Year: 1867

a


Extract from Fort Ransom, Dakota Letter.


October u


The winds which had been blowing
strongly, increased into a gale on Sun
day night, and by Mondsy morning


had worked themselves into almost ir-


resistible fury. was writing in my


tent about eleven o'clock, when a man


put his head in and told me that my
kitchen tent-a Sibley-was being
blown away. went out in time to see
it rent into ribbons; and the kitchen
furniture, and other articles, striking
over the prairie on their own hook. So
occupied was | in recovering my prop
erty, that did not notice the immense
volumes of smoke coming oyer the hill
until a suffocating breath made me feel
it; and strange to say, no one else
seems to have been prepared for the
fire. You can understand this better
when you recollect that we were in a
hollow. One glance showed me the
danger and to rush into the tents and
haul out the women and run them


down to the suffers store, 1.-THE only
covered building) was the work OF a
moment. Being officer of the day, L
had to rush back again and turn out
the guard and sound the alarm. The
fire rolled down on US with terrific ra-
pidity, and was accompanied by i'm
mense banks of smoke threatening suf-
location, before the raging element
reached US. Blinded and stihed, any
thing like resistance was almost i'm.
possible; and our feeble efforts would
have been futile, for the wind caused
the fire to leap fifty yards in some
places. had thrown myself down on
my face to save my eyes, and get a
breath, when the recollection flashed
upon me, that six hundred pounds Of
powder were stored in the suffers; l
ran back and found sitting
down by the corner of the cattle cor
raj, surrounded by the frightened ami
mails, and shrieking with terror. 1t ap-
pears that Major K had also
recollected and had sent the women
down to the Post, but she and be-
came separated, and thought
that her sister was lost. Providing for
her safety. l ran back to the camp
BY this time the whole camp would
have been destroyed, but a sudden
change in the wind drove the fire past
the flank of the camp, within five yards
of the tent, jumped the plOHed ground
around the hay-stacks, devouring our
six hundred. tons of hay tour whole
winters supply,) struck the corner of
the Post, setting fire to few outer
buildings and the corded wood, dashed
up the side of the hill, and was off on
the prairie. destroying the half breed
camp, burning men, women and chill
dren and Misunderstanding US suffoca-
ted with smoke. and cinders, and
blinded with the ashes. The whole
garrison worked for dear life to save
the Post, and the wind proyidentially
favored us. To put out what was on
fire was impossible. The flames burnt
almost with white heat, but they were
forced away from the other buildings
by the terrific force of the tornado.


Everything was destroyed that was set
fire TO; but the main body Of the camp
and post was saved. All the rest of the
day was occupied in beating out the rem
naats of the fire; and by night we were
fain to lay down and rest our wearied bod
les. Everything was covered with SCOT,
and nv loss has been considerable, but
am thankful we escaped as we did. But
rest was denied US, for as tho sun went
down the wind grew worse and worse
Foreseeing what would happen, l ran the
ladies down again into the store, and the
other officers soon followed my example.
In 4 few minutes q genuine hurricane
swept Us, carrying everything before it
Trying to get back TO my tent for bedding,
l was struck in the eyes, and blinded with
the sand and earth, and carried away from
camp past the nearest corner of the post.
when, by a merciful providence, 1 fell ov-
er a man, whom l found to be the hcspit-
al steward. The hospital tents had been
pitched here, and were filed with the
burned. The tents were now down and
the sufferers covered by the fallen poles
and canvass. managed 70 get back to
camp and sent men 20 their aid.
The fury of the storm did not abate until
when the remnants of the camp
were to be seen. Nearly every tent was
blown down or torn into pieces, and prop
erty all more or less injured.
If you could see us now you would imag-
inc we were all more or less afflicted with
Opthalmia. Tor such a collection OF inham-
ed eyes never saw. Prairie
fires of the ordinary kind are easily met,
but the fact of these half-breeds being
burned, and their camp destroyed, IS proof
Of the sWiftness and unexpecteGness of
this visitation. The Indians who have
come in say they have never seen anything
like it in their lives. Two half breeds
were burned to death; two women have
died to-day from the effects, and also an
infant, only seven days old; one squaw
who is daily expecting confinement lies
in the hospital very badly burned; an old
81uaw and an old man in the same condl-
.!Jn two children of six or seven years
scorched, and others in less
serious state. They present a horrible
,peciacle as they lay there with their
olac kened and swollen faces and bodies