USA > Iowa > Dickinson County > History of Dickinson County, Iowa, together with an account of the Spirit Lake massacre, and the Indian troubles on the northwestern frontier > Part 19
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They continued their march up the river. It was evident that all of the cabins along the river had been visited and depreda- tions committed. The number of victims along the Des Moines was not so great as it would have been but for the fact that they had been warned of danger and many had left the settlement for the danger to subside. Others had concealed themselves in the woods and ravines and made their escape. The relief party
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followed up the river about fifteen or twenty miles where they camped for the night. At this point they found a cabin where two or three families had joined their forces and barricaded the house and beat off their enemies. The Indians had kept them in a state of siege for fully forty-eight hours. They were con- cealed in the ravines and thick brush that grew about the house, and every little while they would fire from their cover at the door and windows of the cabin and any other point they con- sidered vulnerable. The settlers in turn would fire from the portholes they had made in the cabin.
The guide they had in firing was to fire at the cloud of smoke made by the discharge of the Indians' guns, as they kept them- selves concealed in the brush and ravines. This kind of skir- mishing had been kept up for two days. The last Indian seen there, and the last gun fired, was about sunrise in the morning of the day on which the volunteers reached there in the even- ing, much to the relief of the besieged party. No one had been killed on either side. This was the only place on the Des Moines River where any resistance was made. There was no settlement above this point, and it was useless to continue the journey farther. The party went into camp about sundown and in the morning started back on their return trip, reaching the lakes on the evening of the same day. The total number of bodies found and buried by them was about fifteen.
The excitement which followed this affair was intense. The whole line of frontier settlements from Mankato to Sioux City was abandoned, except Estherville and Spirit Lake, which, by the way, were the most exposed points on the whole line, being nearer the points infested by the Indians and farther from as- sistance. When the magnitude and extent of the Minnesota Massacre came to be known and realized, the people here began to have sime appreciation of the nature and extent of the danger to which they had exposed themselves, and which they
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RAID ON THE DES MOINES RIVER
had apparently defied. A short time before they had rested in apparent and fancied security. Now the wonder was that this settlement was not wiped out with the rest, and they re- alized for the first time how helpless and defenseless would have been their situation had an attack been made.
Efforts were at once made to secure government protection. Either this must be done or the entire line abandoned. The general government was not in position to do mich for the frontier. They had just come to a realizing sense of the magni- tude of the job they had undertaken in attempting to crush the rebellion. The delays and disasters that had attended the op- eration of the Army of the Potomac were having a terribly de- pressing effect on publie sentiment, and the results were any- thing but satisfactory.
This state of affairs was not very favorable to securing help, as every available man was needed at the front. The company heretofore referred to, known at that time as the Sioux City Cavalry, was detailed for service on the frontier. Now, when it is remembered that the frontier line in Iowa is over one hundred and twenty miles in length it will readily be seen that a company of but one hundred men would be very inadequate for the purposes of scouting, to say nothing of looking after frontier defenses.
This company was divided into squads and sent to different points along the border. The one assigned to Spirit Lake ar- rived on the evening of the day on which the volunteer party returned from their trip up the Des Moines River. This do- tachment consisted of abont thirty men under command of Lieutenant Cassady, and was divided into three parts and sta- tioned at Spirit Lake, Estherville and Okoboji, the Esther- ville squad being in charge of Sergeant Samuel Wade, the Spirit Lake squad in charge of Sergeant A. Kingman and the one for Okoboji being in charge of Corporal G. Robbins.
1
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From an old photograph in possession of Mrs. J. L. Pavis. THE OLD COURTHOUSE.
