Class __i:_Lii3. Book__Ejl COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. Young Folk^s Library of Choice Literature STORIES OF MINNESOTA GEO. F. FORSTER Superintendent of Schools, Fairfax, Minn. 'The Spartans did not inquire how many the enemy are, but where they are.' EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY BOSTON New York Chicago San Francisco THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Two Copies R«g«iv«il APR 4 1903 ^Copyright Entry CLASS ^ XXO. No. COPY B. Copyrighted By educational PUBLISHTNG COMPANY THK INDIAN MAID'S WAR SOXG. Hark 1 the war son^ — the shoutiug — I hear the shrill sound ; They raise the red tomahawk out of the ground : In the van of the battle my warrior must go ; Like the blood-thirsty panther he'll steal on his foe. Yet with love his bold heart is still beating for me, With a feeling like mine which death only can sever ; In kindness it flows as the sweet sugar-tree, And akin to the aspen it trembles forever. — Sioux Poem in Dublin University Magazine. CONTENTS. The Indian's Story. Menard The Indian's Story. Du Lhut . Father Louis Hennepin, Recollect, iO.so Carver ...... Early Days at Fort Sneilinir • The First Steamboat The Sioux and Their Ways . The Rangers of the Forest The Drum-beat of the Minnesota First The Outbreak of the Sioux, 1S62 Captain Marsh .... Sergeant Jones and the Third of August The Attack on Fort Ridgely The Birch Coulie Massacre The Outcome .... Their Last Day upon Earth Indian Strategy . . . , Pug-on-a-ke-shig and the Battle of Leech Lake The Grasshopper Scourge in Renville County Minnesota in the War with Spain Hunting Wolves in Bed .... The Falls of Minnehaha .... 4 7 la 19 27 35 41 53 58 63 85 89 94 101 107 115 117 129 135 140 145 147 151 FOREWORD. Tlie history of the striiijoie of tlie pioneer and yeoman of early Minnesota, tliouiili it is an inhind state, carved out of tlie Louisiana and Northwest Territories, reads like the story of many a state won along- the coast. The battles of the settlers with soil and savage, the energy and thrift later dis})layed by her citizens, or their patriotism when war called to action — these things are not new, nor indeed remarkable, when their frequency is counted, liut a knowledge of the struggles and their incident deeds of courage, necessary to planting a new world, and especially a knowledge of what was necessary to a conquest of America, is of value to youth. ^Vnd surely it is more fitting that the western boys and girls should finish their school-days with a knowledge of the historical facts in the rise of their own states to eminence, rather than that they be acquainted only with the story of the Pilgrims of Massachusetts or the Cavaliers of Virginia. With facts that interest him, moreover, the pupil does better work in his reading classes, than with facts that do not ; and, the point of view being nearer, he will be more interested, if he lives in Minnesota, in the history of Minnesota thnn in the history of La])land or of the Dutch in New York. The following pages have been written partly for my own classes, partly for publication, and all with an abundant love for our growing Connnonwealth and the children of its splendid schools. Intended, primarily, for seventh grade pupils, this brief account may well serve its purpose in sixth or eighth grades. Credit, where due, has been given in the pages that follow. Fairfax. O. F. F. 5 STATE FLAG OF MINNESOTA. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. THE INDIAN'S STOKY. Menard. Listen to the story of the Huron youth, Owasicut: By the falhng waters of the Oswego, in the coun- try of the Iroquois, we had dwelt in peace and plenty. Deep among the trees of the forest lay our village, and not far off the sandy shores of the big water of the Ontarios. It was there we caught our fish, and along its shores we hastened, when the war loving Iroquois dug up the buried tomahawk and forced us to flee. We came to the protection of the peaceful Ottawas and gave our name to the Lake-of-the-Ba3^ But the " great want " drove us again towards the setting sun; sent us to the country of the Ojibways 8 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. by the shores of Mitchi Sawgyegan.* Some of us followed the sini even to the beautiful Minnesota, ^^ the sky-tinted water," and met with the fierce young warriors of the Dakotahs, called by the Chip- pewas, fNadouessioux, which means enemies. The warriors of the Dakotahs had not seen such guns and knives and axes as those of oiu* braves, and made friends with our band, and gave us land, — an island in the middle of the great Father of Waters, — smoked a calumet and called our young men brothers. Few the days and nights we stayed and were called their brothers, the brothers of the Dakotahs. They did not love us, it was our guns and knives they loved. In angei* we journeyed up against the stream of the Chippewa s and built our tepees again by the Big Sea, and gave the place a name, Chaguamegon. Sullenly we dwelt, and the moons were but few that passed before there came seeking us here the black-robed chief, Menard. In that country far away towards the day-dawn, by the lake of the •Michigan. t ojibways and Chlppewas are the same tribe. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 9 Hiirons, we had known hini. \\v had taught the boys and the squaws tlie goodness of his Great Spirit and given the sick men medicine; but revenge was working among the warriors of the Hurons, revenge against the Sioux. Why sliould not we, with our guns and sliarper axes, why shoukl not we be master and the Nadouessioux skive? Father Menard tauglit us that revenge was for his Great Spirit only, but we were sullen men and would not listen, and bade him silence; but Father Menard was not a coward man and would not be still, and cried, ''Are we to serve the Great Spirit only when there is nothing to suffer and no risk of life?'' So one day the black-robed chief, going out in his canoe came not back again, but Eagle Feather, who Avas his companion, came back alone and said around that the good father had been lost in the many paths where he had landed. And the sullen warriors said, '^ It is well he comes no more." And one hundred of the bravest of our young men saw the time was good, and we went again 3 STOKIES OF MINNESOTA. the Dakotahs and met them near the village of their chief, Crow Wing. But fearful is the twang of the bow-string of the Dakotahs. The air was filled with swift-flying arrows, and even Avhile they ran from us they turned their faces and fired again. As many Huron braves of my companions fell whether our enemies stood or ran. So the Dakotahs drove us into the marshes, and bitten by the stinging flies, and burning under the fire of the sun, we lay in quiet until the night. But again the foe was better than were we, for they had laid thongs of beaver skins, hung with bells, in our path. We stumbled on the bells and quickly the Siolix had cut us down, all but one. Me they made captive and brought into the village. The Sioux are like Iroquois, fierce and quarrel- some, and always at wai*. They live in many great villages along the Father of Waters and are leagued together in one strong nation. So do they call themselves Dakotahs. Of planting and cultivating the earth they have no knowledge like as we have. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 11 but live on the wild oats and wild rice of Ihc marshes. Xoi- is their lan<>iiage like the Huron, smooth and floAving, but rough, guttui-al and eoarse. I like them not at all, but T must stay liei-e. And often while T stay, I think of tlie good white fiither who loved his ITui'on children, and tirst among us tried to teach us of the (Ireat Spirit. TA-TANKA-XAZIN. (A Sioux Chief.) THE INDIAN'S STORY. Du Lhut. It was in the Moon of Falling Leaves a white man came to trade among the villages of the Sionx. From Quebec he journeyed in a canoe with other traders, and had the name Du Lhut. The white man brought the tribesmen of the Sioux many gifts of beads and weapons, and told of the great white chief who dwelt a long wa}^ off, across a mighty water, in a countiy he named Fi-ance; a noble pale face, who loved the bi-aves of the Dakotahs, the old men and the young men, and their squaws and their pappooses, and called them all his childi-en. At Mah-to-wa, upon a tree, he cut the totem of his chief, and raised the arms of France. Many coun- cils he held with the warriors of the village, and in one he spoke in this wise, standing tall and black against the moonlight: 13 14 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. " O Chief, many scalps hang at Crow AVing's belt; he is brave and noble. The white men and the Dakotahs have smoked the calumet together, and the great chief, Crow Wing, has heard it said before the council-fire of his braves, ' The pale face loves his brother.' Many presents has he given the braves and young men of the Dakotahs, and after many smokes he is allowed to push his light canoe along your waters. Yet Crow Wing can see the white man knows not the road unless he gives him guides to take him on his way. On the great Mis- sissippi, the father of the waters, in the hunting grounds of the Dakotahs, the white man would meet his friend, the black-robed medicine man^ of the pale faces. But the way is dark, he will lose himself in the forest and see his brother. Crow Wing, never again." Then the white man, Faffart, told in Sioux the speech of Du Lhut; but I, Owasicut, already knew it; for many suns before Du Lhut had seen the country of the Sioux, Father Menard journeyed to their land and paddled on the waters of the Miss- * Hennepin, it was reported, was on the Lower Mississippi. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 15 issippi. I had seen bini then and IcaiMicd his speech, and he had taught us, as many winters l)efore he had done in the country of the Ottawas, l)y the Great Lake of the Ilurons. Crow Wing took liis long ])ipe from liis mouth, blew the Avhite smoke up into the heavens and answered: "The Avhite chief speaks well, and Crow Wing will send his young men to guide his white brother to the great Father of Waters, that he may return again for ])eaver and otter." But Crow Wing did not send his young men as he promised. For one of the two canoes of Du Lhut he sent a captive Chippewa, and for the other his Huron prisoner, me, Owasicut. Witli many skins of beaver packed u])on the l)acks of white and red men, Owasicut k'd the way in silence through the forest, from the village of Mah-to-wa; guns and powdei' had tlie wliite man k'ft witli Ci'ow \\ ing foi* his beaver pelts. There were as many that jour- neyed through the forest as the fingers of Owasicut's hands, and two of them were red men. 16 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. Soon the water loomed before the white men and their guides, the Big Sea AVater, and on the sandy beach, beside the log tepee Dn Lhnt had built, the canoes lay waiting. Du Lhnt stood looking at the place and said, " It is the fai* end of the lake, and so it shall be called Fond du Lac." Then said Du Lhut to the white man who spoke the language of the Dakotahs, -^ Faffart, do you take in your canoe two packers and the Chippewa, whilst the rest go with the Sioux in the other.'' ■' Owasicut is not a Sioux, Monsieur, a Hui-on is Owasicut. When not yet a warrior, I learned the white man's language among the Ottawas when Fathei* Menard was alive and taught us.'' ^^ Menard? Well I knew him. He did labor faithfully among the red men; and you say the good father is dead? When was it? for I saw him a few months since." " But as many moons ago as I have eyes, O pale face, he wandered away and came not back." "Rest his soul in peace! And may angels STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 17 ^'iiard those men of sti-engtli and courage wlio ai"e trying for a passage to the South Sea, l)y tliis same Father of AYatei-s, for which we are searching:. Great hope Hes in my heart that I may meet them, therefore let us hasteu/' Swiftly rushed the l)ii'ch canoes over the waters of the Big Sea, and when the sun had slept a little, Owasieut had led them into the !N"emitsakout. On its banks the white men stopped and rested until the sun once more awoke. When the white chief had waked, Owasieut set oif, and guided up against the stream the canoes and told the travelers of their journeys as he worked. " The sun will sleep once more and I'ise again, and in a little time the i)ale face can paddle no more. Then must he walk as for as he can see, and cai*rv his canoe to where another river rises in a lake and by its waters shall we come into the great Father of Waters." And as Owasieut had said, so it happened. Not many times the sun had slept and wakened. 18 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. when, fi'om passing Chippewas, it was learned a hunting part}^ of the lower Sioux had passed below in the Mississippi, and Avith them white men; one a black-i'obed, smooth-faced man, the others bearded, hairy tra])pers; and that the l)lack-robed chief was loakqn (of a mystical, wizard-like nature). Then it was that Owasicut left the white men and went back among his people, but he forgets not the brave, white chief who, first among the Sioux, had made them friendly to the white men — the wdiite men who first of their peo|)le wei'e allowed on the bosom of the great Father of Waters in the country of the Dakota hs. I am an old man noAV, but 1 forget not Sieur Du Lhut. i * T FATHER LOUIS HENNEPIN, RECOLLECT. 1G80. About the year 1G50 there was ])(>rn to poor peo- ple in the Httle town of Ath, in Holhmd, a Ijoy baby. He was duly christened in the little church of the town by the good cure, when his god-mother gave him the name Louis, after Louis XIV., the Grand Monarch, who was then reigning in France. As the lad grew up he early displayed a roving disposition and manifested an intense desire to visit some of the lands far away over the ocean to the west. At that time settlement of the French lands was being vigorously prosecuted by '' le Grand Monarch," and the wonders of the new country wei'e the all-absorbing topic of the little town of Ath. What wonder, then, that Louis felt resistlessly drawn toward Quebec and the western colonies! 19 20 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. But liis parents consecrated him to the priesthood, and for a time, at least, he had to stifle his longings and i)atiently wait events. Every opportunity, how- ever, that ofltered itself to hear stories of adventure and hair-breadth escape was eagerly snapped up, and we find him stealing away to sailors' taverns and the loitering places of adventurers, and spend- ing days, regardless of loss of time or meals, in listening behind the doors. At last comes his opportunity. The Superior of the Order of St. Fi-ancis, to which he belongs, requires him to immediately embark for Canada, and in company with La Salle and other explorers, he is soon afloat and bound for the IN'ew AYorld (1676). After sojourning for a short period at Quebec, the adventure-loving Franciscan is permitted to go to a mission station on or near the site of the present town of Kingston, Ont. Here there w^as much to gratify his love of novelty, and he passed consider- able time in rambling among the Iroquois of 'New York. Then a little later he is encamped with STOHIKS OF MINNESOTA. 