Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-11
THE PLAINS.
4 Graphic Pen-PIeture OF a. SIGiTmish
with The Indians.

Graphic Pen-Pieture of a. SIGiTmish
with The Indians.
The Philadelphia Press publishes Pri-
vate letter from Breyet Lieut.. Col. Carpen-
ter, 10Th United S,atss Infantry, dated Fort
Wallace, Oct %, giving the.folloWing we'll
drawn picture Of lively skirmish with the
Indians:
About : a. N. Oh the 18th, Capt Graham
rode forward with two men from the camp,
with ae intention Of looking down The
creek a litle further before We started on
the back track, bu. had hardly gone a
thousand yards when about twenty five In
dams suddenly dashed over the hill di.
rectiy in his rear with the evident iuten-
ton OF cutting his party off. The move
ment was 80 sudden that they were almost
upon Graham before he discovered them
He instantly struck spurs into his horse
and dashed toward the creek. the lHdians
firing q vOleV at short range upOH the
small party. Oae Cf the bullets passed
through Graham's hai, another through his
coat, and a third through his leggiBs,
without G0nnding him. Ole of the horses
was shot through the shoulder and fell.
Ills rider succeeded in getting intO the
creek along with another soldier who had
been thrown, and they commenced firing
upon the Indians. Graham'5 gITth burst
as his horse sprang away al The first FIRE,
but, "a the saddle gave way, he seized the
horses M ne and dragged himself forward
on the horse He then dashed the horse
over the bank Of Tue creek, about fifteen
feet, into the bottom. lie fell from the
animal in This jamp, but ihe horse fortu-
nateIv, ran in our direction. By this time
| started on, fifty men under Licu;cuants
Amick and OrIemau, 10 cover the retreat
Of Graham's men. IA they charged to-
wards the hill, the savages rushed from the
creek TO prevent being cut of, and we're
holly pursued by our men. Judging that
the presence Of these Indians indicated that
the large party could not be far from rs,
thought il hesi 20 be pruleat, and instructed
Orlenan and Anica not to follow the
enemy over five miles.
This they did, aud returned TO camp,
hsving seen bodies Of Indians, numbering
ia the aggregate about one hundred and
fifty. 4 number of the savages followed
thea Al q distance, aud We could soon see
them Oh he hills, he!e, and there, in
squads.
now moved fiona camp, crossed the
creek, placed tie wagons in two columns,
80 as 10 make everything compact as pos
sible; assigned Grshsm's company 20 the
rear a. "a Tesr-guaTd aud reserve; placed
Company II on the hlnks and advance,
dsployci rs sEirmi7aes; covered the rear
in the same manner, and then moved
steadily forward mp The creek bottom. As
soon as this movement COmmeECaG, a
Large bad5 OF Indians made their appear
ance and charged towards Us, taking adj
vantage @. Iayines, trees and bluffs, 10 fire
upon Us will their sharpshOOters.
| coon sa@ that if We continued down
the creek bottom tina. the enemy wo9ld
hars-5 u immensely uI3er cover Of the
timber and creek, and therefore changed
oUr course SO SIS TO leave the valley and
take the higher ground or divide. The
Indians followed, showing about two hun
dTed strong, aud acting very boldly in
their dishes on The rear and TANKS. The
men aud officer behaved in the coolest
manner however flcirg toward the enemy
and driving them back at every point,
without stepping rhc progress Of the
column.
At one point 80 passed near deep ra-
vine, AID the enemy, quick 10 observe
ever ol any s:ud, occupied il 10y quite a
number O! 10 o., and began 70 shoot for u
IN a lively mann,r. \ portion Of the rear
guard, under Graham, charged the place
after We had passed about three hundred
Yard, killed on. of the Indians and
wounded quite . number before they could
get out. Alter that time they were ex-
ceediugly cautious in regard 10 rlyines.
Tie 1lnktrs, under Banghaf and Orle-
man, also TepuIsei the Indians on several
uccaaio.s Oua savage carried a red flag
with some while devices upon IL, and by
his movements The whole party seemed 10
he maIe or les Governed. They were all
stripped % the waist, and were decorated
10y various ornaments hanging from their
,hieida guiyyi- and brides, so as 10 glisieu
and shine iu iae sgn at every turn ut their
NAMES. Some a. their horses must have
Tun i.rGi,ua.us distance for they were
riding riggs and charging from early IN
the morning for nearly eight hours before
thry finally withdrew. During this time
rd:ars we're seen 90 be killed at various
b,iut', aud quite a number wounded.
About ] a.. u. tie enemy seemed to stop
the fight and apparently withdraw, bus
half an hour aicrward they again APP
reared uver ihs hills 20 oar rear, and
dashed forward ia the most reckless man.
uer. We soon -aE ,hai they had been
reinforced, for SD they came, ore body
ai.er ano.h,r making its appearance, until
IL was estimated hv ali present thai at least
I've hundred warriors were IN sight.
EmboliCue3 10y their numbers they
rushed forward Ulou our rear and flank
making things io k. rather seri0gs
edged the column away from some ravine.
ard directed the march toward The -ummit
,fthe ri-e A. fh- Indians we,c coming
up in F...h heavy force We took the trot {,
gain the tar Il the Hill Ia time, in orde
10 secure position. A. so1a as We Ia
creased our gal. the Indians thought tina
We we've trying To- run away from Them
and thcv sct ur a yell, enough to raise d.
hair on 2 ilm's head. We kept on, how
ever. as l>l 90 the maics could raa, an0
The minute w. stuck tie highest gruua,
- ordered the wagons carried close together
MAKING tHo sidc1 with five wagons on eac
side. c.o.,d towards tie cad, and rushe
tie mru inside az % g4lioT had them dI'
mounted. tie ia.iT horses - the wagon
I'D f5rm oa .h. outside in open oEdc
aruuud the corral. This was done j
about two 20 au,,s, and then commenced
NtlltA tl - tlthi 81 ila'lf'tl Inv III
fire Of line 81 infantry, ami drove The II
diss. back. as 81 they were thrown from
cannon \ rumirr of warriors shove
more bravery thau tie res. and UtGertoo
Ia nsin,aiu th,.r positions. Nearly ever
one ui these ". 70 billed, together with thei
monies. Three Jyad warriors lay with
tifv wards Of the wagons, aud four porie-
one more Ta7 KILLED. here, bnt two If H.
comrades caai.d him Oh, after draggjn
him over one Of ,heir ponies.
The saya@.s were apparently some"h;
,siaui=' ed II our l.c,its, or they wi,hdrs
10 lhe hin opposite, aud assembled &
,u4her aTpal,urly lnra council
In he meantime sc threw uG Co.
s,cI,s AID boxes and prepared for auoih
Charge, aud waited. We waited in Il.
mannrr :or nearly au hour when it 5cc1n
evident thst a portion Of The indians We
leayjng. We thea replaced our boxes, eft
and began to move on. 4 large party