50 SlouiL' City Acadcniij of >)cieiicc and Letters. 



A greater Indian scare^ occurred in 1862, when the 

 Santee Sioux rose and massacred the inhabitants of New 

 Ulm, Minn. As the Indians proceeded west from New 

 Ulm into Dakota the settlers along the Big Sioux and 

 James Eivers began to leave for Sioux City and the east. 

 They abandoned their crops and newly made homes in 

 such large numbers that the region was almost depopu- 

 lated. Much plunder was left to the Indians for the 

 taking. 



We, in Sioux City, did what we could to stop them. 

 We placed a guard at the ferry across the Floyd Kiver 

 in order that their retreat might be cut off, but it was 

 of no avail, for they would not be stopped. A stockade 

 was built in Sioux Citj on the river front between Doug- 

 las and Pierce Streets. Every man in town was expected 

 to help in the work of making the town safe. But the 

 Indians never came near us after that and gradually 

 fear died awa3\ Some of the settlers who had fled never 

 came back. Others returning later found that their 

 claims had been jumped in their absence. Altogether 

 these Indian scares were very expensive. 



In the fall of 1862 came the soldiers, parts of three 

 companies, to protect us from the Indians. At first they 

 had a tendencj^ to stop the wholesale departure of set- 

 tlers, but, finally, when they began to help themselves 

 freely to everything they could find, it was neither pleas- 

 ant or helpful to the town. B^^ and by they left us and 

 went south. 2 We were rid of them and still lived. 



Next came the grasshoppers. ^ Tliej^ were almost as 

 bad as the Indians and soldiers. They mowed down 

 field after field of corn; in fact, they ate up nearly all 

 vegetation, causing much suffering and distress. 



It did seem hard upon us to be preyed upon by 

 Indians, soldiers and grasshoppers in such rapid succes- 

 sion. These Avere lean years for us in Sioux Cit3^ It 

 was enough to make even the stoutest hearts quail. 



1. Called the "War of the Outbreak" in the history of South 

 Dakota. 



2. They were, rather, sent up the river. Later they were mus- 

 tered out at Sioux City. 



3. Fall of 18C4 and spring of 1865. 



