The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-07-17

cabins near each other. Being men of
some means they had inst erected
saw and grist mill for their convenience,
knowing that the rapid settling of the
country, would soon make it paying
investment This they had just got
into operation short time before tho
events here narrated, and had sawed
quite bill of lumber, OF which one OF
the fproprietors had commenced to
bniId two story house, "a by 80 feet.
1t was raised, and shcetcd with inch
boards, bnt not rooted. It stood on
little knoll about IS rods from the mill,
and 10 from the edge of the timber
which skirted the creek. Ear.y one
morning in the month Of August, as
they were at breakfast, a horseman
came riding up in great haste, his horse
white with foam, aud nearly exhausted.
who told them that the Indians had
attacked the settlement at Pleasant
Valley that night, and had killed nearly
all the inhabitants. stolen their horses,
and burned their houses: he had been
looking for cattle some distance from
The evening. When he arrived within
mile of home he heard firing. and
hastino fo, ward to bluff from which
he could overlook the valley and settle
ment, he saw the houscs in flames. and
seeing party Of indians, he tied his
horse AMI crept forward as near as he
could and heard them say that they
should attack the Mill Settlement tho
next night md had Travelled all that
night 10 inform them oft.
There were ahna. 50 warriors. TN
on this Information 4 consultation was
held to determine what shoull be done
Their first tlonehts were to fiv f. Peo-
ria about 4G miles south on the Illinois
river. This was Given ZIP for tie roas,
on that al 'hnir rrepertv wo',ll ho des
trovel AMI Tint they wonll lie likely 10
he attacked before arriving there bv
another party who won'd he likely to be
prowlinr around the place.
ell tell Won What bows" (sai1 Capt.
| Eaton. who had served rs Captain in
the war Of 1929 ssi''s agin my rclirnn
to run t. ON Red Skin. ANYHOW. I've
great spite agin the tarnal critters.
canse they ,hnmped my grandmother on
her pate: took off her vic and left her
for dead burned the house and then
left canse they thought cranaad would
ho around with his rifle pretty soon
The snee.,ing rnps Let ON como
Lot 'cm come! It shant be said Cap'ir
10 ever ran from Red Skin"
"No sir &c, I'll rather have my scalr
taken for a crows nest. tat I would
Lookce hero hovs. we've cot lots q
oak plank at the mill that no Iniin riflt
kin shnte through; We'll jist git ZEN
and spike 'cm on the inside of my new
house from top to bottom, and put tn
nacs below and the wimmcn and ch'l
drcn and ourselves mp chamber; the
Iwe'll give 'em Its, that We willn
This was at sonce agreed to by all a
being the best they colld 90 under III
circumstances. They immediatel
| went TO work hauling. and spiking o
the plank, moving furniture to the ne,
/, house. 50 that hv sunset all were SING
! " slowed away in their new fort. Th
' horses secured below. the entrance firm
4 " barred: and the cattle driven +.
t away ont on the nraiyic. 1t was a We,
: busy dav for our friends; all had wor|
cd for dear life. While the men we
Q engaged in strengthening their fort, $
h curing the stock, &c. The womt
d were busy preparing provisions AZ
II moving the household furniture. viii
the children were husily engaged in ru
It ming bullets, and doing chores.
,r Capt. Eaton like an experienced co,
!. manaer supcrintended all the prepar
It tions, and took every precaution to
of snre the comfort and safety Of ]
% charge. He therefore had several b:
IN rels Of water hauled and placed whe
t. they were at hand, so as to be used
1t any moment. A stove was set up a
X an abundance Of fuel secured.
to Port holes were cut through the wal
in through which to fire their guns, the
OF had slides of heavy plank, So that IL
. could be closed when the guns ~
withdrawn.
at When our friends came west ca
a provided himself with Il good rifle a
by fowiirgpiece, with a GOOD stock OF :
.uf nunitian oi' which they then aast
Y