New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-11-17
ASTONISHED INDIANS.

psriences in 1864.
How the Indians tackled Uncle Peter
Nixon, who used to be q cannon-ball
tosser, forms the subject of we'll told
tale in the New York Sun, as follows:
l have before me an old circus bill OF
which my uncle, Peter Nixon, is repre-
sented as ''signor Gianiti'' and pict-
ured as tossing cannon balls in the
air as boy would fling up apples.
The bill says ofhinl "We will pay re-
ward OF 81, 700 to any one who can
match him in strength" For FIVE
or six years he travelled with one
show and another as ''The Origi-
nal Canon Ball Man. and it is
solemn fact that he performed every
thing put down for him on the bills.
He was a veritable Goliah in strength,
fairly skilled in boxing and wrestling,
and many a local celebrity who took
hold OF Uncle Peter to lay him in the
dust went away sadder and wiser. In
1860 he became disgusted with travel,
married widow in St. Paul and after
the honeymoon, the pair settled down
on a piece of wild land a few miles
from New Ulm. AsPeter had not been
able to save any money on the road
he figured that he could not do worse
as a pioneer. lie was, moreover,
rather taken with the idea OF pioneer
life and when he found himself buried
III the woods, four or five miles from
the nearest settler and deprived of
everythingin the way ofluxury, he was
not bit discouraged.
When the Indian troubles of 1862
first began to crop up Uncle Peter and
his wife were urged to seek the protec-
ton OF some fort or settlement. By
this time he had clearing of twenty
acres or more around his house, had
planted corn and potatoes and was
the owner of a yoke of oxen, a horse,
COW and several head of young
stock. To leave his farm would be to
leave everything to 60 to ruin, and he
determined to stick. When this de-
cision was made known to his wife she
declared that she would also remain,
although he was anxious to have her
seek protection in the nearest settle.
ment. Uncle Peter had had time to
learn something of Indian character,
there being scarcely day but that
he encountered some of them,
and while many called him "brother"
and expressed the greatest admira-
tion for him, he felt that his scalp
would be no safer than any other
ma:,'s in case the redskins went on the
warpath. His decision to remain had
on sooner been taken than he began
preparations to defend his own. He
strengthened the single door to his
cabin, made loop-holes at different
points, and built heavy shutters for
the windows. The next move was to
make the roof tire-proof. By filling
the spaces between the binders, which
ran lengthwise with the roof, with
earth. he very nearly accom- plished
the object sought for.
The cabin stood on knoll about
200 feet from a creek. Peter had only
one barrel which he could fill with
water. The log barn stood about $50
feet from the house, and that struct-
ure of course, he had no idea of de-
Tending. Ii attacked by the Indians
they would probably shoot the stock
and set fire to the barn at once. His
preparations for siege had not gone
unnoticed by the Indians, who called
at the cabin as usual and who seemed
to have anything but murder in their
hearts. They asked why he was going
to all that trouble, and he answered
\
to have his life, and he wanted to be
ready for them. It is doubtful if the
redskins believed his story, while on
the other hand he dropped no hint
that he anticipated any trouble.
When the various tribes were all ready
the war opened and they turned
themselves loose to kill and scalp.
For three days not an Indian APP
peared at Uncle Peters cabin,
nor did he see one in the
neighborhood. This he took as a.
hint that their plans were about ripe
and he kept his weather eye open. On
the afternoon OF the day before the
warwhoop sounded he decided to turn
all his stock loose to run their
chances, and it may be said here that
he afterward recovered the oxen and
horses. AS the sun went down he
barred the door, put the shutters up
to the windows and turned his faith
full dog outdoors that he might give
the alarm in case the Indians came
under the cover OF darkness to set fire
to the barn. The arms in the house
consisted OF rifle, a double-barrelled
shotgun and a revolver. Mrs. Nixon
had practiced shooting with a revolv-
or, and though not good marksman,
she had considerable skill. The night
passed without the slightest alarm
and the morning brought such a beau
tiful day and everything seemed so
peaceful that between 9 and 10 o'clock
Uncle Peter determined to venture
out One of the calves had returned
to the barn and when he left the cabin
it was for the purpose OF driving it off
again. The calf moved around the
corner OF the barn as Nixon approach
ed, and just as he was turning the
\ ~ FL n n