Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-10-09

there, and all other avail
able troops will be ordered
to our rescue as they
will all be needed to finish the cam
paign. The field of battle was ad-
mirably chosen for defense by the
Indians, and had it not been for
Major Thornburgh's advance guard,
commanded by Lieutenant Cherry,
discovering an ambuscade the entire
command would have been ami
hilated. He saw small party OF
Indians disappear over hill half a
mile in front, and at once divided
his party to reconnoiter, and dis
covered that he had only fanked
their position about two hundred
yards. Lieut.. Cherry rode back at
full speed, with two or three men
who were with him, and notified
Major Thornburgh, who had al
ready began the descent into the
ravine which was intended to engulf
the command. The Indians were
dismounted and lying down along
the crest of a high, steep ridge
for hundred yards from
tie point where the deadly
assault would have commenced. The
troops were Withdrawn a short dis
tance, dismounted and deployed in
line of battle, with orders to await
the attack of the Indians. Lieu>
tenant Cherry was here ordered by
Thornburgh to take detachment
of fifteen picked men and make a
reconnaissance and communicate, if
possible, with the Indians, as it was
thought they only desired to oppose
his approach to their Agency, and
would parley or have ''big talk if
they could be communicated with.
Cherry moved out at a gallop with
his men from the right flank, and it
was noticed that like movement of
about twenty Indians W. made from
the left of the Indian position. He
approached to within a couple hun
daed yards of the Indians, and took
off his hat and waved, but the re-
sponse was a shot fred at him, which
wounded a man of his party and
killed his horse. This was the first
shot, and was instantly followed by
a volley from the Indians.
Work had now begun in dead
earnest, and seeing the advantage
of the position he had, Cherry dis
mounted his detachment and de-
ployed along the crest of the hill to
prevent the Indians from fanking
his position, or to cover retreat if
found necessary t. retire upon the
wagon train, which was then coming
up slowly, guarded by Lieut.. Pad,
dock, Company D, 5th Cavalry.
Orders were sent to the pork
wagons to cover them with the
company guarding them. The two
companies in advance were Capt.
Payne, Company F, 9TH Cavalry,
and Capt. Lawson, Company Il,
3rd Cavalry, which were dismounted
and deployed as skirmishers.
Capt. Payne ON the left and Capt.
Lawson on the right from Cherry $
position. He could see that the
Indians were trying to cut him off
from the wagons, and at once sent
word to Maj. Thol nbur h, who
then withdrew the line slowly, keep
ing the Indians in check until op~
posite a point which his men held,
when seeing that the Indians were
concentrating to cut off his retreat,
Capt. Payne, with Company F of
the Fifth Cavalry, was ordered to
charge the hill, which he did in gal
liant style, his horse being shot from
under him and several of his men
+, ounded.
Ihe Indians having been driven
fiom this point the company was
rallied on the wagon tram. Mi
Thornburgh then gave orders to Lieu
Cherry TO hold his pt ition and cover
Capt. Lawson's retreat, who was
ordered TO fall back steadily with the
horses of his JmpaDy. Lieu. Cherry
lied for volunteers, and OF The
twenty men who responded promptly
aud fought with d peratiun-theIr
names Will be given in the latest dis
pacn, a nearly every man was
wounded before he reached the camp,
and two were killed-Lieut. Cherry
brought every wounded man in win
him. Capt. Lawson, a brave cid
veteran, displayed the greatest cslm>
ness and courage during this retrt al, ,
sending up ammunition to Cherry 's
men when once they were nearly with :
out it. Major Thornburgh started
back to the wagon train, after givin =
bis final orders to Capt. Payne to
charge the hill and to Capt. Lawson
and Lieutenant Cherry to cover tue
retreat. Major Thornburg must have
been shot dead when barely half way
there, his body being seen lying on his
face. Capt. Payne, then in command,
set about having the wounded horses
shot for breS Sstworks, dismantlil g
wagons of boxes, bundlr1, &c, which
were piled up for Qualifications. Picks
and shovels were used vigorously for
digging entrenchments. In the mean
time, a CALLING fire was coneen-
trated upon the command from
all surrounding bluffs, which com-
mhnded our position, not an Indian