River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-09-20
As BRAVE A CHARGE As cUsTERs.


A. BRAVE A CHARGE As CUSTERs
II Is ,.bOut two hundred miles from
Fort Territ, Tex. on the head waters OF
the Llano River, To Fort McKavette, on
the head waters Of the san Saba, and
Fort Mason, in the big bend of the TlanC
Is about the same distance n tiie cast. en-
losing triangular spot Of country hall
Is large a. the State Of Rhode Island A
continuation of the Apache Mountains
called by hunters Gray Horse Hills. in
closes the triangle on the west, over the
prairie thus shut in the red man is king
SiX men, none Of them hunters or In
dian fighters. but all were armed. lad
been escorted from Fort Mason to Territt
tut IN teaching thst point the Indians
we're found % be so numerous and trOub-
lesohie that military escort to Fort Nc
kayette could not be spared. There
Tere tOrty-One soldiers az the post. hardly
enough f5riis defense, and it was plain
without a word from the Colonel that not
"a man could be spared.
There are redskins enough between
here and McKavette to DESTROY a regi-
ment Of veterans" he remarked as the
chances were being canvasscd. "The best
scout on the plains could not Idle over
thirty miles per day, and he would be al
most certain 10 lose his scalp before he
vas out Of sight of the post. Take this
class and tell me what F0u SER
Y .yas hall al hohr befoto Shutdown.
The glass revealed Indians in every d.
reCtiOn. Some were riding at saift
pace, Others mOtiOnless on the knobs, and
completely encirled.
There's thousand If there's one, con
tinued the Colonel, as he received the
glass, ''and | must get ready at once for
hot times"
Those six men had an GRAND and a
message Of the utmost Importance, and
'heS cJHld nBt delay. There we're two
veteran scouts at the post, hut when Of
fered any sum to pilot the party through
they shook their heads and said:
The hull triangle i chin-deep with
reds.and no living white man could avoid
them
let the determination of the six men To-
- on was not shaken.
'.Nou are luratics. exclaimed the
Colonel, when his arguments were found
10 81 of no avail sand I'll close tie gates
stAAtA Ntaf.sta4k WIN NUN EttAaaZ
Nevertheless, an hour after nightiall,
lie caine down 10 where the sis were sad
dling their horses. and said:
Its nothing less than murder, but. il
sou will 20, let our little Dan 90 along.
tie knows the route. is brave and cool
headed and il you'll take orders from
him theirs one chance in a thousand that
he'll take You through"
And Oar Little Dan soon Joined the
party. Tic wasn't al lgdian. nor vet Il
Mexican .. a white man. tie was neither
bav nor man. He was iumon being
les than five feet in height weighed
about ninety pounds, had long, brown
hair. coal black eyes, long Jaw. sallov'
rheeks, and the biggest hand If any man
in Texas A. he stood looking at the
party. the Colonel said:
Dan, these riders must be al Fort Nc
navette al the earliest possible hour
Tl.ev put themselves under your orders
and you will L. ready in fifteen minute.
a. start
The being disappeared IN the darkness
without a word. and ten minutes he wa
ut the gate, ready 70. He was mounte,
pn the largest mustang ever seen aTounC
any of the Western forts. lie had strap
rcd on blanket for saddle, filled hi
eanteen with whisky. and his pockets Will
provisions. and lac had a Henry rife, tive
reyolvers and an Arkansas owie-knift
for weapons.
(which way shall you start outg
3nxiously inquired the Colonel. as al
were ready.
The dwarf pointed straight toward Nc
Kavette, for reply.
Well. good-by, each one.
~ the party passed through the gate
Little Dan mOtiOned for the men 20 rid,
one behind the other, and then he spurreC
forward and took the lead His mustang
was off at an easy lOpe, and the pace o
the other horses was regulated according
Is. He rode with his rifle resting in from
Of him, having no stirrups and holding NJ
rein. but guiding the horse entirely b.
the pressure Of his knees. The feet o
the horses made scarcely a sound as thel
Cantered over the thick grass, and III,
voice of the prairie cricket sounded ter
ribIy loud and harsh to the anxiou
riders.
Two miles from the post Little Dar
suddenly turned to the left. rode 70
twenty rods at a faster pace. and the
came to a dead halt Listen he whisp
cred TO the circle around him, and eacl
ear was strained to catch the slightes
sound In the cotiFse of sixty second
each man plainly made cut for himsel
that detachment Of Indians we're pas
ing them not over 800 yards away. Dal
had been warned not second too soor
But for the swerve to the left, there wonl
have been a collision and butchery. 70
three or four minutes the little band Sa
like statues, and IL was a happy relic
when the dwarf whispered:
aFOilOw each other st q walk =
Seven midnight shadows crept siOwl
over the fiower-sprinkled grass for lon
half hour. The horses were becominl
nervous and impatient, when all of a sud
den a halt was made. Little Dams mus
tang stood looking toward Fort McKa
vette. and he was riderless. The other
halted beside him, and after a minut
the dwarf reappeared.
ssOver the ridge here IN front Of Us ]
an Iniun campr he whispered, sor
hand of Injuns are Just breaking ca1lT
Iniuns are moving all slong our frOnt.an'
a wolf couldn't sneak through We mus
hide till they pass-folluss me softly
He TUNED 10 the left again. followe'
the base Of tho ridge for mile. and tn
party entered a dry rlvine with bank
from five to eight feet high. The be
might have been wet in the spring, bu
Il was dry and quite free from obstruc
tons. As soon as shelter was obtaine
Little Dan again disappeared De va
gone some i've minutes this time an
when he returned be said.