The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1874-10-29
1865 he laid down his life in the fol-

ed the commander of the post, point
ing up the hill across the river where
F the twenty-four were fighting amid
a cloud of dust and smoke. "Volun-
teer, boys Who will go and aid
that wagon train?"
Thirty-odd Michigan and Kansas
soldiers stepped to the front, but not
one commissioned officer.
The Michigan Captain looked up
the hill at the unequal battle, and he
|, looked upon the half dozen Kansas
and Michigan officers, and his eye
rested upon Caspar Collins. =
Lieutenant Collins" said the Caps
tain, "you will lead this detachment.
You will cut your way to yon train
and bring it in if possible.
Caspar smiled as he looked upon
the mixed detachment before him,
and he said. "Captain, / don think
it right that an Ohio officer should
lead Michigan or Kansas enlisted
men when" (poipting to the cluster
of officers) "there are officers of those
men here in garrison 10 lead them
but, Captain" saluting him, "I obey
orders"
Caspar was soon mounted, armed
with Spencer rife, two navies and
a sabre. He organized his "forlorn
hope" and dashed over the long ce-
dar bridge-into the hordes of red
skins. The Sioux, under Red Cloud,
Grass ard Standing Elk, knew Col
Inns. They greeted him by name as
he dashed among them and up the
hill toward the graveyard They
opened as by common consent, and
allowed this handful of men to ride
through their bands. But beyond
them were the Cheyennes. These
Indians, more fierce and nore war
like, knew not the brave Lieulanant.
His cries and salutes (for he un-
derstood the Sioux language thor
oughly) were lost upon the Chey-
ennes. They closed in upon his de-
tachment, there was volley and a
hand-to-band conflict, then there was
retreat, and twenty out of thirty
came galloping pell nell over the
bridge, with five hundred redskins
whooping at their heels, beating
them over their heads with bows
and arrows. Ten brave Kansans
were lassoed or shot down and bound
for the torture.
Il cannot go back" said Caspar
Collins; ait is certain death. The
Sioux told me if 1 returned they
would take our scalps."
Nonsense" said the Michigan
Captain, ''you must make one more
effort, Lieutenant. See the brave
boys on the hill yonder; we must
rescue them. More volunteers, boys.
Who will go? Lieutenant, lead the
way"
Caspar bade his few friends and
comrades Ggood bye" He knew he
went to die. but he would not show
the white feather. Over lifelong ce-
dar bridge over the Platte rode the
twenty five soldiers. The Sioux met
them with death h-dealing volley at
the other side. On went tie twen-
ty-two, and still the fire thinned out
the "forlorn hope" On went the
sixteen-and still the grey horse and
the young Lieutenant led the van.
On went the remnant-and still "Our
Caspar" fought his way toward the
doomed twenty-four.
There was halt in the charge
There was clustering of spears and
futtering of lanees on the hillside.
A smoke and confusion, warriors fell
by the dozen, lances dropped like
wheat before the sickle. The grey
horse went down, but for few min
utes there was death and destruction
around that spot. Through field
glass from the ramparts of Fort
Platte Bridge the Michigan and Kan
sas officers saw Caspar Collins die
with their men at his back, while
leading a 'forlorn hope" to rescue
that doomed twenty four. Nine men
came back, beaten and bruised with
lances and bows, their lives spared
in derision. Seven or eight men
were lassoed, dragged from their
horses and bound with telegraph
wire, end roasted ali0e that night
But Cdspar Collins remained unmutlla-
ted.
Next day the combined Indian
forces started for the Yellowstone, to
harness General Connor, who was
then exploring the Black Hills. p
Next day the writer, with detaeh-
ment, moved down from Red Buttes,
and occupied the field. All we found
was the charred bones-half picked
by coyotes-of fifty or sixty brave
men. On one was a blood stained
Lpaper-it was "Caspar Collins" He
was unscalped and unmutilated. The
red devils had not forgotten their
protege and favorite. The United
States Government could do no less
--it-named Platte Bridge in honor of
our honored Lieutenant, Fort Cas-
par.
*Lieut. Collins was twenty years
nine months and twenty SIX days
old at the time of his death. He
could not properly be called "effemi-
nate,' for though tall, slim and deli
cate in appearance, he had stood the
hardest service in the mountains
never was on the "sick list"-and in
activity and endurance had few
equals in the regiment. He was not
on duty at Platte Bridge, but on his
way to his own Company OF the Up
per Sweetwater. Indians who were
in the fight said afterwards: "He was
so brave he ought not to have been
killed"
There has been great fall in prices
in England, since last fall. A com
parison of prices the first of October,
1874, with those of October, 1, 1878,
shows the following reductions per
centum: Wheat. q per cent; coal,
rs; Scotch pig non, 81; copper, Z;
tin, %; cotton, 10; wool, 81. These