The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-03-23
Charging an Indian Camp,

~ correspondent OF the Philadelphia
Press, out "on the Plains " with the
troops hunting Indians, says:
:" About four o'clock III the afternoon
Lieutenant Hamilton, who had been
sent out wiSs an advanced guard to
scout the country, discovered small
herd of htiffklo bulls, and to his sur
prise, saw some men hunting them. AS
1T was showing at the time, he was una-
BILE to approach quite close unobserved,
and seeing the hunters were Indians,
charged them. They ran directly north,
and Lieutenant Hamilton sent a courler
back to inform Straddle who, as soon
as he heard what was up, de
spstched Captain Ball with his COM
pany to the support of Hamilton. 1t
was lively race, the advance guard
pressing the Indians closely for four
miles, when Lieutenant Hamilton saw
their village, and at once charged it
with five men. He dashed among the
lodges, the women and children having
barely time to leave them and ruin into
the hills. The Indians halted on the
bluffs above the village and showed
fight, but before they could drive the
lieutenant and his men from their town
Captain Ball came laundering up, and
the savages once more sought safety in
flight The surprise was complete, and
SO hasty had been the departure of the
Indians that mot blanket or mouth
ful of food could be taken from the
lodges. TIE eamp-tires were burning
brightly with large Quantities gf buff
falo meat cooking over them in camp
kettles, which the soldiers finished
boiling and eat heartily for their suppers.
Old Straddle declared these We're the
most accommodating Indians he
had ever net on the plains, and it
was seldom they had the
politeness to prepare supper for his
troops afte, hard days march. The
camp was full of articles, and / noticed
piles of wild artichokes and jerked
buffalo, which the Indians had gathered
Tor their winters supply. In one
lodge was looking glass, combs and
brushes, and on stool lay q superb
dress of antelope skin, nearly finished.
The waist was beautifully small, and
dainty cap of mink fur, and two little
slippers, highly ornanented, lay beside
it. There was an air of neatness about
indicated that it was tie home Of some
Indian girl. Poor creature, how rr1dely
she had been thrust forth on the
bleak prairie that cold December night,
and even old Straddle, as he looked at
the gew-gaws, said with sigh q
wish Miss Lo had stopped long enough
to get her fixens, and take some bed
ding, with her
Lieutenant Hamilton sal as he
dashed into the village several little
children ran out almost under his
horses feet, and he could have cap
tured one woman, but he gave her time
to get her child on a pony and make bH.
Cne little girl, as she ran crying up. the
hill was picked up by warrior, who
flung her to woman on a pony, and
the woman rode off at a gallop, holding
the little creature by the leg, her head
almost dragging on tile prairie.
"There were many buffalo robes In
the camp, tin pans, buckets, kettles,
bottles, and even buckwheat flour and
baking powders. Beads, bells, red
cloth, tiue leather and colored feathers,
were also abundant, and in one lodge
we found key of powder and forty
pounds of lead. After loading six
mule wagons with the NEST useful
articles, otraddle ordered the camp to
be burned. By its light we encamped
on the banks of the Whiteman, for it
was now long after dark, and the night
bitter cold The soldiers kindled huge
log fires On the prairies, and details
kept the Sibley stove in the officers
tents red hot all night. As the wind
whistled and roared without, l. could
not help thinking of the poor Indians
wandering homeless and shelterless on
the pfairis, and sanlehcw the Indian
girl was always uppermost Ill ny
mind. "