The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-07-05
BIG EAGLE TALKS.
Describes the Battle in Which Capt.
Marsh Was Killed.

Chief Big Eagle, now residing near
Granite Falls, who was one of the
principal participants in the Indian
wars around Redwood Falls, tells his
story in graphic manner to a report
or of the Pioneer Press, and in the
course of his narrative he refers to
the massacre at the Lower Sioux Ag-
ency, in which Capt. John S. Marsh,
after whom the Redwood G.. A. R.
post is. named, and his brave follow
ers, were ambushed:. Eagle says:
At this time my village was up on Grow
creek, near Little Crows. did not have a
very large band-not more than thirty or
forty fighting men. Most of them were not
for the war at first, but nearly all got into it
at last. great many members of the other
bands were like my men, they took no part
in the first movements, but afterward did.
The next morning when the force started
down to attack the agency I went along.
did not lead my band, and took no part in
the killing. I went to save the lives of two
particular friends if could. think others
went for the same reason, for nearly every
Indian had friend that he did not want kill
ed; of course he did not care about any body
elses friend. The killing was nearly all
done when got there. Little Grow was on
the ground directing operations. The day
before he had attended church there and
listened closely to the sermon and had shak-
en- hands with everybody. So many Indians
have lied about their saving the lives of
white people that dislike to speak of what 1
did But I did save the life of George H.
Spencer at the time of the massacre I
knew that his friend, Chaska, has always
had the credit of that, but Spencer would
have been dead man in spite of Chaska if
1t had not been for me. I asked Spencer
bout this once, but he said that he was
wounded at the time and so excited that he
could not remember what did Once after
that l kept half-breed family from being
murdered; these are all the people whose
lives claim to have saved. l was never
present when the white people were wilfully
murdered. I saw all the dead bodies at the
agency. Mr.. Andrew Myrick, trader, with
an Indian wife, had refused some hungry
Indians credit short time before when
they asked him for some provision He said
to them: $50 and eat grass. Now he was
lying on the ground dead with his mouth
stuffed full of grass and the Indians were
saying tauntingly: "Myrick is eating grass
himself
When returned to my village that day
found that many of my band had changed
their mind about the war, and wanted to 20
into it. All the other villages were the same
way. Twas still of the belief that it was not
best, but thought must go with my band
and my nation, and. I said to my men that 1
would lead them into the war, and we would
all act like brave Dakotas and do the best we
could. All my men were with me: none had
gone of on raids, but we did not have guns
for all at first.
That afternoon word came to my village
that soldiers were coming to the agency
from Fort Smelling. CThese were Capt.
Marsh and his men, At once mounted the
best horse had, and, with some of my men,
rode as fast as could to meet them at the
ferry. But when I got there the fight was
over. and I well remember that a cloud of
powder smoke was rising slowly from the
low, wet ground where the firing had BEEN
heard few scattering shots down the