Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-04-30
INDIAN WAR IN IOWA
0flirial Afrolni OF the Int HaSarree BIZ the In
dians in Northern Iowa.
Sixty Killed, wounded and Missing,
suFFERINGs OF THE VOLUNTEER,
RETREAT OF THE ENEMY.


SfR:-Being called upon by the frontier
settlers for aid in checking the horrible
outragcs committed upon the citizens liv-
ing on the Little Sioux River, in Clay
County. in the Spirit Lake Settlements,
and in Emmett County, by the Sioux Indi
ans, by authority YOU vestel in me, j
raised and organized and armed three COM
panies of 30 nren each. which were as i've
proceeded increased to over 81 men each
We took up orr line of march on the 25th
of March. and proceeded up to the west
branch of the Des Moincs River to inter
cept the savagrs, whom, reports said, were
about to sweep all the settlements on that
river By forced marches through snow
banks from l. to 20 feet deep. and swollen
streams, we fo.cel orr way up to the State
line, where we learned the Indians were en-
boiled 2 or 5000 strong at Spirit Lake
and Big Island groves. Never was harder
service rendered by any body of men than
by those 10 men under my command
We had to ford streams breast deep every
few miles, and az all snow hanks or drifts
had to shovel roais and draw orr wagons
through by hand with tug ropes, also the
oxen and horses. All were wet all day up
to the middle at least, and lay ont on the
open prairies at night without tents or 9th
er covering than a blanket or Bu.iiulo robe.
About so miles up we met those who
had escaped the massacre at Springfield,
composed of three men unhurt, two
wounded, and one female woun;led and
several women and children, in all mum
bcring some IL or 90 persons. They hal
escaped in the night. carrying nothing with
them bit what they hal on when they were
attackcd-had nothing to eat for two days
and one night They ware about exhaust
ell and the Indians on their trail pursuing
them. Had not our scouts discovered
them aud reported, there can be no doubt
but that they all would have been murdered
that night. We found them in a miserable
condition, destitute of everything like
clothing and food. three of them badly
wounded and several of the women with
ont bonnets or shoes. They had nothing
on them but what they had on the night
they a.d The poor women wading breast
deep through SNOW and water and CARRYING
their crying children
We halted at small Lake that furnished
sufficient timber 10 make fires anl warm
them---furnishcd them with provisions and
gave them blankets to shield them from
the severe weather and gave them all the
relief i'll our power. Our surgeon dressed
the wounds of the wounded, whose wounds
were in a bal condition. We. cncampcd
there with them that night, posting senti-
nes and pickets, expecting to be a;taes ed.
Next morning we sent them on with ON
scouts to what is known as the Irish settle
mcnt, to remain until we returned, the set
tiers above that point having abandoned
their homes and embodied themselves al
that place where they Were engaged in
building Block House. We proceeded
on our march, throwing out in advance
some 30 scouts accommodating and exam.
lining every point where the enemy might
possibly be found-every point of timber
lake aud stream was closely examined
and found very fresh traces of the Indians
throughout the day. From these tracks
and trails they had all taken their course
J tor Spirit Lake, or in that direction. by
forced marches we reached the State line
near Springfield, and encamped about sun
down on the margin of grovc-detailcd
60 men, armed with rifles and six-shooters,
with orders to cook their suppcrs and sup
| ply themselves with cold rations, each com.
pany their own, and be ready to march all
night, in two divisions of 30 men each
and surprise the Indians before daylight
next morning. Furnished them Will
guides, as the information we had Just re-
ceived was that the Indians were embodied
at or near the trading house Of half-brec5
by the name of Caboo.
We proceeded with great hopes of over
taking and giving good account OF them
but: to our great modification. we fount
they hal all sled upon the approach of 81
regulars from Fl Ridgely, Woods 4
Caboo, traders, gave them the information
that the troops were coming, and who's,
movements they sent their runners to watch
Had they not sent to Ridgcly for troop,
we would most certainly have ovcrtakel
them
The conduct Of the troops from For
Ridgely is hard to be accounted FOR. Or
| Thursday, the 9th of March, the Indians
attacked Springfield and neighborhood.- =
The citizens defended themselves as well a
they could. The battle and piIlaging last
ed until nightfall, when the Indians with
drew. On Friday. in the afternoon. th'
troops from Ridgely arrived all wei
mounted on mules. Those troops lay a
tSpring6eld all day Satnrday, and assisted
in burying some of the dead. Their OH
GERS csunselIcl with the half-breed, Taboo
who was the only one unframed, and
known to be acting with. and Identified
with the Indians, and whose. squews nc i
married to a squaw was, at that time
wearing the shawl Of Mrs Church, Will
other articles taken from the citizens
Said officers lay over from Friday evening
till Sunday morning without pursuing o.
making any effort to overtake tho Indians
who, they must have known, had taker
!. off four white women as prisoner.