Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-08
OTTUMWA, IOWA, MAY s, 1878

IAOoS WAtu olA ulUuUtcu luOl60S III
close pursuit, and only evaded then
by leaving the main road and runninI
through the thickets until he struci
the sloughs of the Small Fox River
when he took across the stream
through the mud, which the Indian
could not cross, and thus escaped
them. This was done to notify tn,
people at Fort Galena that they mig b
prepare for an attack. He wasso ex
hausted when he arrived at Galen,
that he was compelled to keep hi.
bed for three days.
AT the battle of Sugar Bend he
saved the life of Gov Dodge, who
but for him would have been instant.
~ killed. The Indians attacked the
Whites, in disguise, at Sugar Tree
Bend, four miles below Wiota, the
residence of VIM. s. Hamilton, son OF
Alexander Hamilton, who was killed
In the duel with Aaron Burr. The
whites numbered thirty-two, and the
Indians seventeen. In the first charge
three white men were shot from the
saddles. The whites retreated, put
seven men in charge Of the horses,
and advanced on foot. Gov. Dodge
had just discharged his mueket, Mr..
Olmstead having just discharged his
moment before. An Indian crept
up behind the Governor, and was
about to discharge his piece directly
at Mr.. Dodge's head. Mr.. Olmstead
saw him; he bit his cartridge, thrust
1t into his musket, pushed it down.
took hasty aim, and fired. The
trea cherohs- rsd-man fell instantly,
the ball entering his right nipple and
coming out under his shoulder blade.
So rapid were Mr.. Olmstead's move
ments that Governor. Dodge is repor-
ted to have said that he loaded and
fred at the same time. In this battle,
and others in the war, two very ac-
tive and brave soldiers who fought
nobly were Hezekiah and Charles
Gear, uncles of our present Govern
or.
Mr.. Olmstead is not yet too old to
joke. He got off one on the reporter.
He said that the first steamboat that
ever piled the waters of the Missis-
sippi above the rapids was comman-
ded by Capt. Jas. May. who is now
living and at present q guest at the
Capital City Hotel. On the sides of
this boat was the motto of Ireland
the shamrock. Mr.. Olmstead said
she was not only notorious as being
the first boat to ever ride this portion
OF the Mississippi, hut also for carry
ing 100000 persons on her first trip
up the river. The reporter stopped
in his note taking and looked up sur
prised, when the old veteran bade
him keep on and take his words just
as he uttered them. The order was
obeyed, and Mr.. Olmstead proceeded
to state that on this trip an old gentle
man named Bennett Million, his wife,
and son Joseph went up on this boat
making three Millions. Pretty
good.
Mr.. Olmstead came to Des Moines
in 1888. There was. then nothing
here save an old fort and few SOL
diers. His father, Jonathan Ohm
stead, was the first magistrate that
ever sat on case in Northwestern
Iowa. His documents were received
from Gov. Cass, then Governor of
Michigan, under whose authority the
territory was then existing.
The first mine of lead ore ever
worked in Iowa, was worked by Mr.
Olmstead in company with VIM. Nc
Bride, seven miles west Of Dubuque,
on the south fork of the Little Ma
quOkets.
The tomahawk Mr.. Olmstead took
from the noted Indian Chief, Red
Wolf, whom he killed in battle, is
now on exhibition on the second
floor Of the Wisconsin capitol, with
his name, and the particulars engrav-
ed on the handle.
These are q few of the incidents
and experiences in the life of this
aged and blind man. He is now liv-
ing in Des Moines and is, indeed, an
object of charity. He can be seen al
most any day on the street, led by "a
little boy, and supporting his feeble
frame by staff. His wife, aged and
decrepit, is obliged to take in wash
ing to help keep the wolf from the
door, while he is compelled to work
at pounding coal, or any other occu-
patton he may secure. He is not in
dolent, and at his advanced age seems
quite strong and active. He told the
reporter that he was without bread
in his house at present, and was re-
duced to almost destitute circum-
stances. His case should excite the
sympathy Of all benevolent people.
His head is silvered with gray, and
his form bending beneath the priva-
tons and lsbors Of q pioneer life.
He is one of those noble men who
helped to open up the way for pros
perity and peace in this beautiful
State of ours, and now in his old age,
when the life and energies he has
spent in bearing the burdens and
hardships of the early days of Iowa,
are about spent, he is friendless and
penniless, while on every hand is
prosperity and thrift, the direct re-
suits of the labors of such men as he
during the infan, hours of our great
State.