The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-08-24
Thrilling Account Of q Fight Between
the Sioux and Pawnses.

Thrilling Account Of a Fight Between
| tho Sioux and Pawnses.
PAwNEE RESERVE, PLATTE COUNTY,
NEBRASKA, August 12.-The following
thrilling account OF the awfal battlerbe-
tween the Sioux and Pawnees, near the
Republican River, is from correspond
ent. who took part in the fight:
At daylight, on tho morning of Au-
gust 5. the Pawnees, numbering about
400. including squaws and children,
broke their camp on the Republican,
near Frcnchman's Fork, twenty-five
miles West of Red Willow, and started
on the trail due North in the direction
of herd of bnffaloes which the scouts
! had seen the day previous. After travel
ing about three miles we were surprised
| by seeing buffaiocs running directly to-
wards the line Of march. This unusual
circumstance was disregarded by the
Pawnees, and Immediately the best
hunters started in eager pursuit, and
the plain for miles around was black
with Pawnees and buffaloes. No sooner,
however, had the hunters been scattered
to convenient distances from the trail
than the Sioux, who had been driving
the buffalo ahead of them for this very
purpose, came galloping along the d.
vide, lying upon the necks Of their
ponies, with blankets drawn over their
heads to resemble buffaloes. In a mo-
ment the ruse was discovered, and the
whole line broke out with the cry of
"Chararat! Chararat!" Sioux and the
war whoops of the men. Squaws,
children nnd pack horses were hurried
into the nearest ravine, and the warriors,
seiziLng thoir best horses. galloped to-
wards the appr oaching enemy, chanting
their wild death song. On came the
Sioux, throwing their blankets, yelling
and shooting. and soon the fight. began
In true Indian fashion, each party in
turn dashing forward, firing and re-
treating. But soon the greatly superior
number Of the Sioux began to be felt,
and the Pawnees, gradually hemmed in
On all sides, were forced oeer the bluffs
into the raviuc among their squaws and
children. eve can't fight them"
shouted the chief-''too many; throw
off the packs. pat the squaws on the
horses and run" Overheard wont the
700 dried buffnloes Which the Govern.
ment had allowed them to hunt for their
starving families on the reserye-starv-
ing because the Government has allowed
the Sioux for two successive seasons to
hunt on the Pawnees' hunting grounds.
Meats, tents. blankets, everything
thrown aside, there began general
rout, all rushing in confusion down the
ravine to the river, and the Sioux firing
upon them from its abrupt sides with
terrible effect. So deusely packed were
the Pnwnecs that hardly shot was
wasted, warriors, squaws and horses
falling in struggling, groaning heaps,
mothers dropping their children. and
those behind rushing madly over them.
while the Sioux pressed close behind
and sca!pcd living and dead. Three
miles to the Repnblcan-and all this
way the Pawnees ran and were slaugh
tered in this horrible manner by the
best Of the Government arms. Bows
and arrows are excellent for buffalo
hunting; but for Sioux fighting I should
even prefer Spencer rifle. dcspicably
poor as they are. But the Pnwnees had
not even these in any abundance. und
although they fought bravely, were able
to make scarce ANY resistance. About
LOU Pawnecs were killed or captured,
mostly sqaaws. Seventy-ive horses
were taken or shot. Your correspond
ent was surrounded and captured by
Sioux, having mistaken them for Paw.
| dCCs. Out tue Culci iGaIlDR TO XIII
white man, pointed me way to the
river. After giving the chase to an
other party of Sioux, I agained reioined
band Of fifteen determined Pawnees,
who were covering the disastrous flight
of their friends. About twelve miles
from the battle field wo came upon q
squad Of white soldiers under Captain
Meinhold, three days from Mcpherson,
who kindly offered to return to the field
and remove the wounded, if any were
yet olive. On our return the field pre-
sented most horrible sight. Tie first
squaw we found lay dead. with knife
Tightly clcnched in her hand. Appa.
rently she had kept her pursuers at bay
until overpowered. thrown to the
ground, whipstaik run through her
body, and finally scalpe,l. All tho
young s1unws have marks Of brutal vio-
lence. The children, many OF them
were scalped alive, without wound, aud,
rolling their CLASSY eyes up to ours,
died, staring in our faces, while We
bathed their heads with water. Into 4
small pocket OF the ravine the bodies OF
six men had been dragged, piled to.
gether like SO many logs and burned.
No battle ground ever presented a more
shocking, dcyil!sh scene. The Pawnecs