The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-12-05
THE DECOTAHS CAPTIVE.


southern portion of North America in ques
of gold, and the English planted the germ o
seli-goverpment on the eastern coast, tn,
French were but the agents of home mer
chants, who enjoyed a monopoly of the, vari
Gus traffics, and were sustained in the enjoy
ment of it by the strong arm of military
power. To the trading association in particu
lar we owe the discovery of the Mississippi
by the sons of the MEMBERSHIP intrepid LII
Sale. In this day, lead was first discovered
within the present limits of the State of Iowa
but the noted Julien Du Buque was the first
who taught the Indians to collect the ore, and
make an article of trade OF it, lie was not
only brave but crafty man, and after his
death, the savages, in compliance with his
dying wish, deposited his remains on the
summit of high cliff overlooking the Father
Of Waters, securing the mouth of the mou.
soleum with massive leaden door OF n ton
weight They then burned his dwellings and
erased every trace of civilized life around his
settlement, except the orchards planted by
his own hands. Vandal whites afterwards
cut up the door TO sell, but the name of Du
Buque will ever be remembered in Iowa.
Years passed away. The white flag of
France no longer waved over the Mississippi
valley, and the bold frontiers. man, advancing
on the foremost wave of civilization, crossed
the river in quest of lead ore, ameand fertile
soil. One of the first settlements thus es.
tabIished, was formed by party from Ken
tucky, led by the grandsire of the younger
generation-old Joe Bates, noble specimen
of a frontiersman. Seventy winters had
whitened his locks but he was still hale and
| ahi To of
sons, or TO draw bead on n rifle with that
fatal accuracy of aim which had enabled him
to render good service at the battle of New
Orleans. Selecting good locality on the
very shore of the Mississippi, old Joe and his
sons built log cabin, surrounded by stock.
ade to keep off the Decotahs. They sur
rounded n clearing with n worm fence, dead
ened the standing trees by the fatal axe circle,
and planted corn. When the corn was well
above the ground and freed from weeds, they
began to prospect for lead ore.
Thus far they-had seen no Indians, and
began to flatter themselves that the red
skins had left the country to their peaceful
possession; but the willy savages had kept II
constant watch upon their movements. Per-
haps, had they confined themselves to agri.
cultural labors, the intruders might have gone
on unmolested, especially as the Decotahs
wished to conciliate the United States Gov.
eminent into profitable treaty, but when
pickaxes were welded in search Of lead ore,
the destruction of the pale-faces was resolved
upon in council.
The first object of savage vengeance was
the Oldest son, Frank Bates, who had built
him cabin about five hundred yards from
lhan Iac ita 4 lao nf al
Joe. Frank, however, had no fear of Indians
and lived with his wife and babe in great
happiness, until one summers night when he
was awakened by the loud barking of his
dogs. Springing from his bed, he looked
through the opening in the logs, and saw to
his horror at least fifty Decotahs, in full war
costume, evidently seeking the easiest way to
force IN entrance into the cabin. Arousing
his wife, he raised cellar trap door, and was
about to send her down, when the child she
had left in the bed began to cry.
Il cannot leave my babe she said.
Nay he exclaimed, i will take care of the
boy and almost forcing her down into the
small cellar, he closed the unhnged door,
over which he drew large chest. Then,
seizing his rifle and hachet, he took the in
fant and ascended to the loft of the cabin,
pulling the ladder up after him. A moment
more, the door was forced from its hinges,
and the Decotals entered eager for their prey.
But Bates did not remain to watch their
movements, for lashing his boy to his shoul-
dcrs, he cautiously opened shutter in the
gable end of the loft, and seeing that no In
dams were beneath, jumped to the ground,
rifle in hand.
Ere he ha6 traversed his little garden, the
air resounGed with the blood chilling tones
of the war hoop, and volley of arrows rain
ed around the fugitive. Happily only one
struck him, and that in the fleshy part OF the
arm, so that he kept on straining every nerve
to reach the stockade around his fathers
cabin. But ere he had gone many PAGES
gigantic Indian overlook him. Turning like
n stag at bay, he faced his antagonist knocked
him down with the butt of his rifle and then
sped on his way. But now to his horror, he
saw large body Of Decotahs around his
fathers dwelling rs he approached, firing over
on to the roofs of the cabins with arrows to
which burning tow was attached.
He paused-but the cries of his boy
aroused him to II sense of his own danger
and his wfe's perilous situation. Directing
his steps towards the river, where he found
his 'dugout safely moored, he soon was pad
ding across the river to n settlement where
there was large number of whites.
Dly had scarcely dawned on the succeed
ing morning, before twenty miners, good men
and true, were ready to accompany him
across the river. They cared no more for the
Decotnhs than for prairie dogs, and acted
upon the spur of the moment, regardless Of
consequences. Crossing above his residence,
Young Bates led them towards his clearing,
but on arriving there nothing remained but II
mouldering pile of ashes. HIS beloved wife
had evidently pershed in the flames, for
among the ashes and cha-red beams in the
cellar they found her blackened bones.
Just ten they were joined by old Joe
Bates and two of his younger sons armed to
the teeth. They were delighted to find
Frank alive, for they had feared that the
column of smoke>that had arisen from his
cabin was his monument but now they did
their best to condole him in their way. He
said but little, but secretly nvowed TO avenge
his wife's death, and we'll did he keep his
word. TO have seen him, no one would
have supposed that the mild looking, slender
built Frank Bates was an incarnate demon in
n fight with the Decotahs; yet within year
after his cabin was burnt he had twenty
scalps hanging around his girde. Vengeance
seemed his only thought-his lfe's desire.
For some time after this Outrage, the
Decotahs kept away from the miners, but at
last party of them came proving about and
the miners determined to have n brush with
them. Who was so competent to head the
pnrtv as that sworn enemy of the redskins,