son Jeremiah -- age 53 -- lived with her. Jennie died on January 28, 1934, in Ramsey County, Minnesota, and was also buried in Calvary Cemetery.


Timothy J. Sheehan is portrayed by Vince Bergdale in the Fifth Minnesota, Company C living history group.

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This page is maintained by Tim Bode (timbode@juno.com ). Page created 9/2/2008. Last modified on 10/16/2010.