Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-10-15

The Attack UpO0 Cell FOrDYtyas
Desperate fighsinG.
Gen. Brisbin. writing from Dry Fork, IN
der date Of Sept. 20. says:
II got here this forenoon. after . most
fAtiguing march by DAY aud night. BY or
der Of Gen. Bradley, We pressed forward to
the rel OF Col. Forsyth, Of Gen. Sherdan's
staff, who was surrounded BY Indians on
the morning Of the 18th inst. Hetells me
thst, % be vas ct break fast, on that morn
ing, about dozen Indians suddenly charged
through his camp, stampeding and captur.
ing seven head Of horses. In few minutes
aftsrwsrd, large body Of savagss, dressed
With feathers and painted Cor var. we're
seen coming down . ravins ON his left.
Having . 6ad pssitiss, Col. Fossyth fell
back few hundred yards . . little island
10 Dry Creek, whore ths men begin throw
ing up saad brsastuesks vith their hands
Before, however. they could saks any shsl-
ter, fully 600 warsioss charged then, and
killed oil their horses aad several men. The
Indians fell back = little way after the first
charge, and the Indian xomsn and children
appeared % the hill. chanting the war song,
dancing, clspping their hands, ana appsr.
emily encouraging the warriors to renew
the attack The Indians evidently Intended
to make Fort Phil. Kearney affair Of it,
and the mos: skillful and determined 6 ght
ing only prevented them from killing every
man in Col. Forsyths command. Col.
Forsyth fell 1t the first FIRE, receiving 1 ball
10 the right thigh, and one in the left leg,
breaking it below the knee. Two compan-
les Of Indian Dog soldiers presently ad-
vanced to the attack, supported by 800 war.
riors. principally Sioux and Chsysnnes
For two hours the battle ragged With great
fury, the Indians charging the little sand
breastworks repeatedly. Hundreds would
dash up on ponies, suddenly throw them
selves of on the ground. FIRE, and sneak
away in the tall grass. Finding they GOULD
not carry the works BY charging, the hills
and rsvinss we're SLED with shsrpsho otsrs.
and then Indians on horses would ride thro'
the fort 10 . circle to attract The attention
Of the bssisged, and - they raised up 70
IRE, Indisn sharpsbootsrs would pick them
| of.
"By noon Of the Area day the Indian
women changed their wsr song 70 wailing
for the dead, and enc woman was heard
exclaming, oh, my ehildl my ehildr The
battle last oil day, Lieut.. Beschss, 9th U. S.
infantry, being mertally wounded BY ball
in The back and dying few hours aftsrward
10 great agony. Before be died he repeat.
eddy begged to b shot and put cut Of mis-
cry. while attempting 70 dress The wound
Of Col. Forsyth, DR.. Moro received she,
10 the bead, fsll, and expired almeaE in.
SANITY. On he night u the 17th Coisnsl
Fofsyth sent cot I've scouts With direosioua
70 get through 10 Fose Wallace IL pessible
aud secure assistance. They found watch.
hrss on /. oil the hills, but BY crawl.
Jog On their hands and knees, and .rav.
cling osly d night, they, on ths
9Th dav, reached Fort Wallace, ITO milsa
distant Gen. Sheridan ordered neither
money nor hosssfesh 70 BE- spared in res
cuing Col. Forsyth and bic men. Col. Car
pentsr. 10th Unitsd Stases cavalry, q
once stsrted with company, and COL
Bankhsad set oat with 100 men from Wal.
lace. Gen. Bradley nor myself know any
thing Of the affair until tho evening OF th,
25th, whom . scout cached %, and imme
diately saddlcd Max'sand Dons's compan
les, I'd United States ca'alry, and starte
for the scene so miles distant. At3 o'clocl
this morning met Col. Bankhead, VII,
was marching with oil his might for Forsyth
At 10 o clock scout met us and told u
that Col. Carpenter had reached Forsyth
on yesterday.
The attack was made on the nth, On,
on the 18th. 10th. Goth, and 2lst there wa
fighting. Forsyth had with him 60 men
all scouts, hardy frontiersrnen, who Tough
desperately, killing and wounding many .
the Indians. After the first day, Col
Forsyth subsisted his men on horse meat
{ Col. Carpenter found them eating putri
meat, and in . terrible condition, tn,
wounded having been eight days withou
food, or medical attendance. To-day ",
are burying the dead. and caring for tn,
+, sick and wounded. Dead Indians lay with
in 10 feet Of the brsastworks, and III,
stencil from their swollen and bloatsd bod
les, and the dead horses, 10 terrible. Ou
Of the sixty men in the fight, Col. Forsyt II
: lost I've killed and sixteen wounded. Ths
} bodies Of al our dead are too much decom
posed to be removed. Col Forsyth 10 doina
we'll. and will recover. This is the hard
est Indian fight We have had for years
and reflects great credit on all engaged
Col. Forsyth retained command of his meu
oil the time, lying on his back and giving
orders. Tomorrow we will remove thu
wounded to Fort Wallace. Tho Indian,
lost Cheyenne and Sioux chiof. Tn,
Sioux also lost their great medicine man
whose drum and shield were captured by
Col. Carpenter.