The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-11-20


would let US go we would give them
everything we had. and would never
make them any trouble. Oh, with
what passionate fervor / pleaded.
I At last they seemed to relent and
consulted together, while every
moment seemed to us an hour of
agony. Finally they agreed to let
US go. They all came up to the
wagons and seemed very friendly.
shaking hands with all Of US. | be
gan to think we might be safe, and
ventured to make an appeal to the
chief to allow US to keep the team
and wagon in which Mrs. Henderson
was lying. so that we could take her
to Fort Ridgely He replied that he
must have the horses, but that he
would let us have the wagon, and
then they unhitched the team. We
then started on again, the men
drawing the wagon containing Mrs.
Henderson, and the other women
and the children walking ahead of
it. Hurriedly, eagerly, amidst hope
and fear, we walked, or rather we
half ran-the women with their
babies in their arms, the older chill
dren clinging to their skirts, and all
urging to greater speed.
We had gone but little over a
mile. / was ahead of the company
some thirty rods, when was startled
by hearing the Indian death song.
Looking back | saw the whole band
we had left coming after us, and
heard the reports of three guns.
The dreadful truth flashed upon me;
the Indians were killing us! Several
bullets struck the wagon, Mrs.
David Carrothers my sister-in-law,
who was holding an umbrella over
poor Mrs. Henderson, jumped from
the wagon, two bullets passing
through her dress before she reached
the ground.
Poor Mrs. Henderson was excited
into momentary strength by the
deadly peril of herself and children,
half raised herself and directed her
husband to take the slip from her
pillow and wave it toward the In
dams as a flag Of truce. The slip
was held up by Mr.. Henderson and
David Carrothers, but was instantly
riddled with bullets and the same
volley shot off Mr.. Henderson's
thumb so that it fell to the ground
and also mangled finger SO that it
had to be amputated.
Mrs. Henderson fell back. fainting
in the wagon, and feared she had
been shot. Mr.. Wegge went to her
assistance and was shot dead as he
leaned over the wagon. David Car
rothers fled. Mr.. Henderson cast
one look of anguish and despair at
his wife, broke from his little girl,
who was clinging to him, and ran,
leaping, crouching and lodging the
bullets which whistled after him. He
escaped and succeeded in reaching
Fort Ridgely. The Indians muir
dered his wife and children, as |
shall describe, and some days after
General Sibley and his forces came
to the fort. Mr.. Henderson accom-
panied Capt. Grants company on an
expedition sent out under Maj. j. r.
Brown, to bury the bodies of the
victims of the massacre. The charred
remains of his wife and little girls
were found and buried. That night
the two companies of soldiers, Capt.
Grants and Capt. Anderson's and
some citizens, went into camp on
the Birch Coulie, and the next morn
ing the Indians attacked them and
Mr.. Henderson was shot through
the heart at the first fire; thus the
entire family was exterminated.
4 With my children | was rushing
on, when stumbled into slough.
Realizing that escape was impossible
/ turned, and with an arm around
each Of my darlings, | stood await
ing my doom and witnessing horrors
which, even now, forty-two years
; afterward, fairly appall me.
When the Indians came to the
wagon where Mrs. Henderson lay,
they seemed especially enraged
against her. | have since believed
4 that thnus ware inStiUatpd IN this