h here. Every man, woman, and child now living in the country has heard
the tales of that awful week. Few people escaped, and those only by taking
to the Black Hills, where they suffered untold privations from want and
exposure.

Having thus disposed of the two principal centres from which interference
might spring, the Indians proceeded to devote themselves to the individual
settlers upon the prairie. Not a farm escaped their attention. North and
south, east and west, for miles and miles the red tide swept over the face
of the plains, burning, sacking, murdering.

A track of blood was left behind them wherever they went. Charred
monuments marked the tombs of hardy settlers caught in the red flood;
where peace and prosperity had so recently reigned, now were only ruin and
devastation.

With each succeeding day the horror grew. The northern Indians threw in
their lot with their warlike Sioux brothers, and all the smaller and more
distant tribes, numerically too weak for initiative, hastened to the
bloody field of battle. The rebellion grew; it spread over the country
like a running sore. The Bad Lands were maintaining their title.

At first the news that filtered through to the outside world was meagre,
and devoid of reliable detail. Thus it happened that only a few troops
were hurried to the scene of action. It was not until these, like the
handful at the fort, had served to swell the roll of massacre, and the
fact became known that the northern posts, where large forces were always
kept in readiness, were cut off from all communications, that the world
learned the full horror that had befallen the Indian territory of Dakota.

Through these days the one place to hold out against the fierce onslaught
of an overwhelming foe was the fortified farm of White River. But it was
in a desperate plight.

So far only the foresight of the defenders had saved them. The vast
strength of the stockade and the inner earthworks, hurriedly thrown up at
the last moment, and the unswerving devotion of the little band of
settlers within its shelter, had formed a combination of stout resistance.
But as the time passed, and each day brought with it its tally of
casualties, the position became more and more desperate.

With each attack the fortifications suffered. Twice the ramparts were
breached, and only nightfall had saved the situation. At long range
fighting the white defenders had the best of it, but hand to hand the
issue was reve