The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-12-11
INDIAN CAPTIVE IN '62.
Narrowing Experiences of Mrs. TarbelI
as Captive of Little Crow.

On emerging from the timber |
lay down so weak that my heart
again failed me, and soon, as think,
tainted away; at least was uncon-
scious for some hours. But I
was aroused and partially restored,
perhaps by the cries of the children,
and again tried to go forward. And
yet | could only crawl on my hands
and knees for a time, half dragging
the children with me. Then by
resting for time | was able to
carry one of them forward for a
time, as | had done when we were
in the timber. | was so glad that /
was now in a road, for | had no
obstruction to remove.
Night had now come and it would
have been easy to travel had | not
been so weak and exhausted, and of
course there was danger from the
Indians, who were still lowering
about, watching the fort and garri-
son at Ridgely and occasionally in
tercepting and numbering a white
fugitive that was trying to reach
that place of safety. After taking
"a longer rest than usual / once again
bound my little girl on my back
with the remnants of my old skirt
and carried my little boy in my
arms. 1t seemed as if the poor little
things had increased IN weight.
When | could walk no longer |
crawled as before, but finally in ex-
haustion, I fell and lay unable to
move. | had lain in the road but a
few minutes, when, turning on my
side, with my ear to the ground, |
heard the sound of approaching
horses. 1t was the hoof beats of
Indians ponies. In an instant fear
lent me superhaman strength. rose
to my feet, seized the children and
rushed off with them into the high
grass and lay down. The exertion
must have caused me to faint, for
when | came to myself the sun was
shining and I had not even heard
the Indians pass.
/ now went back into the road
and looking eastward / saw miles
away over the prairie the tall flag
staff of Fort Ridgely with the good
old stars and stripes floating in the
breeze! @, joy inexpressible! @,
the ecstacy of delight which thrilled
me at the gladstone sight! That
flag meant hope. liberty, life, the
salvation of myself and children.
Hunger, pain, bruises, danger were
all forgotten and | stumbled for
ward in an effort to walk. But /
could not walk and carry the chill
dren, and so I had to crawl again.
With great exertion and pain |
dragged along until / came to an
abandoned house, three miles west
of the fort. At once / began to
hunt for food. but my search was in
vain. / found a spring of water,
which gave US great relief. for we
had not had a drink for a long time.
While considering whether or not
| ought to make another start, al
white man came into the house
where | was. At once he begged
me to give him something to eat!
He said that he had seen his wife
and three children killed, and had
fled, hoping to reach the fort. He
had been at this house for three
days. Every night he had tried to
reach the fort only to find it sur
rounded by Indians and to be forced
to return to the house. He had
made a hole or a sort of retreat in a
haystack into which he had crawled
and hidden. He said the Indians
came to the house quite often. Il
said: Then this is no place to stay.
We shall certainly be murdered if
we stay here. Let US try to get to-
the fort. We can only be killed on
the way at the worst" He was