21 La Salle's ])ai'ty on the Xiagai'a liiver, waiting' foi' spring to l)reak the ice in the Great Lakes before starting West, whiling away the hours, meanwhile, in studying the manners and customs of the Seneca Indians, and in admiring the sublimest of God's handiworks, Niagai-a Falls. Passing hurriedly over their stormy voyage, we lift the curtain upon the party again at Fort Creve- cceur on the Illinois River, just as Father Hennepin and two others are leaving the foi't in a frail Indian canoe to ascend the Mississippi. He has himself written the narrative of his voyage and despite the fact that there are those who ai'e inclined to think he prevaricates at times and often exaggerates, we will let him tell his own tale. He writes: ''' Oui' pi'ayers were heard, when on the 11th ol' Ai)ril, 1G80, about two o'clock in the afternoon, we suddenly perceived thirty-three l)ark canoes, manned by a hundred and twenty Indians, coming ch)wn with very great speed, on a war party, against the Miamis, Illinois, and Maronas. These Indians sur- 22 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. roiiiidecl us, and wliile at a distance, discharged some arrows at us, but as they a])proached our canoe, the old men seeing us with the Calumet of peace in our hands, prevented the young men from killing us. These savages, leaping from tlieii' canoes, some on land, others into tlie Avater, approached us with tVightful cries and yells, and as we made no resistance, being only three against so great a number, one of them wrenched our Cal- umet from our hands, while our canoe and theirs were tied to the shore. '' As we did not understand their language, we took a little stick, and by signs which we made on the sand, showed them that their enemies, the Miamis, whom they sought, had fled across the Mississippi to join the Illinois. When they saw themselves discovered and unable to surprise their enemies, three or four old men, placing their hands on my head, wept in a mournful tone. '' AVith a spare handkerchief I had left I wiped away their tears, but they would not smoke our STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 2.S Calumet. They made us cross the river while all shouted with tears in their eyes; they made us row befoi-e them, and we heard yells capable of striking the most resolute with terroi*. After landing our canoe and goods, part of Avhich had already been taken, we made a fire to boil our kettle, and we gave them two large Avild turkeys which we had killed. ■^ Then the Indians, having called an assembly to deliberate what they were to do with us, the two head chiefs of the party approaching, showed us l)y signs that the warriors wished to tomahawk us. This compelled me to go to the war chiefs with one young man, leaving the other by our property, and throw into their midst six axes, fifteen knives and six fathom of our black tobacco; and then bringing down my head, I showed them with an axe that they might kill me, if they thought proper. This present appeased many individual members, who gave us some beaver to eat, putting the three first morsels into our mouths, according to the custom of the country; and blowing on the meat which was very 24 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. hot, before putting the bark dish before us to let us eat what we liked. We spent the night in anxiety, because, before retiring, they had returned us our peace Calumet. " Our two boatmen were resolved to sell their lives v dearly, and to resist if attacked; their arms and swords were ready. As for my own part, I resolved to let myself be killed without any resistance, as I was going to announce to them a God who had been foully accused, unjustly condemned, and cruelly crucified, without showing the least aversion to those who put him to death. We watched in turn, in our anxiety, so as not to be surprised asleep. The next morning, a chief named Na-i-a-to-ba asked for the peace Calumet, filled it with the bark of the red willow, hilUhi-nnicTt, and we all smoked. It w^as then signified that the white men were to return with them to their villages. . . . " I found it difficult to say my office before these Indians. Many seeing me move my lips, said in a disturl)ed tone of voice, loakan de (wonderful). STORIES OF MINNESOTA- 25 Michael, all out of conntenaiice, told me, that if I continued to say my breviary, we should all three l)e killed, and le Pieard begged me at least to pray apart, so as not to provoke them. I followed the latter's advice, but the more I concealed myself the more I had the Indians at my heels; for when I entered the wood, they thought I was going to hide some goods underground, so that I knew not on wdiat side to turn to pray, for they never let me get out of sight. . . . They thought the breviary was a spirit which taught me to sing for their diversion; for these people are naturall}^ fond of singing." Many other things connected with the good Father were wcdrm, likewise: his chalice, his com- pass, his writing on paper, a certain iron pot with feet like the paw^s of a lion, were all ^' magic '' or " supernatural " to the untutored savages. Hennepin was the first white man to visit the Falls of the Mississippi, w^here now stands the l)ean- tiful metropolis of the Northwest, Minneapolis, and 26 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. he it was who named the falls', calling it after his jiatron saint, St. Anthony of Padua. While with a hunting party of Sioux on the Mississipj^i below the falls, Hennepin was met by Du Lhut and Faffart, who had come down from their trading-post at Fond du Lac on Lake Supei-ior. After about six months' stay among the Sioux of the LTpper Mississippi, Hennepin, with his compan- ions, eight Frenchmen in all, returned to the fort on the Illinois, and from there to France, to publish the wonderful history of his explorations. carvi:r. Just west of ^rinneapolis, you will find on your state map Carver County, named after Jonathan Carver, who came to ^Minnesota, or, as it was then called, Louisiana, on a tour of exploration in ITGG, ten years before the signing* of the Declaration of Independence. Carver came from (Connecticut, and was tWrty-fonr years old Avhen he came West. When, in his fifteenth year, his father died, he immediately began to think upon his future, and although his father had ])een a caj)tain in the army of Kinof William, Jonathan decided lie Avanted to be a doctor. In three ^^ears, however, he had changed his mind, and we find him an ensign in the English army fighting against the French in the colonies. 27 28 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. History says he was wounded at Lake George in 1757, and nearly lost his life. When the French had been defeated, Jonathan came West with a number of traders, following* the usual route, via the Gi'eat Lakes and the Straits of Mackinaw, and arrived at Gi-een Bay, AVisconsin, the 18th of September, 186G. By canoe he journej^ed up Fox River and down the Wisconsin into the Missis- sippi at Praii'ie du Chien. Near this place the traders camped for the winter, while Carvei', Avith two companions — a Canadian voyager and a Mohawk Indian — proceeded farther up the Mississippi. Stopping one day near the beautiful Lake Pepin, he went up the bank of the river to look around while the attendants were getting i-eady his dinner. ]N'ot far from the river he saw a large, level plain, and in the plain an earthwork large enough to cover five thousand men : four feet in height, nearly a mile long and circular in form, its flanks touched the river bank. It had evidently been built for centuries, for it was covered with grass and trees, and it could STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 29 not liave hecii i-nised In tlie untutored Indian; it was too rcgulai* and fashioned with too much mili- larv skill, every an<>'le hein<>', even then, visible. A diteh had onee existed about the whoU' eml)anknient, and the structure overlooked the entire countiy for considerable distance around. It was probably a monument of the j)re-historic Mound Builders, whose works, we shall iuu\, are to be seen in many [)laces in Minnesota. Lake Pepin and the beautiful Falls of St. Anthony excited his imagination, lie si)eaks, also, of the cave still to be seen near St. Paul, at Dayton's Bluff. "The Indians term it Wakan-lii)i. The entrance is about ten feet wide, the height of it five feet. The arch Avithin is fifteen feet high and about thirty feet broad; the bottom consists of fine, clear sand. About thirty feet from the entrance begins a lake, the water of which is transparent, and extends to an unsearchable distance, for the darkness of the cave prevents all attempts to acquire knowledge of it. I threw a small pebble towards the interior part of it 30 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. with ray utmost strength. I could hear that it fell into the water, and, notwithstanding it was of a small size, it caused an astonishing and terrible noise, that reverberated through those gloomy regions. I found in the cave many Indian hiero- glyphics, which appeared very ancient, for time had nearly covered them Avith moss, so that it was with difficulty I could trace them. They w^ere cut in a rude manner upon the inside of the w^all, which was composed of a stone so extremely soft that it might be easily penetrated with a knife; a stone every- where to be found near the Mississippi. " At a little distance from this dreary cavern is the burial place of several bands of the Naudowessie Indians. Though these people have no fixed resi- dence, being in tents, and seldom but a few months in one spot, yet they always bring the bones of the dead to this place." At a funeral of a Sioux chief he was admitted to the council, but they would not permit a stranger to see their burial place. The Sioux braves, to show STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 31 their sorrow, pierced their arms with arrows and the women gashed their flesli with broken flints. Written in Carver's book is a l)urial oration dehvered over a dead eliief of the Dakotahs. Schiller, the i^reat ])oet of the Germans, at one time read this oration and wrote a ])oem, one of his very best, fi-om Carver's suggestions. The poem, '' Song of the ^adouessioux Chief," is given here, as trans- lated by Sir John Herschel: SoxG OF THE Kadouessioux Chief. See, where upon the mat he sits Erect, before his door. With jnst the same majestic air That once in life he wore. But Avhere is fled his strength of limb, The whirlwind of his breath? To the Great Spirit, when he sent The peace pipe's mounting wreath. Where are those falcon eyes, Avhich late Along the plain could trace. Along the grass's dcAvy waves The reindeer's printed pace? 32 STORIES OF MINNESOTA; Those legs, which once with matchless speed, FlcAv through the drifted snow, Surpassed the stag's unwearied course, Outran the mountain roe? Those arms, once used with might and main, The stubborn bow to twang. See, see, their nerves are slack at last. All motionless they hang. 'T is well with him, for he has gone Where snow no more is found, Where the gay thorn's perpetual bloom Decks all the field around. Where wild birds sing from every spray, Where deer come sweeping by. Where fish from every lake aff*ord A 2)lentiful supply. With spirits now he feasts above, And leaves us here alone. To celebrate his valiaut deeds. And round his grave to mourn. Sound the death song, bring forth the gifts, The last gifts of the dead — Let all which may yield him joy Within his grave be laid. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 33 The hatchet place beneath his head, Still red with hostile blood; And add, because the way is long. The bear's fat limbs for food. llie scalping-knife beside liiiii lay, With ])aints of gorgeous dye, That in the hind of soiils his form May shine triumphantly. Although the country Avas a thousand miles fi'om any English settlement, the exi)lorer feh certain the beauty and fertility of the country about the ]Minne- sota would soon attract settlers. ^'And the future settlers," says he, '• Avill be able to convey their produce most easily down to the Gulf of Mexico, the current of the Mississippi being favorable to small craft. In time," he adds, " canals might be cut and communication opened by water with N^ew York ])y Avay of the lakes." Carver went from Minnesota to England, and died there, very ^^oor, in 1780. EAKLY DAYS AT FORT SPELLING. ICiitei'c'd and (K'cu[)iL'(l i'ov tlie Mrst time in the year 1821, l)y Colonel Snellin^i;- and the Fifth Fnited States Inlantrv, Foi-t SnelHn<>' has stood eiii'htv years. It was built in the shape of a lozenge at the jnneli(jn oC the Mississippi and ]\[innesota rivers. The fii'st barraeks foi- the soldiers were log cabins, but afterwards all the houses were of stone. At the fort hved the Avives and ehihb'en of the officers, and one of the ehikh'en, now Mrs. Charlotte Wisconsin A^an Cleve, a I'esident of Minneapolis, tells what happened there when she was a little girl: ^■Indians very often came to the fort, painted and 35 36 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. on the war path against some neighboring tribe; sometimes traders and cattle-men came, or the French courear-de-hois. One October day seven Indian women came paddling down the great ^Father of Waters' in their canoes, and not seeing the rapids soon enough, were drawn over the Falls of St. Anthony into the foaming waters below and would have lost their lives but for the help of the brave soldier boys. In March of the next year about three feet of snow fell and the poor Indians suffered greatly. " On one occasion thirty lodges of Sisseton Sioux w^ere caught in a teri-ible snow storm on a large i:)rairie. The storm lasted so loug that many of the Indians starved to death, and all might have died but for a stroug and coui-ageous warrior, wdio started off on snow shoes for the nearest trading i30st, one hundred miles aAvay, to bring help. Four Canadians went l)ack with him, carrying food to the sufferers, and l)rought the I'cmnant of the Indians to the fort. STORIES OF MINNESOTA.. 37 "The next vear the Indians near the fort o^cw very anui'V at the wliile men and tlii'eatencd to do tlieni hai'in. One June (hiv, Iwo boats were OLD BLOCK HOUSE. FOKT SNELUNG. coming np the Mississii)i)i rivei" witii I'ood lor tlu' soldiei's at Foi-t Snelling. At Wapasha's village, Avhei'e the city of Winona is now, the Dakotahs ordered the ei-ew to eonie ashore. When the l)oat- men landed, however, and saw that the hnhans meant to kill them, they wished to get away again, 38 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. foi' they had no guns, so the ca])tain- assumed a l)i'ave face and ordered the Indians to leave the boats. For a wonder they did — the3M\ere afraid of the daring* captain. Before they started l)aek the men in the l)oats Avere all given mnskets and a l)aiTel of cartridges. It was well it was so, too. ''At the month of the Bad Axe River the savages attacked the men in the boats, and from their canoes tried to cHmb into the white man's vessel. The boatmen were getting safely away, when suddenly their little craft stopped — it had run upon a sand bar! A young warrior mounted the deck and began to fire his gun at the voyagers — they gave them- selves up for lost. But no! One of the men, ^ Saucy Jack ' they call him, shoots the Indian, and jumping into .the water, begins pushing the boat back into the channel ; some of the others help, and soon, although the bullets splash the watei- all about them, they get safely away, all but two who had fallen in the first fire of the Indians from their ambush on the bank. SroRlES OK MINNESOTA. 