USA > Minnesota > Waseca County > Child's history of Waseca County, Minnesota : from its first settlement in 1854 to the close of the year 1904, a record of fifty years : the story of the pioneers > Part 13
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We now return to the camp at Little Creek, where we left Mr. Everett and his companions. The next morning. they start- ed as early as possible. Mrs. Meyers was no better, and Mr. Ev- erett, if possible, suffered more than the day before. They drove as far as Leavenworth, that day. On every hand there was evi- dence of the murderous footsteps of the savages. The houses were all deserted and the fields laid waste.
After looking at several houses they finally went to one a quar- ter of a mile from the road, just at dusk, and took possession. They assisted Mrs. Meyers and the children to alight and had just dragged Mr. Everett into the house, for by this time he was al- most totally helpless-when they heard loud talk not far off. Bent- ley and Hatch crept out through the cornfield, and saw three Indi- ans going past toward a house not far off where the whites first thought of stopping. Bentley and Hatch then came back, took Mrs. Meyers and children, and hid in the brush some distance from the house. Mr. Everett could not well be moved so far, so he crawled to a fence, and dragged himself through it and out into a buckwheat field. Ile had only just lain down in a hollow when the three Indians eame to the house, looked around and finally sat down on the fence, not far from him, and in full view. They stayed around the house about three-quarters of an hour, and finally departed without discovering any of the whites. It was a very close call, however.
All hands remained concealed during the night, Mr. Everett staying in the bnekwheat patch. In the morning they started again, having nothing to eat except flour wet up with water and dried in the sun. They crossed the Cottonwood, and drove toward Mankato as rapidly as possible. During the forenoon they could hear the booming of cannon at New Ulm. This was the day of the battle there.
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At noon they stopped in a ravine out of sight of the road. They were not very far south of New Ulm, but the firing in that direc- tion, and all the indications surrounding them, made them be- lieve that the Indians were in possession of all the country around New Ulm, at least. Mr. Meyers decided to leave them there and make his way to New Ulm, if possible, hoping to bring a party to their relief. lle told them that if he did not return or send relief, by the next day at noon, to drive on to Mankato.
The situation was indeed critical. Bands of murderous Indians were prowling over the country in every direction. There was no safety anywhere. This little band of settlers was now entirely defenseless. The three men were all wounded, Mr. Everett so badly injured that he was almost entirely helpless. Mrs. Meyers was so very sick that there was little hope of her recovery. They had no food except a little raw corn and uncooked flour. They were worn out with constant watching and anxiety. Tormented with an army of flies by day and myriads of mosquitoes by night, they found it almost impossible to sleep. A few gopher knolls on a distant hill-side looked like a band of Indians-every rustle of the tall grass brought a startled glance for the cause-every «Jump of weeds and each little grove might cover the presence of a murderous foo. The situation was enough to bring terror to the strongest heart in a robust man, and what must have been the feelings of persons half-starved, wounded, weak, and worn out with constant watching and excitement, as they were compelled to wait and watch for twenty-four hours, with no assurance of relief even then ?
After Mr. Meyers left for New Ulm, the hours wore slowly away, and at noon the next day he had not returned nor been heard from. There was no choice left, the wounded and sick must reach Mankato or perish on the prairie.
The oxen were put to the wagon; Mrs. Meyers and Mr. Everett were lifted into it, and again they started eastward. They drove till night and camped near a deserted house. Messrs. Bentley and Hatch found some potatoes, which were eaten raw, as the refugees still feared to build a fire lest the Indians should discover them.
At daylight the next morning, they again started east, driving as rapidly as possible. When within eight or ten miles of Crys- tal Lake, they discovered men in the distance, on horseback,
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whom they supposed to be Indians. The horsemen discovered them about the same time and came directly toward them.
Bentley and Hatch at once drove to a slough of tall grass, near by, hid Mrs. Meyers, her children, and Mr. Everett in different places; drove the oxen and wagon some distance away ; and then secreted themselves in the tall grass. Their fear of Indians over- powered every other feeling. They had no doubt whatever that the horsemen were Indians, and that if the hidden ones were discovered they would be tortured and murdered.
