USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 24
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The day when the outbreak commenced my husband was on his return from Blue Earth county with Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson, parents of the sick Mrs. Henderson. Late in the afternoon, when within six miles of New Ulm, they met a large munber of settlers, men, women and children, fleeing for their lives, who told them that the Sioux Indians had commenced a desperate raid upon the settlers in the vicinity of New Fhn, that many of them had been killed, and that the Indians were then besieging the village : also that word from Renville county had been received, that all the settlers in the neighborhood of Beaver Creek and Birch Cooley were murdered, if they had failed to make their escape.
Having remained with the fleeing party until morning, my husband started on his return to the home of Mr. Jacobson, a distance of thirty miles. On his way back he saw farms deserted and cattle running at large in fields of shocked grain. At Madelia he found an assemblage of settlers contemplating the idea of making a stand against the Indians. They resolved not to be driven from their homes by the Sioux, thinking that they conld defend themselves by building breastworks of logs which were at hand. Consequently my husband remained with them one day and assisted in the building of the fortification, until reliable information came to them that there were so many Indians engaged in the outbreak that it would be impossible for them to make a successful stand. Therefore, after taking Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson to their home he started for St. Peter, where he arrived on Saturday, the twenty-third day of August.
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There he met Millard, our twelve-year-old boy, who narrated to him the dismal tidings of the outbreak; that his mother, sister and little baby brother were taken off by the Indians, and that Eugene was hit by a bullet in the leg while running in advance of him. He told how Eugene ran about a fourth of a mile after being wounded, then turned a little to one side of the course they were rimming and dropped into a cluster of weeds. The Indians were soon upon him with their scalping knives. In cast- ing a look baek he saw them apparently in the act of taking his sealp.
My husband's team of horses and his carriage were pressed into military service at St. Peter. He went with General Sibley's forces from St. Peter to Fort Ridgely, intending to go with them on their expedition against the Indians. But it fell to his lot to remain at the fort until after our release.
When I was captured my captor seized me by the shoulders, turned me quickly around and motioned for me to turn back. At this I sereamed, partly for the purpose of calling Mr. Earle's attention to see that I was a prisoner. and he looked around. This I did, thinking that he might escape and give the tidings to my relatives and friends.
Just before I was captured my son Eugene, who was after- ward killed, passed me and said, "Ma, run faster, or they will catch yon." This was the last time I heard him speak or saw him, and he must have been killed soon afterward.
It was now near the middle of the day; the heat of the sun was very intense and we (the captives) were all suffering for drink. I sat down a moment to rest, and then thought of my dress, which had become very wet while wading through a slough, so I sucked some water from it, which relieved my thirst a little.
We captives and a few of the Indians walked back to the house of J. W. Earle. The Indians entered the house and delighted themselves by breaking stoves and furniture of various kinds and throwing crockery through the windows. After they had completed the destruction of everything in the house which they did not wish to appropriate for their own use we were put into wagons and ordered to be taken to Little Crow's village. Members of families were separated and taken to different places, seemingly to add to our suffering by putting upon us the terrible agony of wondering where the other prisoners were and what was to be their fate. During this ride we passed several houses belonging to settlers who had been killed or had fled to save their lives. The Indians entered these houses and plundered them of many valuables, such as bedding and clothing. On our way to the Minnesota bottomland we had to descend a very steep
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bluff, where. by our request, the Indians gave us the privilege of walking down.
After reaching the foot of the bluff our course was through underbrush of all kinds. The thought of torture was uppermost in my mind. I supposed that was why sneh a course was taken. There was no road at all, not even a track. We were compelled to make our way as best we could through grape vines, priekly ash, gooseberry bushes and trees. After much difficulty in bend- ing down small trees in order to let our wagons pass over them, we finally reached the Minnesota river with many rents in our clothing and numerous seratehes on our arms.
When fording the river, we were all given a drink of river water. some sugar and a piece of bread. The sugar and bread were taken from the house of one of my neighbors. Just as we were driving into the water the wagon containing my daughter with other captives was disappearing beyond the top of the bluff on the other side of the river. I thought again. "What will befall her?"
