Narrative of My Captivity Among the Sioux IndiansKelly, Fanny
History
Narrative of My Captivity Among the Sioux Indians
Kelly, Fanny
Dakota Indians -- History; Dakota Indians -- Wars -- 1862-1865; Indian captivities -- West (U.S.); Kelly, Fanny, 1845-1904
Oh, what horrible sights met my view! Pen is powerless to portray
the scenes occurring around me. They filled the air with the fearful
war-whoops and hideous shouts. I endeavored to keep my fears quiet as
possible, knowing that an indiscreet act on my part might result in
jeopardizing our lives, though I felt certain that we two helpless
women would share death by their hands; but with as much of an air of
indifference as I could command, I kept still, hoping to prolong our
lives, even if but a few moments. I was not allowed this quiet but a
moment, when two of the most savage-looking of the party rushed up into
my wagon, with tomahawks drawn in their right hands, and with their
left seized me by both hands and pulled me violently to the ground,
injuring my limbs very severely, almost breaking them, from the effects
of which I afterward suffered a great deal. I turned to my little Mary,
who, with outstretched hands, was standing in the wagon, took her in my
arms and helped her to the ground. I then turned to the chief, put my
hand upon his arm, and implored his protection for my fellow-prisoner
and our children. At first he gave me no hope, but seemed utterly
indifferent to my prayers. Partly in words and partly by signs, he
ordered me to remain quiet, placing his hand upon his revolver, that
hung in a belt at his side, as an argument to enforce obedience.
A short distance in the rear of our train a wagon was in sight. The
chief immediately dispatched a detachment of his band to capture or
to cut it off from us, and I saw them ride furiously off in pursuit
of the small party, which consisted only of one family and a man who
rode in advance of the single wagon. The horseman was almost instantly
surrounded and killed by a volley of arrows. The husband of the family
quickly turned his team around and started them at full speed, gave the
whip and lines to his wife, who held close in her arms her youngest
child. He then went to the back end of his wagon and threw out boxes,
trunks, every thing that he possessed. His wife meantime gave all
her mind and strength to urging the horses forward on their flight
from death. The Indians had by this time come very near, so that they
riddled the wagon-cover with bullets and arrows, one passing through
the sleeve of the child’s dress in its mother’s arms, but doing it no
personal injury.
The terrified man kept the Indians at bay with his revolver, and
finally they left him and rode furiously back to the scene of the
murder of our train.
CHAPTER III.
MY HUSBAND’S ESCAPE—BURIAL OF THE DEAD—ARRIVAL OF THE SURVIVORS
AT DEER CREEK—AN ILL-TIMED BALL.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account