39 ■'The Chipj)ewas and the iJakotahiS liave heeii mortal oiieinies as lon<^' as the oldest tril)esmeii ean reinembei'. The only name for the Dakotahs in the Chippewa lan<>'nage is Nadonessionx, whieh means 'enemies/ It is from tiie last syllable of this word that we get the name Sioux for this tribe. Many an exciting* expei'ienee has come to the j)eople at the fort caused by the incessant wari'ing u[)on one another by bands from these ti'ibes so hostile to each other. It is historic that a running fight between a handful of Dakotahs and a band of Chippewas took phice in the streets of St. Paul as late as 1853.'' LITTLE CROW. THE FIRST STEAM-BOAT. An Old Trapper's Story op the Early Days. In those days there was a settlement just l)elow St. Paul, ealled ''Pig's Eye," and rio-ht across the river from it was Little Crow's village, Kaposia. A stalwart, sti-apping bi'ave was this Little Crow; and nis two sinewy sons, yonng l)ucks, qnite like their father — ''chips of the old block," indeed. When Crow and I were younger, I chanced across him one day caught in a bear traj) and helped him out. Well, there wasn't anything too good lor me after that. If I happened along at his place on one of my trij^s, the freedom of his lodge was mine and all there was in it. Why, 1 have known him to stalk 41 42 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. up and down the street of his village, all throug-h a winter's night, with only a thin blanket over him, in order that I might have his lodge and furs to cover me. Yes, sir! And you couldn't refuse, save you offended. But his kind Avere as few and far between as the footprints of them on the warpath. I think it was in the spring of 1823 I was out from Fort Snelling with a message ibr down the river. You see thei-e were rumors of an outbreak of the reds, and Colonel Snelling wanted ammunition and re-enforcements from down below, and so asked me to carry the message, because any one else might have been suspected. On the way down 1 stopped at liittle Crow's village for the night, thinking I might hear or see something to show me how the reds were feeling. With his usual gravity the chief greeted me and led me to his lodge, where we sat ourselves down on the furs before the door. His squaw brought him his pipe of red sand-stone, with a stem of reed hung with gorgeously colored feathers, and with much STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 48 solemnity the old chief lighted it with an eml^er from the lodge fire, smoked a few minutes in silence and then handed the i)ii)e to me. SloAvly T pnlfed at it, and blew the smoke u]) into the air in eui'ls and rinofs. It was a lono' time ])efore I handed the ealnmet l)aek to him that he might knoek tlie ashes out aii'ainst the ground. Then it was lie feh free to speak, gazing fixedly into the lodge fire. . " Little Crow is glad to see his white brother,'' said he. "Little Crow is kind,'' I gi'avely responded, gaz- ing also at the burning embers. ■'Does my brother no more ti-ap the beaver in the river, or hunt the deer in the forest, that Little Crow sees him so little of late ? " " The white man is getting too old and stiff to sleep in the woods, and stays wnth his l)i-others up yonder at the fort," said I, wondering while T si)oke if he would believe me, yet not knowing what else to say. "My brother should leai-n of the poor Indian, and LITTLE CKOW'S SOX. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 45 Oil his muscles that they grow not stiff." J lis tone miplied all T expected it to; I could not hope to deceive him; he did not expect the truth. ^'And where does my brother venture now and alone?" he went on. ^' Down the river to meet a great chief who comes to visit at the tort." "My brother did well to tarry at Kai)osia," fin- ished Little Crow, and he had me some sujiper brought, spread on the bark of trees, and left me alone foi* the night. This was not the first time I had slept among the Indians, as 1 have already told you, and 1 had always found them most hospitable and careful of my wants. I do not doubt that if I had been CroAv's enemy instead of his f I'iend, but what he would have treated me as well while his guest. At the farther end of the village street J now noticed a tall heap, or l)eacon, of dry Avood of some considerable size, and being added to continual! y by the squaws. Even as 1 watched them, \\\vy stopped 46 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. their work and went about othei* business. This pile of wood was for their council-fire, I surmised. There would be a great pow-wow to-night, and I had come just in time. For long enough T sat there in front of the lodge after my meal, thinking over the situation. If this council meant anything to us; if it threatened the fort with attack, deeds would follow hard u})on words; but how to find out if the council meant mischief, and then how to get the news to Colonel Snelling ? These were the questions. Meanwhile the huge pile had been lighted, and the flames leaping upward in the darkness threw their lurid light upon the warriors, who were begin- ning to assemble for the " big talk." I knew that some time would elapse before the preliminary smok- ing and the long silence that alw^ays precedes the Indian discussion, were over and the talking began; so 1 sat on, i^lanning as to how I might hear the harangues unseen and without being missed. Finally, seeing that the attention of all was taken STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 47 up by the long-winded speech of a ]:)articularly vociferous chief, and the women and children being gathered close outside the circle of braves, I crept unnoticed to a pi-otecting chunp of* willows witliiii earshot of the loud-voiced councillor, whom I recognized as Little Crow himself The shadoAvy silhouette of the savage looked grot(\scpu' enough in the semi-darkness about the fire — a veritable jumping-jack — his head-dress of feathers sway- ing this way and that, and his long arms flying about like the vanes of a wind-mill. So uuich \ noticed before the sense of Avhat he was saying came to me. "When last the voice of the Great Spirit spoke to us, urging that we no longei* submit to the w^rongs the white man has inflicted upon us; ui'ging that we be no more a coward I'ace, but dig up the I'ed toma- hawk, and put on again the feathers and war paint of other days when we were not so laggard in preparation for battle; swift messengers ran fi-om village to village and soon the war parties began to 48 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. assemble; in the night was heard the eall of the screech owl, by day the call of the crow and the cat- bird, and many chiefs with their young men were here ready for the fray. Then why sit we here now and fear the attempt V Are we all grown cowards and afraid of death? "Is the scare we got at that time still Avith you? Wahpeton says the terrible beast we saw in the river on the day of the attack was sent to devour us; that it was not the voice of the Great Spirit our medicine men had heai-d, but the words of an Evil Spirit, who meant that we should be destroyed; that the Great Spirit was angry and sent the smok- ing canoe against us. We were cowards then, and ran away back to our villages, and the white men at the fort were saved that time. But we know how false are Wahpeton's words: the great canoe that smokes and shrieks we have seen many times since, and know it is but the magic of the white man and cannot harm us." So this was the reason, thought I, why the attack STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 49 which had threateni'd the fort some months since was put ott'. The first steamer which ascended the river to St. Paul had scared off the reds. But Little Crow was still exhorting his braves,- and finally he won them to his way of thinkmg, and the attack was settled to l)egin in three days, or as soon as the warriors from the other village could be assembled. I had learned what T came for and crept back silently to the lodge. To my surprise I found the remains of my supper, which 1 had left on the ground Avhere I had sat, were gone and the fire had been replenished. Did they know T had crept oft', oi' had they supposed me slee2Ding in the lodge? Knowing my destination, and that I could not return in time to Avarn the fort, they nnght Avell be unconcerned as to what J found out. Assuredlv, howevei", they would nevei- let me carr}^ the news I had heard to Fort Snelling. But might J not send it? We had at times amused Little Crow, when at the 50 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. fort, by writing his name on his thnmb-nail and sending him to some of the officers to have them read it. It nsed to tickle the chief immensely to hear each one read the same thing from his nail, and he many times had pronounced it '' magic.'' Could I get him to go to the fort now? In the morning Little Crow came to see me, his squaws w^itli him bringing my breakfast, and inquired if I was to start immediately. Upon my answei'ing " Yes," he said a party of his ^^oung men were going on a hunting ti*ip in their canoes a few miles down the rivei*, and he would have them wait foi' me. So! I was to be pi-evented from going anywhere but down the river! Just before starting, I ventured to ])ut my plan to the test. Colonel Snelling, I told the chief, had wished me to stop on my way down and ask Little Crow to visit him to-da3% as he had friends Avith him who wished to see the great Indian chief. The scheme worked! Crow gravely said he would go immediately. Was he thinking of looking the fort STORIKS OF ^riNNESUTA. 51 over to g'ct a better knowledge of it, preparatory to the attack? Should I ])iiek Ids name upon his thumb? I asked. AVhen he unsuspectingly reached me his hand, I scratched, "Hold him," deep into the nail and colored it black. Well, he went, as he said he would, and upon one pretence or another they held liim for weeks at the fort, until the scare was ovei- and the wai'riors had gone back home. The i-eds would not, as I sur- mised, attack without their leader, and Little Crow would find it hard to explain Ids absence when next he wanted his braves to fight. CA\-KU WAS-TE WIN. THE SIOUX AXD THEIR WATS. The Chipj^eAva Indians of the Lake Superior region call their enemies in their own language, "^adouessioux"; this name they applied especially to their greatest foes, the Dakotahs, and it was often used, after the white man came to the Northwest, by the traders in si)eaking of the D^ikotahs. The woi-d was shortened by them to Sioiix, but we must remember that that name is not the proper one; Dakotah is the only name the Indian knows him- self by. " The Sioux," says one of oiw historians, who has lived long among them, " live in tepees, or circular, conical tents, supported by poles, so arranged as to leave an opening in the top for ventilation and for the escape of smoke. These were, before the advent of the whites, covered with dressed buffalo 55 54 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. skins, but moi-e recently with a coarse cotton tent cloth, which is jM-eferable on account of its being- much lighter to transport from place to place, as being almost constantly on the move, the tents being carried by the squaws. "There is no more comfortable habitation than the Sioux tepee to be found among the dwellers in tents anywhere. A fire is made in the center for either warmth or cooking purposes. The camp kettle is suspended over it, making cooking easy and cleanly. In the wintei", when the Indian family settles doAvn to remain any considerable time, they select a river bottom Avhere there is timber or chap- arral, and set up the tepee; then tliey cut the long grass or bottom cane, and stand it up against the outside of the lodge to the thickness of about twenty inches, and you have a very warm and cosy habitation. '^ The wealth of the Sioux consists very largely in his horses, and his subsistence is the game of the forest and plains and the fish and wild rice of the STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 5o lakes. Minnesota was an Indian paradise. It abounded in buftalo, elk, moose, deer, beaver, wolves, and, in fact, nearly all wild animals found in I^ortli America. It held upon its surface eight thousand beautiful lakes, alive with the finest edible fish. It Avas dotted over with beautiful groves of the sugar maple, yielding quantities of delicious sugar, and wild rice swamps were abundant. An inhabitant of this region, with absolute liberty, and nothing to do but defend it against the encroach- ments of enemies, certainly had very little more to ask of his Creator. But he Avas not allowed to enjoy it in peace. A stronger race was on his trail, and there was nothing left for him to do but surren- der his country on the best terms he could make.'' W. H. Keating, who was the scientist Avith Major Long's expedition, which arrived at Lake Traverse in July, 1823, thus speaks of Wanatan, the most dis- tinguished chief of the Yankton tribe of Sioux : " In the summer of 1822, he undertook a joui-ney, from Avhich, apprehending much danger on the })art 56 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. of the Chippewas, he made a vow to the sun that if he returned safe he would abstain from all food or drink for the space of four successive days and nights, and that he would distribute among his peo- ple all the property which he possessed, including his lodges, horses and dogs. On his return, which happened without accident, he celebrated the dance of the Sun. This consisted in making three cuts through his skin, one on his breast and one on each of his arms. The skin was cut in the manner of a loop, so as to permit a rope to pass under the strip of skin and flesh which was thus divided from the body. The ropes being passed through, their ends were secured to a tall, vertical pole, planted at about forty yards from his lodge. He then began to dance around the pole, at the com- mencement of his fast, frequently swinging himself in the air, so as to be supported merely by the cords which were secured to the strips of skin cut off from his arms and breast. " He continued this exercise, with few intermis- STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 57 sions, (luring the wliole of liis fast, until the fourth day, about ten o'clock A. M., when the strip of skin from his breast gave way. Notwithstanding w^hich he interru])ted not his dance, although merely sup- l)orted by his arms. At noon the strip IVoui his left arm snapped off. His uncle then thought he had suffered enough; he drew his knife and cut off the skin of his right arm, upon which Wanatan fell to the ground and swooned. The heat at this time was extreme. He was left exposed to the sun until night, when his friends brought him some i)ro- visions. After the ceremony was over he distri- buted to them his pro])erty, among which were five tine horses, and he aud his two squaws left his lodge, abandoning every article of their furniture." The Indians weie not at all choice iu theii' eating. The same writer as above tells of the feast of buffiilo stew and dog iiieat^ dressed without salt, wiiicli va^ set before him and his fellows; the lattei*. he says, was very fat, sweet and [)alatable. THE ka:n^gers of the foeest. As furs grew more and more scarce within easy reach of Quebec and Montreal, the Indians Avere persuaded to go farther and farther into the foi-est after them. Along with the Indians went adven- turous Frenchmen, learning where the best hunting and trapping grounds lay. Thus the trade, in furs grew\ and from far distant Ouisconsin and the banks of the Minnesota, '^ the sky-tinted water," were brought the pelts of the beavei* and mink. Once a year the tribes bordering on the great lakes — Chippewas from Lake Superior and Win- nebagos from Lake Michigan — came paddling down in their canoes, now loaded with skins, to Michilimackinac, to return laden with powder and bright hatchets. From this trade there sprang up a new class of 58 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 59 men, the courenrs de hois. In the beginning these were the men who had accompanied the Indians on their hunting trips and who had made themselves well accjuainted with the paths and places of the fur-bearing animals of the woods; these now became, however, the middle men and peddlers of the trade. Loading theii* canoes at Michihmackinac with bright colored cloths, blankets, beads, axes, knives, arms and ammunition, early some bright sunshiny morn- ing they pushed off into the steaming Lake Michi- gan, paddled up Green River and down the Ouis- consin into the great " Father of Waters" ; thence, perhaps up the Minnesota, trading along the way; sometimes they stopped for months among the Indians, even marrying Indian wives. " Twelve, fifteen, eighteen months would often elapse without any tidings of them, when they would come sweeping their way dow^n the lake in full glee, their canoes laden dow^n with packs of beaver skins. Now came their turn for revelry and extravagance. ^You would be amazed/ says an old writer, ^if you 60 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. saw how lavish these peddlers are when they return ; how they feast and game, and how prodigal they are, not only in their clothes, but upon their sweet- hearts. Such of them as are married have the wis- dom to retire to their own houses; but the bachelors act just as an East Indiaman and pirates are wont to do; for they lavish, eat, drink, and play all the w^ay as long as the goods hold out; and Avhen these are gone, they even sell their embroidery, their lace, and their clothes. This done, they are forced upon a new voyage for subsistence!' " Many of these coureurs cle hois became so accus- tomed to the Indian mode of living, and the per- fect freedom of the wilderness, that they lost all relish for civilization, and identified themselves Avith the savages among whom they dwelt. Their conduct and example gradually corrupted the natives, and impeded the works of the Catholic missionaries, who were at this time prosecuting their pions labors in the wilds of Canada. " To check these abuses, and to protect the fur STOKIES OF MINNESOTA. 