USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Oelwein > The Telegraph-herald's abridged history of the state of Iowa and directory of Fayette County, including the city of Oelwein, with a complete classified business directory; > Part 14
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The astounding news was not credited for some time, but finally a mes- senger was dispatched to Forest City, where were a number of recruits. A dozen rode to Acton, and found the shocking tidings too true. The bodies were covered but not disturbed, until the morrow, when an inquest was held.
During the inquest a number of the Indians, unaware of what was going on, approached, and a number of mounted men gave chase. The savages es- caped, however, though several shots were exchanged.
A large number of people were present at the inquest, and the excitement spread, for all saw the imminence of an outbreak. The relatives of the mur- derers knew that they would be punished if caught, and after a hot dispute it was decided to commence the massacre without delay. Little Crow, hitherto so friendly disposed toward the whites that he was subjected to suspicion by his own people, and who lived in a fine house at the lower Agency, built for him by the agent, was visited by a turbulent company on the morning of the 18th of August before he had risen from bed.
When the callers stated their object great beads of perspiration stood out on the forehead of the chief. He saw the inevitable end of any uprising against the whites, but he knew it would be fatal to oppose the wishes of these mad- men.
"Trouble with the whites must come sooner or later," he said. "It may as well be now as any other time. I am with you. Let us go to the agency, kill the traders and take their goods."
Messengers were sent to the bands of Wabashaw, Waconta and Red Legs, with the news, and the warriors ran to the agency, breaking up into small bands as they entered the village, and all as eager as tigers who have scented their prey. It was yet early in the morning when they approached Myrick's store, in the upper part of the place. James Lynde, a clerk, was standing in the door, looking wonderingly at the horde, when one of the Indians raised his
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gun with an ugly exclamation and shot him dead. He was the first victim of the Minnesota outbreak.
The son of Mr. Myrick, a young man, was upstairs when the gun was fired, and crouched behind a dry goods' box. The Indians were afraid to climb the stairs lest he should shoot them as they came up the steps. Some of them pro- posed to fire the building, hearing which, the youth climbed through the scut- tle, slid down the lightning rod to the roof of the lower building, dropped to the ground, and ran toward the bush along the Minnesota River. The Winne- bagoes discharged a lot of arrows after him, but without effect. On the edge of the bush he was struck by a rifle ball and fell. The savages ran forward and finished him.
The report of the first gun was accepted as a signal by all the Indians for the beginning of the massacre. Joseph Belland and Antoine Young were killed at Forbe's store, Brusson at Robert's store and La Butte and his clerk at La Batte's store. Others were also slain.
George Spencer, at Forbe's store, was wounded, but an Indian acquaintance prevented his death. Clerk Bourat ran upstairs. He heard the Indians agree to follow and kill him. He formed a desperate plan. Down the stairs he bounded, dashed through the astonished group, out the door, and ran for life. He gained a good start, when a charge of shot brought him down. Another charge entered his leg. The Indians came up, stripped off his clothing and shoes, and heedless of his appeals for mercy, piled a lot of logs over him, so he could not get away and promised to come back shortly and slay him. When they were gone, knowing that they would fulfill their threat, and frantic with the pain from his wounds, he twisted himself free from the logs on him limped off and finally escaped.
CHAPTER XLII.
The Indians were so eager to plunder the stores that many of the inhabi- tants were able to get away unharmed. They hurried down to the ferry, where the brave Mauley wrought with might and main to carry them to the opposite side, despite the great danger in which he placed himself; for the bands of Wabashaw and the other chiefs hurried up and joined in the plundering and killing. This finished, they scattered to the surrounding country to continue their dreadful work. Mauley, the ferryman, had just completed his task when re was killed, disemboweled, his head, hands and feet cut off and thrust into the cavity.
Among the fugitives was Dr. Humphreys, the physician to the Lower In- dians. He took with him his wife, two little boys, and his girl. They halted at a house two miles from the river, and being thirsty from the heat of the day and their unusual exertion, he sent one of the little boys down a hill hard by for water. As he dipped it up he heard the firing of a gun, and peeping over the hill, saw the Indians at the house. He hid in the bushes and waited until they had gone. Then stealing to the house, he found his father with his throat cut, while his mother, brother and sister lay dead, murdered by the same miscre- ants, who burned their bodies in the building.
