Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1865-09-14
An Indian Captive,

Mrs. Sarah Morris, of Delaware county, give /
the following particulars of her captivity among
the Indians:
was living at American Rancho, on the Platte !
rivsr, in Colorado, at the time of my capture by
the Che yennes. MY family consisted of my hus- |
band, William Morris. one child. my own, ami an
adopted one: My child's name Charles, the
adopted One we called Joseph. 1t was the 10th
OF January, 1865, the Indians attacked the house
where We lived. The party consisted about one
hundred. Ii was near 10 NJ. We kept hotel.
They set the house and stables on fire, and drove
US into the pilgrim room. At last the doors OF
the pilgrim room got in flames and we had to leave.
We ran out towards the river, through the correl,
hoping to make our escape. Ny husband said per-
haps we could escape that way. When got to
the correl we could not. He told me to stop, that
they would probably take me prisoner, and he
possibly might get away. They surrounded US,
and killed him and another man as they were run
hing to the river. The Indians stood so thick
about me could not see him killed. He had no
arms of any kind with him. My baby, fft. en-
months old, died about month ago. The Sioux
took Joseph, and have him yet. They put me
pony, and went south about fifty miles They
have been travelling and | with them most Of the
time since. At their first camping ground they
stayed two or three days holding their scalp dan
ces- Since they have been moving north.
/ About four days ago they told me they were
going TO bring me in to the whites. pointing this
way, saying: "Sioux, sugar, coffee, heap" NV
JOY knew no bounds. | certainly knew that my
husband was killed. for they told me there were
four men killed at the rancho and all were there.
AT the time of nv capture received FIVE wounds
from arrows and six slabs from knives. They al
so struck me several times across the head with
their whips. My wounds are not entirely healed
An Indian, who could talk English, told me after
| arrived in camp that if | showed them the
wounds in my shoulders they would not kill me.
! = their ntiOn do. The old chief
who took me doctored me with medicine, and nv
wounds partially healed up. He treatct, me very
well, making me do scarcely anything except pick
on my back few kegs of water, and saddle nv
pony. He gave me plenty of meat which was all he
had. He, however, did not like nv. little boy
/ Ny baby was afraid of him, and would cry. One
day he took him by the neck and threw him down,
and stamped on him.
| The child then took sick, and died in about
three weeks. They wanted to bury him before he
was dead had hard work to keep them from
doing it. He sunk away, and | knew he was
not entirely dead. After his death they put him
in coffee sack, and laid him in a hole in the IT.
vine, hardly covering him over wanted them to
dig the grave deeper, but they would not. The
chiefs name is White Wing He is the one that
brought me in. / think the In1ans are getting
frightened. saw while captive one white wo-
man and baby. She was taken BY the Sioux, bu.
traded off to the Cheyennes. They let her stay
WITH Hic dOOut Two uouFs lHef plOmlseu 10 let
her visit me the next day. but she did not. She
stated that she captured on the Little Blue
The circumstances Of her capture were these: A
young woman came to pay her a visit, and she and
her husband went 20 see her. They killed her
husband, and the two women weIe taken captive.
Sne said that while with the Sioux she was used
mesnly. but better after sold to the Cheycnnes.
She knew of still aaother woman captured on the
Little Blue"
Mrs. Morris is woman of small features, and
beautiful dark har. She is very lady-like in her
appearance. She says White Wing used her we'll
Her only complaint Is his treatment of her child
She thinks he savcd her life. lIs version of the
story is that the Cheyennes we're very much exls
perated about c ,onel Chivington killing two hun.
dred OF them. and determined on revenge He
was the only Sioux among them. He had a
daughter married 4 white man. and was afraid
they would kill her. so he followed the party -
When he saw the Indians araund Ms " hn ruSh-
cd IN, threw his ab out her to shield her from
their arrows, put her on his pony, and paid on the
spot American horse, and afterwards another,
that her life could be spared.
Mrs. Morris was born in Granville, Delaware
county, Indiana. where she has a father mother
four brothers and sister living. Her fathers
hame is Reason lines.
American Rancho is about one hundred and
twenty miles northeast of Denver CITY, and forty
miles east oi Fremonts Orchard, Colarado.