The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1879-10-09
party and killing bis horse. This was
THE FIRST SHOT,
This was

And was instantly followed by volley
from the indians. The work had now
begun in real earnest, and seeing the
advantage of the position he held
Cherry disaounted his detachment
and deployed aleng'the crest OF the NH
to prevent the Indians from flaanklng
his position, or to cover the retreat,
if found: necessary to rstlp upon
the wagon train, which was then
coming up slowly, guarded by LIenten-
ant Paddock, with Company y, tlfth
Cavalry. Orders were sent TO psTk the
wagons and cover them with the COM
panies guarding them. The TIVE, com
panies in advance were Captain. Payne,
with Company F.. Fifth Cavalry, and
CAPTAIN Lawson. with, doApapy Is,
Third Cavalry, which were dismpunted
and deployed, as, skirmishers-CaPtaln
Payne. ON the left and Captain Lawson
on the right. From Cherrg's position
he could see that the. lndiapsswere'
TRYING TO CUT HIM OFF FROM THE
WAGOeNSs-
And at once sent word to Major ThorH-
burgh, 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. Oft his re-
treat, Captain Payne, with f Company,
Fifth Cavalry, was ordered to charge
the hill, which ,he did ina gallant style,
his horse. being shot under him and
several of his men wounded. The In
lians having been driven from this
point. the company was rallied g on the
wagon train, Major Thornburgh then
gave orders, to Cherry to hold his
position and cover Captain L4aNson's re-
treat, who was ordered to fall back
slowly with the led horses of his COM
pany. Cherry called for volsnt ,ers of
twenty men, who respondedpsomptly,
and
FOUGHT WITH DESPERATION.
Their names. will be given in later
dispatch, as nearly every man was
wounded before. he reached camp, aDd
two men were Killed. CHEEKY brought
every wounded man with him. captain
Lawson, the brave. old veteran, dis
played the greatest GOODNESS and courage
during the retreat, sending up ammupi-
ton ta, .Cherry's men, when once they
were nearly without it.
THoRNBUEGH' DEATH II ENERGETIC
WORK.
Major -Tl1orlburgh started back TO
the wagon train. after giving his final
orders to Captain Payne to charge the
hill, and to Captain Lawson and Lieu
tenant. Cherry to coven the retreat. He
must have been shot.dead when barely
halfway there, as his body was seen by
one of Captain Lawsons men. Life
was extinct, and he, was lying On his
face.
Captain Payne, then in command, 4. at
once set about having the wounded
horses shot for breastwo ks, dismantlmg
the wagons of boxes, bundles of, bed,
ding, corn and flour sacks, which were
quickly piled up for Notifications.
Picks and sbovels were used vigorously
for, digging Entertainments. In the
meantime
A.C4LLING FIRE
Was ,cencentrated upon the command
from all the surrounding bluffs, which
commanded the position. Not an To-
dian could be seen, but the incessant
cracking of their Sharp's and 'Winches.
ter rifles dealt fearful destruction among
the hoEses and men. The groaGs Of the
dying and the, agonizing cries of the
wounded told what fearful havoc was
being made among the determined and
desperate command, and every man was
bound to sell his life as dearly as pos,
sible.. About ithis time the red devils
had
sETrFIRE TO THE DRY GRASS,
And sagebrpsh to the windward of oul
POSITION and it now calneA sweeping
down towaEds u.s.. the flames .leapins
high into the air and dense volumes o.
smoke rolling on to engulf us. 1t wa,
a sight to make the stoutest heart quail
and the fiends. were waiting, ready, tc
give us a volley as soon as we were
driven from our shelter. Now it ha.
reached our flank, and blankets, empt,
sacks and blouses are freely used to ex
tinguish the flames, No water coslt
be obtained and the smoke was sufio
eating; bat the fire passes and we still
hold our position, and in the meantim,
a constant fire is poured upon us, Cap
tam Payne being wounded. for the sec
ond time, and First Sergeant Dolan, 0
Company I, killed instantly McKin
stry and Mckee killed, and many 9th
ers wounded.