(Click this link for The Excelsior Story - Part One)
The first installment of the report on the misadventures of the Excelsior Colony in Jewell County ended with news of the killing of Buffalo hunters at a creek seven miles from their new settlement. This was not the better-known group from Waterville, Reuben Winklepleck and others led by John McChesney who were ambushed at the mouth of White Rock Creek a few days later, but a smaller band of hunters whose names remain a mystery.
News of the deaths of those four men on or about April 22, 1869, signaled the start of a week-long series of attacks along the valley which would drive the colony further east.
THROWING UP ENTRENCHMENTS.
On hearing this we set to work, hurriedly, and soon had a temporary fort of logs thrown up, and a breastwork of earthworks surrounding it. In the mean time the ladies we had with us were growing very uneasy. They had had enough of this wild life, and began to think of returning to their civilized homes in the East. A wagon arriving about this time with provisions for us, they took the opportunity to engage it for a return trip. It was owned by a Mr. Frazer, a bold, ready dare-devil who hated the redskins as he would “pizen.” “A dead Ingin,” he was accustomed to say, “is the best friend o’ the white man.” This man was to accompany them.
BODIES ERECT, FACING EAST.
Mr. and Mrs. Ackey, of New York, three men of the colony, and Mr. Frazer and his brother started at the appointed time, but had not left more than six or seven miles behind them before the Indians made their appearance in numbers of 100 or 150, approaching with wild whoops and brandishing their rifles over their heads. All but the Frazers started for the woods and were soon in safety. But the Frazers, not wishing to lose their horses, unharnessed them from the wagon, mounted them, and started off at full speed.
Meantime the Indians had approached much nearer. They had not seen the fugitives who entered the woods, and followed the Frazers only, firing at them incessantly until the horse of the elder Frazer was shot beneath him. The poor brute, though badly wounded, carried its master a half mile further, when it fell, exhausted by loss of blood.
The redskins had by this time come much nearer, and the next moment the elder Frazer was shot through the shoulder. There was now no time for deliberation. The younger and unwounded Frazer hastily dismounted, set his horse free to take its chance, gave it a cut with his whip, made for the woods with his brother, and succeeded finally, by swimming the creek and running on the other side for dear life, in reaching the camp in safety.
THEY COME! THEY COME!
We knew immediately there was something wrong when we saw the two brothers coming toward us covered with dust and sweat and blood, and hastened out to meet them. “They come! they come!” we heard them cry and as they came nearer received from them an account of the sad affair.
“They will be down upon you,” they cried, “in less than two hours.”
We did not know what had become of the rest of the party, but this was no time to look for them. Each man had now to look to his own life, and the lives of those nearest and dearest to him. Powder and balls were placed at the disposal of the men as they might need them. The elder Frazer offered to take command of our party, consisting at this time of 34 men, 3 women, and 4 children. The women and children, pale and frightened, were placed in the house, or fort, as it was called, for safety, and we, the men, prepared to defend the breastwork.
A MODERN SPARTAN WOMAN.
In all the confusion and terror that prevailed, a young and pretty woman, some 18 years of age, the wife of Harry Wallin, one of our members and the daughter of G. H. Paulsen, of the Second Auditor’s Department at Washington, displayed a courage that would be an honor to any man. Throwing off her woman’s garb, and clothing herself in male attired, with a revolver in her hand, she went about the fort, exhorting and encouraging the men and quieting the fears of the women and children. She won the deep admiration of every one of us.
“Rather,” she said, “would I die on this spot than be made captive by these savage men.”
THE ATTACK.
In the mean time we were working as only men in our situation could work, piling up boxes, barrels, bags of potatoes, and everything we could lay our hands on that would be of any possible use in this respect, into a second breastwork behind the earthen one we had thrown up at first. Before we had quite finished the Indians came in sight on the top of a bluff some two miles distant.
They presented an exceedingly picturesque appearance, riding down toward us four abreast, with their lances glittering in the sun. The chief was mounted on a fine gray pony, and was dressed in some of the clothing taken from Frazer’s wagon some two hours before. At a distance of a half mile they stopped, surrounded us from all sides, and began firing at us indiscriminately and incessantly. While some of us returned the fire, the rest worked steadily piling up boxes and barrels.
THE RETREAT.
The marksmanship of the Indians, I am happy to say, was exceddingly poor. Our own was somewhat better. After a half hour’s interchange of fire and shot not one of our party was insured, while several of the enemy had been wounded and one of their horses was killed. They saw that we were ready for them, and slowly retreated, crossing the creek, and riding along on the opposite side, but keeping up an incessant shower of lead until they had disappeared from view. Deep was our exultation at their departure. We felt now somewhat securer, but fearing their return, continued the strengthening of our fortifications, keeping at the same time a good lookout for the redskins every moment of the next two days.
ON THE MARCH AGAIN.
On the morning of the third day we saw a party of men coming toward us from the same bluff on which the Indians had first appeared. Fearing another attack, we sprang up and manned the breastworks but as we did so, we saw the foremost horseman wave a white flag above his head. We then allowed him to come nearer until we saw, first that he was a white man; and secondly, that it was Walker himself, who had left us a short time before, and who now returned with a party of eight men and a wagon load of Spencer carbines.
We welcomed them heartily, and sent out men immediately a distance of some forty miles to get wagons in which we might carry our baggage and leave this slaughter pen, as we now learned White Rock creek had always been. No settler had ever been able to live in the place for more than a few weeks without being attacked by the Indians, and often the attack was a disastrous one to the unsuspecting emigrant. We waited for the men and the wagons, and waited patiently; but time passed, they came not, and we gave them up as slain or captured.