The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-10

full view of the snowy ridge, The same
same splendid scenery that | had obsery-
ed when out with Crooks party was Wis
ible on every side, The trail led through
natural parks, open spaces bordered the
rocks and pine trees on the mountain
sides, Here the country was compare
lively open. Suddenly John Becker the
packer, and soldier rode up, excaiming,
THE INDIANS THE INDIANS d"
Grouard looked over his shoulder and
saw some ofthe red devils riding on our
left flank. We had reached a plain on
the mountain range, timber on our left,
timber on our front, and rocks and tim.
Der on our right, at about 200 yards dis
tance. Keep to the left along along the
woods" said the scont. Scarce were the
words uttered when from the rocks came
ringing volley The Indians had fired
upon us, and had struck my horse and
two others. Fortunately the scoundrels
fired too low, miscalculating the distance
and not a man was wounded. Our ami
mails, after the manner of American hor-
ses, stampeded, and nearly
DASHED OUT OUR BRAINS
against the trees on our left. The sava-
ges gave us three more voleys, wound
ing more of our horses, before we got the
beasts tied to the timber. We gave them
volley back to keep them in check, and
then formed a circular skirmish line in
the woods. We could see the Indian
leader, dressed in what appeared to be
white buckskin, directing themovements
Of his men. GrOuard recognized him.
He is a Cheyenne, called White Ante.
lope, famed for his enterprise and skill.
The CheyeLnes and Sioux are firm allies
and always fight together. White Ante
lope led one charge against us, but our
fire sent him and his warriors back in
quick time. Then the Indians laid low
in the rocks, and kept up an incessant
fire on our position, filling the trees
around us with lead. Not man among
us expected to leave that spot alive
They evidently aimed at our horses sup
posing that by killing them, all means of
escape would be cut off from us.
Meanwhile their numbers continued to
increase The open slopes swarmed with
Indians, and we could hear their savage
encouraging yells to each other. Chey-
ennes and Sioux were mixed together,
and appeared to be in great glee. They
had evidently recognized Grouard, whom
THEY MORTALLY HATE
for they called out to him in Sioux
standing Bear (the name they gave
him), do you think there are no men but
yours in this country?" We reserved
our fire uutil an Indian showed himself
They were prodigal of their ammunition,
and fred wildly. But they were fast sur
rounding us. We had fought them and
kept them at bay two hours, from ll:3C
until l;30, but they were twenty to our
one, and we knew unless special Prov
idence interposed, we could never carry
our lives away with us. We were look
ing death full in the face, and so close
that we could feel his icy breath upon
our fOreheads, and his cold grip upon oul
hearts.
mo SURRENDER"
was the word passed from man to man
Each one of us would have blown out hiE
own brains rather than fall into Indiar
hands alive. A disabling wound would
have been the same as death. | had of
ten wondered how a man felt when ht
saw inevitable, sudden doom before him
| knew it now, for | had no idea of es
cape, and could not have suffered mort
an Indian knife or bullet had pierced
my heart. So it was with all of us. l
is one thing to face death in the midst o
excitement. 1t is quite another thing
to meet him in almost cold blood, witt
the prospect of your dishonored carcass
being first mutilated and then left to feeC
the fox and vulture. After a man once
sees the skull and Cross-bones as on
party saw it on the afternoon of July
no subsequent glimpse Of grim mortaIit,
can possibly impress him in the sam
manner. Well, the eternal shadows wer
fast closing around us, the bullets wer
hitting nearer every moment, and tn
Indian yell was growing stronger an,
fiercer, when a hand was laid on m,
shoulder, and soldier named Rufus, m,
neighbor on the skirmish line, said, 9TH
rest are retiring. Lieut.. Sibley tellsus t.
do the same" l quietly withdrew from
the friendly pine tree which had KEEP
the bullets from making havoc of m,
body. "Go to your saddle bags and tax
all your ammunition" said Sibey, as
passed him. ave are going to abandon
the horses. The Indians are all aroun,
us, and we must take to the rocks o.
foot. 1t is
OUR ONLY CHANCE
l did as directed, but felt pang a
leaving my noble beast, which was bleed
ing from wound in the side. We dare
not shoot our horses, for that would dis
cover our movements to the enemy
Grouard advised this proceeding. Wit
a celebrity which was only possible t
men struggling for life, and to escape
dreadful fate, our party obeyed their OF
ders, and, in Indian file, retired throug
the woods and fallen trees in our rear tC
ward the east, firing volley and som
scattering shots before we moved out, t
make the Indians believe we were sti
in position. Our horses were evidentl
visible to the savages--a CircumstanC
that facilitated our escape. We ran fc
a mile through the forest, waded Tongu
river (the headwaters) up to our waist
and Gained the rocks of the mOuntai