Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-10-13
GENERAL
UPRISING
Whites in Leech Lake
District Fear Big In
dian War.
Nothing Heard From Gen.
Bacon and His Sew
enty Men.
It's Thought Soldiers Still
Live"-Some Ccrpses
Secured.

Chicago, Oct. 1.-The Tribune's
special from Lathrop, Mimi, says:
Thursday afternoon at $3.50 o'clock it
was learned that Bacon and his small
band of 70 or u men are still fighting
on Bear island, but it cannot be
learned what the outcome Of their
fighting has been up to this hour, S
o'clock. An attempt was made to
land on the island Thursday after
noon and rescue the wounded soldiers
and get the bodies OF the unfortunate
blue-coats who were killed. This at
tempt was partly successful, in so far
that four bodies were recovered and
nine soldiers who were wounded were
rescued but the citizens were driven
to their boat and the boat driven from
th" shore by tt e skulking redskins.
special train with 215 men of the
Sd infantry from Fort Smelling, under
command of Lieut.. Col. Harbach of the
department of Dakota, arrived in
Walker at p. m. Another special
train left Bralnerd late last night with
about $50 more soldiers. Inspector
Tinker expressed the opinion that with
800 soldiers, the indians Will be sub
dued, but he thinks there will be
boodshed and may be lots of it.
1t Is said the Indians from the Mile
Laos reservation have started, 800
strong, to join the Leech Lake Indi-
ans, and II this is the case it will re-
ouire 500 additional troops to quell the
disturbance. They are reported to be
we'll armed and going north at rapid
rate They will probably reach Leech
Lake and Bear island early today.
Hunters who came In Thursday after
noon reported a band of Is or 20 In
aians going north, and 1t Is supposed
that they are the advance guard OF the
Mile Lac Indians, or a party Of their
scouts. The men were not close
enough to them to say whether they
were painted or not but they know
they were armed.
The inhabitants of Walker, Lathrop
and Paichenseck are much terrified
and have armed themselves as far as
|
Little sleep was taken by the majority
of the citizens. Since the uprising Of
the Bear island Indians, the Indians
at the Leech Lake agency have been
quiet up till Thursday, but word has
arrived that the reds have broken out
and the authorities have no control
over them and fear there will be more
bloodshed.
Walker Without News
Walker, Mimi. Oct. THE sounds
If conflict came from Bear island all
day Thursday, but the people here are
stiil in ignorance OF the situation at
the battle ground where Gen. Bacon
and his men had their desperate en-
counter with the Pillager Indians
Wednesday afternoon. Up to an
early hour Thursday morning there
were manv grounds for fearing that
Bacon and his command had been
aInihilated No direct word has been
received from any man who partici-
pated IN the first battl Early Thurs
day morning, however. the lighting
was resumed and it continued prac-
ically all day. This makes it certain
hat Bacon's command is still on earth
and In fighting trim. 1t is now be-
lieved that the soldiers are entrenched
anc III position to hold out until re-
enforcement reach them. Lieut.. Col.
Rarbach of the Bird infantry arrived
here late Thursday afternoon and inn
mediately started for Bear island. 1t
is 30 miles distant and travelling will
necessarily be slow.
No courier arrived here from Bear
island during the day so it is impossi-
BILE to learn the details Of Thursdays
fight.
A posse of citizens succeeded In
landing on Bear island and secured
the bodies of four men killed in We'd
nesday's fight and brought away nine
wounded soldiers. The citizens were
driven to their boats by the Indians
f'ing from the bush, but no fatalities
arc reported.
An effort was made to secure iutelli-
gencc from Bear island, but 1t failed.
The dispatch boat Flora sailed close
to shore and signaled for an hour, but
no answer was returned. To land
was an mpossibility.
The condition of Bacon's men, even
if they are safe from humiliation,
must be deplorable. They are poorly
supplied with overeoats and blankets.
Tents they have none. Their food
supplies were short when they landed
ard they were in no shape to stand a
long siege.
Indian Agent Sutherland. who was
With Bacon at Sugar Point, gives the
follwing account OF the conflict up to
the time of his leaving for supplies: