The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-11-26


spectei the sincerity of their sotrow. Never
were lpdian knives driven deeper into
squaws' flesh in token o! grief than on that
occasion. The practice Of mortifyiDg the
body, on the death of friends, seems 10 be.
and To have been common TO all rude people.
The jews clothed themselves in sack cloth
and threw ashes on their heads Achilles
refused 10 wash his face I'LL the funeral rites
had been performed over the body Of Pa.
trocuus. Now, the male ChppcwuS black.
cncd their iaccs. indeed, but they did not
cash their arlns. 4 soldier who spoke their
language asked Of them why they did not
conform to the ancient usage OF their nation,
Perhaps We shall have usc for our guns to
/, ;;ssSss@, = rsf.!e,! ,ae l.s;.le sslliere We
must losr no blood though our hearts bleed,
for we must I've able TO seq struight over our
gun barrels,
The Little Soldier was right IN his mrmise
and prcaution. At early day,lawn the
commanding officer visited the wounded
/ Chippewas. and asked them IL they could
recognizes any Of their aggreSsors, IN case
they should appear before them. They
! replied eagerly IN the affirmative. tie then
I "Sh'i t''Hi WY ivy HNNl Vbi nNNti fl'Wt WI
their guard We respected Your flag"
replied the mor,ally wounded man and
thought that our enemies would do the
same" The Colonel then nsk~l whether
they had given the Dakoias NJ Iroywniion.
None" said the Chippewa, but VT en.
dured much" lie presented the peace. pipe
which the l,akoins had hr0ugh, with them,
and said that the hair with which II was
Ornancnt@l had belonged 10 Chippewa
head. We know not how he made the
discovery, but il is well known to aIl who
have lived on the frontier that au Inliun on
seeing scalp. can tell, with nnc,ring Ger.
tainty, Ia what tribe il belongs.
The wounded men were then, with their
own joyful consent, placed on Iitius and
borne 10 tho guard house. The Dakota
prisoners were paradrd before them and
they dcntiltoi two Of the number, M having
belonged Ia the band Of assassins
81 deliver them intu your hands, sanl
the Colonel 10 the Chippewa warriors.
They have deserved death, and ymu may
inIIict IL, or not, ~ you think proper. lf
you Io not, they must be triod 6y the laws
which govern IA Americans. | have M
power to put them 10 death. ion may Ici
them go II you please ] wash my hands of
the matter" This speech was interpreted
faithfully TO the ChirI~wns. but none Of
them answered. Instead of speaking thcy
examined the ilin's and rtiming of their
guns. The Little Soldier drew from b..
meath hi. robe few faibom- Of cord, cut
from an elk .kn, and presently secured the
two criminals. fastening them together by
the elbows. Il was obscrvel that hc drew
his knots rather tighter than WAS absolutely
necessary but Bp obe blamed him. The
Dakotns were then led forth. A. soon as
they passad the gate. the Chipmwas baltel
and cockcd their guns, for tlrir vengeance
was growing impatient
"fou must not shoe, them under our
walls" said one Of the officers
% botc you 10 not expect rs 10 take
them very lar, replied Chippewa.
The procession then moved on. One of
the ijako'as -truck up the death song The
other attempted il, bat did not succeed bis
yoce sunk into u gnnyer of conformation
The Cbippewas Ied them 10 rising ground,
about two iurlongs from the fort, there
halted and baJe them run for their lives
They were not slow to oDey the Innpia,r
and their cxccu'ioners gave them thirty
yards law. At that distance six guns we're
discharged n, them and they fell dead.
Instantly the prairie rang with the Chippewa
~ dr yos anil tbe excru,i0ucrs rushed
towards the corpss with their knives bared I
yelling like frHds. Twice and thrice did .
each plunge his weapon into the bodies 0f 1
The pros,rute fss, and then wipe their blade I
0n their face ~ blanket One ar two dis- /
played ferocity which thDsr only who saw,
can entirely realize They drew their reeking .
knives through their lip-. and exclaimed. /
with n smack that they had never tasted /
any thing 10 good. An cremy's blood was 4
better than even fire water. The whole /
party then syat upon The body ri him who 4
had t-nrcd his fate, aad splrne1 /, with ,lpir
feet. They had not tasted his blood. r.
wouid, they said, have made their hearts
weak. 70 him who had sung bi. death
song. they oirred 10 iohgni,y. On the
contrary they covered him with new
blanket. THY thep returned 10 the Fort.
The Colonel met them at The gate. lie
bad prevented all over whom bis authority
extended from witnessing the -cenc Just
described, and i,c hal done his best 20 make
The ~. eu,iOD tie exclusive Li.iD,s- of The
Chippewa. IT, nov ,oId them that the
spii,s Of The slain mast no bc suffered 10
remain upon BIZ laDd, where The spectacle
nigh, grieye he Dakotas who we're iunocent
u their criine. The party retired. And pro
coded % the slaughter sfourl. The, took
tbe dad Dasotss by the he.ls ifai.ed ih. m
Dyr tbe earth 70 tie bluf, and there threw
them over a perpen9icular precipiee hun
lred and h'ty fsa high. Tie bodi,s s,,lasiad
md sunk, and nothing more was ever stn
u heard of them.
Among the DakJtas detained In the guard