National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-06-02
An Indian Fight.

A i.iilory, were startleu Dy the cry {
i, " Indians |" A strong war party of hos
" tile savages, supposed to be Sioux, ha
, come into the valley, and, under cove
. OF dense fog, had attacked the settle
ment. An old Snake Indian belonginl
- to Washakie's friendly tribe was on hi
!, way to the Agency, and the hostil
- savages pounced down upon him, tool
away his ponies. and carried off one o
y his wives. The squaw kicked and strug
o gled so vigorously that she finally 90
, away, and her husband coming to her as
i sistance with revolver, kept back he
! captors until she escaped into the brusl
and hid. The Indians then rode up {,
the house of James Rogers and drove OF
,, his cattle, carrying away with thom al
= the old Snake Indlan's robes and butfal,
|. meat, and the two ponies they had cap
tufed Most of the settlers were incline,
to keep close to their houses, not being
: ; able in the fog to ascertain how many
Indians there were in the hostile party
As soon, however, as it was known thai
the savages were falling back to the hills
four friendly Snakes and three white mer
mounted their horses and went in pur
suit. When the bluffs were reached
above the fog, the savages were seen,
about 20 i'll number, driving off the stock
to the northward. The Snakes and
white men followed rapidly, and com
pcled the marauders to abandon the
cattle The savages, however, soon
afterwald showed fight, and council OF
war having been held by the Snakes and
white men, it was decided that seven
men. however brave. should not attack
% warriors rs brave as themselves and
far better armed and mounted. The
Chief of the Snakes, Washakie, was on
his way with the tribe to the Agency
and could not then be many miles dis
tant. The four Indians and one white
man went i'll search Of Washakie's camp,
and the others returned to Little Wind
River settlement. The rest of the story
shall let my informant relate in his
own way.
1t was near nightfall, and a heavy
snow storm had set in, when, fortunate
ly, Just as we were about to encamp, we
heard the tramp of multitude of horses.
and saw the friends we were searching
for toiling slowly along through the
storm. To hail them, find Washakie.
the morning was the work Of a few
minutes The Chief; without saying
word, ordered the alarm to be sounded
and the war-drum to beat The warriors
wondering what the matter could be.
came rushing on their swift ponies from
all directions, and swarmed in dense
mass around their venerable and beloved
Chief. He ordered 60 of the best
mounted men to fall out and prepare for
war. This preparation consisted simply
IN painting their faces, and in II minutes
they We're mounted and ready for their
Chiefs further commands. Asking how
far 1t was to the trail, and turning over
the care of the village to n subordinate
Chief, Washakie put himself at the head
OF his warriors and galloped away to the
west. AS 1t was most important that
the trail should be struck before dark the |
rlde was fast and furious. it was already .
growing dark when a shout announces
the finding of the trail, and each warrior |
halted to rest his pony and examine the
signs. Forty track p soldiers, said
Washakie, in his sententious way. after
a careful scrutinizing of the tracks.
Presently he added, four or five hours
old, PLAIN, plenty, good We catch 'um
To this remark all the warriors solemnly
answered 'Umph. The snow, which
had ceased falling for time, commenced
again, and the trail gradually began to
disappear still the Indians pursued long
after no sign was visible to the eye of n
white man. About midnight, however,
a halt announced that the trail was lost,
and it took considerable examination in
the grass to find it again. At length we ]
were once more on it and now Washakie ;
began to anxiousy scan the clouds
Bad, bad = he muttered The night ;
grew blacker and colder, and another (
halt told us we We're again off the scent.
Dlsmountlng, part of the warriors
started on foot to follow the trail, the
main body keeping close in the rear and [
eading the ponies. All night long we |
oiled on, the guides at times following {
he trail through heavy storm on their
hands and knees. 1t was near daylight J
when again the night became pitchy 5
lark and the trail was completely lost. f
Good, said the chief In cheerful voice, {
we rest now; um not far off, and we t
ret um III the morning. SO We all lay i
lown, holding our ponies by the lariat I
opes, and had an hours good sleep. c
1T was hardly light when we were '
reused by the guides. and, cold. stiff, @
nd sore, we resumed our journey, The {
rail was now plain, and we followed it t
apidly, Shortly before sunrise the {
.uides rode hurriedly back on the main Ii
olumn, and it was soon known that the Ii
1ostile Indians were discovered, that
hey were still in camp, and, apparently,
otally unconscious of our approach. The o
)y which lighted up the countenances ,
f Washakie and his followers cannot be b
escribed but they said not word nor W
ven made sign. Washakie went to u
ne top of knoll and reconnoitered the b
ostile camp. The ponies were quietly O.
razing at some distance from the war e
ors, who were huddled around fire a
themselves. Hastily dividing p
Is force into two parties, Washakie sent Il
ne to sweep down upon the ponies and l.
ampede them, while with the other he Il
larged the warriors. A jutting bluff VI
)vered the approach to the camp, and
9th movements were entirely success Y
il. With terrific veil the Snakes q
hrst from cover upon the enemy, who r
first turned to run for their ponies, +,
1T, seeing that they were cutoff by one re
Washakie's bands, they made for the q,
uffs near by. While crossing the little ID
ain five of them were killed. Once 1e
,der cover of the ravines and rocks, they ~
ade good fight and drove back the !
lakes, who dismounted and renewed
e battle on foot ., -,
For over two hours the contest ragged, II,
hen Washakie, seeing he could not dis
dge the enemy, drew off his warriors.
q had killed OF obf of tho I,ost;Ja Tn J;o,s ,,,l