The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-06-26
A Pezllous Adventure,

A letter from an officer at Fort Phil Kear-
ney, Dakota Territory, to his friend in De-
troit, has been published in the Detroit Post
We extract from II the following account of a
perilous adventure.
We have finely succeeded in opening com.
muncaton with Fo,t c. F. Smith, ninety
miles above here, on the Big Horn river. Tn
TO three days ago We had heard nothing from
them for two months, and were very anxious
about them, but after repeated trials by
mountalneers and miners near here to 90
through, we at length succeeded in sending
two messengers, Sergeant Grant. of nv com.
pany, and Sergeant Graham, of Company g.
They started from here on foot, with SHOWS
shoes, and took to the mountains, with only
ordinary clothing and six days rations Of hard
bread and lard. Each night they cached one
. days rations, and left a memorandum of what
had happened TO them. They finally, after
much suffering and hunger, reached Fort
Smith with our dispatches. They
stayed two days, and were sent back
with a half breed named BOYER, each
mounted, and with two pack-mules.
When they came TO the Little Horn river
they saw where buffalo had been killed.
and moccasin tracks around it, aud immedi.
ately ieit the road and made for the hills.
When th1f had gone about five miles and
crossed hill they stopped, looked back and
saw about fifteen Indians after them. Their
horses were blown, and Sergeant Grant had
TO shoot his The other two men getting
frightened, ran away from him, and left him
afoot. lie ran towards clump Of pines
about five hundred yards distant and while
\ so doing he fell into a hole in the snow, aud
hound that he had been running on the edge
precipice of sheer two hundred feet
xIsnd had fallen on little ledge of rocks,
the entrance of which was through hole
that was covered with snow. lie sat down
under the cliff and waited. He had Spen>
cer careiW, hreech loading, and eighty
rounds OF ammunition, and says he felt perfect.
ly safe He heard the Indians yelling above
| HIM AID soon they commenced to throw
hstopsalown the hole, which was about nine
u, and just sheltered him. Then one
jumped down into the hole,
ID with Henry repeating rifle.
sheR he lthe Indian) saw Ser
cant Grant he dropped his gun and gave
sHl, and starting back fell over the ledge.
which was narrow. In few minutes another
Indian let himself down, and Grant shot
him, and threw his body over the bank.
\ This was about nine o'clock in the morning
kThal indians stayed near the hole till nearly
when q thick fog came up and they went
He cautiously followed them, keeping
trail for about three miles, till they
\ock the river, when he tore mp his
u made wrappings of it for his
the shoe nails, and went up the
She ice.~ He travelled four days, and
dlfHof the fourth day he got into
(Sergeants Graham and Boyer got
before him, and told us that he
and that the mail was lost, and
gone. Boyer had only one let
al. Kinney, commanding Fort
Sich he carried in his pocket. They
ny badly scared.
Grant.made his appearance, GOV,
- 4and with the Henry nile he had
ham thought it was his ghost.
been one Of the best things
kth;s country, and we
6ine fSf Grant, and try
Washl bn. he