[162] Mrs. Sharp’s _History of the Spirit Lake Massacre_ (1902
edition), pp. 81, 82.
[163] Agnes C. Laut’s _Heroines of Spirit Lake_ in _Outing Magazine_,
Vol. LI, p. 692.
[164] Gue in his _History of Iowa_, Vol. I, pp. 301, 302, says that
Marble fired first at the target, and when he went out to see what had
been the result of his shot the Indians fired on him; while Carpenter
in his article on _The Spirit Lake Massacre_ in the _Midland Monthly_,
Vol. IV, p. 22, states that when Marble’s gun became empty and he was
defenseless he was shot.
[165] This is the list as it appears on the east tablet of the State
Memorial near the Gardner cabin with the exception of the omission of
the names of those not killed at the lakes but who were massacred in
the vicinity of Springfield, Minnesota.--_The Spirit Lake Massacre and
Relief Expedition_ in the _Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers_, Vol.
VI, p. 920.
[166] Mrs. Sharp’s _History of the Spirit Lake Massacre_ (1902
edition), pp. 83, 84; _The Spirit Lake Massacre and Relief Expedition_
in the _Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers_, Vol. VI, p. 895.
R. A. Smith, in his _History of Dickinson County_, appears skeptical
concerning the real character or meaning of this attempt at Indian
pictographic writing, and in commenting upon it notes that “many of
the writers who have mentioned this incident have made more of it than
the facts would warrant. The three or four published accounts which
have been given to the public agree in stating that the picture record
gave the position and number of victims correctly, and also
represented those killed as being pierced with arrows. Now this is
mainly fiction. The first discovery of the tree on which the
hieroglyphics were delineated was by a party consisting of O. C. Howe,
R. U. Wheelock and the writer sometime in May.... It was a white ash
tree standing a little way to the southeast of the door of the Marble
cabin.... The rough outside bark had been hewed off for a distance of
some twelve or fifteen inches up and down the tree. Upon the smoothed
surface thus made were the representations. The number of cabins (six)
was correctly given, the largest of which was represented as being in
flames. There were also representations of human figures and with the
help of the imagination it was possible to distinguish which were
meant for the whites and which the Indians. There were not over ten or
a dozen all told, and except for the hint contained in the cabins, the
largest one being in flames, we could not have figured any meaning out
of it. This talk of the victims being pierced with arrows and their
number and position given, is all nonsense. Mr. Howe and the writer
spent some time studying it, and, while they came to the conclusion
that it would convey a definite meaning to those understanding it,
they could not make much out of it.”
[167] Mrs. Sharp’s _History of the Spirit Lake Massacre_ (1902
edition), p. 93; _Hamilton Freeman_, July 13, 1857; _The Spirit Lake
Massacre and Relief Expedition_ in the _Roster and Record of Iowa
Soldiers_, Vol. VI, p. 895.