The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-02-14
Mrs. Hills Tells of
Indian Massacre
EXPERIENCE RELATED BY ONE
OF DEFENDERS OF NEW ULM
DURING INDIAN TROUBLES.
Brown Co. Journal


at the time of the Indian troubles in
1862, and who is an aunt of Mrs. An
ton Richartz, who resides near the
Loretto hospital, will be of interest to
readers of the Journal:
"Sixty years ago, 1862, August IL,
we were living fifteen miles west OF
New Ulm. On that morning my hus-
band went to help a neighbor in har-
vest. About two o'clock Margaret
Blinn, a neighbor girl living about
one-half mile east of our home, came
and told me that they had just re-
ceived word that the Indians were kill
ing the settlers along the Minnesota
river. That was in the direction OF
the agency. / was very much alarmed
and took my children and started for
the place where my husband was
working near the Iberia post office.
Divided Opinions.
"On arriving there and giving the
alarm several of the neighbors col
lected at the home of Mr.. Henshaw.
Some did not believe the report; 9TH
ers thought they could defend them
selves at home. They were so DIVIDED
in opinion that it seemed we would all
have to do as we thought best. / knew
what / wanted to do; that was to go
to my fathers place six miles toward
New Ulm from where we lived. There
were only the teams that were being
used in the field that could be gotten
at the time. Mr.. Henshaw had horse
and light wagon, also a team of oxen
with which he was working in the
field. He had been an old friend OF
my fathers in the state of New York.
Said he would take myself and chill
dren and another neighbor, Mrs. Har-
rington and children, to my fathers
place. We had not, thought of Indians
coming from that direction.
Saw Indians Coming.
"Mr. Henshaw, Mrs. Harrington,
myself and our children took the
horses and light wagon, Mr.. Kirby and
family and several others started with
the OK team. Mr.. Kirby decided that
he would return to his home and get
his horses and so he asked my hus-
band to drive his team, or the team OF
oxen. AS the oxen travelled slowly we
soon left them some distance behind.
We had not gone more than one and
one-half miles when we saw about
twenty Indians coming from the
south. We were going from the west
came between the two teams on the
bank of the lake. Most of them
stopped and waited for the team be-
hind; three followed us on horseback.
When they came near two Of them got
off their horses and ran on one side OF
the road and fired at us. Mr.. Henshaw
was an expert shot and had a repeat
ing rifle, of which there were very
few at that time, in that locality. The
Indians knew this and had Mr.. Hen
shaw fired on them it would probably
have saved his life. He called to them
before they fired and tried to converse
with them but they remained sullen
and silent, then drew their guns and
fired. Mr.. Henshaw was wearing a
light colored shirt and after the shot
/ saw the blood staining his shirt and
knew he was hit, but he did not fall;
had he fallen then. the Indians would
no doubt, have rushed upon and killed
us, but he drew his gun on them and
they ran in the other direction. He
did not fire. however, but nut down his
gun and got down out of the wagon
and laid down near the horse. Mrs.
Harrington and | also got out and
took our children nd started down
the road; as luck would have it there
was large slough close by. We went
into this as far as we could and sat
down. Mrs. Harrington who had been
hit by bullet in the shoulder was
bleeding badly, also her baby had been
wounded through the hand. / tore up
aprons and tied her wounds as best l
could. also the child's hand She
wanted ME to try and get out and send
help to her. | crawled out where I
could look across the prairie. l saw
three persons approaching; they were
running, but I could not attract their
attention. l had taken my two chill
dren, one, three years old and the
other, one year old and Mrs. Harring-
toms child, four years old, and was
trying to get where / could find some
one to aid us. After a time | saw a
man coming from the north side of
the lake. l watched until | was con-
WINGED he was a white man and then
/ tried to signal him. He finally saw
me and stopped. 1t was Mr.. Kirby.
and he was greatly surprised when
] told him the Indians had killed Mr..
Henshaw who was driving the wagon
and that We had escaped. told him
that was sure my husband was
killed; he said he felt sure that his
family had shared the same fate Said
he would go to my brother-in-lawsI
and get help. 1t was nearly night
and the children were tired and hun
CRY. We came to ravine where we
could conceal ourselves and here Mr.
Kirby left us while he went to get
help. When he reached the home of
my brother-in-law he found every one
gone. He came back where was and
we took the children and started for
Am. Lummis' place. When we reached
there, the barn door was open and
there was fire in the yard. Mr.. Kir-
by said in whisper. they have been
here (meaning the Indians). The next
morning they killed Mrs. Harrington's
father at this place. They had slept
there the night before.
Followed River.
''We went down to the Cottonwood
river and little out of our way to
get to Mr.. Tuttle's place. Found no
one there. Then we started for New
Ulm. Down on the fiat we heard
horses coming and supposing they
were Indians, we concealed ourselves
until we could distinguish that they
were white men. 1t was VIM. Karl
and another man going to look for
their families. When they heard what
had occurred they turned back toward