The horsemen came on rapidly and soon reached the place where the frightened, wounded and starved settlers were hiding. They searched the ground thoroughly and soon found one after another of the settlers until all were found except Charley Hatch.
Mr. Everett was so sick and weak that he could scarcely speak, but he urged Capt. Dane-for he it was with a squad of soldiers- to keep up the search for Hatch. They searched long and called often but could not find him, and were finally compelled to go on to Lake Crystal without him.
Poor Charley Hatch heard them plainly enough, but he be- loved them to be Indians and half-breeds who were calling him, seeking to murder him, so he refused to answer or to stir from his hiding place. He remained hidden in the grass all night. The next morning Mr. Everett prevailed upon the soldiers to renew their search for Hatch. They returned to the slough, and, after much time spent in looking and calling, finally rode on to his hiding place. Ilis joy at finding them friends instead of mur- derous savages quite overcame him.
The wounded and nearly famished settlers from Shetek were at once removed to the hospital, at Mankato. If we are correctly in- formed, Mrs. Meyers died the day after her arrival at Mankato. Meyers finally reached Mankato in safety. Bentley and Hateh soon recovered from their wounds and suffering, but Mr. Everett's life hung in the balance for a long time. Ilis wounded leg, by constant irritation, was very badly swollen and intensely painful. His shattered arm was in an equally bad condition. Nothing short of an iron constitution could have brought him from death's door back to life and strength.
Ile remained in the hospital at Mankato until the following February, when he had so far recovered that he could hobble
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around on crutches, with his arm in a sling; and in that condi- tion he went to Arena, Iowa county, Wisconsin, where he remained for some time.
We must now return to follow briefly the history of those made captives at the time of the massacre. These were Mrs. Wright, her little boy and girl; Mrs. Duly and two children, Lilly Everett, two of Mr. Ireland's girls, and Mrs. Cook. The prisoners were first taken from the camp on Cottonwood river to Yellow Medi- cine, where they remained some time. At this place Mrs. Wright's son and other eaptives, including Mrs. Cook, were ransomed by Gen. Sibley. About that time Old Pawn took the other Shetek prisoners and started across the country for the Missouri river. The children, especially, were badly treated. An old hag of a squaw seemed to take partieular delight in torturing them. On two or three occasions Lilly came near being killed by this old squaw, who pounded her with a elub most brutally. The eaptives were finally taken into winter quarters, on the Missouri river, some four hundred miles above Ft. Randall.
Their release was somewhat remarkable. Early one morning, Mrs. Wright was down at the bank of the Missouri, getting a pail of water, when she discovered two white men in a boat, go- ing down the river. She hailed them and told them the story of her capture and of that of the others. She said there were two women and six children, and she implored them to rescue the captives. They hesitated some time, but finally eoneluded that it would be impossible for them to do so. They told her, however, that they would make all haste to report the faets to the govern- ment officers. True to their word, they did so, and the result was published by the Ft. Dodge, Iowa, Times some years ago. We learn from the report that an Indian chief, Ma-to To-pa (Four Bear), who was friendly to the whites, was requested to go to the hostile camp and reseue the captives either by force or treaty. He called a couneil of his braves, and it was determined that they would make an effort to rescue the captives. He selected ten of his best braves, and with eight good horses started for the hostile camp. They took ther rifles, bows and arrows, as if going to war, starting in November, 1862, and traveling seven days- snow falling nearly every day. They at last reached the camp of the hostiles, near the mouth of Grand river. The next morning
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the hostile Indians invited them to a couneil. They tied their eight horses elose to the tepee and went in. Both parties were armed. Four Bear was asked what urgent business had bronght him and his braves so far from home at that time of year.
He replied that he had heard that they had been on the war path and had taken some prisoners. He made quite a speech, and told them that he and his party had come for the captives and would not return without them.
One of the hostiles said: "You are all Indians, and belong to the same confederation that we do, and instead of being friendly to the aecursed pale face you should unite with us and help slay them as long as there is a Sioux on the face of the earth."
Four Bear replied that he and his braves were friendly to the whites, and always would be-that they would never lift a hand against the women and children of the whites, and that the hos- tiles must give up the captives.