We soon reached Little Crow's village, where we were kept about a week. The village numbered about sixty tepees, besides Little Crow's dwelling. a frame building. Mrs. James Car- rothers. Mrs. J. W. Earle and a little daughter, myself and habe were taken to Little Crow's. On entering the house the objeet that first met my gaze was Little Crow, a large, tall Indian, walk- ing the floor in a very haughty, dignified manner, as much as to say, "I am great!" However, his majesty condescended to salute ns with "Ho," that being their usual word of greeting. The room was very large. The furniture consisted of only a few chairs, table and camp kettles. A portion of the floor at one end of the room was raised about one foot, where they slept on blankets. Ilis four wives, all sisters, were bnsily engaged paek- ing away plunder which had been taken from stores and the houses of settlers. They gave us for our supper bread and tea. Soon after tea Mrs. Carrothers and myself were escorted to a tepee, where we remained until morning, when we were elaimed by different Indians.
It happened to be my lot in the distribution of the prisoners to be owned by Too-kon-we-ehasta (meaning the "Stone Man") and his squaw. They called me their ehild. or "big papoose." Their owning me in this manner saved me probably from a worse fate than death, and although more than a third of a century has elapsed since that event, strange as it may appear to some, I cherish with kindest feelings the friendship of my Indian father and mother. Too-kon-we-chasta was employed by General Sibley as a seout on his expedition against the Indians in the summer of 1863. He now lives across the Minnesota river from Morton, in Redwood county, on a farm. Ile and his squaw ealled
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on me several times when we were living near Beaver Falls. They manifested a great deal of friendship. There is a wide difference in the moral character of Indians.
Before retiring for the night we were commanded to make ourselves squaw suits. The squaws told us how to make them, and mine was made according to their directions. Mrs. Car- rothers failed to make hers as told, and consequently was ordered to rip apart and make it over. I put mine on while she was mak- ing hers as first told. When finished she put it on. We thought our looks were extremely Judierons. She cast a queer gaze at me and then commenced laughing. I said to her that under the circumstances I could see nothing to laugh about. She replied that we might better langh than ery, for we had been told that the Indians would have no tears, and that those who cried would be first to die.
I also had to lay aside my shoes and wear moccasins. The last I saw of my shoes an Indian boy about a dozen years old was having great sport with them by tossing them with his feet to see how high he could send them.
On the third day of my captivity I was taken out by my squaw mother a short distance from our tepee, beside a cornfield fenee, and was given to understand that I must remain there until she came for me. After being there a short time, an old squaw came to me, and, leaning against the fence, gazed at me some time before speaking. Finally she said in a low voice, "Me Winnebago ; Sioux nepo papoose," and then left. I never learned why I was taken out there, but have thought since that the Indians had decided to kill my child, as "nepo papoose" means "kill a baby;" that my squaw mother took me there for the purpose of hiding my child from the Indians, and that being afraid to give the reason herself she sent this old squaw from another tribe to tell me.
During this week of tepee life the ludierons alternated with the sublime, the laughable with the heart-breaking and pathetic. We saw papooses of all sizes robed in rich laces and bedecked in many fantastie styles with silk fabries, until one must laugh despite all their fearful surroundings. When the laugh died on our lips the terrible thought crowded into our minds, Where did these things come from? What tales could they tell if power were given them to speak? Where are the butchered and muti- lated forms that onee wore them? My heart was crushed, my brain reeled, and I grew faint and siek wondering, or rather trying not to wonder, what would be our own fate.
The Indians through plunder had on hand a good supply of provisions, consisting of flour, dried fruit, groceries of various kinds and an abundance of fresh meat. Their manner of cook- ing was not very elaborate ; an epicure would not have relished
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it as well as we did. until after being foreed by the pain or weak- hess caused by the want of food. Hunger will make food cooked after the manner of the Indians palatable ..
