The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-04-20
THE END.

oe Always A8nteo Dy the Gl0ry OF dD
lovev' -.-. |
THE END. /
ao5 "A RACE FOB LIFE.
A Rsminisee.es Of Fort Smelling.
BIZ MRS. CHARLOTTE o. VAN clEvE.
From CbAeetions Of the kirseso;a Hs:orieal Society.
Like the old man in Dickepi "Child' |
Story" ~ am always remembering :
come and remember with me"
I close my eyes and recall an even.
ing some forty-two years ego, when, in
one Of the stone houses near Fort Snel,
ling, which was our house At that time,
a pleasant company of officers and their
families we're spending the evening with
my parents. The doors we're open, for
the weather was warm, and of one the
Captain Cruger, was walking
on the piazza, when We were ill startled
by the sound of rapid firing very near
rs. The Captain rushed into the
houfe much agitated, exclaiming; THAT
bullet almost grazed my carp What
could it mean ? were the Indians sur
rounding us?
Soon the loud yells and shrieks from
the Indian camp near our house made
it evident that the treaty Of peace,
made that afternoon between the Sioux
and Chippevas, had ended, n all these
treaties, in treachery and bloodshed. -
The principal men Of the two nations
had met At the Indian Agency, and in
the presence Of Major T.lisferro, their
white Father had made SOLEMN
treaty of peace. In the evening, At
the wigwam OF the Chippewa chief
they had ratified this treaty by smoking
the pipe Of peace together; aud then.
before the smoke of the sublematic
pipe had cleared away, the treaoherous
Sioux had gone out and deliberately
fred into the wigwam, killing and
woundiug several of the unsuspecting
inmates. The Chippewas, Of course,
returned the fire, and this was what had
broken up the pleasant little party at
my fathePs house.
The Chippevas sought refuge and
protection within the walls Of the fort,
commanded at that time by Col. Js-
siah Smelling, from whom it was named.
They were kindly cared for. Ooe, a
little girl, daughter of the Chier, excl
ted much sympathy, and I cannot for.
get the interest I felt in her,
for she was but = year or two old
er than myself, and it seemed to me
81 cruel to ruthlessly out out her young
life. She fingered but few days in
great agony, and then God took her
out of her pain.
Meanwhile our Colonel, a prompt
and efficient officer, demanded Of the
Sioux the murderers, aud in q very
few days body Of Sioux we're seen
advancing toward the fort, Is was sur.
posed, to deliver up the criminals
Two companys we're sent out to meet
them and receive the murderers at thei,
hands. Strange to say, although they
had the men, they refused to give them
up. Our interpreter, I cannot recall
his name, stepped out from among ou'
soldiers, and said:
"If you do not yield up these wer
peaceably, then as many leaves As art
on these trees, and as many blade'
of grass as you see beneath your feet
50 many white men will come upon you
burn your villages, and destroy you
nation.' .
| A few moments consideration, ,
few hurried words of conversation, an
the guilty men We handed over to on
troops. The tribe followed IS they wer
taken into the fort, and making small
Gre within the wall, the sondemne'
marched round aud round it, singing
their death songs, aud then we're Civ
en- up to be put in irons aud held il
custody until time should determine
how many lives thould pay the forfeit
for 1t is we'll known that Iodian re
venge is literally a life for 4 lfie, ant
the Colonel had decided to give then
into the hands Of the injured tribe, t.
do with them As they would. .>
Some weeks rassed, and it was fouut
that five lives were to be paid for l,
kind. A council Of .Chippewas deci
ded that the five selected from the pris
oners should run the gauntlet, and tb'
decision was approved.
Back over the lapse Of these man,
years I pass, and seem to be . chile
again standing by the side of my onl,
brother, At the back door of my father
house. ..
% The day is beautiful, the sun is q
bright, the grass is 90 green, Ill natur
is 70 smiling, it is hard t. realize vha
is going on, over youder BY the grav'
yard, in that crowd of men and women
There IRE gathered together the Chip
pewas, old men, women and children
who have come out to witness or TAX
part 10 this sct Of retributive Justice
There are the blue-coats, too, and vsri
! .ous badges of tho United States mi
forms, for it is necessary 70 throw som
restraint around these rcd men, >