20

INDIAN MASSACRE.

the soldiers years before. Night was coming on; they did not dare to travel with their teams after dark. A council was held, and they resolved to reach the fort and pass the night, thinking, perhaps, help might arrive. There they passed the night. Some proposed to abandon their teams and under cover of darkness make their escape, if possible, on foot; but that looked too cowardly for an old soldier like Mr. Burk, for not more than a half a dozen Indians had been

seen.

Morning came. If attacked at the fort they were helpless, as their ammunition was nearly gone. The Indians were not in sight. They resolved to harness and start for the Republican to find a fording place. Mr. M. traveled on foot to ascertain something definite about the ford, as the stream was dangerous even at low water; that gave him one chance out of one hundred for escape.

They reached the river at a point where the logs for the fort had been hauled up

the bank, when with the rapidity of a meteor there sprang from the very sand, as it appeared, about one hundred Indians, all mounted and armed to the teeth, with guns, arrows and tomahawks, yelling like demons from the infernal pit. They surrounded the doomed party, shooting their bullets and arrows, which seemed to fill the very air. The party sprang from their wagons, abandoning everything, while the air fairly shrieked with the bullets and flying arrows; they plunged into the river (with the exception of Mr. M.), making a desperate effort cross the swollen stream.

The blood-thirsty savages hotly pursued; the hunters saw no chance of escape unless they could cross the river and a narrow strip of prairie on the opposite bank, and then reach the timber beyond. If they could accomplish that they had some hopes, thinking they could secrete themselves among the trees, brush, weeds and grass. They made the attempt; all crossed the river,

22

INDIAN MASSACRE.

reached the open prairie, when the Indians overtook them, killing the six. Two were residents of Michigan, visiting relatives in Kansas.

At first Mr. M. succeeded in secreting himself in the tall weeds and tangled grass in such a manner that about twenty Indians who were searching for him passed within six feet of his body. He could see their vicious, fiery eyes peering over the weeds and grass which concealed him. He could. see their guns ready to riddle him with bullets, and the uplifted tomahawk ready to take his scalp; their horses almost trod upon his clothing. Mr. M. knew all that was going on upon the opposite bank of the river, when the savages were killing his comrades, by their unearthly yells; their tomahawks soon silenced all else, and he could not distinguish a familiar voice.

After they had completed their bloody deed, he heard them sing their savage song of rejoicing. Mr. M. succeeded in getting

away from his concealment and was followed four miles, but the Indians would not abandon their horses and Mr. M. crept slily from place to place until they relinquished their search entirely; then he succeeded in reaching Scandia, fifteen miles distant, where he procured a posse and started for the scene of the massacre. They found them all dead-all scalped but one. Two stripped of all their clothing, their bodies filled with bullets. One arrow was taken from the body of Mr. W. and taken to Michigan, as a memento of the horrible scene.

Mr. McChesney's escape seems almost incredible, and next to a miracle; but he is an honorable man, highly respected, and has lived in Kansas almost a quarter of a century, and his veracity has never been questioned; I received this statement from him.

Kansas as I Heard it in 1867.

IFE, I've concluded the prairies to see; Our children are young, and our acres are few,

We'll

go

free,

to the west, where cattle roam

And I'll take a homestead, as other men do.

Some of our neighbors are going next fall;— There's Baker, and Brown and Williamson, too;

They've been out to Kansas,

And looked the state through.