On August 20, 1862, cannon fire stopped a Dakota assault on Fort Ridgely. According to Tasina Wakanhdi (Lightning Blanket), who took part in both attacks on the fort, the first attack was carried out by about 400 warriors from the camps of Wambdi Tanka (Big Eagle), Pejutazanzan (Medicine Bottle), Sakpedan (Little Six), and Taoyateduta (Little Crow). The plan called for Pejutazanzan's men to fire a signal of three big shots to draw the soldiers' attention north while warriors hidden in ravines on the east, west, and south sides rushed in. But the warriors coming up the ravines were delayed, leaving Tasina Wakanhdi and others on the north exposed to cannon fire. Heavy artillery from the fort, along with a lack of powder and bullets, forced the warriors to withdraw to Taoyateduta's village and regroup. Tasina Wakanhdi recalled that they ran up to the buildings near the big stone one, saw the man with the big guns fire into them because they were the only ones in sight, shot as they pleased rather than under one officer, aimed mostly at the windows of the big stone building, and tried to burn the buildings with fire arrows, but the buildings would not burn, so they had to get more powder and bullets.