61 trade from various irregularities practiced by these loose adventurers, an order was issued by the French Government prohibiting all persons, on pain of death, from trading into the interior of the coun- try Avithout a license." Things were, how^ever, soon as bad as before — the person to whom the Hcense was given sending out from six to ten of the ranchers — and althouofh the pious missionaries labored hard to convert the Indians, their work was often counteracted by these "renegades from civiHzation!" Lax as these rangers were, perhaps, in their morals, Ave must not forget that it was in their wake that civilization spread and the pioneer marched. To them is due, in great part, the early opening of the West to settlement. Settlement would have l)een much more difficult without the coureurs de hois to blaze the w^ay for the pioneer. THE DRUM-BEAT OF THE MINNESOTA FIRST. ''Ma, have you read the Press? ^'^ ''I? What tmie have I to see the papers? No, of course not. AVhy? More news about that robber?" "No, that isn't it. But those secesh fellows have o-one and fired on that fort in Charleston Harbor, because General Anderson wouldn't surrender." "No; you can't mean it! And what did Ander- son do?" "Oh, he didn't surrender, not he! Say, yes — he did — too. It goes on to say that ' finally he saw he could hold out no longer, so he surrendered, and Beauregarde allowed him to march out of the fort with colors flying and the men carrying their arms.' Well, say! Surrendered!" Such was the conversation that took place in a 63 64 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. little cottage in St. Paul, the capital of our baby state of Minnesota, Monday evening, April 15, 1861. Hardly had Mr. Pierson finished speaking, when the door quickly opened and in rushed sixteen-year-old Harry, wild-eyed and tumble-headed, crying, ^^ The North's gone to war with the South, pa! Governor Ramsey's telegraphed home from Washington ; says he 's oftered a regiment to Mr. Lincoln and it has been accepted, and for the lieutenant-governor to call i-ight off for volunteers ! " "Where did you hear all that, son?" "Down to the hotel, ma; everybody's talking about it down there, and they say that (xovernor Ramsey Avent to the war-office first thing yesterday morning and told Seci*etary Cameron he had a thousand men ready to go at any time; so Minne- sota has made the first offer of soldiers to defend the Government. Pa, can't I go?" "Whereto?" " Go to war, pa. You know the Pioneer Guards have just had a meeting at the armory, and lots of STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 65 iiKii sis>'iic(l a ]ia])er volunteerin<^' to go. Mr. King, over on the next street, was the first to sign his name, and that makes him the first man in the whole United States to vohinteer for the war. Pa, let me sign." ''^ You are too young, Harry; they wouldn't take you." ■^ If they take me, pa, can I go?" •^ Yes, if they will take you." Mr. Pierson thought the question settled, for he felt very sure a boy as young as Harry would not be wanted. In the morning came Acting-Governor Ignatius Donnelly's call for volunteers — for one regiment of ten companies — and so quickly and enthusiastically was it answered that by the 29th of April, the ten desired companies were all assembled at Fort Snell- ing. Public meetings had been held in all the larger towns, addressed by prominent men of both the great political parties, urging the people to rally to the support of the flag; and the feeling of the people of STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 67 Minnesota was manifest by the number of volunteers olfei'ing themselves for service; so many moi*e than were needed, that a second regiment was soon started. Tiie mihtia organizations volunteering were the St. Paul, Faribault, Winona, Dakotah, Wabasha and Goodhue Volunteers, the Pioneer, Stillwater and Lincohi Guards, and the St. Anthony Zouaves. Nothing more w^as heard from Harry about enlist- ing for tAvo Aveeks, wdien, coming in to dinner on Monday, he quietly said, -^ Well, pa, I've enlisted." ^^You — have — what !" " I was seventeen yesterday, pa, and I went over to Fort Snelling and told the captain you said I mio'ht enlist if he'd take me, and he — he — took me, pa." ^^Wel), I say!" "And it Avas just grand, pa; they ran up the colors at the okl flag-staif, and the cannon fired thirty-four shots, one foi- every state, and they had a big dinner spread out on a board table, with a tin plate and cup for every soldier. They had the 68 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. barracks all scrubbed out and clean straw put on the floor, and we Avill sleep there until orders come to go to Washmgton, and — '' There was no need to ask what Harry's feelings were on the question. He was wildly excited; the seriousness of his undertaking had not yet occurred to him, nor would it, probably, until home had been left far behind, and actual camp duties had been begun. Mrs. Pierson had quietly left the room in tears. She knew no word of hei's could alter the case in any way now; and her heart ached at the thought of losing her only child, jjei'haps never to see him again. Poor mothers! How much they have sacri- ficed for the cause of pi'ogress! That nations might prosper and civilization grow, they have given up all they hold the dearest since ever time began. Bless the mothers! So it was settled that Harry should go with the regiment when it went out from the state to flght its country's battles in the South. And we And him STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 69 one Saturday morning in the latter i)art of June, embnrkino- on the steamer War Eaglf^ at Fort Snelling. I'he War Eaifh^ and the Northern Belle hinded the whole regiment, at an early hour, at the npper levee in St. Paul, where tlie boys marched across the city to the lower levee, and there going aboard the steamers, again sailed away down the river for Prairie du Chien and La Crosse. Harry had seen his parents as the regiment went through St. Paul, Init had time only to kiss his hand to his mother and wave a last good-bye as they marched past. On the Avay down the river, there were crowds gathered on the levees to cheer the boys in blue as they passed down, and at three o'clock in the morn- ing, when the boat tied uj) at the wharf in Prairie du Chien, the whole of the inhabitants of the town were there to meet it, firing cannons and cheering lustily. The railroad furnished its best cars to carry the Minnesota boys, and gave them a bountiful dinner on the way. Through Chicago, where speeches were uiade by 70 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. the mayor and others, through Fort Wayne, Ind., and Pittsburgh, Penn., they rode, to Harrisburg, where they camped for a day, waiting for instruc- tions. At Huntingdon, Penn., a Httle village in the mountains, the boys were pleasantly surprised by the ladies of the place, who brought in sandwiches, doughnuts and delicious coffee. All the journey to Harrisburg, indeed, was a continuous ovation, but at that city they began to experience more of the serious side of a soldier's life, for here a train of cattle cars was backed upon the siding and the soldiers called upon to clamber aboard. '^ Quite a change, is n't it, Harry?" called out one of Harry's tent-mates, as they stood in company awaiting their turn. " Surely they don't intend us to travel to Wash- ington in those things, do they. Brown?" " Looks that way, Harry." "Why, what will we sit on?" "On your thumb, I guess, my boy; I don't see anything else unless you use your knapsack." STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 71 " Such ill-smelling things are not fit to carry hogs in." "Right you are, Harry, but what are yon going to do? Cheer np, all things go with the trade;" and Brown laughed gayly as he helped his young com- rade into the car and climbed in himself. The first indications of war came from a woman, as the train hurried by a beautiful country home; she stood on the veranda spitefully shaking a broom at the soldiers in the cars, who cheered and waved their hats in return. The next evidence of hostility was in Baltimore Avhere, on the nineteenth of April, the Sixth Massachusetts regiment had been stoned and three of its members killed by a mob. The same crowd stood scowlingly waiting to receive the Minnesota boys, but a display of bayonets kept them at a distance. Late in the afternoon other cars of a little better kind were taken for Washington, which HaiTy and his comrades reached about ten o'clock in the even- ing. After some delay shelter was found for the 72 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. tired troops in the assembly rooms, and not many minutes afterward Colonel Aldrich arrived at the quarters, followed by a whole squad of colored ser- vants with pails of coffee, huge baskets of sand- wiches, and i-elays of pies, cakes and doughnuts; and never had food tasted better. Mi*. Aldrich was a Member of Congress from Minnesota and a very open-handed, generous man, who had many times during the war proved himself the friend of the soldier, and especially of the Minnesota boys. Early the follo\nng morning, Harry felt someone shaking him, and waked up enough to find Brown standing over him and to hear that young fellow say: "Wake up! You'll be left. The regiment is on the march." "Where are we going now?" " Don't know. Are you awake?" Harry said he thought he was, and rolled out of his blanket to find most of his companions gone, only a few of the youngei^ ones, tired out like him- self, being still in the assembly chamber. Hurrying STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 73 out with these, he Ibuiul the re<;-inient forininn- in front of the Capitol, each man wondering- what tlie matter was and hoping tlie rebels had attacked AVashington, as was rumored ; but war was not to commence for them for some days yet. Harry soon found they were only going into cam[) for awhile on a rising piece of ground just east of the Capitol about a mile. Here they stayed drilling and marching, marching and drilling, until July 3, spending the time when not on duty in examining the public buildings, the only objects of interest in the whole city; for AV^ashington was not then the "City of Magnificent Distances." The streets of AVashington in 18G1 were un[)aved and in wet Aveather the heavy ai'iny wagons Avere often mii'cd in Pennsylvania Avenue. The old canal reeked with malarious and toul smells. The dome of the Capitol and the senate wing were untin- nished, and most of the shops and residences were old, dilapidated and neglected in a])pearance. A few years afterward all this was changed and 74 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. Washington became the most beautiful city in the whole United States. Our young soldier boy had by this time become most 23opular among his companions because of his cheerful temper and happy disposition, and his com- rades took care that time did not he heavy upon his hands. So whatever excursion or pleasure party was planned he was always invited; he did not become homesick, therefore, Avith so much to take up his attention. Hard-tack and salt pork do not make the best kind of fare. The hard-tack had the letters ''^ B. C." marked upon it, and Brown suggested one day at mess that perhaps the letters stood for the date of the baking; the pork was good, excellent, — so those reported who had good teeth and strong jaws. What wonder foraging was resorted to, even though forbidden by camp rules. One day Harry and young BroAvn, with a few others from the same tent, were returning to camp, bringing the dressed quarters of a young beef. It STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 75 was rather risky work and swift ])iinisliinent ^^encr- ally followed the apprehension of any such delin- (|nent. When nearly to the eanip one of tlie men snng ont, as a nnn:l)er of oftieers eame aronnd a bend in the I'ond: '^ThereV Colonel Franklin ahead.'' ■^ AVhat shall Ave do now, i-nnV" asked anothei*. "Can't do anythin<>' ])nt face the mnsie, can we?" replied Harry. And the officer having seen the cnlprits, it did seem nseless to i-nn. Hai-ry was appointed spokes- man for them all and had made np his mind to tell the trnth in answer to Colonel Franklin's qnes- tions, when Colonel Gorman, of the Minnesota regiment, Avho happened to be monnted, rode np and began to denonnce his soldiers, breaking off in the midst to reqnest Colonel Franklin to leave the men to him for such punishment as would be an effective example to the regiment. Colonel Franklin walked away, and Gorman, turning to the offenders, said: 76 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. "I^ow, take up that beef and go to your i-egi- meiit, and don't disgrace it by ever getting caught in any such ,scra])e again." And you may ])e sure they never did. The Minnesota regiment was next sent to Alex- andria, Va., to go into camp, and it was from here they Avere ordered to Manassas Junction, where the enemy was in force and where, in the Battle of Bull Run, Harry first smelled the smoke of battle and became acquainted with the horrors of war. While his company was hurrying oxer one part of the battle field, Harry dropped out of the ranks to say a few words to a poor, Avounded com- rade, who was crying out at the cruelty of his companions in leaving him to the rebels. He quieted the wounded man; then as he had seen the flag of a field hospital flying in a grove near by, picked the fellow up, and staggering under his weight, carried him toward the woods. Just then a platoon of the enemy wheeled out of another clump of woods opi)osite, and hurried across STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 77 the open towai'ds our young soldier. Evidently they were niai-ehing* to that (juarter of the l)attle- lield from whieh the noise of the firing came. Harry dropped the wounded man — not wishing to be taken prisoner — and bounded away towards a near by ravine, reaching it just in time to liear the "chug'' of the muskets as they fell forward into the left hands of the I'ebels. He threw liimself down the bank of the ravine and the l)ullets whizzed harm- lessly over his head. He sprang up and, glancing back, saw a row of blank faces, astonished at seeing him break down the ravine out of range. Keaching the wood he hid until the platoon had passed by; then mak- ing his w\ay back to the wounded man, carried him safely to the hospital. After seeing him in the hands of the surgeon, Harry hastened to rejoin his regiment. Many times on that terrible July day did Minne- sota liave reason to be proud of liei' boys. Bull Kun might well have been w^on three times over had 78 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. all fought as well as tliey. Nor in that terrible retreat to Centerville have we less reason to feel proud. Colonel Gorman offered his regiment as rear guard and was assigned next to that position, the Minnesota First marching off dov/n the road in perfect ordci', in .strong contrast to other disordered mobs of fleeing soldiery. Going through Centerville, the regiment halted, and Harry, tired and worn out, dropped upon the ground Avhere he was and fell asleep immediately. In about half an hour, however, he was aroused and called up for coffee, after which the march was again taken up for Alexandria. This was the hardest of all. They knew they had met with a repulse, but had not realized that it was to be accepted as defeat, and there w^as some grumbling heard in the ranks. Again, the prospect of a tramp of twenty-five miles, aftei- such a day of phenomenal heat, long marches and hard fighting, seemed an impossible undertaking. How he did it, Harry could not have told afterwards. