The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-07-21
He Died Like a Hero.

A Wyoming correspondent OF the Chi
| cago Times gives the following account
of the heroic defense made by young
| Chicagoan, who, opposed by overwhelm-
ing odds, died with his face to the foe:
On the evening of the 25th two of our
party, who had been out hunting, came
| into camp and reported that they had
heard firing all the afternoon, and that
they believed that some one was cor
raled by the hOstiles, and also that they
had struck two different trails leading in
the direction of the firing, and that
neither of them apparently was two hours
old. Guards were posted and we turned
in early, fully expecting that our aid
would be needed in the morning, and as
! fully determined that we would give it,
and on the right side. Early morn found
us in the saddle, moving as rapidly as
our laundering guides permitted About
nine o'clock we heard number of shots
to our right, about a half mile distant.
| Putting our animals at their best speed
we headed toward the point of a high
bluff in the direction of the firing. We
rounded the bluff on a dead run, and
| came Immediately in view and in contact
with about thirty.fiv Indians, some
mounted and others ON foot. We saw
each other about the same moment, but
the savages had slight advantage, and
| got in the first fire, wounding one of our
horses. The fight ended as suddenly as
! it was abruptly commemorative Indians
retiring in haste, as they usually do when
getting the worst of it. Up to this time
/ N8ro ha hnop lAl to hat u ID
caused the firing Moving to where we
had first seen the redskins we found five
dead ponies, and in a little gully, still
further on, three dead Indians Know
ing that this was not our work-as the
bodies were cold and had evidently been
dead for hours-we commenced search
ing for the men, or man, who had made
such desperate fight. Against the face
of the bluffs, 300 yards away, was a pile
of rock, covering perhaps fifty or sixty
yards in space, and as this seemed the
most probable place for an attacked party
to take shelter we moved in that direc-
ton. When within twenty or thirty
yards of the rocks we halted, and called
to whoever might be there to come out,
but receiving no answer Mr. Travis and
myself moved on the rocks in advance of
the party.
Dismounting and hitching our horses
to the brush, we walked into this natural
fortress. The first thing that attracted
our attention was a horse with the saddle
and bride still on. Pausing only mo-
ment we pressed on, looking for the rider
Ten or dozen steps farther on we found
him-found him, but that was all, for he
was beyond all human aid. He bore upon
every lgament of his countenance the
marks of rank, intellectually, and man
hood.
The dead hero was about twenty tx.
or twenty-seven years of age, of SPLEEN
did physique, with dark hair and mus
tache, stained with his brain blood.
There he lay, resting on his right side,
with his head resting as though by chance
upon stone-as though God Himself
had laid him there, in all his glory.
There laid this silent hero who, for
two eventful, desperate days, single
handed, had fought band of desperate
savages, and vainly scanned the plains
and canyons for aid. God only knows
what this silent Western sentinel thought.
He viewed death from the beginning as
inevitable, as no man could withstand
such an attack, and from the evidence
before us we knew that the struggle had
been as terrible as Clusters last fight on
the Little Horn. Thirteen wounds
proved it beyond all doubt The right
hand of this brave stranger held that
which, in all probability, his gaze had
rested upon when the death-rattle
sounded in his throat-the picture of
very handsome young lady, taken by
Chicago photographer. Attached to this
picture was lock of light, silky hair
tied with small piece of blue ribbon,
and written upon the back was the fol-
lowing verse:
For deep in his heart where the shadows fall,
Is the grave of a love that is past recall,
And ever face, rose-wreathed and fair,
VIII rise from the shadows to haunt him
there.
Whether this lady was a wife, sister,
or sweetheart we could not tell, but it
was very evident that his last thoughts
on earth were of her. Written at the
bottom of the picture was the name
" Mamie" and again in plain gold ring
taken from his finger was engraved "To
Mamie" and opposite, the word, "Miz-
pah."
We buried this stranger at sunrise the
following morning, under the shade of
mountain pine, close to where he died
The picture and lock of hair were buried
with him. No head board marks his
resting-place, but before leaving the
grave one of the party cut in deep let
tiers on the tree:
NAMES FRIEND,
Killed May 90,
1877.
lie rests unwept in an unknown grave,
like hundreds of other brave men who
have died in the mountains, and whose
relatives never knew their fate.
The property belonging to this person,
consisting of gold watch and chain,
fourteen pound Sharp's rifle, silver-plat-
ed Smith e. Wesson six-shooter, saddle
and bride, and 1888 in currency,
will be left with Mr.. John Collins, post
sutler, Fort Laramie, subject to the order
Of friends, who must furnish ample
proof that they are the rightful claim
ants.
Injurious Effects Of Tobacco.