The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-07-21
MISCELLANY.
A ssirm.sh on the Wichita.


"
cornet to bis lip-, should receive the
signal. ] had previously told them to
play Garry o~en" as the opening piece.
We had approached near enough TO the
village now to plainly catch view here
and there Of the tall white lodges "a
they stood in irregular order among the
trees. From the openings at the top Of
some Of them We could perceive faint
columns OF smok ascending. the occup-
ants having no doub, kept mp their fee
bic fires during the entire night. We
had approached 30 near the village that
from the dead silence which refined j
feared the lodges were deserted, the In
diam had. fed before we advanced.
was about to turn in my saddle and d.
rect the signal for attack tn be given
Uill anxious as to where the other de-
tachmenfs were-when a single rife shot
rang sharp and clear on far side OF the
villnge from where we were. Quickly
turning To the band leader, ] directed
him to give us Garry Oven" At once
the rolIicking notes Of that familiar
marching and fighting air sounded forth
through the valley. and in a moment
were re-ecboed back from the opposite
sides by the loui and continued cheer.
of the men Of the other detachmrnts'
who, true 10 their orders. were there and
IN readiness 10 pounce upon the Indians
the moment the attack began. In this
manner the battle of the washita com
mepc-J. The bngles sounded the charge
and the entire command dashed rapidly
into the village. The Indians were
caught mapping; bus realizing At once
the dangers Of their situation, thew
quickly overcame their frat surpTise.
and in an instant seized their rider.
bows and arrows, and spraDg behind the
nearest treer, while some leaped into the
stream, nearly waist deep, and usins the
bank Ne a rife pit. began q vigorous and
determined defense. Mingled with the
exultant cheers Of NY men could he
heard the defiant war whoop Of the war.
riors, who from the 6rst fought with 4
perntion and courage which no race oi
men could -urpa-s. Major Benteen, in
leading the attack Of his squadron
through the timber below the village
encou tered an Indian boy scarcel,
foniesn year- OF age; be was veil mount
ed, and was erdessohing to make hi
way thronyh the lines. This hoy rod'
boldly toward the Major. seeming to in
vie conte I. HE youthful bearin;
anil not hting looked upon as combat
ant, induced Major Benieen TO endeavo
10 save him bv making "peace will
signs" TO him and obtaining his surren
der, when he could be placed in posi-
tion Of safety until she battle was ter
minated: but the young savage desire
and would accept no such friendly con
ceasions. He regarded himself as
warrior and the son OF q warrior, and Q
such he purposed doing n warriors par
With revolver in hand he dashed at tn
Major, who siill could not regard him q
anything but harmless lad. Levelin
his weapon as he rode, he fired, but eiti
er from excitement or the changing po
ition Of both parties, bis aim was defe'
tive and the shot whistled harmlessly b
Major Benteen's head Another follow
ed in quick succession, but with no be
ter effect. All this time the dusky lit
chiefiain boldly advanced to lessen Il
distance between himself and his adve
sary. A third bullet was sped on
errand, and this time to some purpos
Ia IL passed through the neck Of q
Majors horse, clore TO the shoulder.
Making final bot Intellectual appeal
surrender. and seeing him s,ill prepu
ing TO Ere again, the Major was fore
in self defense 10 level his revolver al
despatch him, although a. he did 30
wns with admiration for the plucl
spirit exhibited by the lad, and reg
often expressed that no other course u
der the circumstances was left him.
tach~d to the saddle bow Of the you
Indian hung beautifully wrought p'
Of small moccssions, .labora.ely orr
mentcd with beads.
One party Of TROOPERS came upor
sqnaw sndenvoring to make her esca
leading by the hand = little white bo,
prisoner in the hands of the India
and who doubtless had been captured
some Of their rear parties during a r
upon settlement. Who or where
parents were, or whether still alive
murdered by the Indians, will never
known. rs the squaw, finding herself
prisoner about TO he surrounded by
troop and her escape cut Of. determil
with snv-ge malignity that the triun
OF the later should not embrace the
scne of the white boy. Casting her .
qui, ~ in al dirsctions, to convi
hersrlf that escape was i'm apostolic,
drew frob. beneath her blanket h
knife and plunged IL into the ain
naked body Of her captive. The q
moment reiributive justice reached
in tie shape Of well.directed bu
from one Of the troopers carbines.
fore the men could reach them life
extinct in the bodies of both the 50
and her unknown captive.
The desperation with which the
ans fought may be inferred from
following: Seventeen warriors had |
cd themselves In a depression in
ground. which enabled them to PR
their bodies completely from the fr
men, and IL was only when the Ind
raised their heads TO FIRE that the tr
ers could aim with any pro-pec, Of
cers. All efforts to drive the war
from this point proved abortive an,
suited in severe loss to our aide.
were only vanquished ai last by our
securing positions under cover and
ing them of by shsrpshooting as
exposed themselves to get n shot n
troopers. Fannlly the last one was