The New York herald., 1876-07-30

paws and laid down on the grass to sleep
his long sleep The gentleman greeted rode short
distance and then did likewise The rest of the party
rode the OF the wood and disappeared
We remained our position, expecting every moment
that hundred desperate savages would appear TO put
end to During all this time tho fire from the
bluffs continued, but after wo had fired shots It
ceased aud retired to the thcket who're We awaited
our fate possessed alternately by hope and despair
From our position we could see the Indians on the
bluffs, their horses picketed under OF the hill
and line OF sharpshootsrs. all lying nat on their
stomachs We could hear the battle going on above us
the hills, the continued rattle Of tho musketry, the
cheering OF our command and the shouting OF the
savagea Our hopes revived when heard the
familiar cheer Of our comrades but dependency fol-
Ore.
THE CRUcIBLE
The sharp cracking OF the burning timber sp-
preached nearer and nearer with awful rapidty and
we had to shift our position. We crawied almost 10
the edge OF the wood, when discovered that The
nends had fred both sides We moved around until
found thick cluster Of wha. they call bull berry
troes, under which creps.
Tho grass the edge of this place very green,
and as it had been raining little before, and there
no wind, when the fro approached our hiding
place II ran very slowly SO that enabled to
smother 1t with my gauntlet gloves. Tho fro con.
sumed oil the underwood around u.s. and was almost
expended by this time
There We we're in little oasis, surrounded by nre,
but comparatively safe from the element and with the
advantage of seeing almost everything around US with
out being We could sec savages going backward
and forward, and standing on picket than
seventy eighty yards from u.s. evidently put there
to watch the progress OF the are At about four
air Al regular intervals from each other, which
interpreted q signal Of kind
Soon after this nre heard the powerful
voice Of savage crying out, making the sound
more sayages leave the bluffs and ford the river evil
IDENTIFY leaving the ground About one hour after the
Same double signals were again repeated, and many
mounted Indians left At galop. Soon the remainder
OF those LETT on tho bluGs also retired.
HOPE BRIGarENs.
hope now revived, tho muskctry rattle ceased and
only and then could hear a far-oH shot. by
six O'Clock everything around was apparently quiet
and no evidence signs any Indians were near u.s.
We supposed the regiment had LETT the field and all
that remained for TO do was wait for the night
and then pass tho river and take tho route for the
Yellowstone River, and there construct a raft
and descend the mouth Of Powder River our supply
camp OF course during the thirty-sx hours that we
were in suspense had neither water nor food; at
O'Clock P. NJ dropped ourselves into the river.
the reaching waists crossed 1t twice and then
carefully crawled up the blus and finally reached the
broken, high country, took direction and slowly
aud cautiously proceeded southward.
A CAMP FIRE DISTANCE.
After marching two miles thought would 20 up
very high hill look around and II could
any signs Of our command. and on looking
around saw fire on my left, and In the direction
where we supposed the command fighting during
tho day, probably miles from U.s. OF course we made
two coDjecturss shs nre-it might be Indian nre
and It might be from our command The only way 10
chance. Accordingly descended the bill, took tho
direction Of the re climbing another and another hill
listened whilo and then proceeded on for milo
more, when the top Of hill again stopped and
listened We could hear voices. but not distinctly
enough to toll whether they savages or our CON-
mapd We proceeded little further and heard the
bray of mule and soon after the distinct voice of
sentry challenging with the familiar words,
'nALrl VINO GOES rHRREs"
Tho challenge was not addressed to US,
too Tar or to be by the picket and too dark,
but this gave courage to continue course and
approach, though carefully lest should run into
some Indians again
HOPE YuLvnLrn
We were about 200 yards from the nre, and rc-
solved to call out to the picket and tell him who
l told my companion to be ready 10 follow after me,
"Picket, don't FIRE; It is Lieutenant De Rudio and
Private ONeil" and started to run. We received an
answer in q loud cheer from all the members OF the
picket and Lieutenant varnum This ofncer, one Of
our bravest and most efhcent, came at once to me
and very happy to sec me again, after having
counted among the dead. and his JOY affected
much that entirely forgot the adventures Of the
thirty six hours just past, and happy be
mora in the oompanv of nv brave comrade2
Ny first question was about the condition of tho
regiment was in hopes that the only suf
ferers, but not long allowed TO in doubt
Lieutenant varnum said hs knew nothing Of the Ave
sustained loss in Lieutenants Mcintosh Hodrson
Ny dear friend yarnum procured some conco
and hard bread. but | was happy and excited over