Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-10-03

INDIAN HosrILrTrEs IN MINNESOTA.

INDIAN HOSTlLITIES IN MINNESOTA.
Our community is so largely represcn-
ted at the West, and especially in Mime
sofa, that I've have felt the deepest inter-
est in the troubles which the inhabitants
of that State have recently experienced
from the outbreak of indian hostilites.
Everything respecting them is read with
such avidity that we trust the following
extract, which we are permitted by R. L.
Perkins, Esq, of Stowe, to publish, from
a letter written by his brother, Oson F.
Perkins, Esq, of Faribault, Minn., will
be acceptable to our readers.
FARIBAULT, Mimi, Sept. 10, 1852.
g q %
must now tell you something about
the Indian campaign, which l have just
made. You have probably before this
time, learned from the newspapers, that
we are having very serious time with
the indians. There has scarcely ever
been such slaughter, in the history of
this continent. The whole western part
of our State, up as far as the Sioux tribes
extend, is one scene of destruction, and
their ravages doubtless reach as far south
as Kansas The Sioux, are much the lar.
gest nation now in America, and there is
ne doubt that all the tribes belonging to
their nation are now engaged in this war.
1t is prcconcertcd movement on their
part, thing they have been contempla-
ting for long time, and they think that
now while the southern war is going on.
is a good time to strike.
We heard the news of the first out
break in Faribault, three weeks ago to
day, Wednesday, and it was but an hour
or two before forty of us, armed with
double barrelled shot guns and rifles, and
mounted on horses, vending our way to
St. Peters, the place of general rendcz-
vous. St. Peters is 45 miles west of this
place, on the Minnesota River. We reach
ed the town of Elysium, 20 miles on the
way, after dark. and it was so dark, that
we were obliged to stay there until the
next morning. Our ride from that place
to st. Peters being through the woods all
the way. During the night it rained
quite hard, and continued to rain the
next day until We had nearly reached st.
Peters, so that when we got there we were
as wet as though we had been swimming
in the river. We were the first company
that reached St Peters and were soon joined
by about forty mole mounted men, from
Mortified; making in all a fine company
of cavalry, so in number BY the next
Monday there were collected about eleven
hundred infantry and cavalry, the caval.
ry amounting to about 400. On the next
Saturday after our arrival, our company
made an expedition to Swan Lake, 2C
miles further west, where we heard the
indians were at work. Major Fowler
of Faribault, commanded U.s.. He is al
old army officer, and for six years was
fighting BILLY Bowleg's" indians in thu
Florida swamps ! might as we'll state
here that was chosen lst Lieutenant o
our company.
When we had got out some four miles
q from st. Peters, we came to piece of tim
E ber, very convenient place for an ambus
cadc. When within about 500 yards o.
9 the timber, the command halted, and eacl
man was required to see that his gun wa
! ready for action. We begun to thinl
f that order looked little like approaching
battle field, but thought it looked NOR
6 so when / was ordered to take two mel
r and 90 800 yards ahead and Keep tina
r distance, all the way in advance Of th
n expedition, as an advance guard; But
led the expedition in that way and bacl
again, the return being in the night, an
it wass so dark we could hardly see ou
4 hands before us. We went about 20 mile
. through country entirely deserted b.
h the inhabitants, and stepped, intending
camp for the night at deserted house
. we found on the road. We stopped q
q this house until about dark, and coul
A see where the indians were firing build
ings, about three miles away on eithe
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