Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-10-27

"'S POoitiou L tOOh Wy UhUy 8UU SAT
down on the staircase, that ran through
the center of the building, several steps
from the top. AS l sat there in the dark
ness, listening intently to the sounds of
the conflicts. 1 heard the cries of women,
and suddenly through the open door of the
hallway there came running several ladies.
They could not see me, as the light in the
upper hallway had gone out, and the lamp
III the hall lelow only lighted up the lower
part OF the staircase. and they supposed l
was in my bedroom. Mrs. Surgeon
Goddard ran to the foot of the staircase;
with one hand she held close her little son,
and raising the other above her head she
called my name and cried: "Oh, my dear
friend come down quickly. The fort is on
lire and the Indians are breaking in. We
must not be taken prisoners. We must
run to the river and drown ourselves. Get
your baby and come quickly"
Mrs. Goddard was always a beautiful
woman, with a pure madonna face, and
lustrous black eyes, but as she stood there
in the yelled light Of the hall lamp, with
one white arm stretched above her head,
her deathspale face appraised, her long,
black hair about her shoulders and her
black garments falling away from her
plump figure, she seemed the impersona-
ton OF some beautiful saint, or inspired
Sybil, uttering notes OF warning. l sprang
down the steps and out into the portico.
Surely from these fearful cries, the worst
had come. II will CO." l said. "The Indians
are between the fort and the river" said
another lady, W must try to reach our
husbands. They will not let us be taken
alive" We started toward the scene of
the conflict. but the guard was falling
back and we were sternly ordered back to
our quarters. We then ran toward the
eastern gate. At the middle of the parade
grounds our steps were arrested by a
tremendous "boom" that nearly lifted us
off our feet. The cannon had at last been
gotten into position. The Indians fled
headlong, the fire was extinguished, the
battle was over and we were safe.
The settler in the smoky water country,
who now scans this narrative, in the Sc
curlty of his peaceful farmhouse, NAV
smile at this pictured scene, depicting
the actions of emotional women, who were
needlessly alarmed. Far from it. He NAV
%pcrchance have read with half unbelief of
the English officers in the India war, who
with their own hands slew their wives
and children, lest they should fall into the
hands of the Sepoys. Doubt il not.
Your W countrymen and country
women OF the American army, were often
confronted by the same dread alternative
The Indians who peopled this northwest
country, far surpassed the Sepoys in their
deeds and the brutal fortunes, to which
their prisoners were subjected, exceeds the
scope of language to portray. Many q
brave officer and soldier of our army has
committed suicide in the face of the enemy
rather than be captured by them, and moi
an officer or soldier of our army existed,
or exists, who would moi choose death by
MS w hand to the alternative of being
taken prisoner. As for the ladies of the
army. to whom such a fate possessed ten.
fold greater horror, it was no hysterical
emotion that led them to seek self-destruc.
ton as a blessed alternative to capture,
but, calm, fixed, resolute determination
never to fall alive into the hands OF
the Indians. The thought of the treat
ment melted out to others of their sex. whc
had been so captured by these human
fiends would nerve the weakest hand and
strengthen the most timid resolution tt
strike the blowth that would avert so dread
a fate.
AT length the autumn waned, the last
steamboat left the river, and the fort soor
settled down to its winter loneliness. The
snow lay heavily on plain and hill. The
river was frozen solid, and the mails were
often delayed for weeks together. Blu,
there was now amusement for the officers
from which on account of the Indians
they had been debarred during the sum
mer. Game was abundant, and the blood
thirsty tribes of the Sioux were afar off il
their winter fastness in the Black Hills OF
eating government rations in the shelter
OF the smoky water agencies. Deer anG
small game were numerous in the timber
and scarce a hunting party returned t.
the fort. that did not bring some antleret
trophy of their skill. DR.. Slaughter haG
brought with him from the south a fine
hunting dog. a trained pointer named
"Bille," who was a great favorite with the
spOrtsmen and invaluable in indicating
the location of the smaller game, prairie
chickens, jackrabbits, whose gray fur il
winter turns white as snow. Antelope. deel
and occasionally elk were found, and this
fine game formed an agreeable variety
from the government beef, that wa
killed semi. weekly.
In the dead of winter the terrible gaunr
wolves of the prairie acknowledgements from
hunger. The bowling Of these starving
beasts around the fort at night time was {
fearful sound to hear. Even in the day
time they would come close to the fort
!, bowling and dancing or their hind legs
F, with f0repaws far upstretched against thu
heavy planks of the stockade, in futile
efforts to scale the ten foot wall, to reacl
the human prey within. Many times a
night the scouts in the Arrickaree quarter.
would have to rise and fire their guns K
frighten them away. The SAM winter a
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