The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-11
FIRST EDITION N
r III e 7 NJ ID I A N S.
A Party of Surveyors Surrounded by
175 Savages-The Fight Lasts
All Day-Escape at Night.
The plattsmouth cNebraska) Herald says.-

The plattsmouth CNebraska) Herald says:-
Through the Kindness of A. L. Brown, Chief Clerk
OF the Surveyor Generals Office for Iowa and Ne
braska, we are permitted TO publish the following
letter. giving the details OF the recent nght between
party Of Government surveyors ana oouy OF one
hundred and seventy-1ve Indians:-
NORTH PLATTE, Neb., August 24.-A L. Brown,
Chief Clerk OF Surveyor-General's Ohice-Dear Sir: /:
ON the 21st about O'Clock in the morning, small
party OF Indians made dash into camp and shot
one horse and succeeded in running OIL he balance
five head) but we succeeded in retaking the stock
and wounding two Indians. We then compared
notes and concluded, as there were evident signs of
large oody OF Indians in the vicinity, that we would
go to the nearest post the river and get more
and ammunition, as we were short Of both, one of
our guns having explodedland wounded the man who
Ceeded about two miles suddenly surrounded by
about one hundred and seventy-fve Indians, who
seemed TO come from the South. Knowing them to
be hostile and knowing that II would be useless to
try to keep out Of their way, concluded to stop
and make the best fight we could. We unhitched
the stock and let them co. When the Indians saw
this the whole force ade for the stock and as they
went by we gave them volley, without any effect
except disabling horse. While they were catching
our stock we were digging rife pits and throwing
intrenchments as good as we could during the lime
we had, which was short. As soon as they caught
dian style all day. Fortunately none Of us were
seriously hurt, although one of the men
was slightly wounded in the forehead by a
glancng shot, and my brother disabled for duty
by the explosion Of a cartridge in his face which
blinded him he could not for nearly the whole
day. We disabled several OF their horses and know
that we shot twelve Indians, three Of whom we
know were killed-two OF them lay in our sight all
day, they not venturng to take them away till dark.
Although their bullets rained around all day like
hail, not man 1inched, nor do l think one
felt the least respondent. About dark they
ceased firing, and seemed by their actions to be
stationng sentnels in squads at different
points, sounding as though the main body were
stationed at point about one hundred and
fifty yards southwest Of US, in ravine About dark
we commenced digging with great energy, to make
them believe we intended to stay there but at half
past nine o'clock we left little fort by crawling
on our bellies about a mile, which we thought eX-
Ceeding dangerous as the moon shone, and it was
almost light as day, and we expected to crawl
upon the Indians at every minute. But we did not,
and as soon as we had left ridge of land between
us and the Indians skedaddled the best we could,
and arrived safe at the river the next day. | lost
the entire outfit, not excepting anything. My
brother and two other men are now out with party
Of cavalry, hoping to rescue part Of the outfit.
Every truly, w. +. DOUGHERTY."