The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-10-16
THE INDIAN FIGHT.


Sc P. MA courier will leave some
time tonight with dispatches if possible.
The Indians still surround us and pour
in an effective fire from the commanding
bluffs at distance of five or six hundred
yards, having cross fire upon our posi-
ton, which position was chosen hastily
on the first day of the fight. All our
horses but twelve mules have been killed.
We sheltered them as best we could with
wagons, but to no purpose Captain
Dodge and Lieutenant Hughes, with Co.
ID, Ninth cavalry, came to our rescue
yesterday morning at day.break, after
forced nights march of 80 miles from
Bear River. Cheer upon cheer rent the
air from our trenches when it was ascer-
tanned who were coming. A lull in the
firing enabled them to come in and shell
ter their horses as well as possible, tax
ing to the Notifications quickly, when
the attack redoubled its fury. Had the
heights been accessible Capt. Dodge
would have charged them with his COM
pany while we covered him from our rifle
pits, but this being utterly impossible,
the ascent being nearly perpendicular, all
we could do during the day was to keep
good lookout from the loop holes and
return the fire when any Indian showed
his head. This, however. was a very
rare occurrence, as the Indians have rife
pits aud loop holes. Before dark every
horse but three of Capt. Dodge's com
mand was shot down. A very fortunate
thing for us has been that the Indians
have left US unmolested at night, with
the exceptions of an occasional shot to
made US scatter to our pits. We have
been able at great risk to haul off our
dead animals every night, otherwise the
stencil would be intolerable. A sally is
made every night for water a distance Of
200 yards from our intrenchments. Night
before last Private Erzen, of Co. T, was
shot in the face while out with party
after water. The Indians were only n
few yards away, and were driven off by a
volley from the guard and trenches.
Capt. Dodge brought us the cheering
news that our dispat ches had reached
Bear River safely and would undoubted-
ly reach Rawlins We have been count
ing the hours which it will probably take
for relief to reach us. We all agree that
Gen. Merritt from Tt Russell with the
company of the Fifth cavalry there and
all other available troops will be hurried
to our rescue, as they will all be needed
to finish the campaign. The field Of bat
tie was admirably adapted for defence by
the Indians and had it not been for Ma
jor Thornburgh's advance guard, com
manded by lieutenant Cherry, discover
ing the ambuscade, the entire command
would have been annihiIated. He saw Il
small party of Indians disappear over q
hill half q mile in front and at once di-
vided his party to reconnoitre, and only
discovered them when he had fianked
their position by about two hundred
yards. Cherry rode back at full speed
with two or three men who were with
him, and notified Maj. Thornburg, who
had already begun the decent into the
deep rayine, which was intended to en-
gulf the command. The Indians here
dismounted, and lay down along the
crest Of the high. steep ridge, not hun
dred yards from the point where the
deadly assault would have commenced.
The troops were withdrawn at short
distance, dismounted and deployed in
line of battle with orders to await the at
tack Of the Indians. Lieut.. Cherry was
ordered by Thornburg to take detach-
ment of fifteen picked men and make q
reconnaissance and communicate if posi-
BILE with the Indians, as it was thought
that they only desired to oppose the APP
proach to their agency, and would parley
or have "big talk if they could be
communicated with. Cherry moved out
at galiop with his men from the right
flank, and noticed like movement Of
about twenty Indians from the left of the
Indian position. He approached to with
in a couple of hundred yards of the In
dams and took off his hat and waved it
but the response was shot fired at him,
wonnding man of his party and killing
his horse. This was the first shot and
was instantly followed by q volley from.
the Indians. The work had now begun
in real earnest, and seeing the advantage
of the position he held, Cherry dismount-
cd his detachment and deployed along
the crest of the hill to prevent the In
dams thanking his position or to cover
the retreat if found necessary to retire
upon the wagon train, which was then
coming Up slowly, guarded by Lieuten-
ant Paddock, of Co. d, Fifth cavalry.
Orders were sent to park the wagons and
to cover them with the company guard
ing them. The two companies in adj
vance wepe Capt. Payne's Co. L, Fifth
cavalry, and Capt. Lawsons Co. E, Third
cavalry, which were dismounted and de-
ployod as skirlnishers, Payne on the left
and Lawson on the right. From Cher
rvs position he could see that the Indians
were trying to cut him off from the
wagons, and at once sent word to Mai.
Thornburgh, who then withdrew the
line slowly, keeping the Indians in check
until opposite the point which his men
held, when, seeing that the Indians were
concentrating to cut off his retreat, Capt. |
Payne, with Co. F, Fifth cavalry, was
ordered to charge the hill, which he did |
IN gallant style, his horse being shot un-
der him and several of his men wounded.
The Indians having been driven from |
this point the company was rallied to the |
WAGON trair No; rpbornI,,-oL A.