Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-03-01
A SingIe-Handed Fight for Life with
a Large Body of Indians.


By Mr.. Henry Tilley, of Ness County,
we learn the particulars of an Indian
fight which occurred about four weeks
ago, in what is known as the Gone at
the mouth of Sand Creek, about sixty five
miles west of Ness Postoffice, in which
DR.. Tichenor killed four Sioux Indians,
and was himself wounded The doctor
and man named Dickinson were out in
that section >of the country poisoning
wolves, and had built a temporary dug
out in which to store their skins and pro
visions A few days previous to the fight,
Dickinson had taken their team and gone
into the settlement after provisions, leav-
ing the doctor to run the camp. The
doctor was asleep in his dug-out on the
morning of the third day after Dickin-
sons departure, when he was awakened
by slight noise at the door. Thinking
the intruder was skunk or wolf he
took up his gun and opened the door, to
be confronted by man. and that man
was Sioux brave, but at that time it was
so dark that he could distinguish little
more than the outlines. He demanded
his business, when the brave turned and
fled; and, as the doctor stepped outside
to get shot at him, he was greeted with
a volley which drove him back into the
dug-out Barricading his door as best he
could, he awaited daylight. In the mean
time, the Indians, numbering about forty,
as near as he could tell, had moved further
up the creek: but with daylight, one
of them, whom Ticknor thinks was
the Chief from his dress, came to the dug
out carrying white rag, and in broken
English, demanded his surrender. Tiche-
nor told him there was three men in the
dug-out well armed and prepared to fight,
md rafr ff, lar Ia
menced to threaten, and told the valiant
doctor he would have his scalp. This
the doctor thought to be declaration of
war, and shot the red man dead in his
tracks, and at the very door of the dug
out. The entire band then rushed in, but
were driven back by several well directed
shots. The next maneuver by the assail-.
ants was an attempt to smoke him out by
burning buffalo chips and the woodwork
of the dug-out. From his position in the
dug-out he could not see the Indian who
was experimenting the confiagration de-
partment, and knowing that if a stop was
not put TO it he was "agoner,' he made
dash for the outside, kicked the buffalo
chips aside, and exchanged shots with the
head fireman, who was making tracks for
his comrades, killing him instantly, and
received bullet through the lower part
VI Ills DtI5DH, luIS utdtl 1tll "ilJllu uNt
feet of his dug-out door. Then COM
menced long-range shooting match, in
which the doctor is confident he killed
two more and wounded one. This was
kept up during the day, but toward night
fall a terrible snow and wind storm came
up, driving the red men to the south and
showing the brave man in. Had it not
been for this they would eventually have
got him, for his wound, though not dan
gerous, incapacitated him for fighting
He lay in bed for three days, suffering
severely. At the expiration of sixteen
days the weather moderated, and he
started on foot for the settlements, reach
ing them in safety, and bringing trophies
of one of the most remarkable fights on
record. Though wounded but once, the
doctor received several bullets through
his clothing, and during his subsequent
stay picked forty bullets out OF the walls
of the dug -out.-Hays City (Ka1a.) ISenti-
neg.