The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-09-13
INGRAHAM'S TORY.
How a Trio of Brave Miners Fought a
Band of Satan's Sons on the
v Black Hills Road.
A Desperate and Bloody Fight Of Four
Hours Duration. Resulting in The
Defeat Of the Red Devils.

pm- ibgidi4dm, al O4u u1luti VIM
left here but a few weeks ago on a pros
peeting trip to the Hills, in company
with James Gano and John S~tearns, all
of Georgetown, Colorado, reached this
city yesterday on the return trip. This
was the party who were reported as hay
ing had a fight with the Indians on In
dian creek a week ago last Sunday, In
graham being the sole survivor, and
the man who was somewhat disparag-
ingly mentioned in yesterdays LEADER.
Our item was based upon the best in
formation we could obtain, and we now
know that the dispatch published on
Saturday morning last was so distorted
in its statements asfo have led US into
error in doubtmg Mr.. Ingraham's
bravery.
His story of the party's terrible fight
with the Indians, the manner of its
narration and the deep feeling he man
ifested when speaking of the sad death
of his two companions, all convince us
of the truth of every word he utters.
We give the tale as told us.
81 left Deadwood, y said Mr.. Ingra-
ham, son the 31st of August, accom-
panied by Gano and Stearns, we having
a span of horses and wagon, and being
well armed. We saw no Indians until
we had crossed the Cheyenne river and
were travelling over the divide between
the river and Indian creek, on Sum
day, Sept. 3rd. Just after dinner we
were travelling along when a band of
six or eight Indians rose from behind
a hill near the road and fired upon us,
wounding n of the horses. We
wheeled around and the wounded horse
being unmanageable, left the road, the
team running several hundred yards,
when the hurt horse fell dead.
Another band of redskins rose up on
the other side of the road and opened
fire upon us. We left the wagon, went
over a hill, and lying down returned
the fire. The Indians then rode up
within 20 or 30 yards of us and we
fought them nearly an hour without
being hit although we shot eight of
them. Gano received the first bullet,
being shot in the right side, but he
kept or firing with my pistols, his
wound preventing his using his rifle,
which Stearns then took. / raised my
hat on a stick, drawing the Indians fire,
and Stearns and 1 then charged them.
Gano tried to get up and charge with
US, but fell, and the Indians charged to
where he lay, when they filed him with
bullets, stabbed him several times and
left a knife sticking in his back.
Stearns was shot in the right leg before
we could get a safer position, and cried
out that his leg was broker. l encour-
aged him, telling him to sell his life as
dearly as possible. The words were
barely out of my mouth when a ball
struck poor Stearns in the right eye and
he died without a word. My courage
almost deserted me, but 1 resolved to
kill until l was killed, and I shot an In
dian who sprang up, drew his knife and
whooped when Stearns fell. With a
yell he threw up his hands and dropped.
The five who remained fired arrows at
me awhile, and then, just before sun
down, drew off and 1 saw them no
more. / remained there until dark,
when 1 went back to the river, meeting
Mason's train there. The next day we
reached the spot, picked up the bodies
and brought them on to Indian creek,
where we buried them on Tuesday.
The Indians had taken the horse and
rifedL Gano's pockets, but had not
scalped either of the dead men, nor had
they taken anything from the wagon..'
Tears stood in the eyes of the brave
man as he related the details of the
death of Gano and Stearns. lie said
both were unmarried, the parents of
the former residing in Pennsylvania
and of the latter in Chicago.
Tcrrv's Buffalo Hunt.