The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-10-16
The Indian War.

The Indian War.
CHEYENNE, October s. Iaquiries
from the front bring the following
from the officers with Payne's COM
mand at the battle field on Milk river,
October 3: "a courier will leave some
time to night with dispatches il possi-
BILE. The Indians still surround us,
and keep up an ineffective fire from
the commanding bluffs at a distance of
500 or 600 yards, having a cross fire
upon our position, which position was
chosen hastily on the first day Of the
iqht. all our horses and all but
twelve of our mules have been killed.
We sheltered them as best we could
with wagons, but to no purpose. Capt.
Dodge and Lieut.. Hughes, with Com
psny d, Ninth Cavalry, came TO
our rescue yesterday morning at day
break after q forced nights march of
thirty-fiye miles. Cheer upon cheer
rent the air from our trenches when It
was ascertained who were coming. A
lull in the firing enabled them to come
In and shelter their horses as we'll as
possible. Had the heights been acces-
sible Capt. Dodge would have charged
them with his company while we
covered him from our rifle pits. but
this being utterly impossible, as the
ascent was nearly perpendicular, ali we
could do during the day was to keep a
good look out from the loop holes and
return the fire when any Iudian showed
himself. Tnis, however was very
rare occurrence, as the Indians have
rifle pits aud loop holee, Before dark
every horse but three of Capt. D0dge's
command was shot down. A very for
tunate thing for US has been that the
Indians have left us unmolested at
night, with the exception of an occa-
sional shot to make US scatter to our
pits. We have been able, at great
risk, TO haul eff the dead animals every
night, otherwise the stencil would be
intolerable. A sally is made every
night for water, distance of 200
yards from our entertainments. Night
before last Private E zar of Company
F was shot in the face while out with
party for water. The Indians were
only few yards away, and were driven
off by Yolley from the guard and the
trenches. Capt. Dodge brought us the
news that our dispatches reached
Baar river safely, and would undoubt-
edly reach RawlIns. We have been
counting the hours which it will prob
ably take for relief to reach US, but all
agree that Gen. Merritt, from FJrt Rus
sell, with companies of the Fifth Cav
airy there, and all other available
troops, will be ordered to our rescue
as they will sll be needed to finish the
campaign. The Fl Id of bite was ad-
mirably chosen for defense by the H.
dams, aud had it not been for Mi r
ThornburGh'A aiVince guar, COM
manded by Lieut.. Ch.ry, discovering
the smbuscade tie eIt tire COM
mand would have been annihilated.
We saw a small party of Indians
disappear over u hi | half a mile
in cur front, and at orce divided
his party tn Ttconnoitre and only dis
covered them when he had fi,nked
their pos ton for abuut two hundred
yards. Cherry rod back at full speed
with two or three men who were with
him aud Motif ID III IT Thornburgh,
who had already begun to descend into
deep ravine, which was intended to
engulf the command, that the IadIans
were dIsmounted and lying down along
the crest of high. steep ridge for o
hundred yards. The troops we're with
drawn a shot distance, dismounted and
deployed in line of battle with
orders TO await an 1t ack of
the Indians. Lieutenant Cherry
was here ordered by Thornburgh
to take detachment of fifteen picked
men and make a reconnaissance and
communicate if possible with the Indl-
ans, as it was thought that they only
desired to oppose his approach to their
agency, and would parley or have a
big talk il they could be commune ated
with. Cherry moved out at a gallop
with men from the right flank, and
be noticed q like movement of about
twenty Indians from the left of the Ia
dian position. He approached tn
within couple hundred yards of the
Indians and took 1 If his hat and
waved it, but the response was shot
fired at him, wounding man of his
party aad killing horse. This was
the first shot, and was instantly fol-
lowed by Yolley from the Indians.
Work had now begun in earnest, and
seeing the advantage of the position
held, Cherry dim united his attach
mel and deplnyed along the hill crest
to prevent the lad .ans fl .nking his po-
sition or to cover retreat if found
necessary to retire upon the wagon
train, which was then coming up
slowly, guarded by Lieut.. II .ddoch,
Company ID, of the Fifth Cavalry.
Orders were sent TO pack the asnG.
and cover them, with the G mp+s,
guarding them. The two cdmpauIe.
in the advance were Capt. Payne's,
Company F, Fifth Cavalry, and Capt.
Lawson's, Company Z. Fifth Cavalry,
which were dismounted and deplOyed
as skirmishers. Capt. Payne was on
the left and Capt. Lawson on the right
of Cherry's position. He could see
that the Indians were trying to cut him
off from the wagons, and at once sent
word to Major Thornburgb, who then
withdrew the line slowly, keeping the
Indians in check until they were oppo-
site the point, which his meR held.
When seeing the Indians concentrating
TO cut off his retreat, Capt. Payne,
with Company F, Fifth Cavalry, was
ordered to charge the hill, which he
did in gallant style, his horse being
shot under him and several men
wounded.
RAwLIEs, October S.-A couri' from
PAyne's camp brings the 70 low NJ &C.
count Of the arrivel of relief: ii re-
potts that Gen. Merritt, on bis ap-
proach to Payue's camp. and when only
few miles from il, discovered the
hostile Utes fling out from the canyons.
The Indians discovered Merritt at the
same moment, and the General, per-
ceiVIng this from their actions, ordered
his men to fall back in rapid retreat.
The Indians were encouraged by this
vancouver to rush from their hiding
places, and Merritt, pushing his troops,
ran them onto an open plain. He then
gave the ordertD wheel, which the men
did with admirable precision. showing
in q minutes spi ce bnstling front
where before had been, seemiDgly, q
Struggling rout. The General did not
wait for the foe To attack him. 10 less
than two minutes his men poured into
the Utes fire which checked their ad-
vance and forced them to seek every
Ivzilable cover. The battle lasted but
. few hours, during which time the In
dians lost thirty-seven killed, while
Merritt did not lose = man. The Utes
got severe druDbing. They threw