Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-10-16

ammunition to Cherry's men when once they
were nearly without it. Major Thomburgh
started back to the wagon train, after giving
his final orders to Capt. Payne and Cherry to
cover the retreat. Thornburgh must have
been shot dead when barely half way there,
his body being seen lying Oh the face. Cap
tain Payne, who was then III command, SET
about having the wounded horses snot 1or
breastworks- -dismantling the wagons OF box
es, bundles, ETC., which were piled up 1or 1or-
tifications. Picks and shevels were used Wig
orously for digging entrenchments. In IL tne ne
meantime CALLING fire was concentrated
upon the command from all hepositions. Not
an Indian could be seen, but the ncessant
cracks of their Sharp's and Winchester rifles
dealt fearful destruction among the horses
and men, The groans of the dying and ag0n-
ling cries of the wounded told what fearful
havoc was being made among the determined
and desperate command: The Indians 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
towards us, the flames leaping high into the
air, and immense columns of smoke rolling on
to engulf u.s. 1t was a sight to make the
stoutest heart quake, and fends were waiting,
ready to give us a volley as soon as we were
driven from our shelter. Now 1t reaches the
flank, and blankets, blouses and empty sacks
are freely used to extinguish the flames. Some
of the wagons are set on fire, which requires
all the force possible to smother it. No
water can he obtained and the smoke IS sur
locating, but the fire passes and we still hold
our position. In the meantime a. constant
volley is poured upon us. Captain Payne was
wounded for the second time, and first Serge
ant Dolan, of Company F, was killed instantly.
McKinsley and Mckee were killed and many
others wounded. The men have now mostly
covered themselves, but the poor horses and
mules are constantly falling about us. just
about sundown charge was attempted but
repulsed, the Indians trying to drive off some
of our horses, which had broken loose The
attack ceased at dark, and soon every man was
at work enlarging the trenches and hauling
out the dead horses, caring for the wounded
and burying the dead. At daylight the at
tack was resumed, and the firing Of the sharp
shooters has been kept up every day since and
occasionally at night, sending us to our pits
in scramble. This is the fifth day of our
siege, but we are determined to hold out If it
takes month for succOr to reach us, but we
are confident that General Merritt, whose
name is upon the lips of every one, is on the
road to rescue us. AS I write this, bullets
are whistling over the top of the trench. They
often strike the grain sacks few inches
above our heads, but we are deep enough to
be comparatively safe.
A Denver dispatch of the 10th says that
dispatches received, by Gov. Pitkin, state that
the Indians have driven the agent from the
Los Pinos agency to Animas City, and the cit
izens of that place are calling for help which
is responded to by the citizens of Silverton
Dispatches are also received from various
points calling for arms and ammunition.
A dispatch of last Monday from Bear River
says that Indian reports brought in from the
agency represented that 81 Indians were kill
ed during the fight of the 29th OF September,
and during the siege, which lasted until Gen.
Merritt's arrival on the 5th instant. The In
dians are reported to be now retreating south
ward, and it is expected that in small bands
they will drop into the various agencies, and
thus covering up themselves it will never be
known who were the warriors who opened the
battle OH Maj. Thornburg.