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 79 Loaded down with knapsack, haversack, musket, and forty rounds of cartridges, sevei-al times during the night he was awakened from deep sleep by stumbling against a stone or other obstruction. Brown offered to help liim, l)ut Marry refused. ""I will march till 1 dro]), Bi'own, before Til give in or let any one helj) me/' said he; but it was easy to see at Avhat cost he was keeping up: his set, draAvn face, shuffling, mechanical step, and stagger- ing gait told its own stoiy. In the forenoon of the next day, he was back in his tent at Alexandria, thoroughly exhausted, and was soon asleep. But in the afternoon the soldiers wei-e once moi-e called up and marched to Washing- ton in a heavy rain, and then, cold and wet, kept standing on the street for an hour, until quarters could be provided. The regiment later went into camp a short dis- tance east of the Capitol and resumed daily drills. Deaths and captures had caused a number of vacancies in the regiment, and many promotions and 80 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. appointments were made to fill them, new names being posted daily. Brown, who was now in the same mess as Harry, came running into the tent one day with his face full of news. "You have been posted, Harry," he cried. " For what ? " "I don't know for what ; perhaps for carrying that wounded fellow into the hospital. At least, you are among those promoted." "To what. Brown?" " Lieutenant." Here others hurried up and began to shake Harry by the hand and congratulate him on his good luck. So it was as company lieutenant that our youthful Minnesotan served his country during the rest of the summer of '(51, and until September, 1862, at Antietam, when he was wounded in the thigh and confined for some weeks to the hospital. Being granted a furlough until such time as he was able once more to march with his comrades, he spent the STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 81 winter of '()2 and '()3 in Xew York, visiting his cousins. His fatluT and niotlier caiiu' on from the West to see their son. They s])ent a month with him, and altogether the winter was a most enjoy- able one. Reporting for duty early in the year, he was again assigned to his old regiment as captain of Company H; not the company, you will i-emember, of his enlistment. Many of his old eomi-ades met him upon his return, but others who had fiillen in battle w^ere not there to greet him; altogether the whole regiment contained but two hundred and sixty-two men. The great battle at Gettysburg was the first important engagement Harry was in after his return, and it was here that the First Minnesota won its fame. As the battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War, so was the fight made by the Minnesotans the turning point of that battle. The stand taken that day hy the boys from the Gopher State won the battle of Gettysburg, and turned the 82 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. tide of the war in favor of the Xoi-th. All honor to the Minnesota First! ^' The Spartans did not inquire how many the enemy are, ])iit where the}^ are." A considerable portion of the Third Army Corps, under General Sickles, in fnll retreat from the Confederates, had passed the Minnesota regiment. Harry and his comrades now numbering, as Ave have said, only two hundred and sixty-two officers and men, stood, awaiting orders, on the brow of a slope, as General Hancock rode up and tried in vain to stop the fleeing soldiei-s. Reinforcements were com- ing, but what to do to hold the position until they arrived! "What regiment is this?" cried Hancock, riding to where stood the boys from the Northwest. "First Minnesota," came the answer. "Charge those lines! '' commanded the general. The charge was ordered and gallantly made. That mere handful of brave Minnesotans charged the long lines of well-ordered graycoats, held them until the reserves came up, and saved the day! STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 83 ^' l^lu' S|)artans did not inquire' how many tliu enemy are, hut where tliey are/' This was the hist hattle of importance thai Harry was in. Eai'ly in tiie following- year ordei's were received for the regiment to I'cturn to Minnesota. Leaving' tlie raih'oad at La Crosse, the soldier boys were bundled into sleighs and driven on the frozen Mississippi to Fort Snelling, where the final muster- out came. The w^elcome home given our young captain l)y his friends and schoolmates may well be left to the imagination. Sufiice it to say that two hearts at least were made glad as Harry's father and mother received him safely returned to tliem once more. KI8H-KAH-NAH-CUT, THE OUTBREAK OF THE SIOUX. ]8()2. In the year 1802, the United States being at war, and hu-ge nnmbers of men having l)een sent ont of the state to fill qnotas in Minnesota regiments in the South, the Sionx Indians, both Upi)er and Lower Bands, decided that the time was i-ipe to kill all the whites and regain their old hunting gi-ounds. The Ageney of the Upper Sioux was established at Yellow Medicine and that of the Lower Sioux at Redwood, both places being on the Minnesota River. Some ten years before this, the Indians had made a treaty with the government, ceding certain of their lands to the United States. For the lands we were to pay the Indians a large sum of money every year, and the Indians were accustomed to come into the 85 86 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. agency at stated periods to receive tliis money, their annuities. The fact that in August, 1862, the money long due had not been ])aid, may have angered the Indians and turned their liands to ])lo()dshed. The fii'st blood was shed at Acton. A few Indians had quai-rcled with a settlei' at that place about some eggs they Avanted. One of the Indians, dared by the others, killed the white man, and then the whole family was murdered. Other Indian.s waiting ;it the agency for their annuities joined the nnu'dei'ers, and set u])()n the whites at Yellow ^ledi- cine with tomahawk, knife, and gun, putting them all to death. After this, the cruel red men sepa- rated into small squads of from five to ten, and spread over the country in every direction to the lonely homes of the settlei's. One thousand pio- neers, mos*, of them defenseless Avomen and little children, w^ere coldly and ci'uelly mnrdei'ed l)y the I'uthless Sioux. In attacking the isolated home of the fai'mer, this STORIES OF MINNESOTA. H7 was the method of attack: the i)arty of Indians woiiUl call at the house, to ask for food or a (h'ink of milk, and, ])eing Avell known, would cause no alarm. Then they would await a g'ood opportunity, and when the man was turned away from them, would treacherously shoot him in the back. Not even the poor mother was si)ared, though pleading with the savages to spare her and her Httle ones. The Indians, having plundered and looted the house, carried otf* all that seemed valuable to them, burned the Iniildings and hurried off to the next farm to repeat the outrage. Occasionally some one would escape and spread the news of the nuissacre to the neighbors; then would follow a hurried pack- ing of clothing and bedding, a bundling of food and children into wagons and a hurried flight to Fort Ridgely or other place of refuge. MAJ. T. J. SHEFHAN. (Defender of Furt Kidgely) CAPTAIN MARSH. The repoi't of the outbreak on the 18tli of .Viignst had reaelied Fort Kidgely at 9 p. 3i. of the same day. Capt. John 8. Marsli innnediately despatched a courier after a company of soldiers which liad left the fort early in the morning, under Lieutenant Sheehan, to go to Fort Eipley on the Upper Missis- sij^pi. Another detachment of about fifty, who were on their way to Fort Snelling, Avere hui-riedly called back. Company E, Fifth Minnesota Yolunteers, eighty men, were the only soldiers then at the fort. Without waiting for the troops he had sent for to come in, Captain ^Earsh set out, with but half a hundred men and an interpreter, to punish the Indians. He started for the Redwood Agency, about twelve miles up tlie ^Finnesota, marching along the noi'th bank towards Martelfs Ferry. At 89 90 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. this place Captain Marsli intended to ci'oss the river and Ironi there march up the south bank to the Agency. Four miles below this point, the ferryman met the soldiers and told them that the Indians were every- Avhere killing and burning, and that the best thing they conld do was to hurry back to the fort. The gallant captain hesitated not a moment. "Forward!" he shouted. "We are here to protect and defend the frontier, and do it we will, or die doing it,'' and he hnrried his soldiers onward. Lying by the roadside, asleep in death, wcj-e many of the settlei's, mutilated and sealped; yet there was no staying the little band of soldiers: they marched on, even to certain death. Near the ferry the company halts and a man is sent forward to examine the ferry and see if all is right. He soon retui'us and rei)orts the way clear. A solitar}^ Indian warrior, mounted and i)ainted, now appeal's on the opposite bank and silently beckons the soldiers aci-oss. Then he speaks to the STORIES OF MINNKSOTA. *.M intcrpi-t'trr: " i\n\\r n\rv\ il is nil ri-hl iu'i-c/' he says. (Captain Marsh woiuh rs il' the Indinn who seems so IViendly is not hopin-- the soldin-s will cross, and tiicn hcnnd his Indinn hrot hei-s e:in liiv :il the lioops while ei-(»wd(Ml lot;'*'! hci" <»n the rcny-honl . Thr eai)tnin is snspieions :ind oi'dci's his men not lostu' IVoni whei-e they .uv nntil he cMii innke sniv none of their red foes ai'e hid(h'n in the wooded ravines aeross the I'ivcr. I^ven while he views the opposite shoiv thron-h his olnss. .-ind the men :nv (piietly di'inkin-- w.-itci- l)ron.<;ht li-om the rivci', on every skU' sonnds the dre.'idcd wnr whoop. Indinns, hnndreds of them, i-ise ont ol' the -i-iss nnd hiMish all Mi-onnd them nnd \)v^/\u to shoot down the devoted himd. l^iereed hy twenty halls, the a.<;-ed inteipivtei" Tails from his saddle, and with him many more. What hope is there loi' this little handlhl ol' li -liters, hi-ave thon<;-h they he, a-ainst so i;reat odds? \\\ steadily they fi^iit iheii- way ha(d<, down the river, as cool as il" (,i, pai-ade dnty; li-ht their way inch hy inch. 92 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. taking advantage of evei-y tree and stinnp. Snd- denly shots come from the rear. More Indians there! They have crossed the stream, and, taking advantage of a bend in its conrse, now have the soldiers at a donble disadvantage. How escape now? To cnt their way thi'ongh tins horde of savages is impossible! The only hope is in taking to the w^ater and swimming to the other shore; no Indians are on that side. Captain Marsh gave the order to cross. If the river Avas fordable, he thought, so much the better; but the river, anyway. Taking his sword in one hand and his revolver in the other he himself led the way, wading out into the stream. They soon saw they must swim, and those who could, struck out for the other shore; those who could not do so, remained hidden in the grass as best they could imtil nightfall, making their escape then under cover of darkness. The swimmers had almost reached the farther shore, wdien Captain Marsh, struck by a bullet, sank below the surface. The Indians, knowing he was an STORIES OF MINNESOTA. ^ 93 oftic*ei% (lid their ntinost to kill him, and for weeks aftei' the battle, they hung around the s[)ot searching for his body, that they might get the scalp. Thirteen reached the l)ank safely and returned to the fort that night. 'I'hose who had hidden in the brush made theii- way als(j to the fort or settlements, some who were badly wounded having to stay out two oi' three days. Lati'i' the l)ody of the captain was found by a searching j)arty from the fort, and laid to rest by his sorrowing comrades in the military burying-ground at Fort Kidgely. SEKGEAXT JONES AND THE THIRD OF AUGUST. (By (^iiinii the Iiitoii)reter.» I was looking' towards the Agency and saw a large body of men coming in the direction of the fort (Fort Kidgely) and snpposed them soldiers retnrning from the payment at Yellow Medicine. On a second look, T observed that they were monnted, and knowing this time that they mnst be Indians, was surprised at seeing a large l)ody, as they were not exix'cted. T i*esolved to <>'o into the garrison to see what it meant, having at the time, not the least suspicion that the Indians intended any hostile demonstration. When I arrived at the garrison, I found Sergeant Jones at the entrance with a mounted howitzer, charged witli shell and canister-shot, pointed toward the Indians, who were removed but a short 94 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 95 distance from the i^'unrd-liousc'. I asked the sei*- geant iC any danger was apprehended. "No,'^ he repHed indifferently, "l)iit I tliiiik it a good ride to ol)serve that a soldier siiould always be ready for any emergency. '' These Indians had reqnested the ])rivilege to danee in the inelosure snrronnding the fort. On this occasion that i-eqnest was refused them. Bnt I saw that abont sixty yards west of the gnard-honse the Indians were making the necessary j^reparations for a dance. I thonght nothing of it, as they had frequently done the same thing, l)ut a little farther removed from the fort, under somewhat different circumstances. I considered it a singular exhibition of Indian foohshness, and at the solicitation of a few ladies, went out and was myself a spectator to the dance. When the dance was concluded, the Indians sought and obtained permission to encamp on some rising ground about a quarter of a mile west of the garrison. To this ground they soon repaired, and 96 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. encamped for the night. The next morning, l\y ten o'clock, all had left the vicinity of the garrison, departing in the direction of the Lower Agency. This whole matter of the dance was so conducted as to lead most, if not all, the residents of the garrison to believe that the Indians had paid them that visit for the purpose of dancing aud obtaining provisions for a feast. Some things Avere observable that were unusual. The visitors w^ere all warriors, ninety-six in number, all in undress, except a very few Avho wore calico shirts; in addition to this, they all carried arms, guus and tomahawks, w4th ammunition pouches sus- pended around their shoulders. Previous to the dance, the war implements were deposited some two hundred yards distant, where they had left their ponies. But even this circum- stance excited no suspicion of danger or hostilities in the minds of residents of the garrison. These residents were thirty-five men — thirty soldiers and five citizens — with a few women and children. