Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-10-03
The Indian War in Minnesota.
A HEROIC WOMAN.

years near Eagle Lake, ABOUT sixty mics /
southwest from st. Cloud. On Wednes-
day night Of last week, alarmed by some Of
their neighbors, they started with one or
two families of Swedes to make good their
escape to the woods, but after riding about
a mile from their home, some Of the party !
objected to 20 further 10 the night and rain,
so stopped in a little log cabin with two six
lighted windows, gaping creyices on all
sides, through which they could be plainly
seen from without. Scarcely were they
safely inside when a party of fifteen mount
ed Indians rode up, and calling MIR. Foote,
demanded admittance- Who are you p
Dacotah Sioux. Are you not the same who
have been killing our people and burning
our houses? No, bad Indians gone away
we good Indians deer hunt; want some
thing TO eat. This parley was held through
one of the windows, before which they had
had barely time to hang an old coat for
screen, Mr.. Foote holding his gun the
while. Steadily refused admittance, they
went a little distance from the house and
encamped for the night, making every va
riety of hideous sounds, initiating cackling
growing, barking, &c. Though the in
creasiag rain relieved them Of the dread Of
fire, there was no sleep for the inmates of
that beleaguered cabin. In the morning
Mr.. Foote went out to them, granted them
the potatoes and corn which they asked for
breakfast, telling the Swede, however, to
let them dig for themselves. Too unwise
to follow this direction, they shot him while
thus at work for them, firing at Mr.. Foote
as he turned to enter the cabin, wounding
him severely in the side. lie fell forward
upon the floor. The door was secured, and
then commenced tragedy too full of hor-
ror and pathos TO be conceived--certainly
10 be described. Would thai you could
| hear it from the noble woman herself, who
narrated these soul-thrilling events with the
utmost simplicity and wonderful selfmas-
terry, only yielding to momentary quiver
of the lip and dimming of the eye, while
the tears flowed freely from our own. Tive
other men were in the house, with THEN
wives and three CHILDREN each Ericsson, &
Norwegian, and Swanson, Swede, whc
was perfectly paralyzed with fear. NJ
threat or persuasion could induce him t.
fire his loaded gun. Covering in the cor
ner. white with terror. be begged Mrs. F
to open the door, till Mr.. f., helpless as he
was, declared he would shoot the first on,
who attempted it. SummoniDg all his re
naming strength, he partially raised him
self, aimed his rifle through little crevic,
and despatched one of the savages; then
, in his exhaustion. continued loading FOR hi
wife, who fired first from one side, lhel
from the other, to deceive the foe with th
belief that they were strong il
! numbers and arms. Ericsson fred boldly
several times, but was soon mortally wound
|, ed, and though with broken hip, in hi
extreme agony he reached the loft withou
assistance, where he sank groaning besid
his wife, who, the while, was aiding Mrs
Foote as far as possible, by watching th
savages through the chinks and giving no
tice as one approached. She thinks sh
J succeeded in wounding one whom she say
leaning against tree, and who sank dowr
after her fire, and crawled off through th,
grass. Mr.. Foote, meantime, once NOR
rallied and fired, disposing of one more In
dian; but soon after being shot through th
shoulder, the charge passing out near TIL
} shoulder-blade, he crawled upon bed il
the corner, whence he could only reassur
} his wife, by an occasional word, while ev
! erything-life or death for the entire house
5 hold-depended upon her. For more tina
seven hours she kept those thirteen sav
ages at bay, receiving flesh wound in th
shoulder from a spent ball, which thre'
her bleeding and almost senseess upon th
floor. Once more she returned TO the con
flict and aiming as fair as possible at one O
the savages, who stood just round the cor
ncr from her, their pieces were discharge
at the same instant. The concussion wa
terrible. 1t seemed to her for momen
that her head was taken off her shoulders
Mr.. Foote now said. " will fire, Adeline,
and looking up she saw the smoke risin
where the dry moss had ignited betwee
the logs. An awful dread for moment
, but MIR. Foote assured her it was only tn
wadding from the Indians gun. She wa
now left with only two caps, and reserve'
her fire. There was no further need. Tn
foiled foe had stolen of, and by the light Q
her burning home she saw they were OF
the backward trail. The cries of poor oil
Cuff, too, reached her ears, as his ferociou
bark was followed by the report of gun
Swanson now started out with his family
and begged Mrs. f. to join them in flight
5 You may imagine her reply as she looke'
I upon her helpless, bleeding, heroic husband
, t" No, if the Indians come back, we will di
together"
& ac ~..-....- 4,