At times it seemed to me as though a hand had grasped my throat and was choking me every time I tried to swallow food so great was the strieture brought about by the fearful tension on the nervous system. Truly and well has it been said that no bodily suffering. however great, is so keen as mental torture.
My squaw mother was our cook. She mixed bread in a six- quart pan by stirring Hour into about two quarters of warm water, with one teacupful of tallow and a little saleratus, bring- ing it to the consistency of bisenit dough. She then took the dough out of the pan. turned it bottom side up on the ground. placed the dough on the pan. patted it flat with her hands, ent it in small pieces, and fried it in tallow. Potatoes they usually roasted in the hot embers of the camp fire. Their manner of broiling beefsteak was to put the steak across two sticks over the blaze, without salting, and in a few minutes it was done. Tripe was an extremely favorite dish among them, and they were quite quick in its preparation. The intestines were taken between the thumb and finger, the contents were squeezed out. and then withont washing the tripe was broiled and prepared in regular Indian epicurean style.
They follow their white brothers in their love for tea and coffee. which they make very strong. They sometimes flavored their coffee with cinnamon. My share of coffee was always given in a pint bowl with three tablespoonfuls of sugar in it. I ate some bread, which, with my tea and coffee, composed my bill of fare while with them. In fact, I think I could not have eaten the most delicious meal ever prepared by civilized people while a prisoner among these savages, with my family killed or seat- tered as they were and my own fate still preying on my mind.
The Indians were all great lovers of jewelry. as every school child knows. Every captive was stripped of all jewelry and other vahtables in her possession. The Sioux did not wear rings in their noses, like some tribes; but every other available place on the body was utilized to good advantage on which to display jewelry. The clocks that had been phindered from many a peaceful home were taken to pieces and made to do service in this line of decoration. The large wheels were used for carrings, and the smaller ones as bangles on bracelets and armlets.
They were also very proud of being able to carry a watch ; but their clothing, being devoid of pockets, lacked the most essential convenience for this purpose. Consequently some of them would, in derision, fasten the chain around the ankle and let the watch drag on the ground.
Yon may think it strange that I took any notice of these
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little incidents. However trifling it may have been for me to observe their anties, it certainly had the effect partially to relieve me of the great weight that pressed so heavily on my mind. I looked at my poor little starving babe, and saw that he was growing thinner every day from pure starvation. I thought of my husband and children, whose fate I might never know. Had I given way to all the terrors of my situation I should not have been spared to meet my family or had any chance of eseape, but should have met instant death at the hands of my cruel eaptors. My will sustained me and forced me to take note of these insig- nificant things, so that I might not sink or give up to the dread- ful reality I was passing through. I said to one of my neighbor captives, when we were first made prisoners, that I felt just like singing, so near did I in my excitement border on insanity. I have thought since many times that, had I given up to the impulse and sung, it would have been a wild song and I should have certainly crossed the border of insanity and entered its confines. Even now. after thirty six years, I look baek and shudder, and my heart nearly stops beating when these awful things present themselves fully to my mind. The wonder to me is how I ever endured it all.
The warriors were away all the time we were in Little Crow's village. They came back in time to eseort us when we moved. They told us they had burned Fort Ridgely and New Ulm, and would soon have all the pale faees in the state killed. This was said, no doubt, to make our trials more painful, and that we might realize the full extent of their power.
All the time I remained in Little Crow's village my bed, shawl and sunbonnet, covering for myself and babe, both night and day, consisted of only one poor old cotton sheet. and on our first move I gave it to an Indian to carry while we forded the Redwood river. Indian-like, he kept it. So my squaw mother gave me an old, dirty, strong-scented blanket, which I was com- pelled to wear around me in squaw fashion.
On the fourth day of my captivity the squaws went out on the slough and came back with their arms full of wet grass, which was scattered over the ground inside the tepee to keep us out of the mud caused by the heavy rains. Every night when. I lay down on this wet grass to sleep I would think that perhaps I should not be able to get up again, and sometimes I became almost enough discouraged to wish that I would never be able to rise again, so terrible was my experience.
