The Portland daily press., 1874-06-06

fectly understood every year, without a la
bored study of arithmetic from books.
The scattered mail was carefully collected
put in the original sack and sent back to
camp, while the search for further develop
ments in this melancholy episode, was con-
tinued through the timber on the margin of
of the creek, and upon the broad prairie
on either side, but night came on without
any thing new being discovered, and early
the next morning the train went on to Fort
Dodge.
The search Of course had to be abandoned
until the return of the train on its way to
Camp Supply two days afterwards, when the
first camping place was made at the same
spot Oh Mulberry Creek where it had camped
before, when the scouts, horses and the mail
were found.
The creek was reached about noon and as
soon as the animals were embarrassed and
picketed within the line of sentries, all the
usual precautions taken to prevent surprise
by the Indians, and dinner disposed of, every
effort was made to fnd the bodies of the
missing scouts, as all felt certain they had
been killed in that vicinity and left where
they fell, for the Indians have no compunc-
tions in leaving man food for the wolves af-
ter they have secured his scalp.
Every available man was detailed to go
carefully over the whole country within a
couple of miles of the camp, in parties suffi-
GENTLY strong to protect themselves from any
small number of Indians that might dash
down upon them from the hills, and the re-
gion within that radius was pretty well pick
eted ard overlooked by the sentries who
were stationed ON all the highest points OF
the bluffs around the camp, who could see
any Indians, no matter what direction they
might come from, and give the alarm by fir
ing gun, which would of course give all
those who were out ample time to prepare
for any contemplated attack of the savages.
Just before sundown one of the cavalry
that had gone nearly mile and hall up the
creek, sent one of their number back to camp
with the information that they had found
the remains of the scouts, and to bring a
wagon to carry them in.
The commanding officer and four or five
others upon receiving the news mounted
their horses, started wagon and an escort ol
the infantry, and themselves rode out to the
place described by the soldier, who remained
with the wagon to conduct it to the spot.
After brisk gallop of ten or fifteen minutes
the officers reached the company of cavalry
who had dismounted, and were lying on the
ground waiting for the wagon, and discussing
the terrible fight that most have taken plac
before either Davis or Mcdonald succumbed,
as their pluck and desperate characters were
well known to every one on the plains.
Near where the cavalry had halted, on the
side of a hill sloping towards the creek were
seen the ghasuy skeletons of the unfortunate
scouts bleaching in the cold wintry sun. A
leg had been pulled here, and an arm there
by the wolves, who had devoured every parti-
Gle Of flesh off their bones, one of the skulls
supposed to have been Davis was only found
after a diligent search a quarter of a mile off,
where it had been carried by a wolf and then
dropped, but M'Donald's was crushed into
atoms, and found close to the remainder OF
his skeleton.
Davis had been shot through the head at
least three times, as that number of bullet
holes were found in his skull, one on the back
of it, great pieces had been clipped out as if
done with an axe.
Nearly all the bones of both men were
found, carefully wrapped in rubber pouch,
and taken to camp, where they were covered
over with a pile of rocks to prevent the
wolves from scattering them over the prairie
again, and left until the train returned from
Camp Supply, where they were carried into
Fort Dodge and given Christian burial
The exact spot where these brave men me t
their fate was discovered on the way back to
camp, in the brush mole than mile from
where the trail crossed the creek. a4
A SCARED and blotted tree, from one of the
limbs of which was suspended bloody rope,
stood alone in little opening on the bank of
the stream, encompassed by rocky bluffs
where from the top could be seen Fort Dodge,
and the silent waters of the Arkansas.
The rough bark of this tree was torn by a
hundred bullets, and its gnarled trunk pierced
with as many arrows. At its foot was lying
broken spear, and the ground all around it
covered with cartridge shells. DARK patches
that had once been little pools OF blood, mat
ted the dead grass at its roots, all of which
told more oppressively than any language
could, the horrid scene that had occurred
there.
A few of these mute witnesses were collect
ed, and the party returned to camp having
fulfilled their mission, but the thoughts of the
awful and hopeless fight that had broken the
silence fthat winter-praire, settled feeling
of sadness over the entire command.
After the battle of the Washita, and peace
brought the tribes once more in friendly rela-
tions with the white man, some of the facts
in this tragedy were elected from the very
Indians who had taken part in it.
A war party of Arrapahoes numbering over
eighty, discovered the ten scouts about six
teen miles from Fort Dodge early in the after
noon OF the second day after they had left
Camp Supply. The Indians tried to surround
them on the open prairie, but M'Donald and
O"'io WCIC eoo weary, hHOWluS peritCtly WcH
the terrible consequences if they were taken
alive. att G1.l
The savages circled around them, occasion
ally giving shot, and ali the time drawing
nearer as the scouts 1ode for the timber on
tie creek, which was their only possible hope
of escape. 1t was race for life, but unfor-
tunately as they reached the bank, Davis's
horse was killed under him, and he
ound himself on foot with twelve
long miles between him and Fort
Dodge. The Indians gave yell of exulta-
ton as they saw his horse fall, and in anoth-
er instant M'Donald's horse was killed too,
the Indians having purposely avoided hitting
the men, determining to take them alive if
they could. - M
One OF the Indians now rode up to within
hundred and fifty yards of the spot where
the scouts stood al bay for a moment, and
made the sign of his tribe to M'Don-
aid to leave Davis, and come to them, he was
their brother, they did not want to kill him
and they would give him his life to get the
white mans scalp. But M'Donald heroically
answered him by drawing up his rifle while
he stood in front of Davis, and made the
sign that Davis was his brother too, that he
could die with him, but could not leave him,
he then pulled the trigger ond sent his bullet
into the very throat of the Indian who had
made the proposition.
This exasperated the rest of the Indians
who rushed up to the. unfortunate scouts,
who by this time had reached the tree where
they laid down their lives, and there they
stood shoulder to shoulder until M'Donald
tell; then Davis fired shot after shot killing
ten more Indians until overpowered ne sunk
at the side Of M'Donald.
The true story in all its details will never
be known, but the silent relics of the bloody
G 0ul and f1a nd L.