Through that fearful day the massacre continued on both sides of the river below the fort, to within six miles of New Ulm, and up the river to Yellow Medicine. Many were killed at Beaver Creek and the Sacred Heart Creek. While tumbling their goods into the waiting wagons, they would be appalled
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by the appearance of a painted band of yelling warriors. Knowing it was use- less to resist, they would give up everything in the hope of appeasing the wrath of the savages. In all such cases the victims were slain without mercy.
Lest the reader should feel some sympathy for the Indians concerned in the Sioux massacre, we will give in this place a few incidents. There can be no doubt of their truth, for Mr. Isaac V. D. Heard, who was on the ground, who acted as recorder of the military commission that tried the captured In- dians, thus hearing all the testimony and making his own careful investiga- tions, gives these and others in his history of that awful outbreak.
A gentleman living near New Ulm went to the place without any suspicion of danger. On his return, he found that the Indians had killed two of his children before their mother's eyes. They were on the point of slaying her infant, when she snatched it from them and ran to her mother's house near by. They followed, firing at her a number of times, without success. They killed her mother, her sister, and servant girl, but strange to say, she escaped with her infant. On the father's return, he found one of his boys, twelve years old, still alive. He was cut, bruised and horribly mangled, but the father carried him safely to St. Peter's.
Another little boy was brought in still alive with a knife thrust into one of his eyes. A farmer and his two sons were working in a field, when all three were shot down by Indians. They then went to the house, and killed two small children in the presence of the mother, who lay ill with consumption. She and her daughter, thirteen years old, were dragged through the fields to their camp. There, as the mother lay helpless, her innocent daughter was outraged before her eyes until the little one died.
In anothr place, a woman was tomahawked while baking bread, and her infant thrust into the flaming oven. The indignities to which weak, defenseless women and children were subjected were too horrifying to be recorded in print. No imagination can conceive them. Let it suffice that no retribution too severe can be visted upon the authors of atrocities never surpassed in the history of barbarism.
The massacre had not continued long when news of it reached Fort Ridgely, whence Captain Marsh, with the Fifth regiment of Minnesota Volunteers, started for the agency with forty-eight men. He rode a mule, and his men were in wagons. A mile from the fort he met a party of ugitives, who warned him that he would be killed if he attempted to cross the ferry. He was advised to pause on the bluff on that side, collect what women and children he could, and bring them to the fort.
"I have plenty of ammunition," replied the brave officer, "and enough men to whip all the Indians this side of the Pacific Ocean. I'm not only going to the ferry, but shall cross it."
Five miles from the ferry, Captain Marsh met one of his soldiers who had been at home on furlough. It was in this man's house that Dr. Humphreys and his family were slain and then burned. He had hidden in a corn field, and stole away after the departure of the Indians. His story did not affect the courage of the officer, who pushed on, meeting other fugitives, among whom was the little boy of Dr. Humphreys that escaped because of his absence at the spring when the savages visited the house.
Captain Marsh and his soldiers reached the ferry at sunset. Seeing him, the Indian came down to the edge and held a conversation through the inter- preter with the officer. The latter said he meant to cross and look into matters.
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Some of the Indians warned him not to do so, but White Dog advised him to come over. While the conversation was going on, a good many savages secretly crossed the stream, and with the help of the tall, thick grass, surrounded Cap- tain Marsh without his suspecting danger. He sent one or two of his men to the right and left to investigate. They convinced him that it was certain death to go over. The captain replied that he would for once yield his judg- ment, and ordered his coldiers, who were facing the ferry, to turn about.
The moment it became clear that the men would not cross the river, Little Crow gave the signal to fire. Instantly from every side was poured such a storm of bullets that almost half the men fell dead, while the wounded were tomahawked. It is said that the interpreter, who was standing at the corner of the ferry house, received twenty bullets in his body, besides a number of arrows. The survivors, seeing the desperate straits in which they were caught, fired once, killing an Indian and wounding another, and then filed in haste.
