The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-12-06

cut off and buried in the sand to pre-
vent it from pumsfying. 1t began to
rain, and the wounded were rendered
less feverish by their involuntary but
welcome bath.
AS was expected, the night passed
without incident or disturbance from
the savages; but early the next morn
ing the fight was renewed by the In
dams again surrounding the island as
before, and opening fire from the rifles
OF their dism0unted warriors. They
did not attempt to charge the island as
they had done the previous day, when
their attempt in this direction had cost
them too dearly; but they were none
the less determined and eager to over
power the little band which had been
the cause of such heavy loss to them
already. The scouts, thanks to their
efforts during the night, were now Well
protected, and suffered but little from
the fire of the Indians, while the latter,
being more exposed, paid the penalty
whenever affordiEg the scouts a chance
with their rifles. The day was spent
without any decided demonstration on
the part of the red men, except to
keep up as constant fire as possible
ON the scouts, and to endeavor to pro.
woke the latter to reply as often as pos
sible, the object, no doubt, being t o in
duce the frontiersmen to exhaust their
supply of ammunition. But they were
not to be led into this trap; each car
fridge they estimated as worth to them
Tn sov, III, rr-nu
satisfy them. -l-tt
On the night of the 18th two more
men were selected to proceed to Fort
Wallace, as it was not known whether
Trudeau and Stillwell had made their
way safely through the Indian lines or
not. The last two selected, however,
failed to elude the watchful eyes of the
Indians, and were driven back to the
island. This placed gloomy look
upon-the probable fate of Trud8au and
Stillwell, and left the little garrison in
anxious doubt not only as to the safety
of the tive daring messengers, but as
o their own final relief. On the MORN
ing of the 18th the Indians promptly
renewed the conflict, but with less en-
ergy than before. They evidently did
not desire or intend TO come to close
quarters again with their less numer-
Gus but more determined antagonists,
but aimed as on the previous day to
provoke harmless fire from the
scouts, and then, after exhausting their
ammunition in this manner, over
whelm them by mass of numbers, and
finish them with tOmahawk and scalp
ing knife. This style of tactics did not
operate as desired. There is BIT little
doubt that some of the Indians who
had participated in the massacre of
Fetterman and his party few months
before, when three officers and ninety
one men We're killed outright, were also
present and took part in the attack up
on Forsyth and his party; and they
must have been not little surprised to
witness the stubborn defence offered
by this little party, which, even at the
beginning, numbered but little over
fifty men.
About noon the women and children +,
who had been constant and excited
spectators of the fight from the neigh
boring hiiltOps, began to withdraw. 1t
is rare indeed that in an attack by In
dians their women and children are
seen. They are usually sent to Il place
of safety until the result of the contest
is known, but in this Instance, with the
overwhelming numbers of the savages
and the recollection of the massacre of
Fetterman and his party, there seemed
to the Indians to be but one result to
be expected, and that a complete, per
haps bloo1less victory for them; and
the women and children were permitted
to gather as witnesses of their tri umph
and perhaps at the close would be al
lowed to take part by torturing those
of the white men who should be taken
alive. The withdrawal of the women
and children was regarded as favora-
ble sign by the scouts.
So on after and as q last resort theIn-
diaDs endeavored to hold parley with
Forsyth, by means of white flag but
this device was too shallow and of too
common adoption to entrap the from
tiersman, the object simply being to ac-
complish by stratagem and perfidy
what they had failed in superior num-
bers and open warfare. Everything
now seemed to indicate that the In-
dians had had enough of the fight,
and during the night of the third day it
was plain ly evident that they had
about decided to withdraw from the
contest.
Forsyth now wrote the following
despatch, and after night fall contided
Plyley; and they, Notwithstanding
the discouraging result OF the last at
tempt, set out to try and get through
to Fort Wallace with it, which they
successfully accomplished
Crr-
RIVER. Sept, 10, 1869.
To Cbt Bdnkkead, or C5mmaltdtnJ Officer,
Fort Wallace:
sent you two messengers on the night of
18th instant, informing you of my critical
condition. tried to send two more last night
but they did not succeed in passing the In
dian pickets, and returned. If the others
have not arrived, hasten at once to my assist
ance. l have eight badly wounded and ten
slightly wounded men to take in and every an
;mal L had was killed save seven which the In
dians stampeded. Lieutenant Beecheris dead
and Acting Assistant Surgeon Movers probably
cannot live the night out. He was hit in the head
Thursday. and has spoken but one rational
word since. am wounded in two places, In the
right thigh and my left leg broken below the
knee. The Cheyennes Numbered $50 or more.
Mr.. Grover says they never fought so before
They were splendidly armed with Spencer and
n Henry rifles. We killed at least thirty five Of
them and wounded many more, besides killing
and wounding qua nifty of their stock. They
carried off most of the dead during the night
but three OF t1elr men feli lntO our Qdnus- AN
on a little island and have still plenty OF ammu-
milton left. We are living on mule and horse
meat, are entirely out Of rations. II it was not
for my wounded, l would come in and take the
chances of whipping them if attacked. They
are evidently sick of their bargain.
| had two of the members Of my company
killed on the 18th. namely, WILLIAM Wilson and
Geore-..W. Gamer. You had better start with
not less than seventy five men and bring all the
wagon and ambulance $ you can spare Bring a
here six days longer, II absolutely nee ssary, but
please lose no time
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed) GEORGE A. For ,YrH.
u. s. Army, Commanding Co Scouts.
P. s. My surgeon having been mortally
wounded. none of my wounded have had their
wounds dressed yet, so please bring out q sur
geon with you :,
A small party of warriors remained
in the vicinity watching the move
ments of the scouts; the main body,
however, had departed.
The well men, relieved of the con-
slant watching and fighting, were now
able to give some attention to the
wounded. Their injuries, which had
grown very painful, were rudely dress
ed. Soup was made out of hOrse-f1esh,
and shelters were constructed protecting
them from the heat, damp and wind.
On the sixth day the wounds of the
men began to exhibit more decided and
II 10 nfo