Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-01-25
12NO.1S} OTTUMWA IOWA, FRIDAY, JANUARY o. 1850.
Young men were there. The WORTHY

parson, from the next settlement, was
there also, and by his side sat another
parsonage, with whom in these fastidi-
Gus times it would be deemed sacrilege
to associate the man Of God-I mean
the fiddler. But things amt now as they
was then. All was Joy, all was gaiely.
All, little did those gathered there dream
of the awful fate that awaited them.
81 was then just twenty two, aud hav-
ing married my worthy wife--peace be
TO her mouldering ashes-only a few
months before, | was unprepared 10 60
with my brother and sister al the outset.
but was intending to follow them as soon
as my affairs could be arranged. | had
been outa week or two trapping sabie,
and knowing what was to come off, /
made il in my way TO be present. The
gaiety Of the party was at its height
The ceremony was just being performed.
The minister had pronounced the sol
emn words--'Whom God hath Joined
together let not man asunder kiss
was exchanged, and all were crowding
round the happy pair with congraiula-
,ions when yell, wild and hideolls rent
the air-the deadly war-whoop of the
Indians. Terrible was the consterna-
ton Of all, and faces moment before
radiant with happiness, were turned in
agony Of horror towards heaven. In an
instant the doors were burst open, and
savage after savage, with glittering nite
aud tomahawk, rushed into the slaughter.
MY God! what moment was that
The hldeous yel!s of the savages--the
shrieks and groans of the dying, they
ring in my ears 10 the present day.
saw the bloody tomahawk cleave the
skull of poor Jack as he vainly endeav-
ored 10 protect his bride. | heard her
wild shrek as the deadly knife pierced
the bosom of the lovely Mary. / saw
my sister fall dead at my feet. saw
the savage's arm uplited. I felt stun
ming blow, and knew no more. 81
How long remained insensi5le have
no means of knowing-l awoke as from
fearful dream. was nearly crushed
and covered entirely with dead bodies,
to which circumstance probably owed
my life. With a struggle l extricated
myself from the dead upon and around
me, and stood upon my feet. The sun
was shining high in the heavens. Oh,
horrors, what a sight met my eyes.---
There in their blood lay every one that
had formed the bridal party, not a soul
had escaped! How was it that | was
alive! Involuntarily put my hand to
my head and felt for my scalp-l found
the fracture had been struck with the
back of tonahawk and only stunned,
and being covered by my friends, the
Indians had neglected to scalp me. Pa. a
lone by one, examined the bodies Of
all, TO see if life was remaining in any.
| found two or three whom the savages
had neglected to scalp-bul not one alive.
The sight was too horrid for human vis-
ion. MY brain reeled and fell TO the
earth. Coming again to my senses
hurried from the dreadful spot, stepping
over the mangled corpses of my sister
and brother, and the bride and bride
groom, in the embrace of death. | pas
sed to the next house. An aged lady
and four children lay dead in their beds.
| passed 10 the next death had been
there too. The smoking ruins of 9th
ers told but too plainly the tragic story
There was not living being beside me in
the settlement.
..When | think Of that awful night
of the horrors of the morning as a.
woke to sensibility, my blood curdles IN
my veins and my head swims. From
that time swore vengeance on the red
skins. 1t has long since been accom-.
phshed. Not one one of that tribe lives
to tell the story Ham nE 'a" e
On my way home that night though'
/ saw Indians in every bush. And
when at last sleptI saw the, cold glare
of the eyes of murdered men and WON.
en- upon me, was pressed down by the
weigh, of dead bodies. The incidents
of that tragic wedding, as heard them
from the old mans lips, for long while
moved before me, as panorama--sc
deep was the impression made upon me
BY the old mans story.
4 The Washington Union says that ''ihs
'raylorlies have been whipped in nearly
l. Al. Il n u