The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-09-15
av we will. How is it? Shall we lick

few hundred yards OF the village
Then we could charge right at the Black
feet, making as much meat as we could,
If nothing else, this plan had the merit
of being perfectly simple, and one we.
could not we'll forget or make mistakes
in -.- ." 3
ext led the way around TO the little.
valley spoken of, and in few minutes
we were among the grove of trees that
alone kept the Blackfeet from discover
ing US. Then, seeing that all was ready.
and the men growing impatient, Carson,
plunged forward. uttering his wild wa5
cry in which we all joined, telling the
Blacllfeet their hated and most feared
enemies was upon them.
"Before they could form to receive our
attack, fully three fourths of them being
on foot and unarmed, hurried in, getting
their lodges and property packed, we
darted into the confused scene, and halt
ing, each man picked his mark, nearly
every one dropping his meat cold in
its tracks. II was q scene of horrible
confusion. The terrified squaws and
pappooses running here and there, half
crazed with atflight the ponies snorting
and charging in every direction, upset
ling and spilling their half packed loads;
the hewildered bucks yelling and
screeching, trying to rally i'll body, the
better to resist our attack, yet no one
obeying the orders given; our men re
turning their wild 'hough-ough- gh" as
they charged here and there, dropping
the redskins with pistol-shots or else
with clubbed rifles, while the more cool
and deliberate, while keeping in constant
motion, the better to avoid the arrows
that were hastily aimed at them, would
pour handful of powder into their ii
fes, then drop a wet bullet down upon
the powder to keep it in place, priming
with smart slap upon the stock, then
pause long enough to pick ont and DROP
some of the more dangerous Blackfeet.
All this combined formed scene which
cannot be descrihed-that cannot even
be imagined, unless one has been an &C
tor in q similar scene
"Before long the Blackfeet regained
their presence Of mind, and formed a
compact line before their women and
children, and pack animals, covering
their flight, even while themselves re
treating with such skill and steadlness
that,try as we might've could not pierce
their line, nor throw them into confu.
sion. Say what you will, there never
lived bolder or more skilled warriors
than these same Blackfeet; the only
ones that could begin to compare with
them in this are the Crows.
For over an hour we kept thi{. sIp,
| firing upon the B!ackfeet as rapidly as
we could fodder our rifles, yet keeping
ourselves as much as possible out of
danger. Still, three of our number had
fallen, and the Blackfeet began to grow
bolder as they saw their squaws and
animals gain a safe distance. They re-
treated more and more slowly, stopping
Oftener to return our re,until at length,
after we had driven them mile, a yell
passed along their line and they began
charging in their turn. By charging,
we trappers don't mean the ,headlong
rush of the soldiers, but steady, slow
advance, seiging upon every point and
cover that affords, from behind which
to deal blow at the enemy and prepare
for another before advancing farther.
"We were obliged to give way in turn
for our ammunition was getting low, but
as we fell back, stubbornly fighting fol
every yard of ground, we lifted the hail
of the dead Blackfeet, whose bodies
were strewn along the entire valley
And to battle the redskins we also rails
ed the scalps of our dead comrades, just
as they themselves would have begged
us to do had they breath enough lett in
their bodies. -.
"We had fallen back almost to the
grove from out which we first charged
whenhan accident occurred that very
nearly put an end to my earthly ex
ploits. Kit and were nearly the last
men, only a short rife-shot from the
Blackfeet, when bullet killed my horse
and it fell against rock, pinning me
tight to the ground and almost crush
ling my leg. The Blackteet uttered 8
yell Of triumph, and half dozen dash.
ed forward, resolved to have at least
one scalp.
Exit heard my cry of pain as I fell,
and turning, saw my danger. Without
hesitating one moment he dashed back
and leaped to the ground by my side
guarding me with his own life, shouting
to the boys to return and help him.
The Blackfeet were charging down up
on US like mad, but Kit never finched
and the first brave fell dead shot
through the brain. At this moment The
boys came back, and only one of the
six Indians escaped from their rifles =
Then the horse was dragged aside, and
Dick Wooton, a young giant ia SIZE and
strength, flung me upon his back and
carried me safe to the timber. Kits
horse had run away, but as it took the
back trail it ran into our reserve, thus
telling them we must be in tight place
and that, leaving the animals under 6
small guard, FASTENED to our assistance
''Not a moment too soon did they
come up, either, for the Blackfeet were
pressing US hard, and our powder was
almost gone. Seeing this fresh enemy
the Blackfeet took their position among
; the rocks, and made stubborn stand
We filed our pouchcs-or rather the
Others did, for I was disabled-witl
ammunition, and then charged the red
skins on foot 1t was desperate bloody
fight for full an hour, but then our mer
gradually pushed the Blackfeet bact
until they lost the rocks, when they
mounted and fed at top speed afte
their families, thoroughly whipped.
: We did not pursue them, being salts
fed with the lesson we had ALREADY
| taught them, and went into camp on tn,
} battle ground. We buried our dead
> nine in all-but left the redskins wher
they lay to feed their brothers, the coy
, otes, only lifting their hair.
"It was several days before / coulC
use my legs or sit in the saddle, but XII
made me an easy litter, and l Travelled
quite comfortably. But it was lon!
.ime before the Blackfeet recovered from
that heavy blow, and for a season w,
trapped in peace. so far as then Wer