The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-04-28
PERIL,

ii" Extraordinary SEncoumter SinoIe-
Handed 1rith Forty Indians.
The particulars of a desperate fight
between a doctor name TieefSAanr and .
band of Sioux Indians, numbering about
forty, at what is known as the ':cone,"
at the mouth of Sand creek, sixty-fve
miles west of Ness Postofice, Ness coun-
ty, in the western portion of the state,
were received at Fort LeSFenworth last
week. The doctor and "a companion
named Dicdenso were out poisoning
wolves, and had built , temporary "dug-
out" in which to store their skins and
provisions. A few days previous to the
appearance of the redskins Dickinson
had taken the wagon and zone to the
settlement after provisions. The doctor
was asleep in the hut on the third morn
ing after Dickinson departure March A
when he was awakened by a slight noise
at the door. Think the intruder might
be some animal, he took lis gun and
went to the door. Upon opening it he
was confronted by a burly Sioux brave,
but it still being dark he could only dis
tinguish the outlineSo of the form. He
demanded his business, when the brave
turned and fled and as the doctor STEP
ped outside to get a shot at him he was
greeted with a shower of bullets that
drove him back in to the hut. Barrica-
ding the door with the best means at his
command he patiently awaited the day.
light. In the meantime the Indians.
about forty IN number, as near as he
could tell, had moved further up the
creek, but just at daylight, one of them}
who seemed to be in authority, and lead
er of the band, from the mannerin which
ne was dressed, came to the door of the
dug-out, carrying a white flag of truce,
in broken English demanded his
surrender. Tichenour replied that there
were three men in the hut,all we'll armed,
who would defend themselves to the last.
The chief then began to threaten, de-
that he would take his scalp and
OF those with him, and the doctor,
taxing this to be a declaration of war,
shot the red man dead in his tracks as he
stood. The entire band then rushed to-
ward the hut, but were driven back bv a
well-directed shots, retiring in disor-
Ter. The next maneuvre of the Indians
an attempt 10 smoke him out bv
burning buffalo chips and the wood work
# the dug-out' and from his position the
lOctor could see some of the arrange
nents made for his destruction. He
ould not see the Indian in charge, but
le knew that the work was going on,
nd that in a short time he must yield.
Realizing this, he made a dash for the
utside, kicking the burning buffalo
hips right and left, an exchanging shots
nth the head Indian in charge of the t
re, killing him instantly: and receiving
bullet himself through the lower part
his body. Then began the long-range s
match, during which he saw
nree of his a~ssailants fall. This was d
ept up during the day. At nightfall a
'rrible snow storm arose which drove
lie Indians southwark, and which snow +
| the plucky doctor in. Had it not {
for this snow storm the Indians b
ould have captured him, as he was un- Il
Ne to move for three days. At the end s.
the sixteenth day the weather mod 8
ated so that he wa able to go out, and d
eng the coast clear, he travelled on
OF to the settlements. The doctor re- W
ived several bullets in his clothing. Ct
1t was wounded but ~once.-Leauen. h
nth (KF".) Letter. tt