Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-03-24
The Spirit Lake Massacre.
Recollection ofthe Bloody Affair in
1867.

heCoIGeCtIOn Oh the lSibOuE Auuif IN
1857.
The presence of Mrs. Abigail Sharp in
Mason City revives memories of the
merciless slaughter ofwhite settlers at
Spirit Lake, on the Sth day of March,
1857, by The Sioux Indians. She was
taken prisoner, and is one of two out Of
thirtv-three persons who survived that
terrible day We have the history of
the massacre written by Hon. X. A.
Smith and have avery keen recollection
of the general lucts gained from hearsay,
and personal inspection of the grounds
soon after the deed was done. We have
heard Mrs. Sharp recite the story as 1t
was burned into her heart and memory
by acts of cruelty and outrage that
causes shudder to flash across ones
frame while listening to it.
About the LIST of March, 1857, lnkpa-
dudah, Sioux chief, and from sixteen
to twenty men, with full complement
of squaws, children, ponies and dogs, ar
rived in the vicinity of Okoboji Grove
and went into a camp near the residence
of Mr.. Mattocks. The band had long
been recognized as gang Of thieves and
outlaws. They respected neither the au
thority of the government or the tribe
to which they belonged, but were ia
degraded and cruel to an excessive de-
gree. even for Indians.
From the time they came into the
little settlement they were insolent, sullg
and unsocial. To such an extent did
they act thus, that the more observing
settlers were alarmed and feared an out
break. Abby Gardner-now Mrs.
Sharp-says her father was alarm
ed, and after having visited the cabin of
Mattocks, came back through the SiouX's
camp, and when he got home he told his
family he feared evil, because the saw
ages We're insolent and sulIen to an I'M
usual degree, but that Mattocks and
Granger, two neighbors did not think So
This was on the afternoon of the 9TH
Mr.. Gardner was so impressed with the
danger, he determined to leave the
nelghborhood the next day and go to
the settlement on the Des Moines river.
Next morning, very early, the family
arose and were getting ready to start.
Mr.. Gardner went out to the stable to
hitch up his oxen. While there he
heard firing in the grove in the direc-
ton of Mattock's house. He went back
to the house and told his family that
they were too late in getting start
ed. Living with Mr.. Gardner was his
eldest daughter and her husband, Mr.
luse Gardner had scarcely broke the
news to his frightened wife and five
children, before five Sioux appeared at
the door, armed with the implements of
death. Gardner and Luse were both
shot down instantly, and the balance of
no fn, -,
the most cruel manner. Abby was Ia
ken prisoner md suffered indignities
and atrocities far worse than death. Of
her experience we will speak further on.
The settlers around Spirit Lake and
the Okobojls at this time were William
Granger, Carl Granger, Burt SNYDER
and DR.. Harriott, who all came from Red
Wing, Minnesota. Mr. Mattocks aud fam
lily consisting of nine persons, with them
resided Mr.. Madison and his son. Mr.
Gardner and family numbered seven
the eldest being Mrs. Luse, and Harvey
Iuse. The family of Mr.. Howe consist
ing Of wife and seven children, the eld-
est being the wife of Mr.. Mobiles and Mr.
Mobiles. J. M. Thatcher, wife and one
child, Morris Markham, Mr.. Ryan and
a Mr.. Burtch boarded with Thatcher
Markham was not in the neighbOrhood
when the massacre occurred, but came
across from the Des Moines river the next
day and arrived at Gardeners house at
about II clock at night, tired, hungry
and nearly froze. He discovered that
there was something wrong about
the premises, and in his dazed
and benighted condition he at
tempted to 60 to Mattocks'. Before
he was aware of what he
was doing he was in the
midst of the Sioux camp. To get away
was no easy matter, but he succeeded in
doing SO, and went to Howe's house,
where the same desolatioE reigned. He
sence, but to what extent he could not
tell because of the darkness. He con-
Guided it would not be safe to stay at
either house until morning Accord
ingly, he withdrew to deep ravine east
of the grove, where he spent the bal
ance of the night. When daylight came
he succeeded in dragging himself to the
Des Moines river, where he fell in with
some trappers, to whom he related
the story of death and devasta-
ton. Two of the men imme-
diately started for Fl. Dodge to tell the
news and summon help and supplies. |
But the weather was so bad and the |
snow so deep that it was ten or fifteen |
II
companies OF men from #. Dodge got |
there, but the Siouxs were gone and had |
been for several days. The soldiers |
buried the dead, and in attempting to |
return were overtaken in a terrible |
storm, got separated, and Captain john |
son, of Webster City, and Burkholder |
We're lost. Eleven years after their |
bones were found in Pocahontas county |
and identified by some articles they |
were known to have on their persons. |
If we were not mistaken in memory,
Burkholder was brother of Mrs Gov
ernor Carpenter
All the people III the neighbor-
hood were killed except Mrs.
Thatcher, Mrs. Noble and Miss Abby
Gardner. who were taken prisoners.
After the butchery, the Siouxs divided |
into parties, the one with the prisoners
going. Northwesterly direction and
stopping near some of the small lakes.
The other party went to the west side of
Spirit Lake and went into camp at Mar
BILE Grove, where they remaineda week,
This is some six or seven miles from
where Gardner lived. No news of the
atrocities had reached Mr.. Marble, who,
with his wife and children were living i'm
the Grove, hence they were wholly I'M
suspicious of the demons They invited
Marble 10 JOIN them Ill a shooting match
at target. Not suspicioning them he
readily joined I'D the sport, as doubtless
he had done before, with them. AS soon
as he had fired bis piece they deliberately
and cowardiy turned on him, and he
fell riddled with bullets. They took Mrs.
Marble prisoner and then moved off
and joined the other party.
1t will be recollected that four women
were taken prisoners-Mrs. Thatcher,
Mrs. Noble, Mrs. Marble and Miss Gard
ner. The miseries and sufferings of
these defense.ess women cannot be de-
scribed in language.
When the Sioux took up their line of
march for the Jim river valley, they
loaded each of the captives with heavy
burthens and forced them to trudge
along on foot. Often the snow was up
to their waists and sometimes deeper.
From day to day they added to their
burdens until the poor captives were
taxed to their utmost strength. They