Robert's father,George,was one of the first settlers of the Hall County, Nebraska south of the Platte River, coming in 1862 with his family. At the time of Mr. Martin's settlement in Hall County Indians were plenty, in 1864 they made an attack on the south side of Platte River. Mr. Martin and his sons, Henry N. & Robert were hauling hay and were about three miles from Home. Mr. Martin was on the first load, had a six-shooting rifle and being first attacked could do little on account of on the hay. He was severly wounded. The spy on the bluff pointed out the boys who were following on the second load of hay drawn by a yoke of oxen with a horse on a lead behind the load. When the attact was made on the boys they unhitched and turned the oxen loose. Henry put his brother, Robert, on the horse and then got on behind. When about a quarter mile from the house the Indians closed in. Henry received an arrow between the shoulder blade and the back bone,which came out the right side of the breast and penetrated his brother, Robert. He then recieved an arrow shot in the right arm, and his brother, Robert was shot in the hip and thigh.They rode until Henry became dizzy, fainted and fell from the horse which also became tangled in the lines and came to the ground. The Indians struck Robert and finding that he didnot move supposed both were dead and spoke of scalping them but then changed their minds. Finally they left. When the arrow was drawn from Henry's arm he fainted and did not come to himself until en route with his family to York, Nebraska Territory. He refused to go farther and after there a week returned to the ranch, driving a team back. Within two weeks he was again at work. Robert was 12 years of age at the time of the attack and suffered complications from it his remaining years.
In 2012 a bronze sculpture commemorating the event entitled "A Narrow Escape" was erected and dedicated on the ground of the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, NE. It shows two boys on the back of a galloping horse with arrows pinning them together.