AC. Fanny Kelly Recounts the Attack by the Sioux Indians on Her Party, Wyoming, 1864 (ep. 1)

Fanny Kelly Recounts the Attack by the Sioux Indians on Her Party, Wyoming, 1864 (ep. 1)

hello and welcome to another episode of unworthy history today we got some more actual history for you from this book right here Narrative of my captivity among the Sioux Indians by Fanny Kelly this book was published all the way back in 1871. now today is the first episode in a series I’m going to do on Fanny Kelly and her ordeal when she was captured by the Sioux Indians back in 1864.

So this episode will talk about the actual capture which took place in Wyoming near little Box Elder Creek a train of wagons were coursing their Westward Way with visions of the future bright as our own sometimes a single team might be seen traveling alone our party were among the many small squads emigrating to the land of promise the day on which our doomed family were scattered and killed was the 12th of July a warm and oppressive day the burning Sun poured forth its hottest Rays upon the great black hills and the vast plains of Montana and the great

Emigrant Road was strewed with men women and children and flocks of cattle representing towns of adventurers we looked anxiously forward to the approach of evening with a sense of relief after the excessive heat of the day our journey had been pleasant but toilsome for we had been long weeks on the road slowly our wagons wound through the timber that skirted the little boxelder Creek and crossing the stream we ascended the opposite Bank we had no thought of danger or timid misgivings on the subject of Indians for our fears had

been all dispersed by constantly received assurances of their friendliness at the outposts and Ranch as we heard nothing but ridicule of their pretensions to Warfare and at Fort Laramie where information that should have been reliable was given to us we had renewed assurances of the safety of the road and the friendliness of the Indians at Horseshoe Creek which we had just left and where there was a telegraph station our inquiries had elicited similar assurances as to the quiet and peaceful state of the country

through which we must pass being thus persuaded that fears were groundless we entertain none and as I have mentioned before our small company preferred to travel alone on account of the greater progress made in that way the beauty of the sunset and the scenery around us filled our hearts with joy and Mr wakefield’s Voice Was Heard in song for the last time as he sang ho for Idaho little Mary’s low sweet voice too joined in the chorus she was so happy in her childish Glee on that day as she always was she was the star and joy of

our whole party we wended our way peacefully and cheerfully on without a thought of the danger that was lying like a tiger and ambush in our path without a sound of preparation or a word of warning the Bluffs before us were covered with a party of about 250 Indians painted and equipped for war who uttered the wild War whoop and fired a signal volley of guns and revolvers into the air this terrible and unexpected Apparition Came Upon Us with such startling swiftness that we had not time to think before the main body halted and

sent out a part of their Force which circled around us at regular intervals but some distance from our wagons recovering from the shock our men instantly resolved on defense and corralled the wagons my husband was looked upon as leader as he was principal owner of the train without regard to the insignificance of our numbers Mr Kelly was ready to stand his ground but with all the power I could command I entreated him to forebear and attempt only conciliation if you fire one shot I said I feel sure it will seal

Our Fate as they seem to outnumber us ten to one and will at once Massacre all of us love for the trembling little girl at my side my husband and Friends made me strong to protest against anything that would lessen our chance for escape with our lives poor little Mary from the first she had entertained an ungovernable dread of the Indians a repugnance that could not be overcome although in our intercourse with the friendly endeans I had endeavored to show how unfounded it was and persuaded that they were civil and harmless but

all in vain Mr Kelly brought her beads and many little presents from them which she much admired but she would always add they look so cross at me and they have knives and tomahawks and I fear they will kill me could it be that her tender young mind had some presentiments or warning of her horrid fate my husband Advanced to meet the chief and demand his intentions the Indian leader immediately came toward him riding forward and uttering the words how how which are understood to mean a friendly salutation his name was

Ottawa and he was a war chief of the Ogallala band of the Sioux Nation he struck himself on his breast saying good Indian me and pointing to those around them he continued Heap good Indian hunt Buffalo and deer he assured us of his utmost friendship for the white people then he shook hands and his band followed his example crowding around our wagons shaking us all by the hand over and over again until our arms ached and grinning and nodding with every demonstration of good will our only policies seemed to be temporizing in