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 97 The oruard that day consisted of tln-ee soldiers: one Avas Avalking leisurely to and fro in front of the ofuard-liouse; the other two were oft* duty, passing about and takin^i^ their rest; and ail entirely without apprehension of danger from Indians or any other foe. As the Indians left the garrison without doing any mischief, most of us supposed that no evil was meditated by them. But there was one man who acted on the supposition that there was ahvays danger surrounding a garrison when visited by savages; that man was Sergeant Jones. From the time he took his position at the gun he never left it, but acted as he said he believed it best to do — to be always ready. He not only remained at the gun himself, but retained two other men, wdiom he had previously trained as assistants, to Avoi-k the piece. Shortly before dark, Avithout disclosing his inten- tions. Sergeant Jones said to his Avife: ''I have a little business to attend to to-night ; at bed-time I wish you to i-etire and not Avait for me." As he had 98 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. frequently done this before to discharge some official duty at the quartermaster's office, she thought it not singular, but did as he requested and retired at the usual hour. On awakening in the morning, she was surprised to find he was not there, and had not been in bed. In truth, this faithful soldier had stood by his gun throughout the entire night, ready to fire, if occasion required, at any moment during that time; nor could he be persuaded to leave that gun until all this party of Indians had entirely disappeared from the vicinity of the garrison. Some two weeks after this time, these same Indians, with others, attacked Fort Eidgely and, after some ten days' siege, the garrison Avas relieved by the arrival of soldiers under Col. H. H. Sibley. The second day after Colonel Sibley arrived, a Frenchman of pure or mixed blood, appeared before Sergeant Jones in a very agitated manner, and intimated that he had some disclosures to make to him; the man, however, seemed so completely under the dominion of fear, that he was unable to divulge STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 99 the great secret. '^ Why," said he, ''they would kill me; they would kill my wife and children." Say- ing which he turned and walked away. Shortly after the first interview , this man returned to Sergeant Jones, and again the sergeant urged him to disclose what he knew, promising him that if he would do so, he would keep his name a j)rofound secret forever. Being thus assured, the Frenchman soon becauie more calm. Hesitating a moment, he inquired of Sergeant Jones if he remembered that some two weeks before a party of Indians came down to the fort to have a dance? Sergeant Jones replied that he did. '"'Well," said the Frenchman, ''do you know tliat these Indians were all warriors of Little Crow, or some of the other lower bands? Sir, these Indians had all been selected foi* the purpose, and came doAvn to Fort Kidgely by the ex])ress command of Little Crow and the other chiefs, to get permission to dance; and when all suspicion should be com- pletely lulled, in the midst of the dance, to seize LofC. 100 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. their weapons, kill every person in the fort, capture the big guns, open the magazine, and secure the ammunition, when they were to be joined by all the remaining warrioi-s of the lower bands. Thus armed and increased by numbers they w^ere to proceed together down the valley of the Minnesota. With this force and these vveapoiis they were assured they could drive every white man beyond the Mississip])i." All this, the Frenchman informed Jones, he had learned by being present at a council, and from con- versations had with other Indians, who had told him that they had gone to the garrison for that very purpose. When he had concluded this revelation, Sergeant Jones inquired, '' Why did they not exe- cute their purpose? Why did they not take the fort?" " Because," answered the Frenchman, " during their dance and their w^hole stay at the fort, they saw that big gun constantly pointed at them." THE ATTACK ON FORT KIDGELY. August 20 axd 22. Fort Ridgely, on the Minnesota, barred the way of the Indians to New IJhn and St. Peter, and mast be destroyed. Two attacks were accordingly made, one on the 20th of Augnst and the other two days afterwards. Ridgely was a fort only in name, being bnt a group of log and frame buildings, with a barracks of stone, arranged in the form of a square. It stood on a spur of the prairie tableland, overlooking the Minnesota River to the south, and flanked on the east and west by deep ravines. Both by construc- tion and location it was difficult of defense. Without warning of any kind, the savages attacked the fort from the ravine on the east early in the afternoon. By quick work on the part 101 102 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. of the gunners, AVhipple, McGrew, and Jones, and the able defense of these guns by the infantiy, the post was saved, not until, however, the Indians had succeeded in stampeding the government mules and officers' horses. During this attack the Indians filled up the spring with sand and the defenders of the fort had to dig for water. Fire-arroAvs, shot at the combustible wooden buildings, were prevented by the rain from doing damage. Scouting parties of Indians remained near the fort, and on Friday began the second attack. " At about one o'clock in the afternoon, dis- mounting and leaving their ponies a mile distant, with demoniac yells the savages surrounded the fort and at once commenced a furious musketry fire. The garrison returned the fire with equal vigor and with great effect on the yelling demons, who at first hoped by force of numbers to effect a quick entrance and had exposed themselves by a bold advance. This was soon checked. " Little Crow's plan in this attack, in case the first 8T0KIES OF MINNESOTA. 103 dash from all sides proved imsuccessful, was to pour a heavy continuous fire into the fort from every direction, exhausting the garrison as much as possi- ble, and to carry the fort later by assault upon the south-west coi-ner. To this end he collected the greater portion of his forces in that quarter, and, taking i)ossession of the government stables and sutler's store, the fire literally riddled the buildings at that angle. It was found necessary to shell these buildings to dislodge the foe, resulting in their com- plete destruction by fire. " Attempts were made to fire the fort by means of burning arrows but, the roofs being damp from recent rains, all efibrts to this end were futile. Still, in pursuance of the plan of battle, the hail of bullets, the whizzing of arrows, and the blood-curdling war- whoop were incessant. . . . '^^N'ow began the convergence to the southwest, the Indians passing from the opposite side in either direction. In moving around the northwest corner a wide detour was necessary to avoid McGrew's 104 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. range, but the open prairie I'endered the movement plainly apparent. Divining its object, McGrew hastily reported to Jones what was transpiring, and was authorized to bring out the twenty-four pounder, still in park, with which McGrew went into position on the west line of the fort and at the south of the commissary building. Meanwhile the fire in front of .Jones' gun had become so hot and accu- rate as to splinter almost every lineal foot of timber along the top of his barricades, but he still returned shells at the shortest possible range. " During an interval in the fusillade, Little Crow w^as heard urging, in the impassioned oratory of battle, the assault on the position. Jones doubly charged his piece with canister and reserved his fire; meanwhile McGrew had fired one shot from the twenty-four pounder at the party passing around the northeast, and training his gun west- erh% dropped his second shell at the point where the party had by this time joined the reserve of squaws, ponies and dogs west of the main body. A STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 105 great stampede resulted; the gun was swung to the left, bringing its line of tire between the two bodies of Indians. Its ponderous reverberations echoed up the valley as though twenty guns had opened, while the frightful explosion of its shells struck terror to the savages and effectually prevented a consolida- tion of the forces. "At this juncture, Jones depressed his piece and fired close to the gi'ound, killing and wounding seventeen savages of the party who had nerved themselves for the final assault. Completely demor- * alized by this unexpected slaughter, firing suddenly ceased and the attacking party precipitately with- drew, their hasty retreat attended by bursting shells until they were beyond range of the guns. " Thus, after six hours of continuous blazina' conflict, alternately lit up by the flames of burning buildings and darkened by whii-ling clouds of smoke, terminated the second and last attack. " During the engagement, many of the men l)ecoming short of musketry ainnumition, spherical 106 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. case shot were opened in the barracks and women worked with busy hands, making cartridges, while men cut nail rods into short pieces to use as bullets. The dismal whistling of these latter missiles was as terrifying to the savages as were their fiendish yells to the garrison. Incredible as it may appear, dur- ing these engagements at Fort Kidgely the loss of the garrison was only three men killed and thir- teen wounded." THE BTECH COULIE MASSACEE. CouVk' is the name given by tlie early Freneh rojjdtji^nrs to a ravine with a small stream of I'uiming water. Such a ravine exists as a dent in the wall of the Minnesota '' l)ottoms," a short distance down the river from the present village of Morton. In Angust, 1802, there was plenty of water I'unning down the eonlie and plenty of wood near by for fires, so the fatigued party from Fort Ridgely and its escort, under command of Maj. Joseph R. Brown, chose this place for their cam}), in spite of the many lurking places afforded by the woods and the ravine to any Indians who might be near. The camp was in the regulation form, the ai'my wagons being arranged in a circle, with the horses picketed outside, and the men sleeping inside the circle. Some of the men slept in tents and some 107 108 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. under the wagons rolled in their blankets, but all laid down Avith their loaded guns ready at hand. No new signs of Indians had been met, although the scenes of desolation through which they passed were a continual reminder to the soldiers of the blood- thirsty red men; with but little fear, therefore, the men laid down to i*est, some of them to sleep their last sleep on earth. " About four o'clock in the morning," says Lieut. J. J. Egan, who was present, " T heard a shot, and the next thing I heard was the cry, ^Indians!' and Captain Anderson yelling at his men, ^Lie on your l)ellies and shoot !^' Ten thousand muskets seemed to be going off. The men were stunned, the hoi'ses frightened, and terror and fear seized hold of us all. We blazed away in return, without aim or other object than to give evidence that there were survivors of their murderous fire, and to pre- vent a charge on the camp. " As the red early dawn, covering everything with a halo of gold, revealed to our gaze what we STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 109 supposed to l)e two thousand Indians surrounding ns on all sides, their leaders mounted on horses caparisoned with gay colors, and themselves radiant in feathers, war paint, and all the bright and brilliant liabiliments of Indian chiefs, the scene seemed unreal, as if a page had been torn from the leaves of the history of the crusades and the Saracen chiefs of. the plains of Asia transplanted to the new wx)rld. The fiercest yells and war-whoops, the shaking of blanket.s, the waving of Hags to indicate new^ plans of movements of attack, the riding of horsemen here and there, w^ere right before us, within about five hundred yai'ds. Large bodies of Indians running continually, seeking new points of vantage, and taking orders from a chief, and all yelling and l)eating drums, made the scene unearthly. A shower of bullets continually fell upon us from all sides. "The nature of the ground was such, with the coulie or ravine on one side, where was a heavy growth of timber, and the rest an open praii'ie with 110 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. little hillocks here and there, just beyond our camp, the Indians could pour in a fire on us from every direction and themselves be protected. Men were dead and dying in the small circle of our encamp- ment; the horses were nearly all killed in the first half hour, and it looked as if our last hour on earth had come. To be scalped and r[uai'tered, oiu* hearts cut out, gave us no comforting reflections. Several of the men went crazy, and jumping out to give a full view, instantly met death. " We then began to dig, each man for himself, his grave, as he expected. Three spades and one shovel were all the implements that could be found for use, but sabers and pocket knives were utilized, and about noon we had dug holes in the ground that aftorded some protection. Never for an instant did the firing on us cease. Suddenly some one would drop his musket and roll over to die. " About one o'clock in the afternoon, we heard a loud ]'e]:)ort like that of a cannon. We were all startled, not knowing whence the sound came. