turning
settlers.

Mrs. Harriet Gleason--1854.

I was twenty-seven years old when I came to Minnesota, landing at a
townsite on the Mississippi River then known as Manton, but now known as
La Crescent. My brother, Samuel Spalding had come the year preceding and
had taken a claim near that place and at his request I came and took a
claim there also and kept house for him.

The country at that time was one almost unbroken wilderness. There were
no roads of any kind, only "blazed trails" through the timber from one
place to another.

There were wild animals in those days, and still wilder Indians, though
there were some "Good Indians." One morning a "Good Indian" came to our
place and wanted a needle and some thread, which I gave him. He said he
was going away hunting and thanked me. In the evening he came back and I
lost confidence in the "Good Indian" pretty quick. He had been drinking
and wanted me to give him more whiskey. I told him that I had none, but
that did not satisfy him. He kept asking for whiskey. I thought, "What
must I do?" I gave him the camphor bottle which he threw away; also
water, with which he did the same, repeating his request for whiskey and
flourishing his tomahawk over my head. I was now thoroughly frightened
but tried not to let him see that I was. I then gave him a loaf of
bread, which he took and then he wanted me to go with him to his wigwam.
I opened the door and told him to "Get out quick," which he did with a
whoop and a run. From that time on the Indians did not trouble us.

Mrs. Bradley--1854.

When our family, the Grants, came to Winona, there were more Indians
here than whites and to one who had never seen the Red Skins, a vivid
impression which can never be forgotten was left. There were very few
houses and the inhabitants were limited to a dozen families.

Mr. Oliver K. Jones--1857.

In the summer of '62 I enlisted in Company G of the Eighth Minnesota
Infantry. Before the six regiments required of Minnesota were fully
organized the Sioux Indian massacre occurred. As fast as a company was
organized it was rushed off somewhere on the frontier to protect the
white settlers and drive back the Indians. My company and Company D of
the 7th Regiment were sent on a forced march to Fort Abercrombie, two
hundred and fifty miles northwest of St. Paul on the Red River, twelve
miles down the river from Breckenridge. This garrison was besieged by
Indians. All the white people in tha