The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-11-06
INDIAN UPRISING OF 81
Thrilling Story Of Dr.. t. V. Earle of
Rochester, N. Y, Beaver Falls
Boy in 1862.
CONTINUED from Last Week

the Birch Coolie and surrounded by
knobs and ravines. In fact, as re-
member it now, it could not have
been placed better for the Indians.
The wagons had been drawn up in a
circle about five or six rods in diam
eter and the horses were tied to a
rope stretched across the circle and
fastened to the wagons. The tents,
known as the Sibley tent, were
pitched inside the circle and would
accommodate about 20 men each. The
tent which | slept in that night faced
the east and / happened to lie just
at the side Of the entrance. Chalon
was a wagon guard and slept under
the wagon. The Swedish woman we
had captured had been put into a
covered wagon and buffalo robe
was given her for covering.
At four o'clock the next morning,
just as, the gray of approaching
dawn began to appear, one Of my
company who had been one of Walk
er's Filibusters, saw some objects
running about the prairie near the
camp which he thought must be
hogs. Thinking it would be great
joke on the inexperienced men to
give an alarm, he fired on one of the
supposed hogs, when to his surprise
his shot was followed Immediately
by a terrific warwhoop and volley.
What he took for hogs were Indi-
ans srfeaking up with bows and ar
rows in order to kill the sentinels
without giving an alarm, and expect
ing then to charge a sleeping camp.
But the joke was unfortunate for
them, for the camp was alarmed.
The Indians Immediately directed
their fire at about breast high of the
tents, calculating that the soldiers
would spring up at the first alarm
and many would be hit before get
ting out of the tents. They were
right. Very few Of the men of eth
err company had ever been under fire
before and they Immediately sprang
up. Many were killed and wounded
in the tents.
With the first war whoop | was
wide awake and at once rolled on my
face in order to get up. Immedi-
ately the commotion began. Sergt.
Baxter, a big, noble fellow, sprang
up and said, Come on boys, don't
be afraid" and started for the tent
door. Just then he clasped his
hands to his chest and cried, my
God boys, I'm shot in the breast"
and he fell across my legs. He was
SO heavy that it took quite few sec
onds to get out from under him, and
when reached the line the firing
was heavy. Chalon was in his ele-
ment. He stood at the end of a
wagon and fired as rapidly as posi-
BILE. His conduct pleased Capt. An
derson and every time he fired the
captain praised him. thinking prob
ably that the boys courage would
soon play out. But when he saw
Chalon held his position, he finally
ordered him to lie down, saying that
he could not afford to loose such a
brave fellow. lay along side Of the
captain and | soon found that he
was as cool and unconcerned as an
iceberg. That helped me and others
to keep cool.
| Thinking that when the Indians
should find out that they could not
take the camp by surprise they
would leave, we gave our sole atten-
ton to the fight. But as it was con-
tinued hour after hour without any
let up and our losses were severe,
we began to dig each for himself.
My utensils for digging were my
bayonet and my hands, still | soon
had little ditch with a slight bank
in front which offered a good pro-
lection. The others Of our company
provided for themselves in the same
way. Capt. Grant had few SHOW
els in his wagons and with these the
men soon dug a trench long enough
and deep enough to give protection
to the whole company. As the In
dams persisted in the attack, and
we were completely surrounded, no
one could get out to go to the fort
for help. So our officers began to