Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-04-30

tour Struggling squaws, let them go-and |
finding all kinds of goods thrown and
strcwed along their trail to Tighten their
Dad and expedite their fight When he
;ould not have been over half DAYS
march of them, lac stopped and returned
he same evening { Sunday to Springfield.
When he ordered the men to return they
expressed a wish tofollow on, and said they
would put up with half rations if he would
sllowit. His reply was that he had no or
ders to follow them.
On Monday he set out to Spirit Lake to
bury the dead, dc. He went to the first
house, that of Mr.. Naples, found one dead
body, buried it, and returned to Springfield.
lis certain such troops, or rather such Of
ficcrs, will afford no protection to oar from
tier settlers. Such men are not fit to pro-
tect orr frontiers. Think of his conduct,
his men all well mounted. turning back
when he was not half days march from
them; they loaded down with plumber, and
horses and mules, and carrying off with
them four respectable women as prisoners.
The Indians were known to have some %
or 80 head of horses and 3 or 10 mules,
taken from the settlers. These Indians
commenced low down on Little Sioux Riv-
err near the southwest corner of Bucna
Vista county, and proceeded to break up
and destroy all the settlements in that
county, Clay, Dickinson and Emmitt
counties; then intended coming down the
West Branch as far as they dare. Through
out their whole course they have complete
ly demolished every settlement, killed all
the cattle, rariskei the women and most
scandalously abused them. They stood
over the men with their guns cooked, while
they were engaged in their hellish outra-
ges. Along that river they approached,
and got into their houses through profess
ions of friendship, and with rush seized
the men and arms, taking the people by
surprise, attacking in such way that one
family could not help the other; all at
tackled simultaneously, robbed them of ev-
cry thing, and left them helpless in the
midst of cold weather and deep SHOWS
They did not commence to kill the settlers
until they reached Dickinson county,
There at Spirit Lake it appears that the
settlers had prepared to defend themselves,
as well as they could, and from all appear
ances they fought bravely for their fami-
hes The settlers at Spirit Lake mbcred
over forty souls, not one of whom is left to
tell the tale. Finding that the troops from
FIT. Ridgely had not buried the dead, de-
tailed % men to proceed II miles to the
Lake, and reconnoitre that district, and if
no Indians were discovered to inter the dead,
as an act of humanity. Guides were pro-
cured, and they set out under the command
of Capt Johnston and Lieut. Maxwell, of
Company G. They could find no Indians,
but found their encampment, and a dread
ful destruction of property. They per-
formed the sad duty of interring the dead so
far as they could find any. They found
and buried 80 bodies-found the skulls and
bones of those whe were burned in the
ruins of house, which, with the one bu-
ried by the troops from Ridgely, male in
all 50 dead fonnd at Spirit Lake. killed
at Springfield, and u missing at the Lakes,
certainly kiiled,-it is supposed they are
lying off at distance, killed in attempting
to escape, some two or three were found
who had been shot in attempting to escape,
four of their women taken of as prisoners,
and three badly wounded.
may sum up as follows: In all Al
killed; II missing; no doubt killed; badly
wounded, two l fear. morally; A women
prisoners; besides several men from Boone
River and counties east of this, who
crossed the Des Moines River with view
of going to Dickinson county and the
Lakes, have never vet been heard from
supposed to be killed on their way.
From all appearances the Sioux Indians
have determined to wage war of exteImi-
nation on our frontiers, as everything goes
to show it at every point on the upper Des
Moines, Big Island Grove, Spirit Lake,
and all points where we found traces oil
them. They had left the most Threatening
signs, stakes set up and painted red. trees
barked and painted, representing mer
pierced with arrows, DC, DC. At every
point they broke up and destroyed all tho
! furniture, burnt the houses and killed The
cattlc-over 100 heal of fine cattle were
found shot down and untouched in any
way but knocking off the horns-I suppose
to make powder horns Their whole course
goes to show that they intended to break
up and stop the settlement of that north
and northwest country.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed OF
the men / have had under my command OF
this occasion. Officers and men, without
/ exception, have done their duty; they en-
dure the greatest privations AMI without I
murmur-for seventeen days they presscc
forward on their march, walled rivers and
creeks breast deep, and Juggling wagons
through snow banks, sleeping on the praries
frequently in their wet clothes, expecting
every mile after reaching 80 miles, to meet
the Indians, as their threat was at Sioux
River, that they world sweep the Des
! Moincs River settlements. Oar men SUI
i fered very much, owing to the severe
change AMI snow storm. We have Jour
teen men taiIy frozen and two lost, uaP''
johnson of Webster city, AID Mr.. 6urs
holder of this place, both frozen TO d,a.i
4 in a snow storm--they were separated IN
returning from the lake. From the state
Of the men who succeeded in getting back
4 to camp. both Of these men must be dead;
every search has been made for them, but
! M discovery as vet. So severe was the