Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-08-25
"A Thrilling story,
What Happened to an Officer after the Gus
ter fght-The Periious Adventures and
Remarkable Escape of Lieut.. DeRudio-
An Interesting Narrative, told by himself.

Reno halted the battalion, and, after
dismounting, formed skirmish line, the
right flank resting on the edge of dry,
thickly wooded creek While the hors-
es were being led to shelter in the wood
the Indians opened calling fire on us,
which was Immediately responded to
the skirmish continuing for about half
an hour. 1t was now discovered that on
the other side of the creek, in park
like clearing, there were few lodges
and the whole line crossed the creek to
find the lodges deserted and be received
by about 200 yelping, yelling redskins.
The fire from the numerically superior
force necessitated retreat, which was
almost impossible, as we were now sur
rounded by warriors. When we entered
the engagement we were only 100 strong
and the fire of the enemy had made
havoc in our little band.
When we were half way over the
creek |, being in the rear, noticed a
guidon planted on the side we had left,
and returned to take it. When coming
through the wood the guidon entangled
itself in the branches and slipped out of
my hand. / dismounted to pick it up
and led my horse up the south bank of
the creek. AS | was about to mount,
my horse was struck by bullet, and
becoming frightened, he ran into the
Indians, leaving me dismounted in the
company of about 300 Sioux not more
than fifty yards distant. They poured
a whistling volley at me, but | was not
wounded, and managed to escape to the
thicket near by, where / would have an
opportunity of defending myself and
selling my life at good high figure.
In the tbicket | found Mr.. Gerard, the
interpreter, half breed Indian, and
Private O'Neil, of Company g., seventh
cavalry. The first two of the quartet
had their horses, while O'Neil like N.Y.
self was dismounted. | told the owners
{ of the horses that the presence of the
animals would betray US, suggesting at
the same time that they be stampeded
They declined to act on the suggestion,
and | left them and crawled through the
thick underwood into the deep, dry bot
tom of the creek, where | could not be
easily discovered and from whence ]
| hoped to be able, under cover of dark
ness, to steal out and rejoin the COM
mand. | had not been in this hiding
Q heard several pistol shots fred in my
4 immediate vicinity, and shortly there
! after came the silvery but to me diabol
) ical voices of several "squaws." | rails
ed my head with great caution to see
what the women were at and to discover
their exact location. found the women
at the revolving work of scalping sol
e dier who was perhaps not yet dead, Two
, of them were cutting away, while two
: others performed sort of war dane,
! around the body and its mutilators.
. | soon heard cracking noise neal
r me, which, on investigation, | found
, proceeded from the burning wood, the
Indians having ignited fire. The wood
e being very dry, the fire made rapid head
+ way, and / was forced from my hiding
5 place. / crawled out of the creek bot
tom the same way l had approached
: and as / was about to ascend the bank
e heard voice calling, Lieutenant
r Lieutenant p | could see no one, bu
the call was repeated, and advancing {
; few yards in the direction from which i
b proceeded, found all three of the party
| had left short while before hidden il
e the bottom of the creek Mr.. GerarC
r told me he had left the horses, tied to
: gether, where had seen them, and fol
l lowed down after me. | found that thc
: party, like myself were afraid of tn,
f progress of the fire; but fortunately fol
/ us the wind subsided and little rail-
fell, which, thank God, was sufficient t.
arrest the flames and revive our hopei
that we might be able to remain there
till night. 1t was now three O'Clock, p
m.,-six more hours to wait-and yor
may imagine how immensely long We
found them. During this time we could
hear and often see Indians around us
and could hear them talk quite near us
| cannot find words sufficiently ex.
pressive to describe my many thoughts
during those six or seven hours of sus
: pense. Finally the time came when, un
der the protection of night lit was very
; cloudy we we're able to come out of our
hiding place and take the direction Of
the ford, which was two miles to the
south, through an open plain. Mr.. Ger,
ard and the scout mounted their horses,
and the soldier and myself took hold
, each one of horses tail and followed
them. Mr.. Gerard proposed that, in