Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-29
FRONTIER EXPERIENCES,
The Manncsasss Mss sxss.r,i.Is
Cruelties and Treachcrfes of the

The AzznncsGsss G..-e er>s- sxSssr.sfs
Crueities and Treachorfes Of the
Indians. M
Letter to the New York Tribune.
In the spring Of 1852, when the Sioux sat
IN council to consider the question of ex-
terminating the "pale-faces" of Minnesota.
the exterminators urged the policy of EN-.
bracing that opportunity of Kidding them.
selves OF their hated neighbors and taking
possession Of their much coveted goods.
because a. recent call for troops must
drain the State of her defenders. The Cen
eral Government having all it could do to
crush the rebellion, could not interfere.
That was the time! Then or never. But
the more timid feared the consequences and
held back, until Little Crow, who was q
wise old bird, and had studied the In
dian policy of the nation, assured hem
there was no danger. "White man, be
said, ''not like Indian; white mans heart
soft; white man kill lndisn. Indian catch
him, scalp him, kill him; Indian kill white
man; white man catch Indian, feed him,
give him blanketsr' On this hint they act
ed, and with full expectation of being re-
warded with food and blankets. The worst
came. They murdered nearly or quite
1000 people, principally women and child
rem. Babies they shut up in the ovens of
cook-stoves, built fires in the fire chambers
and roasted them. Some they tied two and
two, by one wrist, hung them across fence,
and left them TO die. In one place thew
hung eight in row. They collected small
children and shut them up in rooms to
starve; then MANNED the parents and bound
them to trees where they might hear
their cries without being able to
GO to them. They cut off the feet of sever
al little boys, unjointing them cunningly
and leaving the sufferers to die. They vio-
lated the persons of women and girls less
than nine years of age, in presence of hus-
bands, fathers, and mothers. They COM
mitted every enormity possible, many ut
terly inconceivable TO any but Indians.
The parties first attacked were generally
those with whom they had been on the
most friendly terms. Houses in which
they had been most Hospitality en-
tertained were sacked among the earliest.
The Chippewas, who had intended to Join
them, were deferred by the non-arrival of
their ammunition and the precipitancy of
their allies, who were hurried on to the de-
cisive blow by the drunken zeal of two of
their number, who murdered family be.
fore the appointed time.
REPRIsALs BY THE WHITES.
Two days after the main massacre, two
companies of new recruits marched out of
St. Cloud to join the regiment at Fort Smell
ling, leaving with their wives such arms as
they could spare. They had waited until
the last moment, hoping for an order coun-
demanding that which required them to
move, and so had not time to walk. Their
departure nearly drained the town of means
of transportation as well IS men. Those
women and children who wanted to 90 with
them were left behind for lack of wagons
and horses. Next day, Hole7in-the Day
sent US word that he would restrain his
young warriors certain number of DAYS,
waiting for Commissioner Dole. If he did
not arrive at Chippewa headquarters by that
time, he would no longer be answerable
for them. The St. Cloud men intercepted
a wagonload of ammunition on its way TO
his young warriors, and got ready to give
them warm welcome.
They therefore postponed their visit.
Next year he went to Washington, got
$4,000 as reward of n-eTit, took a seventh
wife, and came home in blaz3 of glory
Minnesota men and 70 unteers from neigh
boring States went after the Sioux, captur-
ed 400 or 500 warriors, and brought them
in as prisoners. They organized a court,
tried them, found 800 guilty of murder in
the first degree, and sentenced them to be
hanged. The General Government inter
fered, and would not permit the execution
of any but those found guilty of murder
and rape. As they had left few witnesses
alive, only 80 were convicted on tbs double
charge. These were hanged, while the
others were paid, got their blankets, accord
ing to the Little Crow plan, and were turn
ed loose, well armed and equipped for more
In the heat Of public indignation, Just
now, Gen. Sherman talks of extermin ating
the Modocs. Two weeks will probably |
modify the order, and in about two months
public sentiment will demand no doubt
that these noble red men of the forest shall
get their food and their blankets, and
will add Spencer rifle apiece,
and Richard will be himself again.
Why not? Are the lives Of Gen. Candy
and two Peace Commissioners of more i'm |
portanee than those of the thousands Of |
good and true men aud women who have |
gone to carry civilization to the Far West, |
and who have fallen victims 10 the tresch- |
cry and cruelty of these Government pets?