Atlas of Battles

battle, nineteenth century

Battle of Birch Coulee

Battle of Birch Coulee was a battle fought on 2 September 1862 at Morton, in what is now Minnesota, United States. It was part of the Dakota War of 1862. The recorded result: Santee Sioux victory. Recorded strength: ~150 against ~200.

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View of Birch Coulee Battlefield, Renville County, Minnesota, USA
View of Birch Coulee Battlefield, Renville County, Minnesota, USA. JonHarder, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought2 September 1862
WhereMorton, Minnesota, United States44.576N, 94.975W
OutcomeSantee Sioux victory
BelligerentsUnited StatesagainstSantee Sioux
Casualties and losses13 killed; 47 wounded; 90+ horses killedand2 killed; Unknown number wounded
Part ofDakota War of 18621862

Where it sits in the Dakota War of 1862

Battle of Lower Sioux Agency, 1862Battle of Redwood Ferry, 1862Battles of New Ulm, 1862Battle of Fort Ridgely, 1862Battle of Birch Coulee, 1862Battle of Acton, 1862Battle of Wood Lake, 186218621862Battle of Birch Coulee, 1862
7 placed engagements of the Dakota War of 1862 in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date2 September 1862
PlaceMorton, Minnesota, United States
44.576N, 94.975W
KindBattle, nineteenth century
Strength~150~200
Casualties and losses13 killed; 47 wounded; 90+ horses killed2 killed; Unknown number wounded
Commanders
  • Hiram P. Grant
  • Joseph R. Brown
  • Big Eagle
Battle of Birch CouleeBattle of Birch CouleeBattle of Redwood FerryBattle of Lower Sioux AgencyBattle of Fort RidgelyBattle of Wood LakeBattles of New UlmBattle of Wood LakeBattles of New UlmMinneapolisSt. PaulSioux FallsSt. CloudBrookingsMankatoAlbert LeaWillmar100 km44.576N, 94.975W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1862

Battle of Birch Coulee is one of 3,507 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 1,148 in present-day United States (11 in Minnesota).

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4870488, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Birch Coulee, revision 1373049985, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.