Immediately after hearing of the attack on the settlements on the Des Moines River and before the arrival of the detach- ment of United States troops under Lieutenant Cassady, the settlers gathered at the old courthouse as being the point least liable to attack and the easiest defended of any place about the lakes. Messengers had been sent out in all directions warning the settlers of their danger, and advised them to gather at some central point for mutual protection. The courthouse was the place selected. Here they established a kind of encampment and awaited results. This was the same day that the first party of scouts left for their trip to the Des Moines. Sconting par- ties were sent out in every direction, but no Tudians were seen nor were there any Indian signs discovered. There were somewhere from twenty-five to forty families represented in the encampment. Taking out the two parties of scouts that went over to the Des Moines, there were not many able-bodied men left. The scouting about the lakes was done by men who had trapped over every foot of the ground and knew it thoroughly. It would be useless to give a list of names of
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THE WEEK AT THE COURTHOUSE
those who took the direction of affairs, as there was no regular organization and each one acted on his own judgment. Of course at that time all were in perfeet ignorance of the na- ture and extent of the outbreak and were at a loss to know what course to pursue. All they could do was to keep a sharp look- out and await developments.
During the week's sojourn at the old courthouse many in- eidents occurred, some of them heartrending and pathetic. and others decidedly absurd and ridiculous. Could those in- eidents have been preserved and properly written up. they would have formed a chapter at once instructive, interesting and amusing. The innate selfishness of human nature cropped out where least expected. As is usually the case, those who exhibited the most bravado and were the loudest in exploiting their courage were the first to look out for their personal safety, and the last to volunteer when scouts were needed. But human nature is human nature the world over, and if there is anything mean or selfish in a person's makeup it is bound to come to the surface in times like this.
Of course the men could stand it all right enough. They were used to roughing it. Most any of them could lie down on the prairie where night overtook them and sleep as soundly and sweetly as though on a couch of luxury. But the women and children, that was different. The provisions were scant and of the plainest kind. There were no conveniences for cooking and everything had to be cooked over a campfire. Some member of each family had to make a trip to the claim every day for provisions, and some didn't find much when they reached there, as this was a season of general scarcity. As to the old courthouse, the walls were up and the roof on and the floors partly laid, and the joists in place for the rest. which were soon covered by the loose lumber there. The stairs were not up, but a plank walk with cleats spiked across
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had been built for the workmen to carry material to the upper story and roof, and this was utilized by those who lived in the upper story. The sleeping arrangements were few and simple. A bunch of hay and a few blankets in a retired cor- ner were about all of the sleeping accommodations the best could boast.
Of course sentries were posted every night. The men took their two hours on and four off without complaint, and in fact there were so few of them that at first they came on every night, but after the third or fourth night they were relieved of that duty by the arrival of the soldiers, many of whom had families here. It is difficult to write out in words the vicis- situdes of that memorable week, but those who experienced it will always have a vivid recollection of the week at the court- house.
Soon after the arrival of Lieutenant Cassady with his de- tachment of the Sioux City Cavalry, it was arranged that the settlers should go back to their places, and the soldiers should adopt a system of scouting such as would preclude the possi- bility of any considerable body of Indians coming in without being discovered. In addition to this, it was decided to erect a stockade about the courthouse, and to regard it as a kind of general rendezvous or headquarters where the settlers could gather in case of further trouble. Prescott's mill in the Oko- boji Grove was in running order at that time, and quite a mumber of sawlogs were lying in the yard ready to be cut into lumber. The mill was taken possession of and the logs rolled in and cut into planks. These planks were twelve feet long and from four ot five inches thick. A trench was dug from twelve to twenty feet from the walls of the courthouse and about three feet deep. The planks were set on end in this trench and strengthened by pinning a piece along the top. Portholes were out in the proper places in the stockade, and
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on the whole it was put in pretty good condition for defense. It was while this work was in progress that Lieutenant Cas- saday and his soldiers arrived, and they assisted in complet- ing it, and when the settlers went back to their claims the soldiers remained in possession and established headquarters there. This was in August, 1862. The courthouse remained a military post in possession of United States troops until July, 1865.
The inhabitants moved back to their claims, many of them, however, but temporarily. Many who had been here from two to five years and had endured without a murmur their full share of the hardships and privations incident thereto, thought they could see nothing better in the near future, and therefore abandoned what they had or sold it for a mere nomi- nal sum. It was at this time that B. F. Parmenter traded his house and the half block near where the Presbyterian Church now stands to Ethel Ellis for a hundred ratskins.
