The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-10-21
BEsIEGED BY INDIANS.
A Fight Somewhat Similar to Cap
tain Payne's That Took Place
Eleven Years Ago.


54fs-A-. st1 83i'fris
A Fight Somewhat Similar to Cap
tain PayDe's That Took Place
Eleven Years Ago.
New York World
One Of the most remarkable fights in
the annals of Indian warfare took place
eleven years ago, when Congress having
authorized the employment of frontiers.
men against the Indians, then very
troublesome, GENERAL George A. For.
syth, then, and still upon General Sher-
idan staff, was selected to head an ex-
pedition of fifty picked men from the
Kansas border He set out from Fort
Hayes August 20, 1868; Lieutenant F.
H. Beecber, nephew of the pastor of
Plymouth. being second in command I;
DR.. John S. Movers, of Nav York, act
ing as surgeon, and Brevet Brigadisr.
General W., H H. Mccall being first
sergeant. After scouting eight days and
seeing no Indians, though signs OF their
presence were everywhere apparent
Forsyth reached Fort Wallace and pro.
ceeded to reft his command On the
10th of September the Indians attacked
train near Sheridan, a small railroad
town eighty miles from the fort, and
Forsyth's party was sent after them. so
closely did he pursue the savages that
they broke into small squads, as is their
custom under such circumstances, and
scattered. Having lost the trail, Forsyth
pushed on to the Republican River,
where he found the trail OF small war
party which grew constantly larger as
he followed it, till at last it became a
broad and we'll. beaten road, along which
evidently large droves Of cattle and OF
horses had been driven. No Indians,
however, were not to be seen. a8
AT five o'clock on the evening Of the
eighth day out the command went into
camp on the Arickaree Fork Of the Re-
publican, which just at this pointdivided
and surrounded sort Of islands strip
of sand and gravel about q hundred
yards long. around which flowed the
"river," if that name can be applied to q
stream then some eight feet and two or
three inches deep. There was only one
days provisions left. but Forsyth, feel
ing that he was within striking distance
of the hostiles, resolved to 60 on next
day. At dawn Of the morrow the guard
gave the alarm, Indians = and the front
liersmen started up. each grasping bis
rife with one hand and his horses lariat
with the other. that the Indians might
not stampede the animals. Six Indians
dashed up. rafting bells, shaking buffa-
10 robes and firing their guns; a few
shots dispersed them, but the four pack
mules had broken lopse and gallopedl
awsy with their precious loads, three
horses that had only been hobbled es-l
Gaping With them. Some OF the men
started out in pursuit Of the Indians, but
Forsyth, understanding that the stam-l
pede was oaly the prelude to an, attack
in force, ordered them back and bade sill
saddle up. They were still Tightening
the girth when Grover, the guide, plac-
ing his hand on the commanders shoul;
der, exclaimed excitedly, "Oh! heavens,
| General. look at the Indians"
"Well might he he excited" says Gus
ter. who has so wildly told the story
j"Over the hills from the west and north,
along the river, on the opposite bank,
,everywhere and in everv direction they
made their appearance. Finely mounted,
in full war paint. their long scalp-locks
braided with eagles feathers, and with
all the paraphernalia of barbarous war
/ party, with wild wboops and exultant
shouts, on they came.D Forsyth in-
stantly ordered his men to lead their
horses to the s'island" and tie them to-
the few bushes that grew there In CIR
Gle, and lying on the sand within the
line OF animals sell their lives as dearly
las possible. Thus began the fight, the
Indians in turn dismounting and crawl
ling in the sand up to within q short dis
tance of the island to open almost at
point range CALLING f1re on the
party from Spencer and Henry ri6es.-
So soon as it was daylight and tile In
dians could be distinguished 1t was found
that they were surrounded by nearly q
thousand warriors, Brules, Sioux, Chey-
ennes and Dog Soldiers.
The first care OF the besieged WAS to
intrench themselves by throwing up with
their knives little mounds in the form of
a circle. Ere this work had been 3 ac-
complished two men had been killed and
%several wounded, Forsyth among them.
A MIME ball, striking him in the thigh,
ranged upward and inflicted very pain
ful wound. A little while after, as be
leaned forward to caution some men
about firing too rapidly, another bullet,
lstruck him between the knee and ankle
and shattered his left leg. At the same
instant DR.. Movers, who, the firing be
ing too hot to allow him to attend to the
wounded, had taken rifle TO aid in the
defense, was shot through the head The
hills surrounding the fight we're throng-
ed with women and children, assembled
to torture the captives they we're conf
|dent of making, all chanting var-soDgs
and filling the air with whoops and yells,
while round the circle of fighting men
rode the medicine men and Chiefs, en-
courasing the warriors and cursing the
frontiersmen for skulking like wolves.
! If the scouts were now beginning to
drop the Indians, the Indians fire was
telling on the encampment "There goes
the last-horse, anyway one tri-
umphant Indian shouted at nine o'clock
Shortly after this about one hundred and
twenty "Dog Soldiers" supported BY
come three hundred or. more, mounted
men, mustered just beyond rife-shot,
and, headed by the famous Chief Roman
Nose, prepared to charge the scouts.--'
I"Superbly mounted, almost naked, al
though in full war-dress, and painted ID
the most hideous manner, formed with q.
front of about sixty men, they awaited
the signal Of their Chief to charge with
apparently the greatest confidence. ~
At his order the dismounted Indians
poured a tremendous fire upon the
Americans, performing the part Of ar
|tillcry in slencing the fire OF the besieg-
ed and preparing the way for the ASSAULT
ing column Says Custer: 2e'e
"Seeing that the little garrison was
stunned bv the heavy fire OF the dis
mounted Indians, and rightly judging
that now II ever was the proper time to
j. H