Frank A. Foster Letter
Around 1890 mailed from Moulton, South Dakota
Sent to his father, Charles H. Foster in Cherokee Co. Iowa
Original Letter is located at the State
Historical Society, Des Moines, Iowa
Transcribed by Terry
Kneen, Frank’s greatgrandson.
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Moulton, So. Dak. Dec 10
Dear Father---
I received your letter a short few weeks ago. I suppose you have
heard through the papers of the Indian war in this part of the
country. I don’t believe you have any idea though of the
excitement it has raised amoung the settlers here. When it first
began two weeks ago every family on this creek below us and some
above moved to Rapid City and the prairie on each side was deserted
for ten miles above us. Some of the men built a fort at the mouth of
this creek and elected a captain and kept a sentry out. One night the
guards heard a war hoop and give the alarm.
We have it from several that were there that the wildest excitement
prevailed. Some cryed, some prayed, and some ranout to escape,
forgetting to take their guns with them and the captain covered up
head and ears in bed. The excitement guieted down for a time and some
families moved back but it has settled down to solid business now and
most of them have gone back to Rapid. I’ve have not gone yet but
may go. The indians are now in the bad lands on the Cheyene river. It
is estimated that there are about 3500 fighting indians. Soldiers are
pouring in from every part of the west, even from New Mexico. Sixty
cars of men & horses arrived in Rapid yesterday and are expected
to go by near here today. Men well acquainted with the bad lands say
they can’t get soldiers enough in there to cope with them. The
governor has distributed guns among the settlers. The indians have
captured several herds of horses on the Cheyenne and have got the
government beef herd of 3000 cattle.
I don’t know how much of this news you see in the papers as our
post office is closed and we have not had any papers for two weeks.
We have had some indians company since coming here. They have a trail
that crosses the creek half a mile below here and a regular camping
place at the crossing. Red Dog and his band camped there the next day
after we got back from our trip to the hills and they came to see us.
They came a while after dinner and staid till nine in the evening
waiting for supper but we didn’t give them any. They wanted
everything they saw and took lots of pains to see every thing we had.
Then just after this outbreak Fog and his band camped there. Fog is
the one that boasts of being the one that shot Custer. Two of them
came up first and we thought the quickest way to get rid of them was
to get dinner for them which we did, but by the time they were done
two more came and about supper time Fog his wife and daughter came.
They won’t talk but very little. The men all carry six shooters
and a long knife. Fogs band has reached the agency and joined the
loyal indians.
We are having nice weather now. I will close now but may have some
more to write before I have a chance to send it.
F.A. Foster