The fierce volley slew Captain Marsh's mule, but did not injure him, though he stood within a few feet of his riddled interpreter. With nine of his men, he succeeded in passing two miles down the river, when he found the Indians had cut off his way to the fort. He decided to cross the river and led the way, holding his revolver over his head with one hand and his sword with the other. He was soon beyond his depth, but as he was an expert swimmer, noth- ing was thought of that until his struggles showed he was drowning. Two of his men hurried to his help, but he sank before they could reach him, and his body was not found until several days afterward. He must have been seized with cramp on entering deep water. His companions safely reached the fort, leaving twenty-four behind.
This massacre did much to inflame the outbreak. The Indians had killed a good many; they had a large number of captives, with plenty of arms, lead, powder and plunder. The church Indians, fearing that they would be suspected of want of zeal, plunged into the carnival of blood and "out-Heroded Herod" by their atrocities.
Messengers were sent to the Indians at the Yelolw Medicine. A dispute followed as to what course to take. Other Day, a civilized Indian, strenuously opposed joining in the outbreak, but being overruled, he took his wife, a white woman, by the arm, and gun in hand, visited the different houses of the whites to warn them of their danger. They hurriedly gathered in the warehouse to the number of fifty, determined to fight to the last.
Other Day and several of his relatives stood outside the building all through the night, on the watch for the first evidence of attack. Frequently they caught sight of dark figures skulking about as silently as shadows, peering around the corner in the hope of catching the sentinels unawares; but the dusky guards were wide awake, seeing which the prowlers slunk off in the gloom.
Just as it was growing light, the report of a gun was heard some distance off and a rush was made for the warehouse. Other Day led the whites, num- bering forty-two, men, women and children, across the river, whence they safely made their way to the settlements. Friendly Indians warned the people six miles above the Upper Agency of their danger, and they, also numbering forty- two, including the missionaries, Messrs. Riggs and Williamson, got safely away.
New Uum and Fort Ridgely were overrun with terrified fugitives, many suffering from ghastly wounds, and trembling lest the furious Indians should
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swoop down upon and massacre them all. In every direction the skies were lit up by the glare of burning homes, and the near and far reports of guns, the yells of savages, and the cries of the hopeless victims, made the night dreadful beyond description.
While the Indian runners were speeding across the prairies, bearing the news to willing ears, the whites sent messengers to the settlements and after Lieutenant Shehan, who had started a few days before to accompany Commis- sioner Dole on his way to make a treaty with the Red Lake Chippewas. The officer was overtaken forty miles away, and the news of the massacre was car- ried to the surrounding towns.
At St. Peter's, the night was spent in running bullets and preparing for the relief of Fort Ridgely and New Ulm. At daylight, the bells were rung and the people gathered to decide upon the course to be taken. Agent Galbraith and his forty-five men, known as the "Renville Rangers," had already set out for the fort, and it was decided to send a detachment for the relief of New Ulm.
Hon. Chrales E. Flaudreau, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, was elected captain; William B. Dodd, first lieutenant, and Mr. Meyer, second lieu- tenant. Wagons; horses, ammunition and necessary utensils and provisions were soon ready, and sixteen men, under charge of ex-Sheriff Boardman, set out to scout in the direction of New Ulm.
Meanwhile, Little Crow, with one hundred warriors, had appeared before the fort, but did not make an attack. Had he done so, nothing could have saved the post, for the garrison numbered only thirty men. The larger part of this band scattered in other directions. While the chief and his men were hid- den near, Agent albraith and his rangers entered the fort unmolested, and it was safe for the time.
Near the middle of the afternoon, a hundred Indians attacked New Ulm. The population was about 1,500, mostly Germans, the houses being so scattered that it could not be readily defended. While the attack was under way, ex- Sheriff Boardman and his sixteen mounted men dashed into the town on a full gallop. They found the people in a wild panic. But for the brilliant work of the new arrivals, who soon drove off the assailants, the place must have fallen, and one of the most terrible massacres would have followed.
