The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-17

They sleep ON bhe beautiful EiSlside
and shady slopes OF shat glorious eosintr
which they made free. They sleep ssnde
a stainless flag, covensd and protectesa b,
the limitless canopy of Gods universe
under the shadows off the fleeing, alosss
and they are at rest:
Let them sleep, let them sleep.om
Till the stormy night be gone,.
And the eternal morrow dawn:
Then the curtains will be drawn.
And they wake into that light,
Whose day shall never die in night.
Two days after our departure for, Fort
Smelling the Sioux Indian troubles began
There were no railroads, no stage lines
NO telegraph lines, nor telephones, and
could never understand how now why
the report of these troubles travelled as
rapidly as they did. On the 10Th, our
country had reliable information of the
uprising. A neighbor came to our house
in the night with the terrible news.
neighbor went to neighbor and so, the
news travelled. The men were in afury
of excitement and anxiety, the women
and children were quaking with fear.
Wagons were hastily loaded with
women and children, and little food,
animals were turned loose to provide
themselves with food; houses were left
unfastened, the oxen were hitched to, the
wagons, and general stampede was
started towards the east, with all eyes
turned toward the west. No one knew
whittier they were going, they only knew
that they dare not stay. A halt was
made at Shelbyville, the strongest build
ings were selected for occupancy, the
women and children were placed inside,
and the men acted as pickets. In our
whole country there was scarcely dozen
guns, the reports came worse and worse,
and onother pell nell stampede began for
the east, some stopping at Wilton, Owa-
tonna and Rochester, and some, so far
as was ever heard, are going yet. After
waiting two or three weeks, and hearing
reports, some of the more
returned to their homes
with their families, only to remain a
few days and to be again driven away
by the near proximity of the Indians,
and the sickening reports of their savage
This condition continued until late in
the fall, when uuder the general belief
that the Indians would not move on the
war path in the winter, the greater num-
Der of the settlers returned to their
homes, to save what they could of their
nearly destroyed and wasted crops.
Some, indeed, quite many, never return
I'd. With feelings of partial security,
and encouraged by their escape from
slaughter thus far, the settlers remained
1T their homes, under an intense strain
IF anxiety, but nearly undisturbed until
1864, when the rumbling rumors of In
liam troubles were again heard; but the
settlers were not so easily terrified as
before and held their ground.
On the 18th day of August, 1864, after
quite long period of comparative re-
pose and freedom from Indian disturb
ances, party of six or eight Indians
appeared in the edge of the
timber on the east side of the Blue
Earth near the town line of Shelby and
Vernon, and taking wholly by surprise
Mr.. Noble G.. Root and his two sons who
we're sacking grain, shot and killed Mr..
Root and seriously wounded one, and l
think both, of his sons. These Indians
then crossed the river in westerly di-
lection reaching the open country where
he Willow creek cemetery now is. On
hat day Mr.. Charles Mack, with his
cam and mower, had gone to the farm
If Mr.. Hindman, a short distance west
If the mounds to NOW hay for Mr.. Hind
nan, and in exchange Mr.. Hindman had
zone to the farm of Mr.. Mack to assist
Mr.. Jesse Mack in stacking grain. Mr..
Mack and Mr.. Hindman were loading
grain directly across the road from the
when on looking towards the
Dad, but a few rods away, they saw
,hese Indians coming directly toward
hem. They both hastily got upon the
Dad, and Mr.. Mack whipped his horses
INTO run, when in crossing a dead fur
'ow, Mr.. Hindman was thrown from the
Dad pitchfork in hand, striking upon
lis face in the stubble and dirt. Rub
,ing the dirt from his eyes as best he
Gould so that he could see, he started to
'un, and when he was able to open his
yes and see, he discovered that he was
.unning directly toward the Indians. He
etraced his steps somewhat suddenly,
,ut on a little more steam and made
splendid time in the other direction to-
ward the creek bed less than quarter
ii mile away. Once in the creek the
water in which was very shallow at
hat time he followed the bed of the
'reek for nearly quarter of a mile,
md then. stopped to rest and to wash
he dirt and blood from his face. Soon
he left the stream and started up the
,Iuff on the onnos;te side which was