The Goodhue volunteer. [volume] (Red Wing, Goodhue County, Minn.) 1861-1864, 1863-06-03

From the Davenport Gazette ]
The Sioux Barbarities-Narratiy Of Mrs.
/ Phineas B. fHurd, before the United
States commissioners: -
ST. PETER. Mimi, April %, 1868.
had not intended to give any further
sketch of Indian barbari,ies, committed BY
the Sioux Indians in Minnesota last August,
the investigation of which is now pending
be ore the U. S. Commissioners at this
place, but the recita! of the cruelties and
sufferlnss Of some Of the petitioners for
compensation that daily comes up before
the Board, are such that I cannot refrain
from giving you one more sketch ola thrill
ing adventure incident to the4grcat ourbreak.
The narrative is only one among numerous
others yet to be brong ght before the Commits
sioners, and is taken mostly from the tes
timony as given before the Board to day in
the case Of Mrs. Phineas B. Hurd, who was
born in western New York, passed her child
hood in Canton, S:euben county in that
"
removed 10 La Crosse, Wisconsin. Here
they remained about two years and remov
ed to Nicollet county, Minnesota, (near this
placc) with the intention Of settlement, but
finally Joined in the emigration still west
ward, and settled with few o:hers at the
north end of She'ck Lake, Murray county,
in this State, distance Of abuut 100 miles
west Of Mankato on the Minnesota river,
with few other hardy pioneers, they set
tied to make themselves u home. Although
the Indian title to these lands had been ex
tingu she'd and tn natives had been rr.npy-
ely they fingered upon their former hunt
ing grounds, and were apparently friendly
to The settlers.
Ga The "a Of june last, Mr. Lurd with
another man, lett home on trl p to Dacotah
Territory, 70 be absent a month. taking a
span of ho,Se> and wagon and such ou fit IS
would be rrqnr rcd upon such an expedition !;
,hu>Icavlny Mrs ilurI alone with her two
children ard Mr. Voisht, who had charge
Of the ft IN. On the morning Of The 2U,h
Of August, about 5 O'Clock, while Mrs.
IInrd was milking, some twenty Indians
rode up to the house and dlsmounted NJ
llurd discovered among The horses one OF
lhei: own that was taken away by Mr
Ilurd. Mrs. IIurd got into lh house be
fore the Indians, who entered and began
smoking as was their custom. Five ofthe*e
men she kEcw, cne being a half breed that
could speak English. Her children We're
in bed, aud 1T the time of the entrance Of
tn" indians, asleep. The youngest, about
ii year old, awokc and ciiel when Mr..
Weight took it up and carried it into the
'front.' yard. when one Of the Indians stepped
t" tie door and shot him through the body
lie fell dead with the child in his arms
&c this signal some ten or fifteen more In
dian, and squaws rushed into the house,
they having been concealed rear by, and
,commcncel All Intliscrimina,e destruc ion OF
everything in the house breaking open
trunks, destroying furniture, cutting op.n
feather beds and scattering the contents
about the house and yard. Mrs. Hurd. in
her uncommon energy aud industry as a
pioneer housewife, had with good stock ol
Icows, begun to make butter and cheese,
even in this new country, and had on hand
at the time two hundred pounds of butter
and twenty three cheeses These the In.
dians threw out into the yard and destroy.
led. While this destruction was goin. on
Mrs Hurd was told that her life would le
spared on condition that she would give nc
alarm, and leave the settlement by an un
Irequented path or tra;. leading directly eas,
across the prairie, in the direction of New
Ulm, and was ordered 10 take her children
and commence her march. Upon pleading
| for lier ct,lldrcn's clothes, she was. hurried
of, being refused even her sun bonnat O,
shawl. She tonk her youngest in her arms
aud led the other. little boy OF abou,
thres years, BY the hand, and being escor,ed
BY seven Indians ON horseback. she turned
her rack on her once prosperous and i,apps
home. The distance across the prairie j.
| the direction which she was sen,was sixt,
OR seven&y miles to a habi.atien. The In
dams vert with her three miles, and besor.
taking leave OF he-. rcp@ates, The condition
nj her release. and she was told that tn,
whites were all 10 be killed, but that sh,
might go Is, her mother Thus she was sef
with her iwo children aiInc.s nasea. fierse.
lbaEeheatieel, without food or -ra.Enent, no
.Feyen blanket 10 sh:lser her an hes ctlsl
1aFea froza ehs cold dews Of shesnsgss or til.
storm. @ss@ So a&* sss&s57@ - a=aa# es87
] The remain Ter Of her. testimony hsfnr
THE Commissioners was bs,ei. sest5ng sorsi
in bssssen sease:s1e. s.er 1r,aay wansiersns