The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-03-24

and Schurtx ambushed their Indians,
the better TO deceive the emigrsnts.
About ii O'Clock the troops under Major
Higbee took their position on the road.
The white fsg was still kept up. Carroll
Higbee called Mr.. Bateman out of the
ranks to take flag OF truce TO the corral.
He was met about half way by another
white flag from the emigrsnts' camp,
and they had q talk. The emigrsnts'
truce was told that we had come 10 rescue
them, II they would trust as. Both men
with the flags returned 10 their respective
places and reported, and were 10 meet
! again and bring word. Higbee was called
out 10 60 and inform them Of the condi-
tions and, il accepted, Dan Mcfarland,
brother TO John Mcfarland, the lawyer,
who acted ss sidde-csmp, would bring
word, and then two wagons would be
sent Tor the fire arms, clothing, children,
&c obeyed aud the terms proposed
were accepted, but not without distrust
| had rs little to ssy rs possible. In fact
my tongue refused TO perform its office.
| sat down on the ground in the corral
near where some young men were en-.
gagged in paying the last respects {, some
person who hsd just died of q wound.
A large heshy old lady came 10 me twice
and talked while | sat there. She rc.
lated their troubles, and said ths, seven
OF their number were killed, and forty
seven wounded in the first attack Several
had died since. She ssked me n | was an
Indian agent. said, "ln noscnse. Tho
government has appointed mo farmer Ia
the Indians told her this to satisfy
| her. | heard afterwards that the same
question WAS asked and answered ia the
same manner by Mcfarland. who had
been sent TO the corral to hurry me up
for fear that the Indians would
come back and be upon them.
When all WAS ready Samuel
McMurdy, counsellor TO Bishop Z
X Smith, IN Ingon Smith drove
out on the lead. His wagon had tho
seventeen children, clothing and arms.
Samuel Knight drove the other team
about fifteen years old. walked be-
hind the front wagon u direct its course
and 10 avoid being in tho heat Of the
slaughter. But this kept 10 myself.
When We got turned fairly 10 tho East
motioned McMurdy TO steer
north across the valley. At the same
time | told the women who were
in the wagon 10 follow the road up -
the troops, which they did. Instead "t
saying To McMurdy not to drive So fast
Ms he swore on my trial, | said Ia the
contrary, TO DIVE on, ~ my aim WAS Ia
get out OF sight before the firing com
| menced, which we did We were about
halt n mile ahead of the company when.
We hoard the drst firing. We had
driven over ridge Of rolling ground
and were down on low fiat The tlring
WAS simultaneous along the whole line.
| The moment the firing commenced
McMurdy halted and tied his line across
his wagon box, stepped down coolly
with double barralled shot CUR hr
walked back 10 the knights wagon, who
had the wounded men. and was about
| twenty feet in the rear. As he RAISED
his piece he said, "Lord, my God, receive
their spirits, for it lie Tor the Kingdom ol
Heavens sake that we do this, aud fired
and killed two men. Samuel knight
had a muzzle-loading rife and ho shot
and killed the three men, then struck
wounded boy on the head who fell dead.
/ in the meantime drew n five shooter
from my belt, which ACCIDENTALLY went
oil, cutting across McMurdys
buckskIn pants in front hnd
below tho crotch. McMuriy
said: brother Lee, you are cxcitei.
Take things cool You was bear killing
me. Look where the ball cut, pointing
" place in his pants. Al this moment
| heard the scream Of u child. ] looked
up and saw an Indian have littl" boy
by the hair OF the head dragging him out
-. the hind end ola wagon with hIs knit"
in hi' hand getting ready - cut hns
throat sprsng for the Indian with
my revolver In my hand and shouted ~
the top of my voice, "Arick Ooms cJs top
sooet," stop you foo) The child sns
terror stricken. He chin WAS bleed
ing, and ! supposed II was the cot
OF the knife, but afterwards learned u
was done By the wagon box ~ the lndnn
yanked the boy down by the hair OF tho
h eAd | had no sooner rescued the CL'ii
than another Indian seized the little giri
by the nsir ! rescued her, and ~ 'Oun
M could ,peak | told the Indians th"y
must not hur. the children, that ] wou.i
d,e before they should he hurt; that We
would buy the children from them.
Before this time the Indians bnd
rushed up ard around the wagon
10 quest of blood and despatched
the two runaway wounded men. in jus-
tice 10 by statement | would say thsl II
my shooter had not prcmaturely OK.
plOdcd, | would have had a hand IN dis
! patching the i've wounded men. had
| lost control OF myself and scarce knew
what ! was about. ] Jaw An Indian
/ pur.us a little girl who WAS fleeing. III"
/ caught her about one hundred fest from
| the wagon and plunged ms knife through
| her. .aid 70 McMurdy that he had bet
| ter drive the children " HaDblIDss
rsnche and give them some nOurnhm"n',
while | would 90 down and get my hof',
1T camp. Pa,sing along the road ,a~
the dead strung along = dIstaLcs Of
/ about half u mile. Ths women and
children were killed by the Indians. ]
aw Schurtz wiih,the lDdisn, and no
other white man with him. When
/ came 70 the men they lay about sroi
apart Here ] came up with Ii Higbc",
/ Blsnop Smith and the rsst o. tbe com
pany. As came up Higbee ,aid: AZ!
us search these perons for vsua'
bles," and asked me - help hIm.
/ he gave Inc hat ~
hold. Several men were already engaged
! in searching the bodies. ! replied tns.
was un we'll and wanted - get UP on
my horse, and 90 " the rnEche and
nurse myself. My reqns., ~s' grshtoi.
aching Hsmb.In's r.bch", being heart
sick and worn out, laid d IN on my
saddle blanket and sIep,, and knew but
little Of WIS. pASsed during the nIgh:
About DAY bresk In the morning ] head
the woes of Col. Dame and l,ssc &.
Haight / heard some very angry word.
between them, which drew my attention
Dame sald he would have 70 report ID"
destruction OF the em'grsnt camp snd
I COMPANY.