The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-11-13

But | resolved to try.
/ My clothes, on waking up, were
as wet from the heavy dew as
though had been in the river and
/ was quite chilly. Still had slept
soundly. To warm myself and dry
my clothes began running up and
down the street and was soon COM
Portable in that respect. About nine
o'clock a steamer came down the
river and landed. | went on board
and at the Office asked the clerk if
he would take me to ST. Paul on
the Ariel ticket, but | met with a
positive refusal. / was just turning
away when stranger spoke to the
clerk aud asked him to take me,
For" said he, Hes one of the
refugees and he's all right" Who
the man was do not know, but he
seemed to know me. and his request
was effectual for the clerk at once
consented to take me. AS this in
Guided meals and lodging, I was for
the time provided for.
We reached St. Paul the next
morning. After landing I walked
along until | found the Ariel. l
went on board and got our truck
and then went up into the town.
had no idea as to where father
would be, but fortunately soon
found him.
In a day or so more we were back
in Pardeeville, whence we had start
ed on our fateful journey little
more than four months before. Her.
mon and | were provided for and
father returned to Minnesota to see
what could be done for mother,
Julia and Ella.
Here my story properly ends but
| must tell you something of moth
er's experience.
It would seem that it was ar
ranged that only women and chill
dren would be taken prisoners dur
ing the first half day of the out
break. After that all settlers were
indiscriminately killed. The object
in taking any prisoners. was after
ward developed. The Indians held
them as hostages to prevent the adj
vance of troops against them. AS
soon as Gen. Sibley started he re-
ceived a notice that if he advanced
any farther they would kill all
prisoners. However, Gen. Sibley
paid no attention to the threat.
The outbreak was undoubtedly in
stigated by emissaries from the
south who told the Indians that all
the white men had gone to the war
in the south and old men and boys
remained and so it would be easy
for them to regain all their old ter
ritory. But the Indians had met
sturdy resistance everywhere and
now they saw strong force ready
to advance against them. They rea-
lied that their cause was hopeless.
Realizing the uselessness of trying
to oppose the army, some of the
Indians were in favor of surrender
ing the prisoners and themselves and
securing the best terms possible.
This party was led by Taope. Little
Crows chief soldier and known as
dead shot. But Little Crow remained
hostile, anxious to kill the prisoners
and then flee to Canada. Tapes
party grew stronger every day until
he one day put his gun under his
blanket and went to Little Crows
tent and demanded the surrender of
all the prisoners. Little Grow we'll
knew CnaC TO refuSe meant instant
death. so he consented and the
prisoners were delivered up and con-
Quoted to Tapes camp, which was a
little apart from the camp of hos
tiles. Taope expected to be attacked,
SO in the middle of every tent hole
was dug in the ground large enough
and deep enough for all in the tent to
lie safely sheltered from bullets.
The next day the hostiles came
back to Wood Lake to fight the
soldiers. Before leaving camp they
sent word to Taope that they were
going back to whip soldiers and
when they returned they would kill
the friendly Indians and prisoners
4 IL