I was frequently sent by the squaws to the Minnesota river, a quarter of a mile distant, to bring water for tepee use. At one time I passed several tepees where Indians and half-breeds camped. On my return they set up a frightful whoop and yell, which nearly stunned me with fear. However, I kept on my way,
.
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drew my old sheet closer around me, and hurried back as fast as possible. As I entered our tepee I drew a long breath of relief. I was not sent there for water again.
My sunbonnet was taken from me when I was first captured. The Indians used it for a kinnikiniek bag. Kinnikinick is a species of shrub from which they serape the bark to smoke with their Indian tobacco. They have some long pipes. While smok- ing they let the bowl of the pipe rest on the ground. When this pipe was first lighted the custom among them was to pass it around, each Indian and squaw in the company taking two or three puffs. I never saw a squaw smoke except when this long pipe was passed around. The pipe was not presented to me to take a puff. I believe this pipe was known as the pipe of peace.
A week having elapsed since we were taken to Little Crow's village, and the warriors having all returned, an aged Indian marched through the village calling out "Puekachee! Pucka- chee !" before every tepee; then the squaws immediately com- menced taking down the tepees. We understood that the crier had given command for a move, but whither we did not know. Their manner of moving was very ingenious. Every tepee has six poles, abont fifteen feet long, which were fastened by strips or rawhide placed around the pony's neck and breast, three poles on each side of the pony, with the small ends on the ground. A stick was tied to the poles behind the pony to keep them together and spread in the shape of a V; and on the stick and poles bun- dles of various kinds, kettles and even papooses were fastened when occasion required. It is astonishing to see the amount of service these natives will get out of one tepee and an Indian pony.
After getting the wagons and the pole and pony conveyances loaded, and everything else in readiness, our procession was ordered to "puckachee," and away we went, one hundred and seven white prisoners and about the same number of half-breeds who called themselves prisoners (they may have been prisoners in one sense of the word), eight hundred warriors, their fami- lies and luggage of various kinds. We had a train three miles long. On either side of our procession were mounted warriors, bedecked with war paint, feathers and ribbons, and they pre- sented a very gay appearance, galloping back and forth on each side of this long train. Their orders were to shoot any white prisoner that ventured to pass through their ranks. This was done, of course, to intimidate the prisoners. I shall never forget the varied sights this motley procession presented to my view- the warrior in his glory, feasting over the fact that he had killed or captured so many of his white enemies and thereby gotten his revenge for the great wrongs he had suffered from them ; and the innocent victims, the prisoners, so woe-begone, so heart- broken, so grotesque and awkward in their Indian dress, paying
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the penalty that the red man imagined the white man owed hin, for an Indian cares not whether it is the perpetrator of a wrong or not, if he finds some white victim whereon to wreak his revenge.
Our ears were almost deafened by the barking of dogs, the lowing of cattle, the "Puekachee! Whoa! Gee!" of the Indians in driving their teams of oxen, the neighing of horses, the bray- ing of mules, the rattle of heavy wagons. In fact, to me it seemed like a huge chaotic mass of living beings making des- perate efforts to escape some great ealamity.
On we went with the utmost speed, the Indians seeming to be in great glee. We crossed the Redwood river about one mile from its entrance into the Minnesota river. The stream, swollen by recent heavy rains and having a strong current, was difficult and even dangerous to ford. Mrs. Earle, her daughter and myself locked arms while crossing. Mrs. Earle's feet were once taken from under her, and she would have gone down stream had it not been for the aid received from ns. A squaw carried my babe across. Every Indian and squaw seemed to be in a great hurry to eross first. They dashed pell-mell into the water, regardless of their chances to land their teams.
