The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-12

ground and came to the conclusion that his
best plan would be to move his force right
into the jaws Of
THE AMBusCADB
It was daring, even desperate, tactics. but,
the sequel showed, well taken. He reasoned.
from his familiarity with Ipdian tactics, that
Brandt would form q lane for him to march
into, and 50 he thought by dsposing his files
for half-face TO the right and left at the
moment of attack he would then and there
havo the enemy cut In two. He depended on
The steadness Of his troops 10 withstand the
first onslaught and after that he knew the
Indians would not be formidable.
The enemy had expected him TO move at
daylight, but ii was ten o'clock bsfors he
stirred, aud the sayhges got impatient.
Finally he moved cautiously out, with thetwo
Sehohhrie companies In advance and the Stls-
auehanna rifiemen deployed on the Hanks
marching in column Of four files. The head
OF the column had proceeded about % mile
when one Of the Sehohafe men in advance
eapng on the body Of o falen tree, discov-
ered the painted face and cleaning eyes Of IN
Indian concealed in the top. Two rifle shots
rang out almost in unison, and the next mo-
ment the woods were full Of battle. The ain
buscade had been prsmaturely sprung, and
Herkimer had stopped between the lips Of Ill;
he had not gotten quito into its jaws. But
the Indians hastsned to remedy that baH in
his tactics by hurrying down his fianks on
either side, while muss Of them envelopad
his head Of column.
In fifteen or twenty minutes the action be-
came general, and the Indians rushed in to
complete, us they supposed, the rout caused
by their surprise. But, instead of their ex-
pected easy victory, the Indians received q
suffoeating voiley right in the face and eyes
Of them at distance which, says the tra-
dictionary folklore OF this vicinity did not
average more than sixty feet along the whole
line. This was result Of the baekwoods
tactics Of the burly old Herkrner who, when
he out-faced his column of four files to the
right and left, had ordered the rear rank OF
ench line thus formed to reserve it's fire until
the Indians began to fling their tonahawks;
for the grim veteran Of the old French war
knew that his red fos would charge as soon
as they had fired one or two rounds. 1t was
the reserved fire of this unique ''rear rank
that suffocated Brandt's Indians, and with
them, in the long run, strangled Burgoyne.
Ater this
THE INDIANS FELL BACK
into the woods on all sides and, taking to
cover, kept up 8 struggling and desultory
rifle practice with the settlers at long range
formore than an hour, when q terrific ttun-
derstorfn came up and ragged with such vio-
lence as to put temporary end 10 the battle
| It was near stindown when the rain ceased
but hardly had the lightning quit flashing
| before the rifles began again. The Indians,
| reinforced by the Tories and Canadians had,
under cover of the storm, drawn In their ex.
| tended lines and rnassed their forces for an
onslaught on the head OF Herkimer's column.
But here, as before the wary old hero had
| OWNED them and answered their movement
by huddling his whole force up to the imrue-
diate support Of the Schoharie men who
| formed his van. Thus the battle, which, ut
the beginning, ranged over several hundred
acres, was concluded upon about twenty rods
square Of ground.
This was in q sharp BEND Of oriskany
creek, where the ground was fiat and covered
with heavy timber and thick underbrush
General Herldmers horse had been killed
and his own leg dreAlfully shattered at the
knee, but his men were carrying him about
with his saddle fastened TO two poles, which
| they bore on their shoulders. In this man.
ner the unfiinchng patriot commander, fast
bleeding TO death, made his final disposi-
| tions.
| 1t Was nearly6 In the afternoon when Sir
John Johnson led his Tories fresh to the on.
set. They were met ut short range by that
same binding rife volley that had so as-
founded the Indians in the first fight, and
thrown into disorder. And here occurred an
episode.
| YOUNG NARTfN ToNICBIFF,
one of the Schoharie men, peering through
| the smoke, recognized the features Of O. form
| er neighbor, now o Tory refugee; evidently
wounded and trying to hide behind a small
| log not more than three rods in front Of him
Raising the "Old Rebel Yell Of the period,
Tonicliff sprang forward, regardless Of the
bullets that were spattering about hm--to as
sist his old neighbor, you presume? Oh no! to
lift his hair, in memory Of murdered mother
and sisters at Cherry Valley! You know how
the movement Of ar individual soldier will
sometimes decide the whole day, when it oc-
ours in the nick Of the fight. Well, thie
tIIIC lDhp VI buy youIis5 DIbDAbliI ptbubiIII
upon his fallen foe decided the battle oi
Oriskany; for after him sprang the whole
Schoharie company and with them the entire
command leaving their brave old general
helplessly propped up against q tree. "Let
'em co. shouted Herkimer, "dey're runnin'
dc right vay!"
Suddenly hemmed in between the ad
vancing settlers and q precipitous bank Of the
creek where its bend was sharpest, some
eighty Tories surrendered. IF you want to
find out how the prisoners Jared you will
have to read English history or consult the
oldest inhabitant Of the vicinage. None Of
| the American historians have thought it
worth while to write that these eighty Tories,
and perhaps thirty Indians mixed up with
them in the melee, were promptly shot,
Drained or knitted ON the spot, and
CAREFULLY SCALPED.
don't see why our Losing, or our Ban
l 1. ,fox,,