Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-06-30
SCALPED AT WASHITA.
What a Victim Says About 1t.
from the Detroit Free Press. June ls

From the Detroit Free Press, June 49,
A victim of Indian vengeance in the
present struggle along the borders and
in the Territories, and one that will
! forever have cause to remember ii, ar
rived in this city Saturday night, de-
/ parting yesterday for his home in New
York, near Rufield, Monroe county.
His name is DelOs G.. Sandbertson,
and he lost his scalp in the battle of
| Washita- He has been an inmate of
Laramie Hospital since that event,
and was discharged about ten days
I ago by reason of the expiration of his
term of service. He allowed the curl
Gus to examine his poll, and look at
the still red and tender spot from
which his scalp was jerked away, was
not calculated to prejudice any person
in favor of ''ha'r lifting" As but a
few persons have ever lived to under
go the process, perhaps the sensations
interest and enlighten. He says:
81 was in the infantry. Custer had
command of the troops. There was
quite force of cavalry with us, but
they were about a mile in the rear
when we first discovered the reds.-
Some of the troops had been sent
around so as TO attack from the other
side. The reds were camped in a sort
of valley, and were within eightyrOds
of them for half an hour before day
break. Just in the gray of morning
the firing commenced on both sides,
and we had it all our own way for q
few minutes, the cursed snakes being
much confused, and not knowing
what was up. At length they rallied
and we could hear Black Kettle shout
ing and ordering. The vermin got
into holes and behind rOcks-any-
where they could find place, and be-
gan to fight back with a will. We
fired whenever we could see a top
knot, and shot squaws-there was lots
of them-just as quick as Indians
We just went in for wiping out the
whole gang. When il was fully day.
light, We all gave a big yell, and
charged right down into camp. The
lodges were all standing yet, and
lots of Indians in them. As we run
through the alleys, big red jumped
out at me from behind n tent, and be-
fore 1 could shorten up enough to run
him through with my bayonet, a
squaw grabbed me around the legs and
twisted me down. The camp was full
of men fighting, and everybody SEEM
ed yelling as loud as he could. When
l fell 1 went over backward, dropping
my gun, and 1 had just got part way
up again, the squaw yanked me by
the hair, when the Indian dubbed
my gun and struck me across the neck.
He might just as well run me through
but he wasn't used to the bayonet, or
didn't think. The blow stunned me;
it didn't hurt me the least, but gave
me a dumb feeling all over. 1 could
not have got to my feet then if all
alone, while the squaw kept screech-
ing and pulling my hair out by the
handsful.
81 heard some of our boys shouting
close by, and the squaw started and
ran-One of the boys killing her not
three rods off. The Indian stepped
one foot on my chest, and with his
hand gathered up the hair near the
crown of my head. He wasn't very
tender about it, but jerked my head
this way and that, and pinched like
Satan. My eyes were partially open,
and could see the bead-wOrk and
trimming on his leggings. Suddenly
/ felt the awfulest biting, cutting flash
go around my head, and then it SEEM
ed to me Just as if my whole head had
been jerked clean off. l never felt
such pain in all my life why, it was
like pulling your brains right out.
didn't know any more for two or three
days, and then came to find that 1
had the sorest head of any human be-
ing that ever lived. If the boys
killed the viper, they didn't get back
my scalp; perhaps it got lost in the
snow. l was shipped down to Lara
mie after bit, and all the nursing
got hain't made the hair grow out on
this spot yet.