Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-05-22


became the new Ft. Atkinson on the
c., M. & st. p. railway All the land
was sold by acts of congress of July,
1855, and July 1860, and then the only
vestige left of this once famous for
tress, where soldiers were trained and
indians educated. one can only find
today few ruins of what once had
been. Two companies of soldiers
were stationed here as long as the In
dians were in this vicinity Captain
Lynde left and was succeeded by
Capt. j. J. Abercrombie of Tennessee,
while Alfred Pleasanton of Washing.
ton, d. c., acted as lieutenant Both
of the men became noted during the
civil war. At FIT Atkinson there were
stationed during these years S. B.
Buckner. Henry Heath. Abe Buford,
A. W. Reynolds, all of whom became
officers ON the southern side during
the war.
The old site is place where many
can go to find fitting subjects for song
and story. Here there were southern
officers and northern teachers, and
many were the social gatherings out
here in these 800, 600 apartments long
before there were railways, public
roads or other than sod shanties over
the greater part of this region of
Iowa. During the winter of ls40-4l,
Robert Ellis, settler in Iowa of two
years. found board scant and work
none. in Cedar Rapids, and had heard
of the government work up here on
Turkey river. He started out one
bright crisp morning at Christmas
time to walk this distance of about
one hundred and twenty miles, with.
out much food or without knowing
the locations. He struck Quasuueton
ali right and spent one night there
among a band of Sac and Fox Indians.
During the night the Indians returned
from long hunt with whisky and all
got drunk except few squaws who
remained sober so that the rest would
not get killed. During the night
Ellis was called upon by the squaws
to help them tie, the hands of the
drunken indians hgg means of birch
switches and small pieces of rope.
This was done to all of them and
before this could be done many time
the fight was one of valor OH the part
of one or the other All guns and
knives had been hidden away by the
women before they got fighting drunk
so that it was soon fist fight and
rough and tumble or regular free
for all, with yells that could be heard
all over that part of Iowa. Ellis
admits that he was just a little bit
afraid, and did not sleep any that
night. The next morning most of
them had sobered up and then the
women who had been sober during
the night, thought it was their turn
and they got goriously drunk on the
balance of the fire water. Ellis now
refused to tie the hands of the women
as not being polite, and this was ac-
complished by brave, i'll due order
and with proper ceremony.
It turned cold and the wind was
from the northwest and the snow on
the ground was flying and Ellis tried
to hire an Indian to take him to Fay
cite, the only white settlement, dis
tance of more than fifty miles.
The Indian replied to Ellis as he
started out ''wolf, she eat you. But
Ellis started alone with bundle un-
der his arm and at full speed. The
wind was strong. the snow deep, and
in places soft as we'll, so that he
would break through the ice which
had formed. He walked and ran till
the sun set in the west, and he felt
that the Indian prophecy would come
true in case he found no cabin before
dark. He was told that the white
settlers house near Fayette had a
grove and for this grove he looked in
vain time after time. At last about
nine O'Clock he saw light away off
in the timber and he got to the white
mans cabin and here he remained for
several days unable to move limb
and hungry as bear. He said to the
family that night, that such a trip he
would not make again for all the land
in the territory. He now made the
rest of the way to TT. Atkinson with
ease, and the captain turned him off,
by saving that they ''had enough of
these fellows who worked a day and
left" Ellis only wanted chance to
try it, and remained there for a year
hauling goods, provisions and build
ing material from McGregor and Fit
Crawford across the river on the Wis
consin side near Prairie du CHEN.
Ellis returned to Cedar Rapids again
tho next winter by way of the old
road to McGregor aud arrived after
weeks march to take up once more
life in Linn county, which by fate or
otherwise was to be his home for
more than sixty years. Little did he,
or any one else realize at that time,
Continued on page four.)