The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-09-05
500 WOMEN AND CHILDREN
IN THE FORT,
Safe Arrival of Missionaries
at Henderson.
NARRATIVE OF d. w. MOORE.

From the Daily Pioneer of Aug. %.
Mr.. d. w. Moore of New jersey, with
bis wife, arrived in this city yesterday from
Henderson, having been among the party
composed of the missionaries and their fam.
lies, who escaped from the Upper Agency.
We had conversation with Mr.. Moore,
last evening, from which we make up the
following narrative OF their exciting jour,
ney:
Dir. Moore ard vile had beea boarding
for some weeks with the Rev. Mr.. Riggs at
the Hezlewood Republic, about six miles
above the Upper Agency.
On Monday night, August 18th, about
zine O'Clock, some of the friendly Indians
came to Mr.. Riggs, and said the Indians
were killing the settlers at the Lower Agen>
! cy, and urged him to gather the settlers and
leave fer Fort Ridgley. Very aoon after
other friendly Indians came in and reported
the Indians at the Upper Agency, and we're
urgent in their appeals for Mr.. Riggs to go.
The settlers got Mr.. Cunnirghams team,
and guided by friendly Indians were p!loted
to an island in the river about three miles
from Lakewood, where they remained Sc
GREETED until Monday afternoon.
The families that were secreted on the
Island were Rev. Mr.. Riggs and family,
MIR. Cunningham and family, Mr.. Petit.
john and family, and D. W. Moore and
wife.
The friendly Indians brought them pro
visions on the island, and seemed very
anxious for their safety.
AL! of the Indians belonging to the Ha"
zeIwood Republic were 10 great fear for
their own lives. and, as soon as they bad
word of the outrages being committed, put
Oh their blankets.
The friendly Indians having taken Mir
Cunningham's horses to reconnoi;re, and
failing to return, MIR g. went back to the
Indian village, and found horse and buggy,
| Will uO " tbC ic!duOs
On Monday afternoon Andrew Hunter
came in, and reported bis family and q part
! OF DR.. Wlliams0n's secreted further down
the river, and that be had bis team and
cattle, and Yves ready to start The party
united, and on TUESDAY evening they com,
manced their dangerous journey. A provi-
d ntial th2a er-s,orm obIiterated their
tracks, so that the Indians could 60. trail
them. They started out upon tie prairie,
10 a rorteasterly direction, and On Wednes-
doy mc.nirg sou'heastery, ill they struck
the Lac Qui Parle road, an1 tHence directly
towards Fort RldgIsy,
On Friday alternoon they passed 4ear
Beaver Greek settlement. where they were
j9iied By hev Mr.. Williamson and tie re-
;n,inier of bis family mixing the whole
number If Tie party about forty souls.
Wbtn ". bin six Ia es Of the Fort, they
saw two inllaus % horseback, who gazrd
al them for q few minutes. and then mvde uii,.
Au3rew fiuuter then undertook tbe yerj-
uus t,at Of goDg toward in ad@auce and
communicating with toe Fort, which ne
succeeded IN accomplishing about eltven
O'Clock on Friday night.
1T midnight he came back Guding the
party had ccme Up 10 within mil and
bali Ct the Foct, AMI reported that be had
been 10 the Fort, b ID seen Lieut. SheehaD,
and lhe latter told him that it would be
safer for the party TO keep awey from The
Fort and endeavor to reach Henderson.
Lieutenant Sneehan said his soldiers had
been obliged to fight almost continuity Tor
five days. and that they were very much ex-
tr; that there were nearly five hundred
women aud children in tbe Fort, ard it was
difficult TO obtain water, AID that it would
be much the better plan for the Missionary
party to make their escape, if possible.
Acting on the information brought by
Mr.. Hunter, the party struck cut fer the
prairie, ard Travelled TOR some time, when
they halted fer two hours to rest, after
which they proceeded in northeast d.ec-
tiop, until they reached the Henderson road
on Saturday, and arrived safely at Hender-
con on Monday.
Az they Travelled along the road on Sat.
urday and Sunday, at every farm they could
see the evidence of the panic which bad
prevailed. Houses were deserted, just as
though the occupants had not stopped even
to close the doors. On some farms they
saw oxen yoked, and standing in the yards,