Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-06-04
Correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune.
Minnesota - The Indian TrOu.
HES.

bles.
GREENvILLE, Wabasha County M. T.,
May Il, 1857
I see by the Tribune of May 2 that the
account of the Indian troubles near the
South Bend of the Minnesota or st. Peters
River has reached you. In regard to the
massacre at Spirit Lake, the account you
give is undoubtedly correct, add horrible
affair indeed it was. As to the general at
tack upon the settlers Intended or attempt
ed by the Indians, nothing could be more
incorrect. In the published accounts there
are slight differences, but from the best
authority the facts are essentially these.
There is aroving Indian family or frag-
ment of a tribe, consisting of from thirteen
TO twenty persons. The chief or head of
the family bears the name (if I spell it
aright) of "Ink-ta-pu-dah." This family
or tribe were neuer uRder treaty with the
United States, and though not openly hos
tile, were not on the same footing as the
friendly Sioux, who are under treaty.
This chief has two daughters married
among the "Yankton Sioux" which for
midable tribe, residing far beyond the from
tier line of civilization, are at wal with the
United States, and are, if | mistake not, a
portion of those Indians whom Gen. Har-
ney has so severely chastised' This small
band, headed by 'Ink-ta-pu-dah," were be-
yond Mankaio, and were passing along
when a settlers dog attacked them, and
one of the Indians shot the dog. In the
evening the settler got his neighbors to-
gether, went to the encampment of the
Indians, took away their guns, tore down
their tents, and drove them off with clubs.
The Indians, as soon as they got a safe
distance, commenced the work of slaugh-
ter and reprisal. All this disaster and
bloodshed has teen caused by the halfdrun-
ken fools who assaulted the Indians, rob
bed them of their arms, tore down their
tents, and drove them off with blows. No
greater indignity than this can be put upon
the Indian, and nothing like this would
serve to rouse their deepest revenge; and
the poor, unwarne1, defenseless families at
Spirit Lake received the terrible conse-
quences of the guilt and folly of those who
first attacked the Indians in their tents,-
This was not bad enough, but the volun-
teer troops, who assembled i'll hot haste,
showed themselves ready to shoot anything
in the shape of an Indian, guilty or not
guilty. So, marching put of Mankato,
they came upon "Red Irons" banda small
company of friendly Sioux (who perchance
had not heard of the affair." engaged in the
peaceable occupation of sugar-making-and
fired upon them, when the Indians fled in
great dismay, one of their number being
shot through the elbow. The excitement
was intense. The settlers beyond and
around Mankato in many instances packed
up a portion of their goods in wagons, and
with their cattle and horses fled from the
country for ever, leaving valuable claims
with cabins and other improvements fol-
any one who might wish to occupy them
Il trust many of them may ere this have
returned.) They reported as they fled that
they saw their cabins on fire, and thai
hundreds of Sioux were assembling to at
tack Mankaeo, st. Peters and Traverse d.
Sioux. The fires, however, which the,
saw in the evening, were the prairie fires
which may be seen everywhere in the nigh
time. Mankato has never been attacked
nor the other places mentioned, and tn
friendly Sioux, fearing determination at tn
hands of the whites, have fled in all direc
tions for safety; and l am informed b,
authority the most reliable that the littl
band of "Ink-ta-pu-dah" were all VIII
were concerned in the massacre n
Spirit Lake, and probably only thirteen o
them had a hand in it. The excitemen
spread as the settlers fled, and the peopl,
at Rochester were much alarmed, and tn,
settlers around Fairbault left their home.
and came into the town and camped foI
safety; and in consequence of the Regain
like dispatches sent to st. Paul from st
Peters by a terriaJly scared man named
"Hezlep," calling for "men, arms and anu
milton for Gods sake" the good people o.
st. Paul became quite alarmed for theil
own safety, and n of the papers publish.
ed a startling cry, eTo arms p and the PEG.
pie assembled and deliberated rs to the
propriety of raising troops to defend the
city. St. Paul, you will recollect, is some
hundreds of miles from the scene of the
massacre, and the danger was not pery i'm.
minent. All this time the little band Of
murderers, hearing that the United States
troops from Forts Dodge and Ridgely
were after them, were making tracks with
all speed in order to take shelter among
their Yankton friends, hundreds of miles
beyond Mankato.
Maj. Flandran, the Indian Agent, acted
promptly and efficiently in allaying the ex-
element and bringing the frightened set
tiers to their senses, and also by sending
the bands of frightened Sioux, wandering
about the country, to their own reserved
lands beyond the St. Peters River.
Human vanity stuck out awfully during
the excitement. Some of the commanders
of the volunteer forces made themselves
very ridiculous by their bombastic dispat-
ches; and the sad effects of a little brief
authority comi:g suddenly upon men not
used TO it were ludicrous in the extreme.
As an instance of Whist things excited
men can see, | was told by a settler who
resided beyond Mankato that, on the ar
rival of the news from Spirit Lake, the
people were wild with alright, and a neigh
Dor ofhis mounted his horse in the even
ing to ride around and get the latest in
formation. Soon he came ~galloping back,
announcing that lie saw an Indian setting
fire to q house not far off, and the Sioux
were coming, and urged my informant to
harness his team and flee with his family