Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-08-10
Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
David Greer's Sad story.
AvERMoNT MANS ADVENTURE AMONG THE
INDIANs-FIaHT1Ne ron TEN HOURS IN
VAIN TO SAVE HIS WIFE AND LITTLE
CHILDREN

|
INDIANs-FIaHT1Ne ron TEN HOURS IN
VAIN TO SAVE HIS WIFE AND LITTLE
CHILDREN
JACKSON, Mich, July 10.
David p. Greer, a man about forty-fve
years old, and his son Charles, boy of ten,
reached this city about two or three days
ago, intending to remain here week or so
among relatives, and then proceed to Ben
nington, VT, where Mr.. Greer has two sis
tiers and other relatives: Both father and
son are in a weak and nervous condition,
and the reader will not wonder when 1t Is
stated that the boy is partly scalped and has
tomahawk wound in the shoulder, while
his father has rifle-bullet In his shoulder,
bullet wound in the leg, a stab in the
cheek and bad wound on the head where
an Indian dubbed him with rife.
Up TO few weeks since Mr.. Greer was a
citizen of Idaho, having a cabin on the Cot
tonwood River, near its mouth, and just
where the hostile Indians have put in their
most savage work. He had wife and
three children, and the boy Charles is the
only member of the family now left TO him.
The pioneer says he was comfortably sit
uated, having all the necessaries of life and
saving up something. lie had a sort of
trading-post connected with his cabin, and
was well patronized by Indians and hun
tiers. When asked what caused the out
break he replied:
81 haven't felt safe for an hour during
the last five years; 1t was like standing be-
side boiler which you knew would SOON
er or later explode. While there had been
no open rupture until this came, the red
skins picked Off white man whenever
they could safely do it. They were always
Boosting of what they would some day do,
and the longer peace lasted the longer they
seemed spelling for row. A few old heads
among the tribes were against war, and
their counsels have put ii off until now"
"Then you knew the war was brewing9"
1--WE all knew IL, sir; but all we could do
was for each man TO look out for himself.
had real estate and live stock worth S5,-
600, and didn't want to jump the country
unless forced 10. And l was fool enough
10 believe that the redskins would ass me
by If they killed all the rest, for I've fed
'em, given 'em credit, made 'em presents
and treated every mothers son of the gang
like brother. These wounds here are
proof of an Indians gratitude, d--n 'em ~
When asked TO detail the particulars of
the first outbreak, Mr.. Greer said:
"Well, was ready, and yet wasn't. The
reds had been skulking about for week
and every one entering the store wanted
ammunition and nothing else. had over
hauled the houses as well as could, know
ing that 1 would have 10 defend them until
help could come, and one morning didn't
open the store at all but set out to bring in
three horses which were grazing about a
mile down the river. gave my wife or
ders to keep all the doors fastened and not
tolet any Indians in, no matter how friend
ly they appeared. She had Spencer car
bine and revolver, and took with me a
Henry rifle and another revolver. l was
in hurry, having my mind made up that
there would be trouble before night. Hav-
ing good horse under me soon reached
the valley, but my horses were gone, run
off the day before by Indians. didn't
wait around there long, as 1 feared an
ambush, and l was about half way home
when 1 heard shots and shells aud knew
that my post had been attacked. The trail
/
cabins till close on them. While / was rid
ing that half mile heard the Spencer car
bine growing away, and knew that my
wife had not been taken by surprise"
"Wel, sir" he went on, his voice trem-
bling. "There were at least forty yelling
devils around The place, and l rode right
into the crowd before they saw me. My
wife had all the doors and windows secur-
ed and was firing from the loop-holes. /
saw two dead Indians lying on the ground
as dashed up, while a wounded one was
crawling away. My horse was perfectly
wild, but, sir, rode around the post at
least five times, popping at the indians,
calling 10 my wife, and being shot at and
struck at every second. don't think my
wife recognized my voice, as all of us were
yelling at once, and when found that she
wouldn't open the door made for the bluff
half mile away, followed by over half the
gang, some on foot and some on horseback.
While riding around the post l got this
stab in the cheek, but didn't even feel ii
for quarter of an hour. While galloping
for cover the brutes put a bullet into my
leg here, but didn't know it until I was
running over the rocks TO find a sheltered
place. / dropped among some boulders a
bit, and it wasn't over a minute before
knocked over two of them. That cooled
the pursuit, but they surrounded me, got
secure positions, and was blockaded."
"And your family2"
At this question the little boy began &c
J cry and the father could hardly control hi,
} emotion as he answered:
at was awful, sir. The boy here says
that the Indians appeared soon after len
aud asked for powder. She wouldn't open
: the doors, and they got log and were go
; ing to batter their way in when she killed
the two 1 saw as I rode up. They then sur
, rounded the building, and the battle open
ed. There wasn't better wife and mother
in this world, sir, and never drelmed she
had such pluck. When l think-when
think, sir, of how she must have look cd
for me back, and how she wondered wha
: had become of me, and how despair crep
into her heart, IL wish l was dead. Tn,
other two children were girls, one aget
twelve and the other seven. The boy say
> that Mary, the oldest, used the revolver
from one of the doors while her mother de
Tended the other, and that little Clara car
ried cartridges to both Of them from th
o closet. There was a half story chamber Il
the cabin, and the boy was stationed VI
> there TO look through the crevices anC
watch for me. When his mother knew tina
part of the Indians had suddenly with
drawn, and when she heard the firing oil
the bluffs, she called him down from hi
y i L 1t. Ii,