The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-08
THE BUFFALO INDIA ANS.
A PER1LoUs CONFLICT.


The Buffalo Indians are probably the finest
horsemen in the world Accustomed from
their childhood to chase the buffalo, they live
half their time in the saddle. No reins are
used to guide their horses. but they press
with their heels on whichever side they wan
to turn. Both hands and arms are conse-
quenty free to use the rifle, the bow or the
spear at pleasure. These men we're splendidly
armed with rifles for long ranges, bows and
arrows for short distances, and spears and
tomahawks for hand-to-hand combat. They
were tightly strapped to their saddles, so that
they could bend down at either side of the
horse, and completely hide their bodies from
view as well as from the bullets of the enemy
and when shot they did not fall to the ground
but were carried off the field by their ponies,
unless the latter were disabled also.
Leading on the redskins could distinctly
be seen the tall warrior with long lance on
! the white horse, who was so conspicuous in
IN the fight of Saturday. AS the little column
advanced, the Indians commenced signaling
by walking their horses in a circle, while the
chief made signs to some warriors out of view
by means of shining instrument or mirror
which flashed brilliantly in the sun. The
savages had evidently not expected to find so
large body ready to meet them, or to see an
\ additional line of tents and wagons added to
the fort All this signaling seemed to resul
in the gradual withdrawal of the attacking
party from the immediate vicinity of
the fort behind a ridge some two
miles distant, where, as it turned out a
much larger number were waiting in con-
oealment. At the first cry of 'Indians!" we
n were all out of our tents, rifle in hand. My
Il friend, Walter Hinchman, Criley, our carpen-
ter, and myself, started Immediately for q
csyine about two miles off on the right,
4 witch formed a covered approach of six
y miles or more in length leading in the direc-
4 ticn of our camp. General Wright very
y wisely detained the rest of the party in camp
to defend it in case of attack while the
4 cavalry were away. Finding no Indians ad-
vancing along the ravine, we returned to
breakfast feeling it undesirable to go further
unprotected and alone. Two hours of great
suspense followed, which was not much re-
heved by the appearance of horseman from
the field of action, who came to get an ambu-
lance for the dead and wounded.
The following is an account of this engage
ment:-
No sooner had the cavalry followed the
retiring band beyond the ridge, exchanging
shots and skirmshing all the way, than on
either flank two fresh bodies of warriors sud-
denly appeared They halted for a few
minutes; powerful-looking warrior, fanci-
fully dressed, galloped along their front
shouting out directions; and then, like a
whirlwind, with lances poised and arrows
on the string, they rushed on the little
| band of fifty soldiers. The sllirmishers fired
and fell back on the line, and in an instant
the Indians were among them. Now the
tide was turned. Saddles emptied and
the soldiers forced back over the ground
toward the fort. The bugler fell, pierced by
five arrows, and was instantly seized by
fy,1
his horse, hauled him up before him; coolly
stripped the body, and then, smashing
the head of his naked victim with his toma-
hawk, threw him on the ground under his
horses feet. On the left of our line the In
dians pressed heavily, cutting off five men,
among them Sergeant Frederick Wylyams
With his little force, this poor fellow held out
nobly till his horse was killed, and one by
one the soldiers fell, selling their lives dearly
The warrior who appeared to lead the band
was, up to this time, very conspicuous In the
fight, dashing back and forth on his grey
horse, and by his action setting an example
to his warriors. In the melee, however, one
of our cavalry men was thrown to the ground
by the ierceness of the Indian onslaught
when this leader, who 1 have since learned
was the famous Cheyenne war-chief Roman
nose, attacked the PROSTATE man with his
spear. Corporal Harris, of G company, was near
him, and struck Roman nose with the sabre
thought, the chief turned on him; but as he
did So the faithful Spencer Of the corporal
4 met his breast, and with the blood pouring
from his mouth Roman-nose fell forward on
his horse, never again to lead his dog
soldiers" the war-path BY this time it
was more than evident that on horseback the
soldiers were no match for the red skins.
Most of them had never been opposed to In
dians before; many were raw recruits; and
their horses became so dreadfully frightened
at the yells and the smell of the savages as to
i be quite unmanageable. So Captain Barnitz
4 gave the order to dismount.
i When the dsmounted cavalry commenced
to pour well-directed yolley from theiI
Spencers, the Indians for the first time
wavered, and began toretire. For two hours
Captain Barnitz waited with his thin ranks
for another advance of the Indians, but they
prudently held back, and, after a prolonged
consultation, retired slowly with their deat
and wounded beyond the hills, to paint theil
faces black and lament the death Of one Of
the bravest leaders of their inhuman race.
have seen in days gone by sights horrible
and CORY death in all its forms of agony anC
distortion-but never did feel the sickeninG
sensation, the giddy, fainiing feeling tina
came over me when l saw our dead, dying
and wounded after this Indian fight. 4
handful of men, to be sure, but with enough
wounds upon them to have slain company
lif evenly distributed. The bugler was stripped
naked, and five arrows driven through him
| while his skull was literally smashed to atoms
/ Another soldier was shot with four bullet