The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-10-23
THE FIGHT AT MILK RIVER.
An officers Graphic Account of the Bat
tie With the Utes i'm Colorado-Fighting
Against Fire and Bullets.

Ar. officer belonging to the troops be-
sieged by Indians on Milk river, Col.
for six days before they were relieved
by General Merritt's force gives this
vivid account of the attack on Major
Thornburgh, and the subsequent thrill
ing events in the beleagured intrench-
ments: The field of battle was admir-
ably chosen for defence by the Indians,
and had it not been for Major Thorn
burgh's advance guard, commanded by
Lieut.. Cherry, discovering the ambus-
cade, the entire command would have
been annihilated. He saw small party
Indians disappear over q hill half n
lie in front, and at once divided his
party to oreconnoiter, and only discovered
them when he had flankcd their posi-
tion by about 100 yards. Lieut.. Cherry
rode back at full speed with one or two
men who were with him, and notified
Major Thornburgh, who had already
begun the descent into the deep ravine
which was intended to engulf the COM
mand. The Indians were dismounted,
and lying down along the crest of the
high, steep ridge for hundred yards
from the point where the deadly assault
WOULD have commenced. The troops
were withdrawn u short distance, dis
mounted, and deployed in line of battle,
with orders to await the attack of the
Indians. Lieut.. Cherry was here ordered
by Thornburgh to take detachment of
fifteen picked men and make reconnoi-
sance and communicate if possible with
the Indians, as it was thought that they
only desired to oppose his approach to
their agency, and would parley or have
big talk if they could be communi-
Gated with. Cherry moved out at a gall
lop with his men from the right flank,
and noticed q like movement of about
twenty Indians from the left of the In
dian position. He approached to within
a couple of hundred yards of the Indi-
ans and took off his hat and waved it,
but the response was a shot fired at
killing his horse. This was the first
shot, and was instantly followed by a
volley from the Indians.
The work had now begun in real
earnest, and seeing the advantage of the
position he held, Lieut.. Cherry dis
mounted his detachment and deployed
along the crest of the hills to prevent
the Indians flanking his position, or to
cover the retreat if it was found neces-
sary to retire upon the wagon train,
which was then coming up slowly,
guarded by Lieut.. Paddock, Company
ID, Fifth Cavalry. Orders were sent to
park the wagons and cover them with
the company guarding them. The two
companies in the advance were Capt.
Payne's Company +, Fifth Cavalry, and
Capt. Lawson's, Company z, Third
Cavalry, which were dismounted and
deployed as skirmishers, Capt. Payne on
the left and Capt. Lawson on the right.
From Lieut.. Cherry's position he could
see that the Indians were trying to cut
him off from the wagons, and at once
sent word to Major Thornburgh, who
then withdrew the line slowly, keeping
the Indians in check until opposite the
point which his men held, when, seeing
that the Indians were concentrating to
cut off his retreat, Capt. Payne, with
Company F, Fifth Cavalry, was ordered
to charge the hill, which he did in gal
liant style, his horse being shot under
him and several of his men wounded.
The Indians having been driven from
this point, the company was rallied on
the wagon train. Major Thornburgh
then gave orders to Lieut.. Cherry to hold
his position and cover Capt. Lawson's
retreat, who was ordered to fall back
slowly with the horses of his company.
Cherry called for volunteers of twenty
men, who responded promptly and
fought with desperation. There names
will be given in later dispatch, as
nearly every man was wounded before
he reached the camp. Two men were
killed. Cherry brought every wounded
man in with him. Capt. Lawson, the
brave old veteran, displayed the greatest
GOODNESS and courage during this retreat,
sending up ammunition TO Cherry's men
when, once, they were nearly without
it, Major Thornburgh startediback to the
wagon train after giving his final orders
to Capt. Payne to charge the hill and to
Capt. Lawson and Lieut.. Cherry to cover
the retreat. He must have been shot
dead when barely half way there, as his
body was seen by one of Capt Lawson s
men, life extinct, lying on his face.
Captain Payne, then in command, at
once set about having the wounded
horses shot, to be used for breastworks,
dismantling the wagons Of boxes and
bundles of bedding, corn and flour. sacks.
which were quickly piled up for fortifi,
cations. Picks and shovels were used
vigorously for digging intrenchments.
Meantime, CALLING fire was concen.
trated upon the command from all the
surrounding bluffs which commanded
the position. Not an Indian could be
seen, but the incessant cracks of their
Sharps and Winchester rifles dealt fear
full destruction among the horses and
men,. TGe groans of the dying and the
agonizing cries of the wounded told
what fearful havoc was being made
among the determined and desperate
command. Every man was bound to
sell his life as dearly rs possible. About
this time Il great danger was approach
ing at frightfully rapid pace. The red
tiends, at the beginning OF the fight, had
set fire to the dry grass and to the sage
brush to the windward of our position,
and it now came sweeping down toward
us, the flakes leaping high into the air,
and immense volumes of smoke rolling
on to ingulf us. 1t was sight to make
the stoutest heart quake, and the fiends
were waiting, ready to give us volley
as soon as we were driven from our
shelter. Now it reaches the flank, and
blankets, blouses and empty sacks were
freely used to eXtinguish the flames.
Some of the wagons were set on fire,
which required all the force possible to
smother it. No water can be obtained,
and the smoke is suffocating; but the
fire passes, and we still hold our posi-
ton. In the meantime constant volley
is poured upon us, Captain Payne being
wounded for the second time, and
Sergeant Dolan, of Company F, killed
instantly. McKinstry and Mckee are
killed and many others wounded. Our
greatest danger now is past. The men
have now mostly covered themselves,
but the poor horses and mules are con-
stantly falling about us.
Just about sundown a charge was at