The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-03-23
INDIAN FIGHT.
An Obstinate Conhict-Every Rod
ha i.1fr skin Slain, Jg

The Humbolt Register, Of January
10th, gives the following account Si
a late fight with Indians:
One of the best fights yet recorded
since tho Indians on our Northern
border commenced hostilities was
that made near the confluence Of
Qneen'S river and Fish creek, last
week. lA4a
The Indians had become so daring,
and Troublesome of late that communi-
cations between Dun Glen and Camp
McDermit was unsafe. Captain g..
D. Conrad determined on raid
against the marauders. All prepara-
tions made, the command sct out from
Dun Glen on the morning of the 9Th,
headed for Queens river The entire
command consisted of ffty-six per-
sons. fF.
Aftcr extraordinary suffering from
the cold, and long march of three
days, they at length arrived upon the
Indians, and Immediately the fight
began in oil it's fury. The Indians
had the advantage Of the ground.
The field fought over was about two
| n 80
miles square, and a large portion oft
was very much cut up with gulies
and ravines, and bore also great
quantity of spanish broomS. The In
dians could not have selected field
better adapted to their style Of war
fare. The Indians discovered three
cclams coming dashing down on them
when about mile distant, and then
they could be distinctly seen prepar.
ing for battle-dividing off in squads
Of four and six, and selecting their
places for combat where it would be
most difficult to manOuvre cavalry.
Each warrior had from fifty to sew
enty,fve poisoned arrows, giving
each squad from two hundred and if-
ty to three hundred and fifty shots.
The momeut before the battle COM
menced, owing to the exrteme cold,
dense cloud of frost commenced hy-
ing, so thick that a horseman could
not DO seen over hundred yards.
This gave the Indians a great ad
vantage, as it commpclled the sol
diers to fight at short range, so that
the bow and arrow could be used,
and it also increased the chances of
escape for the Indians. Had the
frost commenced flying earlier, no
doubt many of them would haze Os-
capped. The plan of battle was such
that the right and left columns flank
ed the Indians and soon snrrouneded |
them. They fought with despera-
ton. In no instance did the warrior
lay down his arms till ho laid down
his life. They arranged their arrows
between their fingers in such a man.
ner that they could shoot them very |
rapidly, and charged with as mnch
bravery as any soldiers in the world.
The excitement was intense. Sol
diers, citizens and Savagcs charging
and yelling. each strainng all powers
TO destroy the otherj the wild, ring
ing war-whoop, the rapid hrihg of
eighty disciplined men, the thunder
charge, altogether created
q sceno that beggars description. |
The battle continued in full force
for two aud a half hours, when the
conflict was reduced to points, at
which several warriors had selected
deep short gullies, and were making
what they knew to be their last fight.
4
The battle, with the exception Of
few struggling shots, was over. Tho
Indians had fought with a heroism
that astonlShed every ono who had
witnessed 1t. They made no offer TO
surrender; uttered no sound but yells
aud continued TO fire their
poisoned arrows until they were so
weak that they could throw them
but few feet; and some Of them dy-
ing would shoot an arrow straight up
into the air, in the hopo that the
deadly missile would tall on tho ha-
ted and victoriorsfoe
At tho close Of the battle thirty.
FIVE dead Indians lay on the field, with
their bows and quivers still clutched
in their hands. All ofthsm wero large |
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