The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-10-17
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Nine years ago ] party Of forty eight
disheartened aud weary men, most 1oi
them wounded, and ail suffering from
thirst and hunger, fought under the.
hroiIing sun of The Kansas plains against
d combined bodyof Cheyennes, Kiowas,
and A rrapahoes. Ten days previously
this;party had pitched their camp, after
d ling days march, onl the banks of
Pond ereek, q small stream, in the ex-
treme west OF Kansas that helps to form
the Smoky Hill river Having seen no
Indians for many days they fell secure,
and thejr first bic "a VIE
slfzAIh - llsssed y sing q siIi0
and telling stories,, AT dawn Of the
next day The two men who were on
guard saw three sha iowy forms steal
ing in among the herd Of horses pick
eted just outside the camps Giving the
alarn9th guard started in pursuit, but
had, gone. only, a few hundred yards
when they we're surrounded by st /, ast
a hundred redskins, and before relief
could reach them borne off captives,
never more TO beaheard from rna
In those ,broiling July days water, was
obtained only in. the darkness OF mid
night, and then in small quantities and
at the greatest risk. Provisions were
rapidly giving out, butt mule Aesh had
beenfound not sunpalatable,Ia Night af,
ter night were seen the, innumerable
camp fires Of the dreaded foe on the
bluffs of the little stream. Day. after
lday the naked and hideously painted
devils charge fiercely on the 1itiieeors
raj of chained and, Slightly barricaded
wagons, their wild yells and storm OF
Ehurtling arrows being met by the uner.
ring bullet Of the soldiers, and many
brave bit the dust Thus for ten long
days was the, unequaL conflict kept up
hundreds against handful I; and while
lhope waned, the row of newly made
mounds just outside the wagons increas
ed in number, and the wounded moanei
and tossed under the thin tent. Thei
only hope was in the efforts of the bolt
scout, who, under cover of darkness
had stolen from the environed caml
and started for the distant Platte, wher,
Custer with the gallant Seventh Regi
ment was avenging the wrongs Of the
settlers along the fertile. Republican ant
Little Blue rivers. The scouts las
words were, 'If ] amt back in five day,
you may know that I've gone up" HI
was never known to break his word
The evening Of the Och Of July was al-
so the evening of the fifth day Of theil
Imprisonment just before sunset,
cloud of dust foated heavily over a dis
Itant eminence Beneath its shadow th,
forms of llorsemen were dimly discern
|ible, and the intensity of suspense va
redoubled At last one gllas,fys bloo,
stained. smoke be krimeds and .wenndes
man, too weak to bear a car5ine, criel
out. ssIt's Custer! thank God, it's Gus
ter!' and with the glad utterance fel
back as dead. He had tainted from Joy
In a few moments more the dimmes
eye could make out the slight form ant
bold carriage of the debonnair cavalry
man, as with his long hair streaming il
the wind crowned with its white som
brero and black plume, he dashed up II
the corral and called out, s.Here we are
boys; ;.are we in itimer' Yes, thanl
God !" was the answer, and cheer afte
cheer from the rescued band rang ou
on The evening air Even the wounded
crawled from their tent to see and chee
the noble Seventh with Custer sats it
head, .i rgx dytsa ,sa,s az ztf f..,.