The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-10-16
THE INDIAN WAR.
Desperate Fighting---Latcst.

[From the Cincinnati Gazette, October 81
General Brisbin, writing to friend in
this city from Dry Fork, under date of
September 26th, says:
got here this q. m, after most ia
! tiguing march by day and night By or
der of Gen. Bradley, we pressed for
ward to the relief of Col. Forsyth, of
| Gen. Shcridan's staff, who was surround
ed by Indians OH the morning of the
| 18th instant. He tells me that, as he
was at breakfast on that morning, about
dozen Indians suddenly charged
through his camp, stampeding and cap
turing seven head of horses. In few
minutes afterwards large body of saw
ages, dressed with feathers and painted
for war, were seen coming down a IA
vine on his left. Having bad position,
Col. Forsyth fell back few hundred
yards to little island in Dry Creek,
where the men began throwing up
breastworks with their hands. Before,
however, they could make any shelter.
fully six hundred warriors charged
| them, and killed all their horses and
several men. The Indians fell back
little way after the first charge, and the
Indian women and children appeared
on the hill, chanting the war song. dane
ing, clapping their hands, and apparent
ly encouraging the warriors to renew
the attack. The Indians evidently in
tended to make Fort Phil Kearncy
affair of it, and the most skiltul and de-
termined fighting only prevented them
killing every man in Col. Forsyth's COM
mand. Col. Forsyth fell at the first fire,
receiving a ball in the right thigh, and
one in the left leg. breaking it below
the knee. Two companies of Indian
dog soldiers presently advanced to the
attack, supported by three hundred
warriors, principally Sioux and Chcy-
enncs. For two hours the battle ragged
with great fury, the Indians charging
the little sand breastworks repeatedly.
Hundreds would dash up on ponies. aud
having got near the works suddenly
throw themselves Off on the ground,
fire and sneak away in the tall grass.
Finding they could not carry the works
by charging, the hills and ravines were
filled with sharpshooters, and then In
dams on horses would ride round the
fort in circle to attract the attention of
the bcsieged, and as they raised up to
fire the Indian sharpshooters would
pick them Off.
BY noon OH the first day the Indian
women changed their war song to wall
ing for the dead, and one woman was
heard eXclaiming, "Oh, my child! my
child" The battle lasted all day, Lieut..
Beechcr, 9th U. S. infantry, being NOR
tally wounded by q ball in the back.
aud dying few hours aftcrward in
great agony. Before he died he repeat
eddy begged to be shot and put out OF
his misery. While attempting to dress
the wounds of Col. Forsyth, DIR. Moore
received q shot in the head, fell and ex-
pired almost instantly. On the night Of
the 18th Col. Forsyth sent out two scouts
with directions to get through to Fort
Wallace if possible, and secure assis-
lance. They found watchtires on all the
hills, but, by crawling on their hands
and knees and travelling only at night,
they, on the fifth day, reached Fort Wal
lace, one hundred and ten miles distant.
Gen. Sheridan ordered neither money
nor horse flesh to be spared in rescuing
Col. Forsyth and his men. Col. Car
pcntcr, 10th 5. Cavalry. ut once start
ed with company, and Bankhead set
out with one hundred men, from Wal
lace. Gen. Bradley nor himself knew
anything whatever of the affair, until
the evening Of the 25th when u scout
reached us. and Immediately saddled
MaXs and Done's company, U. S. Cav
airy, and started for the scene. fifty
miles distant. AT three o'clock this
morning met Col. Bankhcad, who was
marching with all his might for For
syth. At l0o'clock q scout met us, and
told lis that Col. Carpenter had reached
Forsyth on yesterday.
The attack was made on the 18th, and
on the 18th, 10Th, Goth and 2lst there
was fighting. Forsyth had with him
sixty men, all scouts, hardy frontiers
men, who fought desperately, killing
and wounding many of the Indians
After the first day Col. Forsyth sub
sisted his men on horse meat. Col. Car
pcntcr found them eating putrid meat
and in terrible condition. the wounded
having been eight days without food or
, medical attendance. To-day we are but
5 rying the dead, and caring for the sick
, and wounded. Dead Indians lay with
, in fifteen feet of the breastworks, and
the stencil from their swollen and blOat-
cd bodies and the dead horses is terri
bic. Ont of his sixty men in the fight,
Col. Forsyth lost five killed and sixteen
wounded, The bodies Of all the dead
,, are too much dccomposed to admit of
their being removed. Gel. Forsyth is
: doing well, and will recover This is
the hardest Indian fight we have had for
, years. and reflects great credit on all en-
gagged. Col. Forsyth retained command
, of his men all the time. laying on his
| back and giving orders. Tomorrow
, we will remove the wounded to Fort
, Wallace. The Indians lost Cheyenne
and Sioux Chief. The Sioux also lost
their great medicine man, whose drum
and shield were captured by Col. Car
!, penter. JAMES S. BRlSBIN.
: The Petersburg (Virginia) Cypress