Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-11-06
"reminiscences of One of the Bloody
Tragedies of Early Days in
Nebraska.
Five Children Belonging in One Fam
lily Horribly Slaughtered by a
Band of Savage Ab0rigines.
Terrible Revenge Visited by the Be.
reayed Father Upon the Race
Which Had Made Him
DesOlate.

Upon the Missouri river in the north
eastern part of Cedar county, close to the
Dixon county line and nearly opposite
Vermilion, S. D.. is what is known as
"Brocke's bottom says William F.
Bryant in the Omaha World-Herald.
This is basin of land lying in the Mis-
sissippi valley, shut in apon all sides by
high bluffs. A considerable portion of
the bottom" is covered with a heavy
growth of timber. 1t runs nearly due
east and west, is about six miles long, its
width varying from one to three miles. In
conformation and extent it resembles the
descriptions given by travellers and histori-
ans of the far-famed plain of Marathon.
Near the upper end of this basin or bot
tom is a spot, which, for being the scene
of bloody deed, may yet be memorable
in poetry and song.
In the year 1889 young man and his
newly married wife set out from Parkers-
burg, in what is now called West Vir-
gina, to try their fortunes in the great
west. The young man had scarcely attain
ed his majority and his bride was few
years his junior. They belonged to the
middle class, coming from the mountain
regions of the Old Dominion. They were
no novces in frontier life. Poor in world
" goods, they were yet rich in love and
hope. The young man, having ideas of
his own and decided antiphathy to the
peculiar institution, and really left his
native heath that he might rear his
children on free soil. They settled first at
Burlington, Iowa, thea frontier town.
But living in a wilderness becomes a pas
sion with some men. A Boone or Bowie,
a Carson or a Crockett could never have
thriven in civilization. Riding upon the
crest Of the advancing wave, they settled
now at Fort Des Moines and afterwards
at Sioux City, where the young man (now
in his 40th year, shingled the first house
in the city of the corn palace. But ad-
vanclng civilization drove them still on
ward and in 1857 they settled in Brock 5
bottom. " They had been blessed with
eight children, two of whom they had
buried in Iowa. By dint of toll and thrift
they had accumulated large property
They built comfortable home upon this
''squatter' claim" Here another son
died (the first natural death in the
county, and another was born to them
The sorrow was merged in this new Joy
united energies to the subduing of the
forest. A happy future appeared to be be-
fore them But, alas. alas. sorrow was
in store.
In September of 1862, Abraham Lincoln
issued the emancipation proclamation; anC
when in the month following the president
called for more troops with which to sup
press the rebellion, the heart of the Vir-
ginian abolitionist burned within him
His second son, now H. was deemed suffi
cient protector for mother and children
and so the eldest enlisted as a soldier
The lather joined Company |, commanded
! by Captain John Tatfe (afterward mem
Der of congress), and the company wa.
ordered to join Sully regiment, which wa!
| sent to Crow Creek, Oak.
On the Odd day of June, 1863 the moth
er had gone to Yankton, Oak, by pony
express to purchase some of the little lux
uries that serve to mellow the rough sid,
| of frontiersman s life. Leaving the car
rier at old St James, near the mouth o
| Petit Arc (as the French voyagers called
| it,, she walked three miles through IA
vine to her home.
Arriving there with a mothers ioyfu
expectation she was alarmed at seeing NJ
sign Of life; no outstretched arm met hal
waiting embrace; no upturned lips wer,
waiting to receive a mothers cherished
kiss. Looking through the window sh,
saw an Indian lying upCn the Hoor Tell
tale marks of gore were upon the door
But they had not the significant assuranc,
which the blood of the Paschal lamb CAV,
to the breast of Hebrew As the terri
BILE truth flashed upon her bewildereC
brain she was seized with the frenzy o.
despair. She rushed to the other side o
the house There lay one of her children
boy of years, stark and stiff-shot t
death. Wild with grief, fear and frenzy
| the poor woman fled back through the IA
vine to old st. James end told the dread
full story. 1t was now nightfall, and M
! one dared move til! dav break Wha
"a night that must have been to that fonc
mother
On the morrow the small band of settler
at old st. James took circuitous route on
! the open prairie to the scene of the mas
sacre. Three of the FIVE children we're dead
! The two others were yet alive. The eldes
a boy II years, lay upon the floor, hi
skull crushed and both arms broken. Hi
hands still clutched his rifle, with barre
empty. The brave boy had persisted in ,
hand-to-hand struggle to protect the homo
of his sister from savage infamy. Tn,
sister vet living had been mutilated in
manner which forbids detail The poo
girl lived for five days, but never sny6e
The second boy, lad of IS, had bee stab
bed to death. Another boy of yeas, ~
ing outside the door, had been Sc a By hi
mother. But the saddest of all was tn
sight of mammals darling, little 1cl
low of FIVE summers, MORALLY younde
Indians scared me, mamma, was all b
could say. He died in three days III
victims Of this cruel slaughter were burie
in single grave near the mouth Of Peti
/ Arc.
In less than two weeks news tra7ele
slowly them the sad story reached ,
father. 200 miles away. Mounting hi
horse without taking refreshment he Sc
ont upon his dismal journey. On ne rode
night and day, with the energy of madnes
and despair. Arriving at Broeke's bot
/ tom" Hanson Wiseman entered the hous
his home no more.
On March . following Mrs. Wisema
| - .,g-,,,, a mother This child now