The council was a stormy one, lasting all day; but finally one of the hostiles said they had the captives and they were worth money, and nothing less than $1,000 in ponies would get them. Near night they finally agreed that the hostiles should exchange their eight prisoners for the eight horses and saddles. The ex- change was made that night, and then they smoked the pipe of peace.
The hostile band on their retreat from Minnesota, were so afraid of being overtaken by the whites that they took no time to hunt, and in consequence the prisoners were nearly starved to death. The first square meal for some time was indulged in that night, and it consisted of venison and coffee. Four Bear was of the opinion that the women and children relished his cooking that night.
The prisoners were so destitute of clothing, that their rescuers were compelled to divide their wardrobe with them. The weather was intensely cold, but the homeward march began. The six children had to be carried every step of the way, and the two women the greater part of it. Some of the Indians would go ahead and kill game, and get the camp ready at night when they arrived. In consequence of the great depth of snow it was a slow. laborious tramp. At Swan Lake they met some of their people and traded some ammunition and blankets for sugar and coffee
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for the captives, and in the morning they all contributed every- thing they could spare for the use of a big horse to get home with. They made a "travoy," which is two long poles, one end of each fastened to the saddle, extending backward on each side of the horse with crosspieces lashed on. The six children were bun- dled on this vehicle and the party then made fine progress. They arrived at last at their camp, and the next day they took the captives across the river and turned them over to the officer in command, who gave Four Bear the following :
Fort Pierre, D. T., Dec. 12, 1862.
The bearer, Ma-to To-pa, is one of the eleven Indians that recovered Mrs. Julia Wright, Mrs. Emma Duly and six children from the Ih-Sanu-Ta, near the Grand river, in November, 1862. He desires to be kindly treated by all. (Signed) John Pattee,
Major First lowa Cavalry, Expedition in Search of Prisoners.
In course of time, the captives were sent down the Missouri river, and across the country to Ft. Dodge, Iowa.
Mr. Everett saw a report in the Chicago papers that the captives would soon be at Cedar Falls, Iowa, He left Arena, Wiscon- sin on crutches, his wounded arm still useless, to meet them at Cedar Falls. He was doomed to disappointment, for on his ar- rival there he learned they had not yet arrived, and that he must go to Ft. Dodge to meet them. He took the stage for that place, but on his arrival there could hear no news of them. There he was taken sick and confined to his bed for two weeks. In the mean time the captives arrived, and among them his daughter, Lilly. Mr. Wright also met his wife and little daughter at that place.
Mr. Everett, as soon as he was able to travel, returned again to Wisconsin with Lilly. He remained at Arena until 1867. He lost all his property at Lake Shetek, amounting to $5,000, and re- ceived from the government for his loss only $800.
He was married to Miss Addison in the spring of 1866, and in the fall of 1867, came to Waseca and built the first store erected in Waseca.
While this substantially closes that portion of the Shetek mas- sacre relating to our townsman, there are other portions yet to be related in order to round out and make complete the history of that awful and tragic event.
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It will be remembered by our readers that the mail carrier, after his failure to reach New Ulm, returned to Brown's house where he had left Mrs. Hurd and her two children, Mrs. Eastlick and two children, and Uncle Tommy Ireland. After the mail-car- rier left, this party remained at Brown's house for nine days, liv- ing upon the vegetables growing on the farm.
Mr. Ireland gradually recovered from his wounds, while Mrs. Eastlick was as yet unable to walk. Mr. Ireland proposed, at last, to make a trip to New Ulm and get assistance to remove the women and children. During their stay there two large dogs had come to them and remained there.
