The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-12-06
the moor over our heads, but luckily they
never explored the cellar. iss4 ai.f q {{S5s


the moor over our neads but luckily they
never explored the cellar.
Onward for Freedom. .s3F5
At last / despaired Of rescue by the col
diers, and indeed feared that Little Grow
had executed his threat to kill them all
ut least those at Fort Ridgely-and 50 q
the whites somewhere, II not at the for,
then at st. Peter or even farther below. Il
went on the he agency ferry, where expected S
when I came to the ferry the boat was
gone Wandered on down along the stream
and presently came to a rude box boat,
ter. On the opposite shore lay the body OF
one Of Capt. Marsh's men who had been
killed in the slaughter at the ferry;
baled out the boat with a tea cup which i
had brought from Campbells and got into
1T with the children and pushed off. The
San e With Day tea ke s.
that the water gained on me. and I was
forced to abandon my intention Of going
and to try and get to the north bank
succe led in catching some willows that
hung over the bank and pulled the boat
have been two or three ' miles in extent,
saw the bodies Of other soldiers lodged in
Famishfng and Freezing.
On the shore I took strip Of cloth and
bound little Althea on my back, for she was.
about me, ana taking Tommy in my arms
very fast. but I got on fairly wen. 1 as
cended a hill and reached the road from the.
agency to the fort just ut shutdown. Pro
ally falling, for somehow I seemed to have
lost control Of my limbs did not seem to-
o ss to IF to think Mas d
emily I came to a deserted and plundered
house. I approached it cautiously and
Nl,oV VuNc mi inn in h0 fn oot hV1h
a few fakes Of dried dough adhering to n
saucer, and I soon scraped them out and
swallowed them, but in the garden found
some, cueumbers. | pared them with an old
chisel, ate some myself Cucumbers alone
are not vary ''flling,'' but when one is.
6n8 e5e Is p goGd to eage
daylight and to learn whether or not the,
eoud m wa and the
quitoes were very annoying. They attacked
my face in swarms and it was soon quite
hoth my children to carry Soon I heard
horses coming ahead of me, and went of
little way from the road and hid in the
scouts, presume, who had been reconnoiter-
ing the fort. 1 slept where I was till
dawn. ..ss
In the morning set out again. Soon Z
Busches, three miles from the fort. Here;
found some sugar; how delicious it was.
putrid and we could not eat it. I contin-
ued foraging about and at last went into
the cellar, While here suddenly a man I,
I thought he was an Indian. and that T
was caught at last, but he said in a plead
ing voice: .Pleass lady, won't you .s give me
| piled: THAT is just what I am looking
| for" He was German, and had been
| there for three days and nights, hiding in
haystack the most Of the time. He had
| country.
nearer to the fort, as he had heard firing
dams, and believed that it was still being
besieged.g encouraged him to go with me,
and assured him that / would go alone ii
necessary, and at last he consented and we
started he carrying little Althea. In a lit
tie time we assembled a HILL and could see
the fort From the garrison Flagstaff g
| it out l could see to my unspeakable JOY
that it was the flag of, our country, the
| beautiful stars and stripes 1t was the most
held. had been eight days in travelling
| only about sixteen miles. a
| Lieut. Sheehen, the commander, gave me
| q cordial welct me and escorted me to the
! house Of a family whose name I am sorry
not to remember, and soon and my chill
| dren were made us comfortable as possible.
The kindly lady gave me one Of her dresses
| to wear. She was short in stature and ]
/ was tall, and the dress came down only q
| littlo below my knees and did not fit well
Ill OlucI par UuIf IL w DIS d MclSOue
change from my former costume The good
won an at once set about feeding us. She
( was without experience in caring for fam
ished rtople, and she prepared bountiful
l meal. / had no more sense than to begin
to eat ravenously and to allow the children
to do So. and seen we We're taken very III
and the doctor had to come. I was at the
fort when Gen. Sibley came with his forces
and soon after was sent down with other
refugees to st. Peter: and from thence
went to La Crosse, Wis, where remained
the. following winter. During thu
trying period have attempted to describe
there were many incidents which might
| give were not this aiarrative already toe
4 long. My children acted throughout like
little heroes. They seldom cried and made
no alarms Althea often asked for food
ana said she was $50 tired" but I could
always comfort her in some way. As fol
myself, I do not understand how I bore ul
so we'll during those terrible days. I only
knew that one cannot tell how much car
be endured until he is put to the test.
| -E5& Helen Carrothers McNa lney-
| Minneapolis, Nov. 49, 1884,