Hope of assistance approaching and to gain time we allowed them unpossessed to do whatever they fancied first they said they would like to change one of their horses for the one Mr Kelly was riding a favorite racehorse very much against his will he acceded to their request and gave up to them the noble animal to which he was fondly attached my husband came to me with word of cheer and hope but oh what a marked look of Despair was upon his face such as I had never seen before the Indians asked for flower and

we gave them what they wanted of Provisions the flower they emptied upon the ground saving only the sack they talked to us partly by signs and partly in broken English with which some of them were quite familiar and as we were anxious to suit ourselves to their whims and preserve a friendly intercourse as long as possible we allowed them to take whatever they desired and offered them many presents besides it was as I have said before extremely warm weather but they remarked that the cold made it necessary for them to look for clothing

and beg for some from our stock which was granted without the slightest offered objection on our part I in a careless like manner said they must give me some moccasins for some articles of clothing that I had just handed them and very pleasantly a young Indian gave me a nice pair richly embroidered with different colored beads our anxiety to conciliate them increased every moment for the hope of help arriving from some quarter grew stronger as they dallied and alas it was our only one they grew Bolder and more insulin in their

advances one of them laid hold of my husband’s gun but being repulsed assisted the chief at last intimated that he desired us to proceed on our way promising that we should not be molested we obeyed without trusting them and soon the train was again in motion the Indians insisting on driving our herd and growing ominously familiar soon my husband called a halt he saw that we were approaching a rocky Glen in whose gloomy depths he anticipated a murderous attack and from which Escape would be utterly impossible our enemies urged us

still forward but we resolutely refused to stir when they requested that we should prepare supper which they said they would share with us and then go to the hills to sleep the men of our party concluded it best to give them a feast Mr Kelly gave orders to our two black servants to prepare at once to make a feast for the Indians one of our servants Andy said I think if I knows anything about it they had their supper as they had been eating sugar crackers from our wagons for an hour or more the two black men had been slaves among the

Cherokees and knew the Indian character by experience Their Fear and horror of them was unbounded and their Terror seemed pitiable to us as they had worked for us a long time and were most faithful trustworthy servants each man was busy preparing the supper Mr Larimer and Frank were making the fire Mr Wakefield was getting Provisions out of the wagon Mr Taylor was attending to his team Mr Kelly and Andy were out some distance Gathering wood Mr Sharp was Distributing sugar among the Indians supper that they asked for was in Rapid

progress of preparation when suddenly our terrible enemies threw off their masks and displayed their true Natures there was a simultaneous discharge of arms and when the cloud of smoke cleared away I could see the retreating form of Mr Larimer and the slow motion of poor Mr Wakefield for he was mortally wounded my husband and Andy made a miraculous escape with their lives Mr Sharp was killed within a few feet of me I will never forget Mr Taylor’s face as I saw him shot through the forehead with a rifle ball he looked at me as he fell

backward to the ground a corpse I was the last object that met his dying gaze our poor faithful Frank our other servant fell at my feet pierced by many arrows I recall the scene with a sickening horror I could not see my husband anywhere and did not know of his fate but feared and trembled for the worst with a glance at my surroundings my senses seemed gone for a time but I could only live and endure I had but little time for thought for the Indians quickly sprang into our wagons tearing off covers breaking crushing and

smashing all hindrances to plunder breaking open locks Trunks and boxes and distributing or destroying our Goods with great rapidity using their tomahawks to pry open boxes which they split up and Savage recklessness Oh what horrible sights met my view pen is powerless to portray the scenes that occurred around me they filled the air with the fearful War whoops and hideous shouts I Endeavor to keep my fears quiet as possible knowing that an Indiscreet act on my part might result in jeopardizing Our Lives though I felt

certain that we too helpless women would share death by their hands but with as much of an air of indifference as I could command I kept still hoping to prolong Our Lives even if but for a few moments I was not allowed this quiet but for a moment when two of the most Savage looking of the party rushed up into my wagon with tomahawks drawn in their right hands and with their left hands They seized me and pulled me violently to the ground injuring my limbs very severely almost breaking them from the effects of which I afterwards suffered a

great deal I turned to my little Mary who with outstretched hands was standing in the wagon took her in my arms and helped her to the ground I then turned to the chief put my hand upon his arm and implored his protection for my fellow prisoner and our children at first he gave me no hope but seemed utterly indifferent to my prayers partly in words and partly by signs he ordered me to remain quiet placing hand upon his revolver that hung in a belt at his side as an argument to enforce obedience a short distance in the rear of our train

a wagon was in sight the chief immediately dispatched a Detachment of his band to capture or to cut it off from us and I saw them ride furiously off in pursuit of the small party which consisted only of one family and a man who wrote in advance of the single wagon the horsemen in advance was almost immediately surrounded and killed by a volley of arrows the husband of the family quickly turned his team around and started them at full speed gave the Whip and lines to his wife who held close in her arms her youngest child he

then went to the back end of his wagon and threw out boxes trunks everything that he possessed his wife meantime gave all her mind and strength to urging the forces forward on their flight from Death the Indians had by this time come very near so that they riddled the wagon cover with bullets and arrows one passing through the sleeve of the child’s dress in its mother’s arms but doing it no personal injury this terrified man kept the Indians at Bay with his revolver and finally they left him and rode furiously back to the scene

of the murder of our train so that’s the end of this story this is episode one in this series I’m doing on the Captivity of Fanny Kelly and her account of it and so in the next episodes we’ll hear what became of her husband as well as what became of her during her captivity so if you want to see more episodes like this then be sure to like And subscribe and we’ll see you next time on unworthy history