Bride Remains as Cook.
But
to return to our little settlement, all the women and children had been sent
with the caravan excepting the bride and her sister, who concluded to take
their chances of being killed by the Indians, and were installed as chief cooks
for the garrison, remaining so to the end of the war. Early in the morning of the same day that the
caravan started, we also dispatched two men on horseback to Webster City, to
secure arms and ammunition and they were instructed to hire a team to bring at
once such as could be purchased.
The
day was a very busy one, and by night we had our fort about half completed, and
the scouts who had patrolled the prairie north and west reported no Indians in
sight.
On
one corner of the cross streets was a two-story house made of hewn logs, which
was used as headquarters and a boarding house.
There was also a house on the other three corners of the same cross
streets, and in these four houses we all gathered for the night, with
instructions in case of an attack by the Indians to flee to headquarters. A guard was also selected to patrol the
garrison during the night.
 |
| From 1896 Plat of Kossuth County - "Old" Irvington was located directly north of Irvington Station |
Troublesome Visitor Ducked.
We
had some fun along with our work, and during one morning one incident occurred
which afforded much amusement for all but the one most concerned. I had been installed as foreman of the crew
who were to run the mill, and we were well at work sawing plank when a stalwart
young man came among us, declaring that we were a set of damned fools to think
we could fight Indians, and that he had no doubt but the Indians were on the
war path; that they were likely to make a raid on the town any night, and
murder all who remained, and he for one was not going to stay.
We
told him, all right, to leave, but he persisted in trying to convince us of our
folly and danger in language which we resented.
Finally, in jest more than anything else, I said to him, “You get out of
here, or we’ll chuck you in the river,” which was but a few rods from the mill. He immediately jerked off his coat, threw it
on the ground, and defied the whole crowd.
As he turned to reply to something said by one of the boys I leaped on
his back, throwing my arms around both of his, and, clasping my hands tightly
in front of him, sang out, “Come on boys, let’s chuck him in.” It was no quicker said than done, and the
whole crew made a rush, grabbed him by the arms and legs, and started for the
river.
Victim Departs With Threat.
He
was still defiant, and we lowered him feet first into the water up to his
knees. Still defiant, we dropped him in
to his thighs, and gave him another chance to retract, but he became sullen,
and would make no promises. We then
chucked him in up to his shoulders, with the admonition if he did not promise
to get out at once the next chuck would be final. This subdued him, and he said he had changed
his mind, and if we would let him out he would go home, and inform his people
of the situation and return to help us.
Guns and Ammunition Arrive.
At
the end of the second day we had the wall of our fort all erected, and the
messengers sent out to secure arms and ammunition had returned, closely
followed by a team bringing about forty shotguns and rifles, with powder and
shot, and lead for making bullets.
Percussion caps had come into use, but the guns were muzzle-loaded, and
each charge of powder and shot had to be rammed in.
The
men bringing the ammunition had met the caravan early in the morning, and heard
their heartrending stories, but as they also had met the Californian on his
return from Johnson’s Point they learned from him the true situation.
Unusual Sound Alarms Settlers.
About
eight o’clock that evening an incident occurred which gave us a chance to show
our bravery as Indian fighters. While we
were all assembled at headquarters, playing cards, swapping lies, and having a
general good time, a mournful sound came from the barn which was located a few
rods back of the house. It sounded as
though the cattle were lowing, either in pain or fear, and the sound was repeated
at short intervals. The immediate conclusion
was that the Indians were torturing the cattle, causing them to make the
mournful sound, for the purpose of drawing the settlers out into the open. It was a well-known Indian trick for
surprising unsuspecting settlers, and we concluded at once that Indians were
responsible for the unusual sound.
The
command was given, “to arms,” and each man seized his gun. A hasty consultation was held, and it was
decided to send a small squad to the barn to investigate, while the balance of
the company should be held in readiness for battle. The captain called for six volunteers, and
three times the number stepped forward.
Six men were selected, the writer being among the number, and we
proceeded slowly towards the barn, guided by the mournful sound. As we neared the barn the sound seem to come
from behind it, so we made a detour to the rear of the barn, and finally
locating the sound as coming from the roof of a shed at the rear of the barn.
Steer Cause of Commotion.
The
rafters of the shed roof were round poles, placed about two feet apart, and
these were entirely covered with prairie hay.
During the winter the snow had drifted in behind the shed above the
eaves, and a two-year old steer had gone up over the snow onto the roof, and
his weight had forced his feet through the hay, so he was suspended astride of
a pole, his feet and legs hanging inside the shed, while his body rested on the
roof.
The
whole affair was so ridiculous that we shouted with laughter, and called the
balance of the company to help us rescue the “enemy” and enjoy the
victory. After the steer was removed
from his uncomfortable position, and placed in the barn for the night, the
“soldiers” returned to headquarters, and enjoyed a good night’s sleep. It was our first, last, and only battle; no
shots were fired and no one was hurt.
Another
time we were all prepared for an attack, but it proved to be only the old cat
rattling the door knob, as was his habit when he wanted to come in.
Third Day Passes Quietly.
We
spent the third day making two rows of portholes in the walls of the fort and
spiking heavy slabs over the cracks outside.
The first row of holes was made four feet above the ground, and the
other row eight feet from the ground.
Those for the rifles were four inches long, by two high, made by boring
two holes side by side with a two-inch auger.
For the shotguns a third hole was bored above the center of the other
two, making an opening four inches long, by four inches high in the center,
running to two inches high at the outside.
The
day passed without excitement or any unusual occurrence to disturb the peace
and quietude of the garrison, and no further work was done on the fort.
 |
| From History of Kossuth County published in 1913 |
Scare Subsides Without Raid.
While
all this excitement and preparation was going on, the small band of Indians
that was the cause of it was hastening westward with its plunder and captives
towards what was then known as the “Yankton Territory,” now South Dakota. Shortly after leaving Spirit Lake they murdered
two of the young women carried away, but the third was rescued about three
months later, and returned to her home in Minnesota, and afterwards wrote a
book giving the details of the massacre and the hellish deeds of the Indians.
Nothing
more was done in preparation for war, and as the excitement soon subsided the
military company disbanded. The caravan
that had gone to Webster City returned, families were reunited, and our little
community settled down again to its usual routine. No more work had been done on the fort, but
it stood for many years in its uncompleted state, as a reminder of the
imaginary Indian War, and it was three months before we fully recovered from
the effects of the disturbance along the frontier in northern Iowa, and
southern Minnesota.
This is perhaps the best story I have read about how the Irvington fort came to be. The memories preserved therein obviously remained very vibrant in the mind of Mr. Robinson who chose to write them down so many years after they occurred. I for one am thankful that he did.
This is perhaps the best story I have read about how the Irvington fort came to be. The memories preserved therein obviously remained very vibrant in the mind of Mr. Robinson who chose to write them down so many years after they occurred. I for one am thankful that he did.
Until next time,
Jean
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