Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-10


ton, makes an interesting report of the fight
between the little body of troops and the forces
of Apaches that surrounded them in the wilder
ness. Some days out in the mareh the soldiers
came on the track of squaw. This woman
was intended simply as decoy. The sergeant
says:
followed the track about threefourths of a
mile, until it entered canon, whish was simply
q deep arrova; seeing that the sQuaw In walk
ing along the sand, had taken great pains to
make clear print of her foot at each step, and
that she even avoided all stones and rocks, in
order 10 do this more effectuaily, / became con-
WINGED that were being led into o trap, and de-
termined to leave the canon. Scarcely had
reached the top of the left wall when | found
my suspicious correct, as party of Indians,
about fifteen in number, were hid in side
canon, joining the one / had just left, and
would have intercepted my retreat had /
continued following the track. Being a. the
time well posted, l thought | could, with two
men, hold them in check while the third man
went off to signal Lieutenant Gushing back. As
we dismounted to be ready for them, saw
second and much larger party en- my left run
ming toward my rear. then deemed it expedient
to fall back but, while in the act of mounting,
the Indians fired a volley, disabling
the horse of Private Green and severely wound
ing Private Pierce; these men started on foot
for the rear, closely followed by the enemy, who
ran SO close on Green as to snatch his hat from
Lieut. Gushing, looked back, saw how matters
stood, and fired into the Indians, who, no
doubt, thought that the main body had come
up, as they paused, giving us time to escape
The front line of the Apaches Uhey advanced in
two lines) having fred off their rifles, did not
stop to reload, but kept following us, thinking
to capture us alive. They could easily have
killed us, being all around us with breech-load-
erS and revolvers. Some of the Indians in the
second line kept up brisk, but harmless fire.
Lieut.. Cushing now coming up, having with
him Mr.. Simpson "a citizen friend) and Private
Chapman, l stated to the lieutenant that |
thought the Indians would capture Green
If we did not go to his assistance but he managed
to escape by himself. Moving up at once we
attacked them the rest of the men coming up
now 1--WE had about eleven men in lne,) when a
brisk fight ensued, in which we succeeded in
driving the Indians to the hills they
leaving at this point five dead in our
hands. We had three horses killed. Send
ing back three men TO the pack train, Lieut.
Cushing gave the command Forward" |, see
ing the disadvantage as we stood, advancing
over open ground to attack an enemy under
cover, outnumDering us fifteen to one, said to
the lieutentant, Lieutenant, do you think it
prudent to go fartherT Mr.. Simpson, gem
tlemen of much experience, also counseled him
to return: but the lieutenant seemed to think
that the Indians were completely routed. Count
ing our party he said, "eight-that ought
ant, Mr.. Simpson, myself and FIVE privates.
We advanced about twenty yards, when the H.
dams opened fire, striking Mr.. Simpson in the
face, the ball passing out back of the head.
The lieutenant sent one man to help him out,
thus reducing our number to six. The Indians
seeing our party so SMALL rushed down from all
sides. 1t seemed as if every rock and bush be-
came an Indian. was at the time about five
yards in advance of Lieut.. Cushing and hear
ing the words, Sergeant, Sergeant, take me out
take me out," turned and saw Lieut.. Gushing
face toward the house, clasp his hands across his
breast, and fall to the ground. Calling to FIGHTER
to assist me, seized the lieutenant by the right
arm, FIGHTER taking the left, and started
ed for the rear, followed by Green, who no
ticed was very lame. The other two men started
TO get out the horses. We carried the lieutenant
about ten or twelve PAGES, when he was again
shot through the head and fell dead in our arms.
We continued to drag the body until we came
up with YOunt and Mr.. Simpson, when the lat
ter was again shot through the body killing him
instantly. Looking behind me saw the enemy
within thirty or forty yards of me, firing as he
advanced. Dropping the body of Lieut.. Cush-
ing, FIGHTER and myself turned to sell our lives
as dearly as possible, causing the Indians to
pause, thus enabling Privates Green and Yount
to mount. Acting Corporal Kilmartin now
opened fire with his party, thus enabling FIGHTER
and myself to mount, but scarcely had we done
so when both horses were shot, two balls strik-
the fore leg, and fourth killing Private Green.
Immediately mounting Lieut.. Cushing's horse,
detached part of my command, (now reduced
to fourteen effective men, to move out with
the pack train, keeping the remainder with
me to cover the retreat. Then commenced
running fight for about a mile, until find
ing had drawn the enemy from under cover,
l halted to offer him battle, (hoping
could flank him and recover the bodies; he
halted also, but declined the gage, evidently
having had enough Of that kind of fighting,
prefering to cut off and ambush me on the trail
to Crittenden, which passed the foothills with
in one and one-half mile of his position, hav-
ing to go around the mountains could strike ii
in about four miles. Seeing through their de-
sign, crossed the Barbacoma, four miles above
old Camp Walter, and continued my retreat
over the mesas, thus placing the swampy head
OF the Barbacoma and a half mile of ground
between me and the place Of ambush and the
trail. | had scarcely arrived opposite this
place, when the Indians uttered yells of savage
rage and disappointment, but were powerless to
modest me. The Indians were well handled by
their chief, thick, heavy set man, who never
dismounted from small brown horse during
the fight They were not noisy nor boisterous,
as Indians generally are, but paid great atten-
ton to their chief, whose designs | could guess
at, as he delivered his instructions by gestures.