The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-06-10
compelled to stand for want of seats
Enlisted in the Army.

William I'll. and ). n. Day, Hiram Bige
low, Marvin i. Cotton. Nj. T. Wal
bridge, and many others, but a very
few of whom still live. The other,
are dead.
They sleep on the beautiful hill
sides and shady slopes, under a stain
less flag and under the shadows ol
the heetins clouds, and .hey are al
rest
>, Let them sleep. let them sleep on
Til the stormy night be gone
And the eternal morrow dawn;
Then the curtains will be drawn.
And tney wake into that light.
Whose day shall! never die in night
The larger part of these enlistments
were MAIZE about the middle of Au-
gust, 1862. in answer TO the presi-
dents call for 100000 more. the vol
untcers going at once to Fort Smell
ing to be organized into companies and
regiments. a few days thereafter on
Aug. Is, the Sioux Indian troubles be-
gan.
There were no railroads, no telc-
graph or telephone lines. but one stage
line. and | could never understand how
reports of these troubles Travelled as
rapidly us they aid. On Aug. -. this
whole country had rea sonably reliable
information of the uprising. A neigh
Tor came TO our house in the night.
ncighbor went TO noighbor and so the
news Travelled. The men were in Il
fury of excitement and anxiety. the
women and children were quakiDg with
fear.
Wagons were hastily loaded with
women and children, and little food.
animals were turned loose to provide
themselves with food; houses were LETT
unlocked, oxen were hitched to the
wagons. and general stampede was
started toward the cast with all eyes
turned toward the west No one knew
whittier they were going, they only knew
! that they dare not stay.
a halt was made at Saelbyville, the
strongest buildings were selected for
occupancy the women and children
were placed inside, and the men acted
as pickets. In our whole country there
was scarcely dozen guns; the re-
ports came worse and worse, and an
other pell nell stampede began for the
east, some stopping at Wilton, DIVA
tonna and Rochester,, and some, SO far
as was ever heard, are going yet. After
waiting two or three weeks, and hear
ing encouraging reports, some of the
more venturesome returned to their
main few days. and to be again
driven away by the near proximity of
the Indians, and the sickening reports
of their savage murders.
"This condition continued until late
in the fall, when, under the general
on the warpath i'll the winter, the
greater number of the settlers returned
to their homes. to save what they
could of their nearly destroyed and
wasted crops. Some, indeed, quite
many, never returned. With feelings
of partial security, and encouraged by
their escape from slaughter thus far.
the settlers remained at their homes.
under an intense strain of anXity. but
nearly undisturbed until SlG4, when the
rumbings and rumors of Indian trou-~
bles were again heard; but the set
tiers were not 50 easily terrified as
before. and held their ground.
Indians Appeared in 1864.
'On the 18th day of August. 1861.
after quite Il long period of compare
tive rcpose and freedom from Indian
disturbances, Il party of six or eight
Indians suddenly appeared in the edge
of the timber on the east side of the
Blue Earth, near the town line of Shell
by and Vernon, and taking wholly by
surprise. Mr.. Noble G.. Root and his
two sons. who were stacking grain,
shot and killed Mr. Root and seriously
wounded one, and | think, both of his
sons. These Indians then crossed the
river in westerly direction, reaching
the open country where the Willow
Creek cemetery now is. On that day
his team and mower had gone to the
farm of Mr.. Hindman. IL short distance
southwest of Willow Greek to NOW
hay for Mr.. Hindman, and in exchange
Mr.. Hindman had gone to the farm of
Mr.. Mack to assist Jesse Mack in stack
ing grain.
MIR Mack and Mr. Hindman were
loading grain directly across the road
from the cemetery, when, on looking
toward the road, but few rods away,
they saw these Indians coming directly
toward them. They both hastily got
upon the load and Mr.. Mack whipped
his horses into Il run, when in cross
ing dead furrow Mr.. Hindman was
thrown from the load, pitchfork in
hand, striking upon his face in the
stubble and dirt Rubbing the dirt
from his eyes as best he could, SO that !
he could see, he started to run, and
when he was able to open his eyes
and see, he discovered that he was run
ming directly toward the Indians. He |
reversed the engine somewhat suddenly, !
put ON little more steam. and made
splendid time in the other direction
toward the, creek bed, less than
quarter of a mile away. Once in
the creek. the water in which was very
shallow at that time, he followed the
bed of the creek for nearly a quarter
of mile, and then stopped to rest,