The Irish standard., 1886-12-11
EARLY IOWA DAYS.
Story of r Bloody Battle Between Keo-
kuk's Band and the Savage Sioux.

Story of a Bloody Battle Betwee', Keo-
kuk's Band and the Savage Sioux.
/ Captain William Phelps, veteran
| of the United States service in the
olden time, and one of the first white
settlers of Iowa, recently gave the fol-
lowing interesting reminiscence Of his
experience among the Indians before
the Territory was fairly opened to set
tle1nent and during the time when a
bloody warfare was waged between
the ancient Sacs and Fox. tribes and
J their enemies the Sioux. Captain
Phelps said:
1t was my good, Or bad fortune,
| when yet a young man. to be an eye
witness, and tc some extent a participa-
tor, in one ofthe bloodiest battles of an
cient or modern times, considering the
number of men engaged. Ii my mem
ory serves me right, it was early in the
| year Of 1883 that had occasion to tax e
= load Of supplies to a band OF the Fox
Indians, who We're cumpcd on the
Skunk river, not far from the place
where the village of Rome now stands.
| Was then stationed at the block
house. few miles below Ottumwa. and
drove across the country, reaching the
| village about three O'Clock in the after
noon. The site chosen was a beautiful
one, being a perfectly level plateau
several acres in extent, bordering upon
the bank of the river ana fringe! with
q semi circle Of heavy forest which
rose over the surrounding bluffs and
presented an unbroken surface OF liv-
ing green SO far :ls the eye could ex-
tend in every direction After gazing
| for some time upon the scene from the
summit OF q neighborng bluff | drove
down through the little town and
pitched my tent at the upper end near
the river bank. Nothing could exceed
The hospitality Of the reception given
us. and we were soon completely at
home.
Nothing happened to arouse our
suspicion in the least during the re.
mainder Of that summer day, and all
went TO bed at an early hour without
dreaming OF danger which must have
been lowering over us at shat time.
About midnight was awakened by a
chorus OF the most hideous yels that
ever came from the lips OF human be-
ings. 1t seemed to me that the woods
must be tlled with devils, and that
their revelS were to be over us. For a
moment recovering my presence ot
mind gathered together my men and
rushed Ter the open space in the center
of the village Every thins: was in the
utmost confusion, the women and
children running for places OF safety.
some OF the braves panic-stricken and
Che enemy right upon lis apparently
about to take possession. 1t was a
band Of the Sioux who had crept upon
the sleeping town in thc middle Of the
night and attacked it in this fnyocj>us
manner, the perfect surprise throwing
the boldest Of the Fox warriors into
panic for moment J. realized chat
our only hope for escaping was to beat
them back. and assisted the chiefs in
every way to rally their mon. This
required but few moments, and t!se,
ensued one Of the bloodiest battles that
was ever fought by humans. Ihe
night WAS dark as g starlight nighs in
Iowa SO often is, and after the first
few minutes of yelling every thing
settled down into a quiet that was far
more oppressive than the noise had
been. Only an occasional shot could
be heard. as almost all of them relied
upon their knives and tomahawka to
do The bloody work. 1t was a still
AUNT and to the death. Each man
sought out an opponent and they
fought together until one or
the other was dead. For two long
hours that dreadful fight went On,
the quiet of the night being Only
broken by al occasional death sell or
the report OF s. solitary gun. at last
Che attacking party broke and lied in
haste from tie tielo, leaving their dead,
"a thing they would not have done if
their spirits had NOT been complataly
broken. The next morning there were
one hundred dead lying upon the field
and when you consider tha, here were
not more than two hundred and fifty
engaged you can imagine how deadly
was the strife. The firearms Of to-day
could not have done such execution.
OF the dead seventy were Sioux, show
iug how desperately the attacked had
fought to save their homes and fanli-
lies Such scenes as this were not un-
common in those days but they would
create TO little wonder to-day. and
many who have come to Iowa since her
fertile fields have been titled and since
all these wonderful cities have grown
up, will be unable to understand how
they could ever have happened.
Bad as was the fight, the dog~feast
which followed was to me even worse,
and | tried in every way to get OTIS OF
It, Old Keokuk said it was strange chat
mar who could fight Indians SO could
not eat dog. but somehow could not
get mp an appetite for that feast. I
finally managed to slip out OF it. but
always thought the Indians had lost
something of their respect for me be-
ca.lse of my doing SO.
From Mrs. Phel lps the reporter learned
that the Captain had played quite a
prominent part in this sanguinary con-
f1ict and w.s held iu high regard by
the Sacs and Foxes by reason Of his
bravery.-Des Moiaaes (la.J Cor. CHI
cago Inter Ocean.
A Customer Nailed for Life.
The foiI0winr ia related OF Abbott