But the town was still in imminent danger, for the Indians were hourly receiving reinforcements, and the means of defense were of the poorest char- acter. Fortunately, Judge Flaudreau and one hundred men arrived that night. Sntinels were at once stationed, and every possible precaution taken against attack. None was made, and the day was devoted to strengthening the barri- cades and organizing the forces for the conflict that soon must come.
Judge Flandreau was made commandant, and he organized his forces with gcod judgment. During the day, fifty more men arrived from Mankato, and the same number from Le Sueur. No Indians were visible, and the scouts visited the surrounding country, continually coming upon the victims of the ferocious red men.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, Little Crow, being joined by those who had been at New Ulm the day before, unexpectedly attacked Fort Ridgely. His volely, through one of the openings, killed three, and eight more were wounded during the fight. On attempting to use the cannon, they were found stuffed with rags, the work of some half-breeds that had joined the enemy. The con- flict lasted three hours, when the Indians drew off with several killed and wounded. The attack was renewed twice the following day, but it was seen
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the Indians had decreased in number, many of them preferring the more con- genial work of plundering and murdering through the neighborhood.
Returning to the agency that night, Little Crow found the Upper Indians for whom he had sent. He had now nearly 500 warriors, and set out in high hopes the next day to attack the fort, taking with him a large number of wagons in which to carry the plunder he was confident of obtaining. These were left on the reservation side of the river, and the Indians crossed over and hid themselves near the fort. By and by, a number appeared on the prairie, wav- ing their blankets and uttering taunts in the hope of inducing the garrison to come out and attack them. The whites were too prudent to be drawn into the snare and answered only with rifle shots. Then Little Crow opened the attack, which was kept up without cessation for five hours. While it was in progress the horses and mules in the government stables were set free and the building around the post burned. The roof of the fort was repeatedly pierced by fire arrows, but the flames did no harm. A knot of Indians, posted in one of the stables, were driven cut by Sergeant Jones, who exploded a shell among them. The casualties among the defenders were one killed and seven wounded, none severely.
A short time before the first attack, Henry Balland started out to get a horse with which to go to the settlements. Before he could return, the Indians had surounded the place, and he hid himself for several hours in the bushes. They were all around him and he expected every minute to be discovered. A cold August rain set in. At one time fully a hundred Indians were ranged near him, each holding his gun under his blanket to keep it dry.
The storm continued, and by the lightning flashes, when night had come, Balland crept down to the river and made his escape.
CHAPTER XLIII.
Fort Ridgely having successfully withstood the several attacks, the Indians made their way to New Ulm. Several days had passed since the fighting there, and this visit was made on Saturday, the 23rd of August. The smoke of burn- ing buildings in the direction of Fort Ridgely indicated to the defenders the ap- proach of their enemies.
New Ulm, as we have said, was ill prepared for defense, owing to the houses being so widely scattered. Judge Flandreau, believing it better to fight the enemy on the prairie, posted his men, numbering about two hundrd and fifty, in the open country outside the town, a half mile away, and still further off in the direction whence he believed the attack would come. He thus de- scribes what followed:
"At nearly 10 o'clock a. m., the body of Indians (numbering altogether probably five hundred), began to move toward us, first slowly, and then with considerable rapidity. Their advance upon the sloping prairie in the bright sunlight was a very fine spectacle, and to such inexeperienced soldiers as we were, intensely' exciting. When within about one mile and a half of us, the mass began to expand like a fan and increase in the velocity of its approach ยท and continued this movement until about double rifle shot, when it had covered our entire front.
Then the savages uttered a terrific yell, and came down on us like the wind. I was stationed myself at a point in the rear where communication could be had with me easily, and waited the first discharge with great anxiety, as
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it seemed to me to yield was certain destruction, as the enemy would rush into town and drive everything before them. The yell unsettled the men a little, and just as the rifles began to crack, they fell back along the whole line, and committed the error of passing the outer houses without taking possession of them-a mistake which the Indian immediately took advantage of by them- selves occupying them in squads of twos and three and up to ten. They poured into us a sharp and rapid fire as we fell back, and opened from houses in every direction. Several of us rode up the hill, endeavoring to rally the men, and with good effect, as they gave three cheers, and saliled out of various houses they had retreated to, and checked the advance effctually. Th firing from both sides then became general, sharp and rapid; and it got to be a regular Indian skirmish, in which every man did his own work after his own fashion.
