The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-01-18
BESIEGED.
A Thrilling Incident Of the Sioux
Outbreak of 1852.

| One morning in the summer OF 1862,
Joe Harvey stood in the doorway OF his
country store, and gazed in wonder
across the Minnesota prairies. 10 the
right and the left, far away, arose great
columns of smoke, which seemed to as
cend to the very heavens.
Presently, Mrs Harvey came up from
the spring with bucket of water. She
paused at the store door and asked:
.Joe, what is the meaning of all that
smoke west of us?"
"That's what I've been puzzling my
head over" he answered.
at can't be the prairie, for that is too
green to burn"
NO" replied her husband; "besides,
the smoke would be more scattered II
it came from prairie-fres.
At that moment, Harry Grey, the
handsome young brother of Mrs. Harvey,
dashed up on his pony. The young man
showed evidence of great excitement,
while the pony was covered with foam
and seemed ready to fall to the ground
from extreme fatigue.
1.-The Indians.' he shouted, pointing
toward the columns of smoke in the
west. ssThe Sioux have made an out
break and are butchering the settlers
and burning their cabins"
..My God., cried Mrs. Harvey. "What
will we do?"
There is only one alternative" re-
piled her husband.
"What is that?" she asked, with
blanched face.
glitch to the light wagon and drive
for our lives to the next settlement east
of u.s. he said.
"Stop, Joe!'' cried Harry, OBTAINING
him as he started toward the little shed
whore the horses were kept. THAT is
the worst thing you can do. The In
dams are all around us. Bloodthirsty
bands are guarding every pass and road
leading from our settlement"
"What do you adviser"
Eight the red Williams right here, y
answered Harry.
"But won't that be foolhardy?"
"Not half as much SO as driving right
into one of their traps. The Sioux are
in every direction"
well, I'm no coward" said Harvey.
'sWhen have to fight i will fight. But
how are we to fortify ourselves here?''
s'Have you plenty Of arms and am
munition in the store?" asked Harry
Grey, his keen, dark eyes surveying the
; premises.
"Yes. l just got in supply"
"Then why not turn that milk-house
into fort?" suggested Harry.
"The very placer CALCULATED Harvey
"Well try it, and may God help us
against the red fiends."
: The milk-house was a low, stone
: structure, built over spring of excel
> lent water. 1t had just been finished
and was strong, roomy cave, the floor
: and wall of which were thick and solid
made of rock which Harvey and Harr,
! had blasted from the open ground around
the milk-house. The roof was strong
and well-sodded.
The milk-house would be capita
place to use as fort, for the ground OF
: every side around it was smooth, offer
, ing no opportunity whatever for theil
T, enemies to creep up.
). They wasted no words in getting thei
= fort ready for siege.
NuAlC 1uIc. harvey ohu AAoAAy A"ce
: ened to convey food, bedding and good
3 from the store and cabin, Harvey, will
a strong iron bar, made loop-holes in thu
: stone walls. He had muscular arms
: and in short time he had made severa
= of them; with huge anger he thel
= bored three more in the heavy oakel
y door.
: AS they were busily preparing thei
: fort for the expected attack, they wer
7 joined by two young settlers, who ha'
= claims three miles away. They ha'
. been in the woods hunting stray cattl
= and had had very narrow escape from
band Of Sioux, who had given then
long chase.
: These young fellows needed no invi
= tation to help, but began work with
!. will. The little party did not forget +
keep their eyes open for the Indians
however.
Sooner than is required to tell it, tn
n best that was in the cabin and the ittl
country store had been transferred t
l. the milk-house. The stock had bee
Q driven by one Of the men into dens
Q timber short distance beyond the store
[t where the Sioux would not be likely I
r find them.
d Harvey and one Of the settlers ha
d prepared barricade before the doc
IS They drove several stout posts, whic
Il had been we'll soaked in water to PR
o vent their taking fire, into the groun
IS before the door, leaving only spac
+ enough for one person to pass at q time
d The Indians would have poor chanc
It to come at them from that way.
n Meanwhile Harry Grey, with the .
, sistance of the other settler. had PR
l. pared a torpedo holding several pound
g Of powder, which they skillfully col
l. cealed under rocks and DIRT on the brin
Q Of deep hole that had been made I
blasting out the rock. This hole WI
not commanded by the loopholes an