On Monday morning, the ninth day they had been there, Mr. Ireland, taking two cooked chickens as a supply of food, started for New Ulm, saying that he should try to reach New Ulm that night, and would send relief on Tuesday. Mrs. Eastlick says:
"All the afternoon ot Tuesday we looked long and eagerly for some one to come to our relief, until after dark, when I retired and slept some hours. About midnight we were awakened by the loud barking of the dogs. Mrs. Hurd arose and went to the window, but could see nothing. The dogs, however, harked more savagely than before, running out a short distance and then back to the door. This frightened us very much, as we thought it must be Indians, or the dogs would not act so. But, thought I, whether they are friends or enemies, I must arise and dress, though it may be the last time. So I began putting on my clothes, still asking Mrs. Hurd if she saw anything. When I was about dressed, she exclaimed, 'My God! Cook, is that you?' Then I realized that it was some one whom she knew. It proved to be a young man named Cook, who lived at Lake Shetek, and some time before the outbreak . had gone to Crystal Lake, to work in harvest; and my neighbor, Mr. Wright, who was also gone at the time. They came into the house and greeted us with tears in their eyes, while Mrs. Hurd and I wept aloud for joy. They were accompanied by a squad of soldiers, who also came into the house. The soldiers stationed guards about the house, to prevent a sur- prise. We now learned that Uncle Tommy had succeeded in getting into New Ulm about noon, on Tuesday, and at once made known our con- dition to Capt. Dane, who ordered fourteen men under Lieut. Roberts to prepare to start as soon as possible to our relief. It was almost sunset before they were ready to start, when, lo! Messrs. Wright and Cook came into town, and learning the facts, volunteered to attend them as guides. They reached our place at midnight, and, fearful that the sight of them all at once would frighten us, Wright and Cook came on alone to rouse us. The soldiers brought some tea and crackers, killed some chickens, gathered some vegetables, and prepared a good meal. At day- light they placed the feather bed, some quilts and a buffalo robe in a
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light, two-horse wagon. I was then helped in with Mrs. Hurd and our children. * *
* When about five miles on the road, Lient. Roberts rode back and ordered the driver to turn out of the road, pointing a little distance ahead of us. I looked in the direction he pointed, and beheld the body of a gray-haired man, lying in the road. This was the body of Mr. Brown, who owned the house where we had stopped. We soon crossed a run where stood his wagon with the goods thrown out and scattered upon the ground. There were two feather heds, which the soldiers took along. Near the wagon was the hody of Mrs. Brown, with her head split open. As we started out in the morning, one of the sol- diers, Mr. Gilfillan, tarried behind, and got lost from the company. His remains were found next day, some six miles from New Ulm, shot through the breast and his head severed from his body."
All along the route, the houses had been plundered, and several dead bodies were found.
These refugees remained for some time in New Ulm and were kindly nursed and cared for. About the 5th of September, they went to Mankato under escort. As soon as Mrs. Eastlick was able to travel, she went to friends in Wisconsin.
Mrs. Cook has given an account of her captivity, from which we condense the following :
She was taken with some of the other prisoners from the slough back to the settlement at Lake Shetek, to Mr. Ireland's house, where a large number of Indians were camped for the night. They held a big war-dance that night, notwithstanding the storm. The Indian who claimed her told her to stay in the tepee or the other Indians would kill her. They kept up the pow-wow nearly all night, and, their chief having been killed during the day, they ehose Old Pawn to succeed him.
Next morning some of the Indians brought in Lilly Everett, so chilled and wet that she could hardly speak. Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Duly wrapped her in a shawl and seated her elose by the fire. This so enraged the savages that they fired at them, one bullet passing through the skirt of Mrs. Duly's dress, and another piercing the shawl worn by Mrs. Cook, just below her shoulders. Fortunately neither one of them was hurt.
While returning to the lake, Mrs. Cook was leading little Belle Duly, five years old, when the murderous old squaw that killed Fred Eastlick, came along, snatched the child away, whipped her over the face with a raw-hide, raised her as high as she could and threw her upon the ground with all her force; then she tied the 8
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child to a bush, stepped back a few paces, and threw knives at her, hitting her in various parts of the body until life was extinct, while the mother was forced to behold the sight with no power to shield her child.
The Indians gathered together quite a drove of cattle, loaded several wagons with plunder, and compelled the women to drive the oxen that drew the wagons, and also the loose cattle. They went to the Cottonwood, and thence across the prairie to the Yel- low Medicine country.
Mrs. Cook was with the savages seven weeks. For three or four weeks she had plenty to eat, but was finally sold to an old Indian who was very good to her sometimes, and at other times very cruel. One day he told her he was going to another band of Indians, at some distance, and some of the squaws told her that where they were going there was hardly anything to eat. He fin- ally started off, compelling her to go with him. She made no resistance, but, after going some five miles, she offered to carry his gun for him. He gave it to her. She soon managed to take the cap and throw it away, then spit in the tube to make sure the gun would not go off. She then told him she should go no farther with him. He seized his gun from her hands and told her to go on or he would shoot her, at the same time raising the gun. She boldly told him to shoot, for she would not go with him, and bared her breast, as if to be instantly killed. He was amazed, and dropped the butt of his gun in astonishment. He probably thought her the bravest squaw he ever saw. At least he coucluded to return with her.
