The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-08-10

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with growth Of cottonwood trees and
bushes. After scattering shots were fred
from the hills, and few from the river
bottom, and RenO's slzirmishers returned |
the shots, he advanced about mile from |
the ford to line of timber on the right |
and dismounted his men to fight on foot. |
The horses were sent into the timber, aud |
the men formed on the prairies and adj
Vanced toward the Indians. The In
dams, mounted on ponies, came across
the prairies and opened a heavy fire on
the soldiers. After diminishing a few
minutes, Reno fell back to his horses in
the timber. The Indians moved to his
left and rear evidently with the intention
Of cutting him off from the ford. Reno
ordered his men to mount and move
through the timber. Just as the men
got into the saddle the Sioux, who had
advanced in the timber, fired at close
range and killed one soldier. Colonel
Reno then commanded the men to dis
mount, and they did 80, but he soon or
dered them to mount again, and moved
out on to the open prairie. The COM
mand headed for the ford, pressed closely
by Indians in large numbers, and at
every moment the rate of speed was in
creased, until it became dead run for
the ford. The Sioux, mounted on their
swift ponies, dashed up by the side of the
soldiers and fred at them, killing both
men and horses. Little resistance was
offered, and it was
A COMPLETE ROUTE
to the ford. did not see the men at the
ford, and do not know what took place
further than a good many were killed
when the command left the timber. Just
as I got out my horse stumbled and fell
and was dismounted, the horse running
away after Reno's command. saw sew
eral soldiers who were dismounted, their
horses having been killed or having run
away. There were also some soldiers
mounted who had remained behind. I
should think in all there were as MANY
as thirteen soldiers, and, seeing no
chance to get away, called on them to
come into. the timber and we could stand
off the Indians. Three of the soldiers
were wounded, and two of them so badly
that they could not use their arms. The
soldiers wanted to go out, but I said no,
we can't get to the ford, and, besides, we
have wounded men and must stand by
them. The soldiers still wanted to 90,
but I told them I was an old frontiers
man, understood Indians, and, if they
would do as said, would get them out
of the scrape, which was no worse than
scrapes | had been in before. About half
of the men were mounted, and they
wanted to keep their horses with them,
but told them to let the, horses go and
fight on foot. We staid in the bush about
three hours, and could hear heavy firing
below III the river, apparently about two
miles distant. I do not know who it was
but knew the Indians were fighting some
of our men, and learned afterwards it was
Clusters command. Nearly all the In
dams in the upper end of the valley
drew off down the river, and the fight
with Custer lasted about one hour, when
the heavy firing ceased. When the shoot
ing below began to die away I said to the
boys, "Come, now is the time to get
out" Most of them did not go, but
waited for night. I told them the In
dams would come back and we had better
be off at once.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Eleven of the thirteen said they would
go, but two stayed behind. / deployed
the men as skirmishers, and we moved
forward ON foot toward the river. When
we had got nearly to the river we met
five Indians on ponies, and they fired on
us. returned the fire and the Indians
broke, and we then forded the river, the
water being breast deep. We finally got
over, wounded men and all, and headed
for Reno's command, which / could see
drawn up on the bluffs along the river
about mile of. We reached Reno in
safety. We had. not been with Reno
more than fifteen minutes when / saw
the Indians coming up the valley from
Clusters fight. Reno was then moving