The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-10-31
PAYSEs's BRAVE TROOPERS. F.J
N TT"TTT TUT 10 IWTTTTTTT y y NJ 7 ~
THE STORY OF THEIR sUFFERINGs UNDER
hs,H FIRE IN, THE TRENCHES. ID ,,Yug


bseH FIRE IN M THE TRENCHES. ID 1slIna
bul. .'s3uod .na labnST Ina iosi4J .,tuil75ti
For the first three days according to all
the officers and soldiers who were there, the
situation was chiefly horrible from the con-
slant wounds, and death struggles of the
poor animals, which they could ip no way
protect from, the Indian fire. Every, few
minutes, says one, you heard the dying
gurgle, ,ofl . horse or Q mule, and although
we fastened them as securely, as possible at
night, their pangss were such that they would
often break away after being hit, threaten
ing the men =, live, in the trenches. Once q
wounded horse leaped In his agony right in
to the. pit we had dug for therwoundcd where
Lieutenant Paddock and seven men were
lying at the time. It was a miracle almost
that he did not tfsmple them to death. !, As
it was we al opened a terrific fire, on, the
bluffs, SO as to make the Utes stop iring,ap
under cover of, this, fusilade a lot of our
boys jumped up and hauled the horse out of
the trench. We had to watch out continually
to give dangerously wounded horses, and
mules their quietus, II they, got ,cayorting
after. receiyirg an, Indian bullet, and we
could see that they were MANNED or fatally
injured, the soldiers, would take aim, and
finish them, II was swfully hard once in a
while, A friend Of mine, got three, flesh
wounds in trying 10, save, his horses life.
Finally the horse was SHOT through, one
Of his forelegs.n Instead Of yrithing around
like the others he came hobbing up, 70 the
edge, of; the pit where Joe and were and
looked down at Joe, as if to say Help
me, for Gods sake Joe turned TO me and
said, says he You'll have to finish him, ,
Hank, i can't deit,, I watched my chance
! as the horse turned, and put ball in right
behind his left ear. and dropped him. That
hight we hauled him outside with the
rest rtolz I.sR 9hl i-HHta '""i 40 h''A..t
There were several pet dogs in the camp,
among them beautiful greyhound belong
ing to Lieutenant Cherry. 4 had to let
him out of my pit occsaionsily,' says the
lieutenant, toruir down to the waterA One
night he came back with one of his paws
shot eff 1T turned out thst he hsd Been fir
ed on byy0ne Of Our own ssntneIs, who
mistookl him for a crawling Indian There
was nothing TODD but hill the poor old fel.
low to save him nis,ry.' '''''' 7''l"l '' ..'-
One morninga a soldier Of Payne's COM
tnand. wounded ia the srm and so i'll that
he had had no appetite for two days, turn
ed to negro soldier close by him, saying
Here, pard, stop shooting at them bluffs,
and for the Lord's sake make me . little
Coffee The colored hero thus addressed,
whose name the nsrrstor could not recall,
Answered not word, but set to work. There
was no coffee in the pit, but there was some
in the next one, which wa, tossed over
But how to make the fire without wood, that
was the question. The colored man calcu.
lated the chances, made break for the suit
ler's wagon, snatched Z loose side Of pro-
vision box and came back with bullet
hole in the board, which wis meant for his
own body. Then he made fire in corner
of the pit and prepared the coffee for his
Il patient. '' '' ,,'''
The sutler's wagon was fair target, and
the sutler himself was hit in the leg while
making an incautious approach to it, 1t
had alimited supply Of provisions, the reg
ulation hard tack and raw bacon and little
liquor, which was of srest service to the
wounded. Another vehicle which was on
view here to-day, and will doubtless be pre-
served at Fort Steele a. pet relic of recent
history, is the ambulance taken down by
Major Thornburgh. 1t stood out with the
wagons, near the centre of the oval space
occupied by the troops, and is ventilated by
Fome thirty bullet holes Rankin, the
scout, got under it one day for a nap and
was awakened by ball which struck one
of the spokes within two inches of the top
| Of his head.AM Y. Herald. s ,--aii .-sii1o