Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-08-11
The True Story of Little Breaches"

For the first time the story which
resulted in the poem, Little Breaches"
being written by the late John Hay,
secretary OF tate. has been told by
Solomon Van Scoy. OF New Virginia.
L., who is the father OF the little boy
who is the hero Of tho poem that made
Hay famous.
New Virginia, where the incident
occurred. is located In he southwest
art OF the county about 20 miles from
Indfanoia, and in 1864 wos surrounded
with but few settlements. The night
was intensely dark and II has always
been a mystery as to how Marcus, the
<year-olG child, got Into the field and to
the cabin 40 rods distant from where
he was thrown out of the wagon and
Row lie got into that cabin when II
required the strength and mind OF a
1lan 10 open the door. But Hay ex-
plains by saying Angels and there
thoT.iy that Rev. Hitchcock was
preaching on the special pro2idences Of
God wren the incident was told by him
In the hearing of John Hay.
In the FOLLOWING letter to the Indian
ola Herald, Mr.. Van Scoy tells what he
says IS the first authentic account Of
the incident
New Virginia. IN, July u, 1907.
L. Andc. son.-OlG Friend: Your let
ter of the 12tn received. VIII say l was
present when Little Brooches took
his fast ride in March. 1864. There
was being held a ministerial ~associa-
ton at New Virginia and at the time,
Robert Clelland, a big hearted man and
a good friend Of ours, lived in New
Virginia and taught our school. He
and his good wife invited Father and
Mother Proudfoot and my wife and self
to take supper with them. We ac-
cepted and went, so | did not unhitch
my team from the wagon. but hitched
them to the board fence in front of
Clelland's house with the hitch reins,
and intended to stay for preaching;
but about meeting time we saw q dark
cloud fast coming over from the west.
and decided to start for home. / went
cut and unhitched the team, but while
I was Gahirching. Little Brooches"
came out n era led into the wagon
and sat down on some hay. BY this
time It was getting dark and raining a
little. So, just as l got the team I'M
hitched, something scared them and
they made a quick turn and / made a
grab for the lines, but missed them,
then, rs tho team came around on the
turn, 1 mace another graz Tor the felnS,
but they were too quick for me. AS
the wagon passed me / caught the boy
by the arm but failed to get him out.
The whole thing occurred very quick.
Then I ran to the school house and
gave the alarm. Preacher Hitchcock
was giving out the hymn; the meeting
closed in q hurry--no time for doxology
or benediction. We soon had all the
lanterns in the town and torches, and
the preachers n all took a hand in
the hunt for Little Breeches." About
a half mile southeast Of own we found
the team and wagon, with one horse
on his back in the deep ditch, the other
horse standing on the bank and one
front wheel of the WACO down in the
ditch. We found the boys hat about
n rod or more I'm front OF the wagon.
About 100 rods farther on and
80 or 40 rods of the road, in a field,
stood a log cabin in which Jesse Read
had a lot of ewes and lambs To be
sheltered from the storm. We travelled
around over the prairie in groups In
the search and a few Of us went to this
old cabin to get boards to make
torches. and jeff Thompson, a young