On this march I had to walk and carry my child. I carried him on my arms, which was very disgusting to the squaws. They frequently took him from my arms and placed him on my back, squaw-fashion, but he always managed somehow to slip down and I had him in my arms again. Before noon I became so tired that I sat down to rest beside the road. The squaws, in passing me, would say "Puckachee!" But I remained sitting about ten minutes, I should think, when an old Indian eame to me and took hold of my hand to help me up. I shook my head. He then had the train halt, or a part of it, a short time. I afterward learned that a council was held, the object being to come to some agree- ment as to how they would deal with me. Some thought best to kill me and my child; others thought not. The final conclu- sion was to take my child, place him on a loaded wagon, and start the train. Then, if I did not "puckachec," they would kill me and the baby also. They started, after putting the child on a wagon, and I ToHowed, taking hold of the end-board of the wagon, which proved to be a great help to me to the end of our day's mareh. We followed up the Minnesota river valley until we came to Rice creek, reaching that point about sundown, hav- ing traveled nearly eighteen miles.
Our tepees were soon pitched, and everything quickly settled into the usual routine of tepee life. Then I wandered and searched around among the tepees to see if I could find my daughter and other friends who helped to make this long train.
After a short walk among the Indians and tepees, I was com-
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pletely overjoyed at meeting my daughter, whom I had not seen sinee we forded the Minnesota river on the day we were made captives. It was like seeing one risen from the dead to meet her. She was as happy as myself. And oh! how pleased we were that so far we had been spared not only from death, but, worse than that, the Indian's lust. Killing beef cattle, cooking, and eating, seemed to be done in great glee in this eamp.
The fourth day of our stay here the command "Puckachee!" was sent along as before, and our gigantie motley cavalcade, with its strange confusion, was soon on the move westward again. We passed Yellow Medicine village, near which the Upper Sioux Ageney was located. As we came in sight of it, we could see the barracks burning, also the mills situated at this point. where we crossed the Yellow Medicine river. John Other Day, who was a friend to the whites, and was the means of saving sixty- two lives, had his house burned to the ground.
We stopped after traveling a distance of ten miles, and re- mained there eight or ten days. That part of the train where I was, pitched their tepees beside a mossy slough, from which we obtained water for tepee use. The first few days the water cov- ered the moss and could be dipped with a cup. The cattle were allowed to stand in it, and dozens of little Indians were playing in it every day; consequently the water soon became somewhat unpalatable to the fastidious. However, we continued to use it. After remaining there three or four days the water sank below the moss. To get it then we had to go out on the moss and stand a few minutes, when the water would collect about our feet. It is astonishing how some persons will become reconciled to such things when forced upon them.
A papoose was very sick, but nothing was given it to relieve the little sufferer. It died about sundown. They made no dem- onstration of grief when it died, nor mourned in the least; but after an hour or two the warriors returned, and I suppose that when notified they must have given the mourning signal. A dismal wailing was then begun and was continued about a half hour. It stopped just as suddenly as it began, and not another sound was heard. I did not know when or where the remains were deposited, so stealthy were they in their movements.
The death of this baby caused me to think of the probable death of my own. The little fellow was a mere skeleton. I was only able to get a small quantity of milk for him once in two days. This was all that kept him from starving. To hold him and watch him, knowing that he was gradually pining away, was what I hope no mother will ever be called upon to witness.
It was no uncommon occurrence to see the Indians, just be- fore going out on a raid or to battle, decorate themselves with feathers, ribbons, and paint. The most hideous looking object I
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ever beheld was a large, tall Indian, who had besmeared his face all over with vermillion red, and then had painted a stripe of green around each eye and his mouth, thickly dotting these stripes with bright yellow paint. Others would paint their faees red, and then apply a bright coat of yellow, which gave it a sunset hue, after which a blue flower was usually painted on rach cheek. Some of them would daub their faees with some- thing that looked like dark blue clay, and then would make zig- zag streaks down their faees with their fingers, leaving a stripe of clay and,-well, a streak of Indian.
The squaws seemed to take great pride in ornamenting their head and hair. They usually parted their hair in the middle of the forehead. plaited it in two braids, and tied the ends firmly with buekskin strings, on which were strung three large glass beads at the end of each string. Then they painted a bright red streak over the head where the hair was parted. I saw one squaw with five holes in the rim of each ear, from which hung five brass ehains dangling on her shoulders, with a dollar gold piece fastened to eaeh ehain.
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