The proprietors of the town site of Spirit Lake abandoned it and it lay vacant for years, when it was taken and proved up as a private claim. One-half of it was taken by Henry Barkman, one fractional forty by Giese Blackert and the ro- maining three forties by Joseph Currier, who afterwards sold it to a Mr. Peck, of Minnesota. . This tract was afterwards purchased by Mr. J. S. Polk, of Des Moines, and is now known as. the Union Land Company's addition to Spirit Lake. ยท Mr. Barkman subsequently made a resurvey of his portion and laid out the town of Spirit Lake according to its present plat and boundaries.
Doctor Preseott, proprietor of the Okoboji town site, sold ont for a mere song and moved to Winnebago County, Illinois. O. C. Howe took his family back to Newton, after which he enlisted in the army and was appointed Captain of Com- pany L. Ninth Towa Cavalry: B. F. Parmenter and R. U.
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Wheelock moved to Boonesboro, William Barkman went back to Newton, R. Kingman, after selling the Lake View House to Jo Thomas, went to Floyd County in this state, and subsequently to the Black Hills; A. D. Arthur, J. D. Howe and C. Carpenter went to Webster City, Leonidas Congleton and Philip Risling went to Yankton, Dakota, and several others who had been more or less active in county matters up to this time decided they had had enough of pioneering and bade good-bye to the frontier. Property of all kinds that could not be moved became valueless.
Of the soldiers, many who enlisted from this county in 1861 had their families and intended leaving them here for a while at least, but after this outbreak most of them moved their families away. Some of them returned after the close of the war, and others remained away permanently. Of course, a soldier's claim, whether by preemption or homestead, could not be disturbed while he was in the service, and he had six months to get ou it after his discharge.
Up to this time the only two military organizations that had figured in the defense of the frontier were Captain Mar- tin's company of state troops, whose service in 1858 and 1859 was. noticed in its proper place, and the Sioux City Cavalry, under the command of Captain A. J. Millard. As this com- pany was more intimately connected with the defense of the frontier than any other, and as many of its members enlisted from this county, it is deserving of more special mention. As be- fore noticed, it was organized in Sioux City in the fall of 1861. A. J. Millard, Captain ; James A. Sawyer, First Lieutenant : J. T. Copeland, Second Lieutenant, and S. H. Cassady, Or- derly Sergeant. In the summer of 1862 Lientenant Sawyer resigned to take command of the Northern Border Brigade, when Copeland was promoted to be First Lieutenant and Cas- sady to be Second Lieutenant. The non-commissioned officers
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MORE PARTICULARS OF THE SIOUX CITY CAVALRY
were Samuel Wade, Orderly; A. Kingman, First Sergeant ; A. Marshall, Second Sergeant; J. W. Stevens, Third Ser- geant : J. W. Nevins, Fourth Sergeant and J. H. Morf, Fifth Sergeant : G. W. Lebaurour, First Corporal ; J. H. Schuneman, Second Corporal; G. W. Robbins, Third Corporal; Archibald Murray, Fourth Corporal; Thomas G. White. Fifth Corporal ; Thomas MeElhany, Sixth Corporal: M. B. Winterringer, Seventh Corporal; John J. Schlawig. Bugler; Fred Borsch, Assistant Bugler; William Godfrey, Saddler; N. W. Pratt, Farrier: J. C. Furber, Wagoner; M. J. Smith, Quartermas- ter Sergeant. The names of those enlisting in that company from this county have heretofore been given. The detach- ment of which they formed a part was kept here the greater part of the time from the time of their enlistment to the spring of 1863, when they were detailed for service at Gen- cral Sully's headquarters in his expedition up the Missouri that summer. Judge A. R. Fulton in his interesting book, "The Red Men of Iowa," pays the following high tribute to this company.
"In this connection it is proper to notice more particularly the military organization usder Captain A. J. Millard, known as the Sioux City Cavalry and the services it rendered in protecting the western frontier from the depredations of the Indians. It was a company enlisted in pursuance of a special order of the Secretary of War and operated as an independent organization from the fall of 1861 to the spring of 1563. The company was recruited from citizens, most of whom were heads of families residing at Sioux City and the settlements along the Floyd and Little Sioux Rivers up to Spirit Lake. While acting as an independent organization, they were generally stationed in squads in the principal settlements, including those at Correctionville, Cherokee, Peterson and Spirit Lake. Their valuable and ardnous services doubtless contributed largely to securing to the people of northwestern Towa im- munity from danger during the perilous summer of 1962. when more than eight hundred persons were massaered by the
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Indians in Minnesota. In the spring of 1863 the Sioux City Cavalry were ordered to rendezvous in Sioux City preparatory to joining an expedition under General Sully against the In- dians in which they were detailed as the bodyguard of the General.
