The Shasta courier., 1868-10-31
SHASTA COURIER.
The Attack upon Colonel Forsyth--Desper-
ate Fighting.

NtC
General Brisbin. writing to friend in this
city from Dry Fork, under date of September
26th, says:
got here this forenoon, after most fa-
tiguing march by day and night. By order
OF Gen. Bradley, we pressed forward to the
relief of Col. Forsyth, of Gen. Sheridan's 8
staff, who was surrounded by Indians on the
morning of the 18th inst He tells me that
as he was at breakfast on that morning, about
dozen Indians suddenly charged through
his camp, stampeding and capturing seven
head of horses. In few minutes afterward,
a large body of savages, dressed with feath-
ers and painted for war, were seen coming
down a ravine on his left. Having bad
position, Col Forsyth fell back few hun.
dred yards to the little island in Dry Creek.
where the men began throwing up sand
breastworks with their hands. Before, how
ever, they could make any shelter. fully 600
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, dancing,
clapping their hands, and apparently en-.
couraglng the warriors to renew the attack.
The Indians evidently intended to make
Fort Phil Kearney affair of it, and the most
skilful and determined fighting only prevent
ed them from killing every man in Colonel
Forsyth's command. Colonel For yth fell at
the first fire, receiving ball in the right
thigh, and one in the left leg, breaking it be-
low the knee. Two companies of Indian
Dog soldiers presently advanced to the attack,
supported by 300 warriors, principally Sioux
and Cheyennes. For two hours the battle
ragged with great furry, the Indians charging
the little sand breastworks repeatedly. Hun
dreds would dash up on ponies, and having
got near the works suddenly throw themselves
off on the ground fire. and sneak awav in the
tall grass. Finding that they could not car
ry the works by charging, the hills and ra-
vines were filed with sharpshooters, and
then Indians on horses would ride around
the fort in a circle to attract the atte ntion of
the besieged, and as they raised up to fire.
Indian sharpshooters would pick them off.
By noon on the first day the Indian women
changed their war song to wailing for the
dead, and one woman was heard exclaiming.
Oh, my child my child y The battle last
ed all day. Lieutenant Beecher, Fifth United
States Infantry, being mortally wounded by
ball in the back, and dying few hours
afterward in great agony. Before he died
he repeatedly begged to be shot and put out
of his misery. While attempting to dress
the wound of Colonel Forsyth, DR. Moore re-
ceived shot in the head fell and expired al
most instantly On the night of the 18th
Colonel Forsyth sent out his two scouts with
directions to get through to Fort Wallace, if
possible, and secure assistance They found
watchers on all the hills, but by crawling on
their hands and knees, and travelling only
by night, they, on the fifth day. reached Fort
Ill I
dan ordered neither money nor horsehesh to
be spared in rescuing Colonel Forsyth and his
men. Colonel Carpenter Tenth U S. Cav
airy, at once started with company. and
Colonel Bankhead set out with one hundred
men from Fort Wallace. General Bradley
nor myself knew anything of the affair un-
til the evening of the 25th, when scout
reached us. and Immediately saddled Max's
and Done's companies Second u S. Cavalry,
and started for the scene, fifty miles distant.
At 3 o'clock this morning | met Colonel
Bankhead. who was marching with all his
might for Forsyth. At 10 o'clock scout met
us and told us that Colonel Carpenter had
reached Forsyth on yesterday.
The attack was made on the 17th, and on
the 18th, 18th, Doth aud Dist there was Fl ght-
ing. Forsyth had with him sixty men, all
scouts, hardy frontiersmen. who fought des-
perately, killing ana Woundlng many of the
Indians After the first day Colonel Forsyth
subsisted bis men on horse meat Colonel
Carpenter found them eating putrid meat,
and in terrible condition, the wounded hav
ing been eight days without food or medical
attendance. To-day we are burying the dead,
and caring for the sick and wounded Dead
Indians lay within fifteen feet of the breast
works. and the stencil from their swollen and
bloated bodies and the dead horses is terri
BILE. Out of sixty men in the fight, Colonel
Forsyth lost FIVE killed and sixteen wounded
The bodies of all our dead are too much de
composed to be removed Colonel Forsyth is
doing well and will recover. This is the
hardest Indian fight we have had for years,
and reflects great credit on all engagedS-
Colonel Forsyth retained command of his
men all the time, lying on his back and Civ.
ing orders. Tomorrow we will remove the
wounded to Fort Wallace. The Indians lost
aCheyenne and Sioux chief The Sioux also
lost their great medicine man whose drnm
and shield were captured by Colonel Carpen
ter.-S Louis Democrat. October 1914.