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. Ill Could the Indians have captui'ed a liowitzer? And did tlie}^ have aitillerists among them to turn it upon us? Again it l)oomed. Could it be ])ossible we were saved? We were sixt(»en iniles from Fort Ridgely, and how eould knowledge of oui* situation have reaehed the foi't? "The silenee of death ])revail(Kl in the eain]). The movements of the Indians began to indicate some- thing new, and after awhile, again the l^oom of tlie cannon sounded in our eai's, and simultaneously every man jum]:)ed to his feet and gave a lieartfelt hurrah. The spirit of audacity we exhibited led to a renewed fire upon us, and we speedily sought our respective ])laces of safety. That afternoon we did not hear the cannon again, and night coming on, all hape of relief left our breasts, and each man sullenly and silently pursued his own meditations. It was a night of black despair. There seemed no hope. The cup of salvation had been snatched from our lips, and there was nothing to do but die. " We expected to be starved to death, as any one 112 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. bold enoiig'h to raise up and put an arm into a wagon containing snpplies were instantly shot. Onr ammunition w^as almost exhansted, and each man laid his drawn saber near him and examined his musket, i-esolved not to fire again nntil the final moment came, when firing would do some execution. It happened to be quite dai'k also, Avhich added to the uncertainties of the night. The agcmy we suf- fered through the long, long night, expecting every moment to be rushed upon, is indescribable. Each moment seemed hours and hours, eternity. A soli- tary camp-fire at Gray Bird's headquarters partly relieved the gloom, and the blanketed specters stalk- ing ever and anon in front (;t' that fire seemed ^ ghosts or spirits of goblins damned.' " Gladly we hail the morn gilding the horizon. We saw unusual movements among our enemy. Their war-whoops were fiercer, and their cries and gestures more frequent and emphatic. We expected the final hour had come and were prepared. The agony had been so intense that we felt a relief at the STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 113 aiitieipalc'd hlow — no dread of death now lin^'ered in the lieart of anv. Snddenly tlie hooni of the cannon is ag'ain ilea rd, and a<>'ain, nearer and clearer, until its roar, usually terril)le, sounded as the sweet- est harmony of Jieaven. Confusion seems to pervade our enemies; tliey are in fnll flight. But Ave do not move from oui" Jioles until General Sibley, with a few officers, came right u[) to us, and then, and uot till then, did we feel we were saved. "Saved! Yes, and from a fearfnl death; and yet dying might have been less terrible than living. For thirty hours the soldiers had l)eeu under fire, and tasted neither food nor watei*. Twenty-three of their number lay stark and dead in the little encamp- ment; forty-five others were wounded and groaning and crying for water. "General Sibley, had heard the firing at Fort Ridgely on the morning of Sept. 2, and had sent out: a party under Colonel McPhail, and then had fol- lowed with the entire command. " Time will magnify the significance of this Birch 114 STORIES OF MTNNESOTA. Coiilie battle, and it will be remembered that it was fought by men without experience in war, those who had just enlisted in the service and those who had never enlisted, but who, on the first signal of danger, left their stores and other places of occupation, taking their lives in theii* hands for the protection of their people and the state." THE OUTCOME. Under tlu' cuiiiniaud of Colonel (at'tervvards Brig- adier-General ) Sibley, a sluirp campaign was imme- diately begun against the Indians eoneerned in the outbreak. Of the prisoners taken, four Jiundred and twenty-Kve were tried by eourt-mai'tial, and of this number three hundred and twenty-one were found o-uilty. Three hundred and three of these were sentenced to be hanged, but in the following order the President comnnited the sentences in the case of all but thirty-nine: Executive Mansion, Washington, D.C, Dec. 6, 1862. St. Paul, Mitm,: — Ordered, that of the Indians and half-breeds sen- tenced to be hanged by the military commission, you 116 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. cause to be executed on Friday, the nineteenth day of December, instant, the following named, to wit: White Day, Tazoo . . . The other condemned prisoners you will hold, subject to further orders, taking care that they neither escape nor are subjected to any unlawful violence. Abraham Li:n^coln, President of the United States. THEIK LAST DAY UPON EAKTH. (P'rom a newspaper, 18G2.) Wednesday, the 24th of December, was set apai-t for the interviews between the condemned and snch of their relatives and friends as were confined in the main })rison. Each Indian had some word to send to his parents or family. When speaking of their wives and children, ahnost everyone was aifected to tears. Good connsel was sent to the children. Most of them spoke confidently of their hopes of salvation. There is a rnhng passion Avith Indians, and Tazoo could not refrain from its enjoyment, even in this sad hour. Tatimima was sending w^ord to his rela- tives not to mourn his loss; he said he was old and could not hope to live long under any circumstances, and his execution would not shorten his days a great WA-KAX-O-ZIIAN-ZIIAV. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 119 deal, and dying as lu- did, innocent of any white man's l)l()od, he hoped wonld give him a better chance to be saved; therefoi'c, he hoped his friends wonld consider his death bnt as a removal IVom this to a better world. •'I have every hope," said he, "of going direct to the abode of the Great Spirit, where I shall always be happy/' This last remark I'eached the ears of Tazoo, who was also speaking to his friends, and he elaborated upon it in this wise: "Yes, tell our friends that we are being removed from this world over the same ])ath they must shortly travel. We go first, but numy of our friends will follow us in a short time. I expect to go direct to the abode of the Great Spirit and be happy when I o-et there; but we are told that the road is long and the distance great; therefore, as I am slow^ in all my movements, it will probably take me a long time to reach the end of the journey, and 1 should not be surprised if some of the young, active men we will i . ) STORIES OF MINNESOTA. leave behind will pass me on the road before I reach the place of my destination." In shaking- hands with Red Iron and Akipa, Tazoo said, ^'Friends, last summer you were opposed to us. You were living" in continual apprehension of an attack from those who were determined to extermi- nate the whites. Yourselves and families were sub- jected to many taunts, insults, and threats; still you stood firm in your friendship for the whites, and continually counselled the Indians to abandon their raids against them. Your course Avas condemned at the time, but now we see your wisdom. You were right when you said that the whites could not be exterminated, and the attempt indicated folly. Then you and your famihes were prisoners, and the lives of all in constant danger. To-day you are at lib- erty, assisting in feeding and guarding us; and thirt3^-nine men Avill die in two days because they did not follow your example and advice." On Thursday evening the ordinance of baptism was solemnized by the Catholic priest present, and STORIES OF MINNP:S0TA. 121 received by a considerable number of the condemned. Some of tliem entered into tlie ceremony with an apparently earnest feeling and an intelligent sense of its solemn chai'acter; all seemed resigned to their fiite and de[)ressed in spirits. Most of those not participating in the ceremony sat motionless and more like statues than living men. On Friday morning, we accompanied the Rev. Father liavoux to the prison of the condemned. He spoke to them of their condition and fate and in such terms as the devoted priest only can speak. He ti-ied to infuse them with courage, bade them to hold out bravely and l)e strong, and to show no sign of fear. While Father Ravoux was speaking to them, old l\izo() broke out in a death- wail in which one after anothei* joined until the ])rison room was filled with a wild, unearthly plaint, which was neither of despair nor grief, but rather a paroxysm of savage passion, most impressive to witness and startling to heai*, even to those who understood the language of the music only. During the lulls of their death-song 122 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. they would resume their pipes and, with the exception of an occasional mutter, or the rattling of their chains, they sat motionless and impassive, until one among the elder would bi-eak out in a wild wail, when all would join again in the solemn preparation for death. Following this, the Rev. Dr. Williamson addressed them in their native tongue; after which they broke out ao'ain in their sono- of death. This last was thrilling beyond expression. The trembling voices, the forms shaking with passionate emotion, the half- uttered words through set teeth, all made up a scene which no one who saw can ever forget. The influence of the wild music of their death- song upon them was almost magical. Their whole manner changed after they had closed their singing, and an air of cheerful unconcern marked all of them. It seemed as if during theii- passionate wailing they had passed in spirit through the valley of the shadow of death and already had their eyes fixed on the pleasant hunting-grounds beyond. They had evidently taken great pains to make STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 12:^> themselves presentable for their last appearance on the stage of life. Most of them had little pocket- mirrors, and before they were bound employed themselves in putting on the finishing touches of paint, and arranging their hair according to the Indian mode. All had religious emblems, mostly crosses of fine silver or steel, and these were dis- played wilii all the prominence of an exquisite or a religeiist. Many were painted in war style, with bands and beads and feathers, and were decked as gayly as Ibi' a festival. They expressed a desire to shake hands Avith the reporters who w^ere to write about how they looked and acted, and with the artist who was to picture their appearance. This ])rivilege was allowed them. Xearly all, on shaking hands, would point their fingers to the sky and say, as idainly as they could, "Me going up.'' White Day told us it was Little Crow^ who got them into the scrape, and now tJun had to die for it. One said there was a Great Spirit above who would take him home, and that he should die happy. 124 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. At a little after nine o'clock a.m., the Rev. Father Kavoux entered the prison again to perform the closing religious exercises. The guard fell back as he came in, the Indians ranging themselves around the room. The father addressed the condemned at some length and appeared much aflPected. He then knelt on the floor in their midst and prayed with them, all following and uniting with him in an audible voice. They appeared like a different race of beings w^hile going through these i-eligious exer- cises. Their voices were low and humble, and every exhibition of Indian bravado was banished. While Father Kavoux was speaking to the Indians and repeating for the hundredth time his urgent request, that they must think to the last of the Great Spirit before whom they were about to appear. Provost Marshal Redfield entered and whispered a word in the ear of the good priest, Avho immediately said a word or two in French to Henry Milord, a half-breed, who repeated it in Dakota to the Indians, who were all lying down around the prison. In a STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 125 moment eveiy Indian stood erect, and as the Provost Marshal opened the door, they fell in l)ehind him with the greatest alacrity. Indeed, a notice of release, pardon, or reprieve could not have induced them to leave the cell with more apparent willing- ness than this call to death. At the toj) of the steps there was no delay. Captain Redfield mounted the drop at the head, and the Indians crowded after him as if it were a race to see w4io would get up first. They actually crowded on each other's heels, and as they got to the top each took his position without any assistance from those who had been detailed for that purpose. They still kept up a mournful w^ail, and occasionally there would be a piercing scream. The ropes were soon arranged around their necks, not the least i-esistance being offered. The white caps which had been ])laced on the top of their heads were now drawn down over their faces, shutting out forever the light of day. Then ensued a scene that can hardly be described, and which can never be 126 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. forgotten. All joined in shouting and singing, as it appeared to those who were ignorant of the lan- guage. The tones seemed somewhat discordant, yet there was harmony in it. Save the instant of cutting the rope, it was the most thrilhng moment of the awful scene. And it was not their voices alone. Their bodies swayed to and fi"o, and their every limb seemed to l)e keeping time. The most touching scene on tlie drop was their attempt to grasjD each other's hands, fettei'ed as they were. They were very close to each other and many succeeded. Three or four in a row were hand in hand, all hands swaying up and down with the rise and fall of their voices. One old man reached out on each side, but could not grasp a hand; his struggles were piteous and affected many beholders. We were informed by those who understood the language that their singing and shouting was only to sustain each other — that there was nothing defiant in their last moments, and that no death- song, strictly speaking, w^as chanted on the gallows. STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 127 Eaeli one shouted his own name, and called on the name of his friend, saying in substance, '^ I'm here! I'm here!" Captain Burt hastily scanned all the arrangements for the execution and motioned to Major Brown, the signal officer, that all was ready. There was one tap of the drum, almost drowned by the voices of the Indians — another, and the stays of the drop were knocked aAvay, the rope cut, and with a crash down came the drop. CHAS. E. FLANDRATT. (Defender of New Ulm.) TXDIAX STRATECIY.^ 0.\ riiK ^KLLow Medicine, 185(3. One (lay, after skirmishing about over consider- able country, we made a camp on the Yellow Medicine Kiver, neai* a fine spring, and e\ erything seemed comfortable. The formation of tlu; camp was a s(|uare with the guns and tents inside, and a sort of j)icket line on all sides about a hundred yards from the center, on which the sentinels marched day and night. I tented with the Major, and seeing that the Indians were allowed to come, inside the ])icket lines with their guns in their hands, I took the liberty of saying to him that I did not consider such a policy safe, because the Indians could, at a * By kind permission of tlie piiidisher. E. W. Porter, this story and tlie following one are reproduced here from " Tales of the Frontier,'' by Judge C. E. Flandrau. 129 18U STORIES OF MINNESOTA. concerted signal, each pick ont his man and shoot liim down, and then where wonld the battery be? But the Major's answer was, " Oh, we must not show any timidity." 80 I said no more, but it was just such misplaced confidence that afterwards cost General Canby his life among the ^Nlodocs, when he was shot down by Captain Jack. Things went on (juietly, until one (hiy a young soldier went down to the spring with his bucket and dipper for water, and an Indian who .desired to make a name for himself among his fellows, followed him stealthily, and when he was in a stooping posture, filling his bucket, came up behind him, and plunged a long knife into his neck, intend- ing of course to kill him; but as luck would have it, the knife struck his collar-bone and doubled up, so the Indian could not withdraw it. The shock nearly prostrated the soldier, but he succeeded in reaching camp. The Major immediately demanded the surrender of the guilty party, and he was given STOIUES OF MINNESOTA. 131 up by the Indians. I noticed one thing, however; no more Indians were allowed inside the lines with their guns in their hands. When the prisoner was brought into camp, a guard tent was established and he was confined in it, with ten men to stand guard over him. These men Avere each ai-med witii a Minie ritie, which was first introduced into the army and which was quite an effective weapon. While all this was going on, we were holding pow-wows ever}' day with the Indians, endeavoring to straighten out and clear up all the vexed ques- tions between us. The manner of holding the council was to select a place on the prairie, plant an American flag in the center, and all hands squat down in a circle around it. Then the speechifying would commence, and last for hours without any satisfactory result. Anyone wdio has had much experience in Indian councils is aware of the hope- lessness of arriving at a termination of the discus- sion. It very nuich resembles Turkish diplomacy. 