"On the third of September, 1863, they participated in the battle of White Stone Hill and distinguished themselves by taking one hundred and thirty-six prisoners. After this bat- tle they were consolidated with the Seventh Iowa Cavalry as Company I. On returning to Sioux City, Captain Millard commanding the company was assigned by General Sully to the command of a sub-district embracing northwestern Iowa and eastern Dakota, with headquarters at Sioux City. On the twenty-second of November, 1864, their term of enlistment having expired, they were mustered out of service.
"Referring to this company, General Sully expresses the fol- lowing high compliment: A better drilled or disciplined company than the Sioux City Cavalry cannot be found in the regular or volunteer service of the United States.'"
CHAPTER XXI.
GOVERNOR KIRKWOOD TAKES DEEP INTEREST IN FRONTIER MATTERS-SENDS COLONEL INGHAM TO THE FRONTIER-HIS REPORT-THE LEGISLATURE CALLED IN SPECIAL SESSION-THE FIRST BILL PASSED PROVIDES FOR THE NORTHERN BORDER BRIGADE-JOINT RESOLUTION ASKING GOVERN- MENT PROTECTION-ORGANIZATION OF THE NORTHERN BORDER BRIGADE-COLONEL SAWYER PLACED IN COMMAND-GOVERNOR KIRKWOOD AP- POINTS HONORABLE GEORGE L. DAVENPORT TO COLLECT INFORMATION-HIS REPORT-SPECULA- TIONS AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK- OPINIONS BY HONORABLE GEORGE L. DAVENPORT -GENERAL SULLY-JUDGE FLANDRAL AND OTHERS.
P
REVIOUS to the Minnesota outbreak Governor Kirk- wood had issued a call convening the Towa legislature in special session for the purpose of making provisions for placing lowa's quota of troops under the last call of the President, and it was during the interval between this call and the time of the meeting of the legislature that the trou- bles in Minnesota occurred. The Governor at once realized the necessity of increasing the frontier defenses, and in order that he might have as full and clear an understanding of the matter as possible, on the twenty-ninth of August, without waiting for the meeting of the legislature he had summoned. he appointed S. R. Ingham, of Des Moines, special agent. with instructions to proceed at once to the frontier and make
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a thorough investigation of the situation and report to him as soon as practicable.
"August 29, 1862.
"S. R. INGHAM, EsQ.
"Sir: I am informed there is probable danger of an attack by hostile Indians on the inhabitants of the northwestern portion of our state. Arms and powder will be sent you at Fort Dodge. Lead and caps will be sent with you. I hand vou an order on the Auditor of State for one thousand dollars. "You will proceed at once to Fort Dodge, and to such other points there as you may deem proper. Use the arms, ammunition and money placed at your disposal in such man- ner as your judgment may dietate as best to promote the ob- jeet in view, to-wit: the protection of the inhabitants of the frontier. It would be well to communicate with Captain Millard commanding the company of mounted men raised for United States service at Sioux City. * * * Use your dis- cretion in all things and exercise any power I could exercise if I were present according to your best discretion.
"Please report to me in writing.
"Very respectfully your obedient servant. "SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD."
Colonel Ingham at once proceeded to make a tour of the frontier settlements and reported the result of his investiga- tions to Governor Kirkwood. His report is too lengthy to be reproduced in full, but a few extracts from it are given herewith.
"To His Excellency, S. J. Kirkwood, Governor of Iowa: . I have the honor to report that in compliance with your in- structions I at once proceeded to the northern border of our stato to ascertain the extent of the supposed difficulties and do the needful for the protection of our frontier settlements should circumstances warrant or demand. I visited Dickin- son, Emmet, Palo Alto. Humboldt, Kossuth and Webster Counties. Found many of the inhabitants in a high state of excitement and laboring under constant fear of an attack bv Indians. Quite a number of families were leaving their homes and moving into the more thickly settled portions of the state.
