Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1922-08-11
.Neu LJZn Celebration
Recalls I62 Massacre.
Mrs. S. A. Siverts was Among Sur
vivOrs Of Indian Outbreak in
Southern Minnesota

While old settlers and their de-
scendants gather from far and near
at New Ulm next week, August Is
to goth inclusive, for celebration
and Homecoming to commemorate the
Indian massacre and stirring times
during those days in August so years
ago one woman in Morris will re-
call those days of '62 with more than
a passing interest for destiny had
placed her among the refugees who
sought shelter from the hostile In
dians during that bloody time in
the city of New Ulm to remain for
nearly week expecting at any mo-
ment to meet the fate that many
of her friends and neighbors met at
the hands of Little Crows warriors.
AboUa two o'clock on a Monday
afternoon Mrs S. A. Siverts of Morris
then girl of twelve years, was play
ing with an older sister and two
younger sisters about the yard of her
home on the banks of the Big Cotton
wood river seven miles from New
Ulm, when neighboring Irishman
rushed up to tell of the massacre by
the Indians of all Of the German set
tiers between the Norwegian set
tlement, in which her family lived,
and the town Of New Ulm. With
her father and mother and sisters
and the family of the neighbor she
was hurried to New Ulm in wagon
while but short distance behind a
neighboring family, mother and faith
er and nine children riding behind
the slow pace of a yoke of oxen, were
overtaken by the Indians and massa-
cred, with the execution of boy of
nine who hid in the nearby bushes. :
An uncle of Mrs Siverts, living
across the river, had that afternoon
talked and smoked with the Indians
little knowing on what business they
came. One OF her brothers was also
at his uncle's place cutting hay that
afternoon. All hurried to New Ulm
in the evening on being notified Of
the condition of affairs. The follow
! ing day a relief patry of q set out
from New Ulm to bring in cattle and
other belongings. On their way back
at a fork in the road, one road =
prairie road and the other running
through the timber, the party al.
vided, IL starting In by the timber
road AS this party was crossing
the river about a mile from New Ulm
they were ambushed by the Indians
and all save one killed in running
j fight between there and town. The
driver of the wagon hid on the
tongue of the wagon between the
two horses which had been killed by
i the Indians and made his escape.
John Thompson. the 81 year old
brother of Mrs. Siverts, was with this
party and fell dead of wounds within
20 rods of the post Office at New Ulm
where the refugees were 11arbored.
He is buried beneath the monument
in the city of New Ulm, erected to
commemorate those pioneers who
Egave their lives during those horrible
days.
Tuesday night was night of hor-
or for the women and children gath
Iered in New Ulm while the Indians
burned the surrounding buildings
and kept up a fire into the barricade
which had been put up about the
store and postof1ce that protected
the survivors of the massacre We'd
nesday afternoon saw a spirited bat
tie as the Indians swooped down and
tried to close in on the hardy pioneers
lighting for their lives with little
ammunition and few able bodied men.
Gathered there were women and
children, many wounded, and or
phans and widows as a result of the
Ty15 10, l.
ters and in the cellar the women and
children seemed to be waiting for
the time when their frail defense
would be penetrated by the Indians
and they too would meet hor-
rible death. Grown weak from lack
of food and the stirling air Mrs. Si-
lverts was lifted upon one of the
Icounters by her mother to give her
an opportunity for little fresh air.
She had but been placed there q mo-
lment when she fell back with blood
streaming from her head. What ap-
peared to be fatal wound proved
to be but slight wound where a
bullet had pierced and tore lose the
lower part of her left ear. While
Ia seeming slight wound without pro-
j per medical attention for number
Iof days following it proved to be q
very painful one and Mrs. Siverts
Says that that side of her face has
4 bothered her to some extent ever
since.
Thursday the refugees huddled to-
gether ingtheir quarters and on FRI
day soldiers from Fort Ripley came
and drove the Indians away. The
following day a few men with wag-
!. ons arrived from Mankato and took
! the refugees to Mankato and on 10
lSt. PeterEwhere they boarded boat
4 for down liver All was mot lover
slfor the Thompson family. however.
+ O9ga. Mrs Sivert's 1S year olds sis