River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-08-17
A Black Hills Romance.


Old Jimmy Ramon is the hero of a
romance. A real, complete, natural
/ romance, one that has never been
in print. The old man loves to tell it,
and the main details have been fully
corroborated by others. His romance
/ Is as follows A few years ago Jimmy
was lettering about Fort Laramie, re-
ceiving his s. a day as government
scout and interpreter. One evening
the post was startled by the report
that an emigrant train had been mas
sacred about two miles and half from
the fort. Worse than all a white wo-
man, Miss Mary Brand, had been
carried off By the Sioux. Ramon
volunteered as guide for company of
cavalry. At dark the cavalry halted
for the night in a ravine about ten
miles northwest of Fort Laramie, on
the Rawhide trail. All the white men
in the train on the Platte had been
massacred, and no one had been left to
tell the story except an lrishman, who
died soon after being found. lie had
been fishing with Miss Brand some
distance from the main camp, when
the Indian attack was made. From
him Ramon learned enough to satisfy
him that the Sioux had gone over to
Rawhide River. There he resolved to
90 alone and ahead of the soldiers, and
if possible effect a rescue. He reach.
ed the Indian camp about midnight,
and secured his pony to a bush in the
valley, and soon afterward crawled in
to the Indian camp. His long residence
with the Indians taught him where
to look for the captive. lie was soon
lying lat on his belly in the rear of
the lodge containing Miss Brand. lie
found one old squaw sitting in front of
the lodge, humming Goleful dirge,
and on raising the edge of the tepee OF
/ lodge he discovered another old bag
/ seated near a small fire feeding a fee
! BILE flame with straws.
lie also saw the captive white woman
lying with her head to the outside of
the tepee less than two feet away. lie
whispered words of caution and cheer
to Miss brand, who started up in alarm.
This started both Of the squaws, and
one on the outside walked round to the
rear of the lodge, where she met a sud.
den, a silent death at the hands of the
old scout. The other squaw suspect.
ing something wrong gave the alarm.
Quick as flash Ramon raised up the
end of the edge of the lodge and drew
out the captive. and throwing her
upon his shoulders made a dash out
into the darkness. The camp was
seen in an uproar. But Ramon made
his escape with his horse, although an
arrow had pierced his body through.
lie took a course eastward down the
Rawhide, while the Indians started to.
ward Fort Laramie, which was due
southwark from their camp. Finding
himself getting weaker from loss of
blood, Ramon drew forth the arrow
which had passed through his body
and projected out in front, and filled
his buckskin shirt around the wounds
with wet mud, and then continued his
flight. At daylight he found himself
at the head of Dry Cottonwood Greek,
twelve miles from Laramie. But the
Indians were between him and the
fort. He kept out of sight, and saw
them meet and engage the soldiers he
had left the night before, and made
his way half dead to Fort Laramie
without being discovered by the In
dians.
The result is soon told. Ramon was
taken into the post hospital. and his
nurse was Miss Brand, the rescued
white woman. She stood 10y the side
of the prisoner until he recovered, and
being without friends on home, all hay.
ing been taken from her by the massa.
ere, she married the old scout. Mrs.
Ramon lives in keytcsvillC, q station
on the North Missouri Railroad. Jim.
my Ramon is now with Gen. Crook.
and is one of the most trusted scouts.
Tie is the last survivor of the massacre
OF the Aamo, where his parents were
killed. His early life, up TO the time
he reached the age Of manhood, was
spent with the COmmanches. who.
| with Gen. santa Anna, maSsacred Davy
/ Crockett and his brave land al san
Antonio.