Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-25
FIGHTING BUFFALO INDIANS.
An Englishman's Description Of
Desperate Struggle.
A cory Spectacle.

! neer and member OF the expedition
sent out in 1868 to survey the Kansas
Pacific railroad, in book entitled New
Tracks in North America" gives a
graphic account of fight with the Buff
falo Indians: The Buffalo Indians are
probably the finest horsemen in the
world. Accustomed from their child
hood 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
want to turn. Both hands and arms are
constantly free to use the rife, the bow
or the spear at pleasure. These men
were splendidly armed with rifles for
long ranges, bows and arrows for short
distances, and spears and tomakawks
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 dis
| tinctly be seen the tall warrior, with long
lance, on the white horse, who was so
conspicuous in the fight of Saturday.
AS the little column advanced, the In
dians 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 mir
ror, which flashed brilliantly in the sun
The savages had evidently not expected
to find so large body to meet
them or to see an additional line of tents
and wagons added to the fort. All this
signaling seemed to result in the gradual
withdrawal of the attacking party from
the immediate vicinity of the fort behind
ridge some two miles distant; where,
as it turned out, a much larger number
were waiting in concealment. At the
first cry of IndiansT we were all out
of our tents, rifle in hand. My friend,
Walter Hinchman, Criley, our carpenter,
and myself started Immediately for a
ravine about two miles off on the right,
which formed covered approach of six
miles or more in length in the direction
of our camp. General Wright very wisely
detained the rest Of the party in camp to
defend it in case Of attack while the cav
airy were away. Finding no Indians
advancing 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 relieved by the appearance
of horseman from the field of action,
who came to get an ambulance for the
dead and wounded. m
The following is an account Of this en-
gagement:
No sooner had the cavalry followed the
retiring band beyond the ridge, exchang-
ing shots and skirmishing all the way,
than on either flank two fresh bodies of
warriors suddenly appeared. They halted
for few minutes; powerfullooking
warrior, fancifully dressed, galloped
along their front shouting out directions;
and then, like whirlwind, with lances
poised and arrows on the string, they
rushed on the little band of fifty soldiers.
The sAirmishers fred and fell back on
the line, and in an instant the Indians
were among them. Now the tide was
turned. Saddles were emptied, and the
soldiers forced back over the ground
toward the fort The bugler fell, pierced
by fye arrows, and was instantly seized
by a powerful warrior, who, STOPPING
down from his horse, hauled him up
before him, coolly stripped the body, and
then, smashing the head Of his naked
victim with his tomahawk, threw him on
the ground under his horses feet. On
the left Of our line the Indians pressed
heavily, cutting off FIVE men, among them
Sergeant Frederick Wylyams. With this
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 Sight. dashing back and forth on his
gray horse, aEd by his actions setting
an example to bis warriors. In the
melee, however, one Of our cagglry men
was thrown to the ground by the fierce
ness Of the Indian onslaught, when this
leader, who have since learned was the |
famous Cheyenne wss chief Roman /
Nose" attacked the PROSTATE man with |
his spear. Corporal Harris, Of @ com
pany, was near him, and struck ''Roman
Nose" with the ssber which he held in |
his left hand Quick ss thought, the
the chief turned on him; but az be did
so, the faithful Spence" Of the corpo-
raj met his breast, and, with the blood
pouring from his mouth, Roman Nose
fell forward on his horse neyer again toi