Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-11-26

r f'TN ~ 80 Wv - -
waited anxiously, but as the scout
came not back, theg knew they ha
escapedsor been captured. Hop
sprung upi1 their breasts, and the
4 worked with a will to finish thei
fort and prepare for the struggl
on the morrow Several time
dhring the nigbtyolleys were fire
I into the fort by the Indians, but TIL
bullets flew harmlessly overhead 0
\ lodged in the sand breastwork.- -
tOnce Sharp heard noise in TIN
creek near by, and, crawling owe
the breastworks, he saw an Indian
within fifteen feet OF the fort, try
ing 10 get off the body Of a deaC
Indian. Aiming as well as he coulC
in the dark, the scout fired, and thC
savage sprang up with Il yell, only
to fall down again in the agonies o.
death Next morning the body
was gone, but a large pool Of blood
marked where it had laid.
After a night Of horrors, the day
tdawned at last, and showed the In
dians in vast numbers around the
fort, but at a good distance off =
About sunrise they approached clo-
ser, but no charge was attempted,
Firing commenced and was kept
iup lively during the forenoon. The
accurate aim of the scouts kept the
Indians far out on the hills, and no
amount of urging could induce
themto come near the daedly rifles
ofthe scouts. AT noon the savages
drewoff and the besieged emerged
from their holes in the sand, and
hogan to=rnoVe about a little by
twos and threes. Large numbers
of Indians were stillin the vicinity
but only occasionally showed them,
selves on the hill tops or far up the
valley. The scouts now made fires
of the arrows sticking in the
breastworks and laying thick about
the fort, and cooked coffee for the
sick. Steaks were cut from the
hams of the dead hores and roasted
of which the scouts made ashearty
meal Preparations were alsomade
to jeark meat, and a six days sup
ply cut from the dead horses.N
Meanwhile, the scouts sent out
by Col. Forsyth had reached Fort
Wallace and communicated with
Gen. Sheridan. They had eheoun-
tered great peril in making their es-
cape, and all the next day, CATER
leaving the fort, lay within hearing
ofthe guns. As soon as it, was
dark, however, they set forward
again and made good progress, al
though at times Indians were with
in a few yards of them, and-once
IN Indian came and stood within
a few feet of where one Of the
scouts lay. On the fourth day they |
reached the fort, having eaten
nothing but horse ineat, not daring
their guns at game for
fearof bringing down the Indians
upon them
As soon as Gen. Sheridan knew
Of the perilous situation Of Colonel
Forsyth and his command, mes
sages were sent to Col. Banlvbead,
it Fort Wallace, Cola Carpenter, at
CHEYENNE Wells, : and Generals
BEadleyand Brisbh, ,7on the Repub-
icau to hasten to zForsyth's relief,
lnd-spare neither horse flesh or
money to save him and his brave
The race to the rescue
was all that could have been desir-
ID even blythe beseiged who hour
yastrained their eyes to- see the
,lue coats in the distance. Marching
lay and night, Colonel Carpenter,
It noon on the 25th,, came within
light of the fort The beseiged,
vbo lhad been without food except
iorse meat for eight days EerelteeI
jlc, feverish and exhausted.
Mistaking Colonel Carpenters
negro soldiSfs for indians, the men
an into the fort and stood to their
runs, ready for fight, but when
hey came nearer, and the scouts
iaw tlie UBlae jackets, ! the5 scouts
lung down their guns, and rushed
over the breastworks
,oward the troops. Shout upon
shout rent the air, ahdIstfong men
gept like children. ~Saved!" was
I'll the brave scouts could say, as
hey fell upon each others necks,
md tears ran down theircheeks Hike
ain from eyes all unused oyweep.
What pen can describe the emo
ions, s,ofthathQuV, when these brave
nen realized they were indeed saw
d from ayslSw death hy starvation
,r a Still more horrible one at the
lands Of their savage foes, .s,tet
Coll Carpehterahad thougltfully
,ut a sack ofcofFee and some hard
,read in ambulance, and this had