The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-10-20

ABOUT midnight Lne WHITES evacuated
the house and putting the wounded
with the women and children into an
old sleigh behind pair of oxen, fled
down the Des NIoines. The team be-
came exhausted on the way and these
refugees thirty three i'll number-on
the fourth day, March 30th, were met
OH the open prairie some miles beyond
the Iowa line by Major Williams
command in most miserable plight,
cold, hungry and wet. In all there had
been seven killed at the Springfield
settlement and three wounded. On the
same day of the attack on Springfield
Captain Bees force left Slocum's and
on Saturday, after a most laborious
march, reached point on the Des
Moines about eight miles north of
Springfield where a half breed from
Traverse Dcs Sioux, named Joe Cour
sale (called "Caboa" by the Indians)
had established small trading post
the year before. From reports Captain
Bee expected to find the hostile band
at this place, and had deployed his
men for battle when approaching it.,
but was disappointed. Coursalle and
the few Sissetons and half bloods
whom they found here, informed him
that Inkpadutah and his band had
wiped out the settlements ON Spirit
Lake and at Springfield, and were now
encamped at Heron Lake, about TWEEN
| ty-fve miles further west That they
had four white women with them and
a large amount of plumber, including
many horses that they had stolen.
Early next morning Lieutenant Muir
ray with twentythree men mounted on
all the mules and ponies available
were dispatched in pursuit of the foe
to Heron Lake, with Coursalle as
guide. When they reached the grove
on this lake, they found abundant
traces of their camp in the quantity of
plumber left behind, but the camp ashes
indicated they had been gone two or
three days. Their trail led toward a
grove four miles to the west and thith-
Ell the soldiers pursued, bu. only to
find another deserted camping place.
The guide gave as his opinion, after
an examination, that this camp also
was two or three days old, and further
pursuit was abandoned as the expedi-
ton lacked supplies. 1t was after
wards learned, however, from the cap
tives and the Indians that the soldiers
and they fully expected to be attacked
in few minutes, when to their sur
prise and relief the soldiers withdrew
The next day, Monday, March 3Oth.
Lieutenant Murray was sent with the
mounted detachment TO scout for In
dams and bury the dead in the Spirit
Lake settlement, while Captain Bee
took the rest of the command to
Springfield. Arriving at the latter place
he found two helpless cripples named,
Robert Smith and John Henderson, and
an infant child of A. p. Shiegley, who
not being at the Thomas house at the
time of the midnight exodus, had been
left behind. Smith and Henderson were
Englishmen, who the previous December
had attempted to drive their cattle across
the prairie to Blue Earth county and
had been ovcrtaken by blizzard and
SO severely frozen that one lost foot
and the other both feet. They informed
Captain Bee where the settlers had gone,
and be sent messenger after them,
who on March 3lst met the volunteer
expedition from Fort Dodge at Changers
Point OH the Iowa state line Learning
thus of the arrival of United States sol |
had fed, Major Williams halted his COM
mand, intending to return OH the NOR
Lieutenant Murray had returned to |
Springfield after burying Mr.. Marble
only, and without visiting Okoboii at |
all, he detailed twenty three men to pro-
coed there and bury the dead. Captain
Aldrich was to command but failing to |
make his horse cross the river, he re-
turned and the detachment went in
charge of Captain Johnson. Having
performed their gruesome mission. they
started on their return march on Sat
urday the 4th of April. 1t was warm
country, when suddenly in the afternoon
a terrible blizzard swept down from the i