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COL. INGHAM SENT TO THE FRONTIER
"This feeling, however, seemed to be more intense and to run higher in the more inland and remote counties from the border than in the border counties themselves. In Emmet and Kossuth, both border counties, I had the settlers called together in order that I might learn from them their views and wishes as to what ought to be done for their safety, or rather what was necessary to satisfy and quiet their fears and apprehensions. They said, all they wanted or deemed neces- sary for the protection of the northern frontier was a small . force of mounted men stationed on the east and west forks of the Des Moines River to act in concert with the United States troops then stationed at Spirit Lake, but that this force must be made up of men such as conld be chosen from amongst themselves, who were familiar with the country and had been engaged in hunting and trapping for years and were more or less familiar with the habits and customs of the Indians, one of which men would be worth half a dozen such as the state had sent there on one or two former occasions. In a small force of this kind they would have confidence, but would not feel safe with a much larger force of young and inexperienced men such as are usually raised in the more central portions of the state. I at once authorized a company to be raised in Emmet, Kossuth, Humboldt and Palo Alto Counties. Within five days forty men were enlisted, held their election for offi- cers, were mustered in, furnished with arms and ammunition and placed on duty. I authorized them to fill up the com- pany to eighty men if necessity should demand such an addi- tion to the force.
"At Spirit Lake, in Dickinson County, I found some forty men stationed under command of Lieutenant Sawyers of Cap- tain Millard's Company of Sioux City Cavalry in the United States service. From the best information T could obtain, I deemed this a sufficient force and therefore took no action to increase the protection at this point further than to furnish the settlers with thirty stands of arms and a small amount of ammunition, for which I took a bond as hereinafter stated."
ITere follows the details of taking bonds and distributing arms and ammunition which are too lengthy and not of suf- ficient importance for repetition. The report closes as fol- lows :
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"Having done all that seemed necessary for the protection of the settlers of the more exposed of the northern border coun- ties, I returned to Fort Dodge on the eighth day of Septem- ber, intending to proceed at once to Sioux City and make all necessary arrangements for the protection of the settlements on the northwestern border. At that point I was informed that the legislature, then in extra session, had passed a bill providing for the raising of troops for the protection of our . borders against hostile Indians. I therefore deemed it best to report myself to you for further instructions, which I did on the tenth of September."
The legislature convened in pursuance of the governor's call and the first measure passed was "A bill for an act to pro- vide for the protection of the northwestern frontier of Iowa from hostile Indians." The first section of the bill is as fol- lows :
"SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa: That the governor of the state of Iowa be and is hereby authorized and required to raise a volunteer force in the state of Iowa from the counties most convenient to the northwestern border of said state of not less than five hundred mounted men, and such other force as may be deemed neces- sary, to be mustered into service by a person to be appointed by the governor at such place as he may designate, to be sta- tioned at various points in the northwestern counties of said state in such numbers in a body as he may deem best, for the protection of that portion of the state from hostile Indians at the earliest practicable moment."
The balance of the bill relates to the enlisting, mustering in and equipping and arming the force thus created. This bill was introduced, run the gauntlet of the committees, passed both houses and was signed by the governor inside of five days, which, considering its magnitude and importance, was remarkably quick work. While the above bill was pend- ing, the legislature also passed a joint resolution asking aid from the general government, of which the following is the preamble :
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LEGISLATION FOR THE NORTHERN BORDER BRIGADE
"WHEREAS, for several months past the Indians residing along the northwestern lines of the state of Iowa, in Minne- sota and Dakota, and in the country in that vicinity have ex- hibited strong evidence of hostility to the border settlers and have committed depredations upon the property of these set- tlers, and have finally broken out into open hostility, not only committing gross acts of plunder, but have committed the most cruel barbarities upon the defenseless citizens residing in the southern and southwestern border of Minnesota, mur- dering with unparalleled cruelty a large number of these citi- zens and their families in the immediate vicinity of our state, burning their houses and destroying their property ; and,
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