The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-04-30
INDIAN FIGHTING.
Vivid Description of General Bueil's
Recent Skirmish with the Conan
eheS.

Vivid Description of General Bueirs
| Recent Skirmish with the Conan
ehes.
| A stOck-drover, who has just returned
| from Texas, furnishes the Philadelphia
Press with the following account of Brevet
Major General Buell'S recent fight with
the ComancheS, which will be found inter-
esting:
On Feb. ,, 1874, Lieutenant Colonel
Buell., Eleventh United States Infantry, in
command at Fort Griffin, the most remote
post on the northwest frontier of Texas,
left the post in search of hostile Indians
COmancheS and Kiowas. After four days
march IN disagreeable weather. in the
midst of a cold. sleety rain storm, he
struck his supply camp, which had been
previously sent out. On the following
morning, a cold. freezing, sleety day.
Colonel Buell. started out with 40 men of
the Tenth United States Cavalry, with
Captain Lee and Lieutenant Z. Turner as
his Junior officers. After searching ten
miles that day they came to boggy river,
which had to be crossed by the command.
Lieutenant Turner rode into the river. and
was thrown from his horse. the poor ami
nal sinking in the mud. He eventually
succeeding in eXtricating his horse and
reached the opposite side of the river,
mounted, and rode up the stream half a
mile, where he found safe fOrding for the
rest Ofthe command, when they all crossed.
After the soldiers had ridden all day in the
rain they arrived, cold and wet, at a camp
on one of the branch streams of the Salt
Fork. where they stayed all night. 1t
may not be out of place to state that there
was no grass or forage for the horses.
The next morning at daybreak Colonel
Buell. aroused his command, and made
march of thirty miles, the men riding still
in their wet clothes, and the horses being
pretty well tagged out, when he discOv-
cred from his TOn-ka-wa Indian scouts,
who were both on his right and left flankS,
that there was danger in his immediate vi
cinity. One of these Indians commenced
wheeling rapidly to the right, which was
the signal agreed upon to warn the sol
diers. Colonel Buell. at once moved his
men in that direction at gallop, and in
joining the Indian mentioned discovered
at the edge Ofa precipice a fire burning in
the valley below, in the Double Mountain
fork of the BraZOs. Upon closer eXami-
nation, the officers in command saw a
large herd of horses all punched together.
While looking on at this camp Lieutenant
Turner saw that the enemy had diScOy-
cred them. when he Immediately dashed
his horse over the precipice, and took the
lead toward the camp. When about half
way down the hill he found one of Colonel
Buell's Indian scouts undressing him
self-stripping for action. Before
the Lieutenant had an OppOrtunl-
ty to pass, the Indian mounted his
pony and dashed on ahead. On arriving
at the foot of the hill, the Indians shout
ing the Ton-ka-wa war-whOOp, they both
rode toward the herd of horses, the In
dian on the right and the Lieutenant on
the left, when a strong volley OF balls and
arrows passed by without hitting them.
The COmanches then raising their yell,
stood their ground. The scout rode on to
the summit of small hill, where he
could get good aim, while the Lieuten-
ant stopped where he was, wheeled his
horse to the right, and commenced firing
at the Indians. The fire beginning to be
too sharp he dismOunted and called to the
troops to hasten their steps to his support.
1t should be understood that the cavalry
could only reach the valley in single file.
Colonel Buell. was already there looking
after the herd of horses, and had sent
twenty men to stop the stampede. Cap
tain Lee was in advance of the men COM
ing down hill, and as soon as he reached
the valley eight men dashed by him and
Joined the Lieutenant. who Immediately
charged the Indians, killing five on the
spot, the balance running up the creek.
One of the latter. while running, shot
Lieut.. Turner in the left side with a steel
pointed arrow. without inflicting any Sc
riOus injury, however, it striking some
Winchester cartridges i'll his vest pocket.
Before his men could reload he himself
shot the Indian in the back, who dropped
fiat on his face, dead. A young squaw
then turned around and tried to surrender,
but was also shot dead by the Lieutenant.
The rest of the escaping Indians were
all killed by the troops on the left.
Colonel Buell. directed the whole affair,
and won the esteem of officers and men by
his GOODNESS. courage, and sOldierly abili
ties. The result of the fight may be sum-
med up as follows: Indians Killed, IL;
horses captured, g.; two handsome silver
mounted saddles, two solid silver brides,
and several very handsomely mounted
bows and quivers, and number of rifles,
pistols, etc, were also captured. One sol
dier was shot in his left shoulder, and was
compelled to ride five days without surgi-
cal attendance Two horses were also
wounded. A Ton -ka-wa squaw took the
scalps off of ten of the killed and diStrib-
uted them among the victOrs, Lieutenant
Turner getting two. The party returned
to Fort Griffin with their spOils, driving
night and day for ninety-siX hours.
Colonel Buell. distributed the stock on
the way to the Texan farmers from whom
these Fort Sill reservation Indians had
stolen them, receiving in return their
warmest thanks. The people of Texas
are very enthusiastic i'll their praise of
Colonel Buell., not only for his success
and energy heretofore in putting down
horse and cattle thieves, but also for his
Indian fighting