COL. FLANDREAU IN COMMAND.
While the exciting events narrated in the previous chapters were
taking place other portions of the state were preparing for defense.
At Forest City, Hutchinson, Glencoe, and even as far south as St. Paul
and Minneapolis, men were rapidly organizing for home protection. In
addition to the Sioux, the Chippewas and Winnebagoes were becoming
affected and seemed anxious for a pretext to don the paint and take the
warpath. Colonel Flandreau having received his commission as colonel
from Governor Ramsey, with authority to take command of the Blue Earth
country extending from New Ulm to the Iowa line, embracing the western
and southwestern frontier of the state, proceeded at once to properly
organize troops, commission officers, and do everything in his power
as a military officer to give protection to the citizens. The Colonel
established his headquarters at South Bend and the home guards came
pouring in, reporting for duty, and squads that had been raised and
mustered into the volunteer service, but had not yet joined their
commands, were organized into companies, and the Colonel soon found
himself surrounded by quite an army of good men, well officered, and with
a determination to do their whole duty. This was done by establishing
a cordon of military posts so as to inspire confidence and prevent an
exodus of the people. Any one who has not been through the ordeal of an
Indian insurrection can form no idea of the terrible apprehension that
takes possession of a defenseless and non-combatant people under such
circumstances.
The mystery and suspense attending an Indian's movements, and the
certainty of the cruelty to his captives, strikes terror to the heart,
and upon the first crack of his rifle a thousand are put to flight.
While cruelty is one of the natural characteristics of the Indians, yet
there are many among them who have humane feelings and are susceptible
of Christian influences. As friends, they are of the truest; but the
thoughtless cry out as did the enemies of our Savior: "Crucify him!
Crucify him!" Other Day, Standing Buffalo, Chaska and Old Betz were as
true and as good people as ever lived, and yet they are held responsible
for the atrocities of their savage brethren. At the risk of their own
lives they warned hundreds of people and guided them by night, and hid
them by day, until finally they reached a place of safety. At the hostile
camp, where they had over four hundred women and children, it was only
through the influence of these and other sturdy friendly chiefs that any
lives were saved. They had to even throw barricades around their tepees
and watch day and night until the soldiers came, giving notice that
whoever raised hand to harm these defenseless people would do it at their
peril. When we know of these kind acts, let us pause a moment before we
say there are no good Indians.
It was a study to look at some of these old dusky heroes, who said
nothing but thought much, and who had determined that, come what would,
harm should not come to the captives. There were statesmen, too, among
them; men wise in council, who had respect for their Great Father at
Washington, who were cognizant of the fact that much dissatisfaction was
engendered among their people by occurrences taking place at the time of
the negotiation for the treaties. They counselled their people, and no
doubt tried hard to induce them to forsake their desire for vengeance
on the whites, and thus retard the progress they were making for their
offspring toward civilization and a better manner of living.
You might properly ask here: "What became of the friendly Indians while
the hostiles were on the warpath?" Some of them forgot their friendly
feelings and, like the whisky victim, when they got a taste of blood,
they wanted more! They were all forced by the hostiles to don their war
paint and breech-cloth, and go with them against the whites, and they
were wise enough to know that it was folly to resist. Their main object
was to prevent the wholesale murder of the captives, for when hostilities
opened, they knew if they did not go, every woman and child in the
captive camp would be murdered; and the friendlies would be blamed as
much as the hostiles themselves.
[Illustration: MRS. EASTLICK AND CHILDREN.]