The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-02
.RASCALLY REDSKINS.
How Our Dusky Protegess Show
Their Gratitude.
Major Thornburg's Command At.
tackled, and the Major and Thlr-
teen Soldiers Killed.

MILK RIVER, Sept, 29.-Major Thorn
burg's command, which was attacked In
bad canon at noon to-day, one mile soutl
from here, on It's march to the agency, re
treated in good order to the wagon train
where they are now entrenChing as fast q
possible.
3:S0P. M-Maj. Thornburg was instant
ly killed during the retreat; Capt. Payne
was wounded In two places, slightly
Lieut.. Pollock aud Capt. Grimes were alsc
painfully, but not dangerously wounded
Ten enlisted men and wagon master Nc
Kinstry were killed, and at least twenty
Ave men and teamsters are wounded. Tn,
command Is now very well sheltered, bql
now and then are heard the guns Of new
hostiles who have just arrived. Our pool
mules aud horses are getting 1t all around
The red devils fred the grass all around
US TO burn US out.
LATER, 0 p. NJ, Sept. ?N-We still hold
our position. Every man is busy digging
trenches and hauling out the dead animals
for defence for tomorrow, for we fully ex.
pectthem back by daylight.
MILK RIVER, COL, Sept 20-5P.M.
Our courier, Joe Rankin, has volunteer.
ed to carry dispatches 10 Rawlins. Mr..
Gordon's freight outfit oil Indian supplies
which was near Us when the fight com.
menced, has been burned by the fire, also
the wagons OF Company +, 9th Cavalry.
Captain Payne had his horse killed and
Lieut. Cherry was also shot during the
retreat. Capt. Linwood and Lieut.. Cher
ry are unhurt, though men were killed all
around them. About three.foprths Of our
horses and mules have been killed. Should
reinforcements reach us in five DAYS we
can hold out very we'll with our supplies
and ammunition,
General Sheridan has the following dis.
patch regarding the Indian fight, I Z
To General Crook, Omaha:
i have ordered Merritt, with four com.
panies, from Fort McP all that oan
be spared from Sanders and four cempa.
nies from Douglas TO rendezvous at once
at Rawlins, This gives $50 men ordered,
two companies from Robinson, one from
Laramie and one from Fetterman 10 march
at once to the railroad. To meet emer-
gencies Giles is ordered 10 confer with
Merritt and forward transportation.
lSigned] R.R. WILLIAMS, A. a. G. 1
The second dispatch, li4e the above, Il
dated from Omaha, To Geh. Crook.
MILK RIVER, COL, Sept 20, S:30P.M NJ.
The command composed of three com.
panies Of cavalry, was met a mile south of
Milk river by several hundred Indians,
WHO attacked and drove rs to the wagon
train with great loss. It becomes my
painful duty to announce the death OF
Major Thornburg, who fell in harness, and
the painful, but not serious wounding OF
Lieutenant Haddock and DR.. Grimes, and
q wagon master, with the wounding Of
about twenty men and teansters. am
coralled near the water with about three
iourths OF my animals killed. After a
desperate fight since IL NJ, we hold our
position. shall strengthen during the
night, and believe we can hold out until
reintorcements reach US, II they are hur-
rted. The officers and men behaved with
the greatest gallantry. am also slightly
wounded In two places,
Signed. PAYNR,
Commanding.
r. WILLIAMS,
AStiaanL AdiL. General.
WASHINGTON, October 1.-The following
telegram was received this afternoon:
RAwLINs, Wy, September 90.
To Z. 4. Hoyt, Commissioner Of Indian AZ.
fairs:
Since the arrival Of the mail from White
liiVer agency special messenger has ar
rived and reports Major Thornburghs
command having been attacked by the In
dians, on Milk river, eighteen miles
north OF the agency. The Major and
thirteen soldiers were killed. / fear that
agent Meeker and employees are all mas
sacred, as the teams and wagons trans.
ierring Indian supplies from here have
been destroyed by the Indians. q,
[signed] JAMES FRANCE
OGDEN, UTAH, October Mai, Bryant,
OF the Fourteenth Infantry, with four COM
panies, left here this afternoon for the re-
lief OF Maj. Thornburg's command. They
will leave Rawlins tomorrow morning.
OMAHA, October LAS wrong infer
ence may be drawn respecting the man
agement OF the campaign against the Ute
Indians, the following explanation Is
given: The Utes are TO the mountain In
dians what the Cheyennes are to the crafty
plain Indians. They are feared by all the
other tribes, who can Ill combat with
them in their own homes. The country
which they inhabit Is very rugged and
mountainous, heavily timbered, and lust
the place for ambuscades Old Indian
fighters are united In saying that the Utes
are willy, hard fighters and ferocious; the
best at planning ambuscades. They are at
the same time ferocious to the greatest de.
gree, and though Major Thornburg
expected that they would remain peace.
able, 1t Is reported that he was never
theless, most vigilant and cautious. There
Is nothing to lead to the inference that he
was otherwise than brave and intrepid, yet
he was caution itself and, d,never impetuous.
His early training In the service, amidst
scenes calculated TO school him to become
cautious leader and good Judge in such
matters, have commanded his attention
and fitted him for Just this sort OF work.
As paymaster and traveller he has been in
varied scenes tending to nerve him and
keep him well balanced, and winning for
himself high reputation as scout and In.
dian fighter. Therefore the only inference
that can be drawn Is that Thornburg did
not blunder, but fell into one Of the most
carefully laid ambuscades and could not
extricate the brave fellows he had with
him.
The courageous act OF the courier who
brought the news deserves honorable
mention, for though under the cover Of
darkness It may be difficult task to cut
of from the lines, on such nights as these,
with the bright moon shining out, the
deed Is attended with greater hazard. The