132 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. But the weather was pleasant and ever} one was patient. The Indians, however, were concocting plans all this time to effect the escape of the prisoner in the guard-house. So one day they suggested a certain place for the holding of the council, giving some plausible i*eason for the change of location, and when the time arrived, everybody assembled, and the ring was formed. Those present consisted of all the traders, Super- intendent Cullen, Major Sheehan, Lieutenant Ayer, in fact all the white men at the agency, and about one hundred Indians, every one of whom had a gun in his hands. I had warned the Major frequently not to allow an Indian to come to council with a gun, but he deemed it better not to show any timid- ity, and so they were not prohibited. The council on this occasion was held about four hundred yards from the battery camp, and on lower grounds, but with no obstructions between them. The scheme of the savages w^as to spring to their STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 133 feet on a concerted signal and ])e^'in firing their guns all aronnd the council circle, so as to create a great excitement and bring everyone to their feet, and just at this moment the prisoner in the guard- house was to make a run in the dii*ection of the council, keeping exactly between the guard and the whites in the council ring, l)elieYing the soldiers would not fire for fear of killing their own people. When the time arrived every Indian juni])ed to his feet and fired in the air, creatmg a tremendous fusillade, and as had been expected, the most fright- ful ])anic followed, and evei-yone thinking that a general massacre of the whites had begun, they scattered in all directions. Instantly the i)risoner ran for the crowd, and an Indian can sprint like a deer. Contrary to expectations, every one of the ten guards opened fire on him, and seven of them hit him, but curiously not one of tlie wounds sto})i)ed his progress and he got away; but the bullets went over and among the whites, one ricochetting through the coat of Major Cullen. 134 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. The prisoner never was canght, but I heard a great deal of him afterwards. His exploit of stabbing the soldier and his almost miraculous escape made him one of the most celebrated medi- cine men of liis band, and he continued to work wonders thenceforth. pug-o:n^-a-ke-shig and the battle of leech lake. (Uy (". K. Flan.lr.iii.) Early in OetobcT, 1898, there was an Indian battle fonght at Leech Lake, in this state, the magnitude of the resnlt of which gives it a phice in the history of Minnesota, although it was strictly a matter of United States cognizance and jurisdiction. In Cass count}^ there is a Chippewa Indian reservation, and like all other Indian reservations, there are to be found there turbulent people, l^oth white and I'ed. There is a large island out in Leech Lake, called Bear Island, Avhich is inhabited by the Indians. On Octobei* L 1897, one Indian shot another on the island. A prominent member of the tribe named Pug-on-a-ke-shig (Hole in the Day) Avas present and witnessed the shooting. An indictment was found in the United States district 136 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. court against the Indian who did the shooting, but before any trial could be had the matter was settled l)y the Indians in their own way, and they thought that was the last of it. A subpoena was issued for Pug-on-a-ke-shig and a deputy marshal served it. He disregarded the subpoena. An attachment Avas then issued to arrest him and bring him into court. A deputy United States marshal tried to serve it, and was resisted by the Indian and his friends on three different occasions, and once when the Indian was arrested he was rescued from the custody of the marshal — warrants were then issued for the arrest of twenty-one of the rescuers. This was in the latter part of August, 1898. Troops were asked for to aid the marshal in making his arrests, and a lieutenant and twenty men were sent from Fort Snelling for that purpose. . . . It soon became apparent that there would be trouble before the Indians could be brought to terms, and (reneral Bacon, the officer in command of the Department of Dakota, with headquarters at STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 1P,7 St. Paul, ordered Majoi- Wilkinson of Company "E," of the Tliird Regiment of Tnited States Infanti-v, stationed at Foi't Snelling-, with his com- pany of eighty men to the scene of tlie trouhles. General Bacon accompanied these troops. On the .^th of Octohei', 1898, the whole force left Walker in i)oats for a ])lace on the east hank of the lake, called Sngar Point, where thei-e was a clearing of several acres and a log honse, occupied l)y Png-on-a-ke- shig. When the command landed, only a few sqnaws and Indians were visihle. The de])nty marshals landed, and, with the interpreters, went at once to the honse, and while there discovered an Indian whom Colonel Sheehan recognized as one for whom a wai'rant was ont, and immediately attempted to arrest and handcnfi* him. The Indians I'esisted vigoronsly, and it was only Avith the aid of three or four soldiers that they sncceeded in ai'resting him. lie was put on board of the boat. The whole force then skirmished through the timber in search 138 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. of Indians, and did not believe there were any in the vicinity, when in fact the Indians had watched their every movement, and were close to their trail, waiting for the most advantageous moment to strike. It was the same tactics which the Indians had so often adopted with much success in their warfare Avith the whites. AVhile stacking arms, a new recruit allowed his gnu to fall to the ground, and it was discharged accidentally. The Indians were silently awaiting their oppor- tunity, supposing it Avas the signal of attack, opened fire on the troops, and a vicious battle began. The soldiers seized their arms and returned the fire as best they could, directing it at the point whence came the shots from the invisible enemy, concealed in the dense thicket. The battle raged for several hours. General Bacon, with a gun in his hands, was everywhere, encouraging the men. Major Wilkinson, as cool as if he had been in a drawing- room, cheered his men on, but was thrice a\ ounded, the last hit proving fatal. Colonel Sheehan instinc- STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 139 lively entered.the fight and took charge of the right wing of the Hne, chai'ging the enemy with a few fol- lowers and keeping np a rapid tire. The resnlt of the light w\as six killed and nine wonnded on the part of the troops. No estimate has ever been satisfactorily obtained of the loss of the enemy. Later the United States commissioner of Indian affairs arrived on the scene and satisfactorily settled w^ith the Indians. THE GRASSHOPPER SCOURGE 11^ RENYH^LE COUNTY. (Written Ity County Snpt. Erie Ericson, Olivia. Mirn., for tliis publication.) The g'reat ^grasshopper scourge in soutliern Min- nesota assained serions propoitions in 1874, and the locusts increased in numbers and destructiveness until the early summer of 1878, when they disap- peared. The first year, the hatching of the locusts and the work of destruction in Renville county, was confined to the sandy soil along the Minnesota river, in the townships of Flora and Sacred Heart. It is not known from where the vanguard came — probably from the arid regions of the southwest. They multiply with great rapidity, the eggs being laid late in the summer, in packets of about seventy- five, in holes bored in the ground. The locust is exceedingly voracious, which may be explained by reference to its alimentary canal, which is highly 140 vSTORIES OF MINNESOTA. 141 develo[)c'(l, the gizzard being providcMl with IVom six to eight rows of horny denticulated plates situated on ridges, the whole number of teeth in some species amounting to 270. The stomach and saH- vary glands are highly develoj^ed, the large jaws further adapting it for its vegetable diet. The air- tubes dilate into numerous large air-reservoirs, which assist it in taking its long-sustained flights. The young are hatched about May, and at once begin their work of devouring the tender grain. They move along in solid [)halanx over a field of grain, eating everything clean as they go. The myriads stretching across the field, the townshi]), the county, made it a hopeless task to exterminate them. Many devices were tried, such as plowing and burning, but no perceptible impression was made. About 'July 1 they acquii-e wings and fly in great swarms from place to place. These flights are taken during the middle of the day, usually at a height of 200 to oOO feet, and when watched, as 142 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. they usually were, by the struggling and anxious settlers of those early times, to whom a crop was their all, their transparent wings made them look like snow flakes, and they seemed almost as numer- ous. Between four or five o'clock they would light, usually in fields of grain, eat the juicy stalks and heads of the grain, and destroy all in a few hours. In 187() and 1877 the entire county was literally covered with locusts, the fields of grain being swept clean from one end to the other. The writer has seen houses black with locusts, and trees so heavily loaded with them that the branches swayed and bent with their weight. In 187(3, eleven counties were filled with grass- hopper eggs. The legislature passed a resolution recommending that the prairies be burned, at a cer- tain time of the year, so as to destroy the eggs and the young. They also memorialized Congress to grant aid to those who had their ci-ops destroyed year after year. In those days people lived in sod shanties, or STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 143 houses built of cheap huuher, and little of it. Vuv coats were almost uuknown. A ei'y many families lived on cheap, coai'se bread, with little meat or butter. (Groceries Avere a luxury. The nearest market j)laces were ^\'w I^lm and AVillm.'ir until the fall of 187(S. Many of the early settlers i-ctuj-ned to the east, some to come back after the grass- ho])])ers had finally disa|)pe;ii-ed, others, not. The United States government sent out ai'iny clothing and a lieutenant of the I'cgular army (Ustri- buted it to the needy. I'he state of Minnesota ai)proi)riated money to help the people get seed grain, Renville county receiving $12,000 from the appropriation made by the legislature in January, 1878. The state also sent out hundreds of barrels of coal tar which was spread upon large tin ])lates, or any flat surface of considerable length and breadth, which was dragged over the field of grain. The young hoppers would jump upon this platform as it was moved along and be caught in the tar. Tons of them were destroved, for the Hulit was a 144 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. des23erate one to get bread foi* tlie family of little ones, and a fraction of the growing grain was, in some cases, saved. Seed peas were also fnrnished by the state, and patches of greater or less extent planted. The festive hoppei* did not seem to care for this diet, and many a i'armer's ianiily gladly dined on pea sonp. In the Slimmer of 1878 the hoppers took flight before depositing any eggs and whither they went was a mystery. It was firinh' believed, however, that they wonld hatch somewhere else and return thicker than evei- the next yeai*. The ontcome w^as awaited with almost bated breath, and the relief w^as great w hen the hoppers failed to again appear. Bnt even their failnre to appear that year did not at once quiet forebodings. People believed the coun- try would be visited periodically by these pests, and a few years at the most was all the exemption that could be expected. Happily these forebodings have not been fulhlled, and we hope never will be. MINNESOTA JX THE WAli WITH SPA IX. Oil the 25th of Api'il, 1eople were encamped aljout (bur or Hve miles uj) the river, and that lie was afraid to go any fai'tlicr lest he should freeze to death, lie was mounted on a pony, had a pack of furs with him, and asked us to take him in tor the night. AVe of course did so and made him as comfortable as we could by giving him a buffalo robe on th(^ f1ooi*. I Jut we had no shcltei' for the pony, and all we could do was to hitch him on the lee side of the shanty and strap a blanket on liim. * T{pprodu«"ed fi-oni '• Tales of tlic Kry iicrniissioii of .IiiiIk<- ('• ••. Kluiulraii, and the puhlislier, E. W. I'ortcr, St. I'anl. 147 148 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. When inoi'iiing carne he was frozen to death. We got the poor little l)oy safely off on the way to his people's camp, and decided to utilize the carcass of the ])ony for wolf bait. In order to pi-esent an intelligent idea of the situ- ation, I will say that the river made an immense detonr in front of the shanty, having a large extent of bottom land, covered with a dense chapparral, which was the home of thousands of wolves, and as soon as night came they would start out in di-oves in seai'ch of prey. We hauled the dead i)ony out to the l)aclv of the shanty and left it about two rods distant from the window. The moment night set in, the wolves in packs would attack the carcass. At first we would step outside and fire into them with buckshot from double-barreled shot-guns, but we found they were so wary that the mere movement of opening the door to get out would frighten them, and we had very limited success for the first few nights. Another difficulty we encountered was shooting STORIES OF MINNESOTA. 141) in llif (l.nk. If 3-011 liavc never tried it, and ever do, you will Hnd it exceedingly difHenlt to get any kind of an aim, and you will have to fire at the sound rather than the ohjeet. We remedied this trouble, however, hy taking out a light of glass from the bacdv window, and building a rest that bore directly on the carcass, so that we could poke our guns through the opening, settle them on the rest, and blaze away into the gloom. We brought our bed uj) to the window so that we could shoot without getting out of it, while snugly wrapi)ed up in our blankets. After this our luck improved, and after each discharge we would rush out, and with a tomahawk, despatch the wounded wolves and collect the dead ones, until we had slaughtered forty-two of them. We skinned them and sold the pelts to traders for seventy-tive cents a piece, wdiich money Avas the first of our earnings. IHE FALLS OF MINNKIIAHA IN WINTER rJlE FALLS OF MIISTNEHAHA. This was Iliawathivs wooing! Thus it Avas he won tlie daughter Of the aneient An'ou-malcer, Li tlie hind of the Dacotahsl From tlie wigwam lie departed. Leading with him Laughing Water; Hand in liand they went too-ethei'. Through the woodland and the meadow, 151 152 STORIES OF MINNESOTA. Left the old man .standing lonely At the doorway of his wig' warn, Heard the falls of Minnehaha CalHng to them from the distance, Ciying to them from afar off, " Fare thee well, O Minnehaha! " And the ancient Arrow-maker Tnrned again nnto his labor. Sat down by his sunny doorway, Mnrmni-ing to himself, and saying: " Thus it is GUI' daughters leave us. Those we love and those who love us! Just when they have learned to help us. When we are old and lean upon them. Comes a youth Avith flaunting feathers. With his flute of reeds, a stranger AVanders piping through the village. Beckons to the fairest maiden. And she follows where he leads her. Leaving all things for the stranger! " — Longfellow. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 136 320 7