The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-10-14
LEGRAMS
REPORTED o HI MINER BY; THE W. U. I.
u. ~ sEt t5 COMPANY. .nt s.7
DOMESTIC NEWS.
THE AMBUSCADE,
Details OF the Attack ON T~hornburs's
. ns Command. .E.N#

Gan Of1cef Win PayneS commando, writing
on the third inst. from the position in which
the troops were intrenched, gives the follow
ing graphic description of the ambush pre-
pared for Thornburg and his menu
"The field of battle was admirably chosen
for defense by the Indians and had it not
been for Maj. Thornburg's advance guard,
commanded by Lieut.. Cherry, discovering
the ambuscade, the entire command would
have been annihilated. He saw a small
party of Indians disappear over the hill half
a mile in front and at once divided his party
to reconnoitre and only discovered them
when he had tlanked their position by about
two hundred yards.
"Cherry rode back at full speed with two
Major Thornburg, who had already begun the
descent into the deep ravine which was in
tended to engulf the command. The Indians
were dismOunted and lying down along the
crest of a high, steep ridge not a hundred
yards from the point where the deadly assault
would have commenced. The two compa-
MES were withdrawn a short distance, dis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 Thorn
burg to take a detachment of fifteen picked
men and make a reconnaissance and ON
municate, if possible, with the Indians, as it
was thought that they only desired to oppose
his approach to their agency and would parley
and have a big talk if they could be commu-
nicated with. Cherry moved out at a gallop
with his men from the right flank and noticed
a like movement of about twenty Indians
from the left flank of the Indians position.
"He approached to within a couple of
hundred yards of the Indians and took off
his hat and waved it, but the response was a
shot fired at him, wounding a man of his
party and killing his horse. This was the
first shot and was instantly follow ell by a
volley from the Indians. The work had now
begun in real earnest, and seeing the advan-
tage of the position lie then held, Cherry dis
mounted his detachment and dcployed along
the crest of the hill to prevent the Indians
fanking his position or to cover the retreat if
found necessary to retire upon the wagon
train, which was then coming up slowly,
guarded by Lieut.. Paddock, company D fifth
Infantry.
"Orders were sent to park the wagons ami
cover them with the company guarding them
The two companies in advance were Captain
Payne's company F fifth Cavalry and Captain
Lawsons company E third Cavalry, which
We're dismounted and deployed as skirmislers,
Captain Payne on the left and Captain Law
son on the right. From Cherry's position he
could see that the Indians were trying to
cut him off from the wagons and he
at once sent word to Major Thorn
burg, who then withdrew the line,
slowly keeping the Indians in check until op-
posite the point which his men held, when
seeing that the Indians We're concentrating to
cut off his retreat, Captain Payne with F Co..
of the Fifth Cavalry, was ordered to charge
the hill, which he did in gallant style, his
horse being shot under him and several of
his men wounded. The Indians having been
driven from this point the company was raj
lied on the wagon train. Major Thornburg
then gave orders to Cherry to hold his posi-
ton and cover Captain Lawson's retreat. who
was ordered to fall back slowly. Cherry
called for the volunteers of twenty men, who
responded promptly and fought with despera-
ton. Their names will be given in a later dis
patch, as nearly every man was wounded be-
fore he reached the camp. andtwo were killed.
Cherry brought every wounded man in with
him. Captain Lawson, a brave old veteran,
displayed the greatest GOODNESS and courage
| q mi mo- fytc IN tnnf ,,,t.,
Cherry'S men when once they were nearly
without it.
Major Thornburg started back to the wagon
train after giving his first orders to CAPTAIN
Payne to charge the hill, and to Captain Law
son 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 Captain Lawsor'S men, life extinct. and
lying on his face.
Captain Payne, then in command, at once
set about having the wounded horses shot for
breast works, and dismantling the wagons OF
the boxes, bundles Of bedding, corn and flour
sacks which were quickly piled up for tortiti-
cations, picks and slovels u,ed vigorously for
digging entertainments In the meantime a
Calling fire was concentrated upon the COM
mand from all the surrounding bluffs which
commanded the position. Not al Indian
could be seen, but the incessant crack of their
Sharps and Winchester rifles dealt f.arful
destruction among the horses and men. The
groans of the dying and the agonizing cries OF
the wound told what fearful havoc was be.
ing made among the determined and desper-
ate command every man bound to sell his
life as dearly as possible.
After describing the narrow escape of the
troops from the fate of being consumed b. a
prairie fire kindled by savages for that pur.
pose, the dispatch gives the list of dead and
wounded as follows:
- KILLED. .-- ..
Major Thornburg, Forty-fourth infantry.
Sergeant John DOlan, Co. X, Fifth cavalry.
Private John Burns, Co. f, Fifth cavalry.
:" Mich1 FinertOn, " "
Z" Samuel Mckee, 4" /" "
q A,ne n h;tIau a