"The Indians had spread out until they had got into our rear and on all sides, having the very decided advantage of the houses on the bluff, which commanded the interior of the town, with the exception of the wind mill, which was occupied by about twenty of the Le Sueur Tigers, who held them at long range.
The wind was from the lower part of the town, and this fact directed the larger part of the enemy to that point, where they promptly commenced firing the houses and advancing behind the smoke. The conaflgration became general in the lower aprt of the town on both sides of the street, and the bullets flew very thickly both from the bluff and up the street. I thought it prudent to dis- mount and conduct the defense on foot. Just at this point, Captain Dodd, of St. Peter's and someone else, whose name I do not know, charged down the street to ascertain whether some horsemen seen in the extreme lower town were not cur friends coming in, and were met about three blocks down with a heavy volley from behind a house, five bullets passing through Captain Dodd's body, and several through that of his horse. The horsemen both turned, and the captain got sufficiently near to be received by his friends be- fore he fell. He died about five hours after being hit. Too much cannot be said of his personal bravery and general desire to perform his duty manfully. Captain Saunders of the Le Sueur company, was shot through his body shortly after and retired, placing his rifle in effective hands, and encouraging the men. The fight was going on all around the town during the whole forenoon and part of the afternoon, sometimes with slight advantage to us and again to the Indians; but the difficulty which stared us in the face was their gradual but certain approach up the main street behind the burning buildings, which promised our destruction.
"We frequently sallied out and took buildings in advance; but the risk of being picked off from the bluff was unequal to the advantage gained, and the duty was performed with much reluctance by the men. In the lower part of the town I had some of the best men in the state, both as shots and forcoolness and determination. It will be sufficient to mention two as types of the class of the best fighting men-Asa White and Newell Horton, known to all old set- tlers.
"They did very effective service in checking the advance, both by their unerring rifles and the good example their steadiness placed before the younger men. We discovered a concentration of Indians on the side of the street toward the river and at the rear of the buildings, and expected a rush upon the town from that position, the result of which I feared more than anything else, as the boys had proven unequal to it in the morning; and we were not disappointed,
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for in a few minutes they came on, on ponies and on foot, furiously, about sixty in number, charging around the point of a little grove of oaks,
This was the critical point of the day. But four or five hours under fire had brought the boys up to fighting temperature, and they stood firmly, and advanced with a cheer, routing the Indians like sheep. They received us with a very hot fire, killing Houghton and the elderly gentleman whose name I did not know. As they fled in a crowd at a very short range, we gave them a volley that was very effective and settled the fortunes of the day in our favor, for they did not dare to try it over again. I think, after once repulsing them
in a fair fight, we could have successfully resisted them had they returned a second time, as the necessary confidence had been gained. White men fight under a great disadvantage the first time they engage. There is something so fiendish in their yells and terrifying in their appearance when in battle, that it takes a good deal of time to overcome the sensation that it inspires. There is a snake-like stealth in all their movements that excites distrust and uncer- tainty, and which unsteadies the nerves at first.
"After this repulse the battle raged until dark, without sufficient advan- tage on one side or the other to merit mention in detail, when the savages drew off, firing only an occasional shot from under close cover. After dark we decreased the extent of our lines of barricades; and I deemed it prudent to order all the buildings outside to be burned, in order to prevent them from affording protection to the savages while they advanced to annoy us. We were compelled to consum about forty valuable buildings; but as it was a military necessity, the inhabitants did not demur, but themselves appiled the torch cheerfully. In a short time we had a fair field before us of the open prairie, with the exception of a large brick building which we held and had loopholed in all the stories on all sides, and which commanded a large portion of our front toward the bluff. We also dug a system of rifle pits on that front outside the barricades, about four rods apart, which completed our defenses.
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