That night she intended to escape with a captive squaw that had married a white man; but their plan was defeated by the sick- ness of the squaw's babe. The next morning the child was better and all the Indians left the camp except the one who claimed to own Mrs. Cook. This was an opportunity not to be lost. Mrs. Cook stole away to the river unperceived, and the squaw rode a pony in the same direction, pretending to be going to water him. She let him go at the river and started with Mrs. Cook. They traveled as rapidly as possible, crossed the Minnesota river ten times that day in order to hide their trail if followed. They trav- eled, they thought, about thirty miles, when they came upon "Red Iron's" band of Indians whom they joined. After remain-
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ing three or four days with this band, they were surrendered, with a great many other captives, to Gen. Sibley's command by Red Iron.
The year 1862 was a year of blood for America. We had not only the bloody Sioux Massacre, but many bloody battles oe- curred between the Union and the Rebel forces.
And thus came to a close the darkest year in the history of the state of Minnesota. The frontier had been made desolate, and many familes had lost everything. But fortunately the crops had been of the very best, and there was food enough for all. The state generously extended aid to the people of the frontier and there was very little suffering.
CHAPTER XXXI, 1863.
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION-COUNTY MILITARY DISTRICTS -WAR PRICES-SIBLEY EXPEDITION AGAINST THE SIOUX- BATTLES OF BIG MOUND, DEAD BUFFALO LAKE-DEATH OF LITTLE CROW-GETTYSBURG, SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG AND PORT HUDSON, THE NEW YORK RIOTS-WILTON WEEKLY NEWS-TERRIBLE BLIZZARD DEC. 31.
In some respects the year 1863 was the most notable in the history of our nation and of the world. New Year's day is second only to Christmas as a day of enjoyment throughout the civilized world, even in ordinary times, but this New Year's day was one long to be remembered and held in reverence.
"Ring happy bells across the snow, "Ring in the nobler modes of life, "Ring out the old, ring in the new."
From the issuing of the Declaration of Independence to this "happy New Year" of 1863, the life of the nation had been a paradox-as some said, a living lie.
On this day the paradox was wiped out, for President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation forever freeing the black and yellow slaves in the rebel states from the ebains of the most odious bondage that the civilized world had ever seen. This brave, generous, God-like aet-already too long delayed, as many thonght-set forever free over four millions of oppressed human beings. Not only will the intelligent American citizens of African blood, to the remotest generation, revere the name of Abraham Lincoln, but intelligent and Christian American citizens of Caucasian blood will link his name with the greatest of earth
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for having, as far as possible, emancipated the laborers of the white race from the competition of chattel slavery.
There was no change in the board of Waseca county commis- sioners. Among the proceedings of the board for the year, the following are noted.
It was "ordered that the treasurer of the county be directed not to receive soldiers' orders for bounty (taxes) of such persons as were rejected for disability at Fort Snelling, and not now in the service of the United States." At the same meeting the county was divided by the commissioners into seven military distriets as follows :
First district, Blooming Grove; Second distriet, Iosco; Third distriet, Janesville; Fourth distriet, St. Mary ; Fifth district, Wil- ton and Woodville; Sixth district, Otiseo and New Richland; Seventh district, Vivian and Byron. Alton and Freedom then belonged to the Winnebago Indians.
At a subsequent meeting, June 15th, the board appointed officers for some of the districts. In the St. Mary district Enoch Plummer was appointed captain, John Byron, now deceased, first lieutenant, and Thomas J. Kerr, second lieutenant. W. H. Wyman was appointed captain in the Sixth district, but the record does not show that he had any lieutenant, either first or second. In the Second district, Wm. E. Allen was appointed captain, J. S. G. Honnor, first lieutenant, and John G. Ward, second lieutenant. There is no record of appointments in other distriets, nor does it appear that any military organizations were ever perfected under the law.
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