Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-06-25

the men were divided into two parties,
one Of which was to garrison the block
house and defend it to death in case of
attack, and the other to act as sentries,
scouts and paciicators in case the fly
ing Indians could be overtaken and
treated with on any reasonable terms.
need not go into details here. Suf-
fee it to say that it fell to my lot to so
in pursuit of the Indians that had fled
after the dea.b Of Cross john, and,
being we'll mounted, I overlook them a
few miles from the village. AS [ was
alone, it required some screwlng up OF
my courage to ride right into the midst
Of them, and thus place myself IN their
power, even though l was so we'll armed
AS to make it hazardous for them to at
tack me; but [ did it, resting my
chances upon my own innocence, and
previous good fortune. | told them l
had come to make a treaty of peace
with them-that every one in the viii
lage regretted the death of their COM
panion, although he himself had been
most to blame, and had been killed in
self defense; and though it was not in
the power of any of US to restore him
to life, yet we were willing to do any
thing in reason to appease the anger OF
his friends, even to making them some
handsome presents.
The idea of a present to an Indian
has sort of mysterious charm, very
soothing to his rufied temper, and l
found them more eager to treat with
me than 1 expected. A pound Of pow
der, few yards of red cloth, couple
of strings of beads, and a gallon of
whisky settled the business. They
would not come back into the village,
evidently, fearing treachery, but they
came within half mile, and I took the
articles out to them, and they went
away apparently satisfied.
We did not get over our alarm suffici-
emily for the women and children to
leave the block-house for several days,
but time passed on, we gradually got back
to the old state of affairs, more espec.
tally after a part of the same tribe came
in and traded with us on the most friend
ly terms as before, without making any
allusion to the tragic event in question.
1t was about three months after the
death of Coss John, that Twas one night
awakened by a series of the most APP
paling yells, mingled with the terrific
screams of women and children and
the report of firearms. was alone in
the house. My family, consisting of
my wife and two little children, had set
off the week before to visit her partents
in the state of New York-a most con-
selling fact to me now, when I believe
that few, if any, would escape the hor-
rible massacre already going on around
me. My first act, after leaping out of
bed, was to see that my doors and shut
tiers were strongly secured; and the next
to collect my weapons together-my
rifle, pistols, ak and knife-and be pre-
pared to sell my life as dearly as pos
sible.
had just accomplished this, and put
on some Of my garments IN the dark. |
thinking it imprudent to strike light,
when a reddish gleam coming in through
here and, there crack or crevice,
made me aware that the Indians had
already begun to burn the village, that
they might the better see to catch
the inhabitants, and running from one
side OF the house to the other and put
ting my eye TO the different appertures,
[ soon had II general view of all that
was taking place.
The Indians in great numbers, were
scattered all over the village; and while
some we're engaged in plundering the
shops and different dwellings, others
were pursuing the flying inhabitants,
shooting, tomahawking them without
mercy, seemingly sparing none of
either sex or any age. The few men
yet left alive were making what
resistance they could-apd here and
there could see savage drop by a
we'll aimed shot from some bulldog not
yet carried by storm-but the numbers
Of the foe were SO great, that the few
thus picked off did not seem to lessen
them, and [ quickly became convinced
there was no hope of successful repuIse,
and mentally babe my dear wife and
children farewell, never expecting to
behold them again.
"Death it is," muttered / "but [ will
die doing my best to rid the world Of
as many human fiends as possible"
and I hurried up to my roof with my
rifle, intending to load and fire as long
as life remained.
But on thrusting my head out into the
open air, and taking in the whole hor-
rible scene at glance, [ at once became
struck with the remarkable fact, that
mine was the only dwelling which had
not been surrounded and assailed
What could it mean? Was it chance
or design? Did they believe my house
deserted? or did theyrintend that alone
should escape? Ii the latter, it was
certainly the strangest Indian freak [
had ever heard of, and knew not what
| to make of it.
But one thing, under the circumstan-
ces, seemed highly proper land that
| was not to assail them, should certain
ly draw attention upon myself, and do
the villagers no service; while, by keep
ing quiet and concealed, it was possible
should, as [ had done, remain unmo-
Tested to the end.
This, strange as tmay seem, was the