American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-10-18
THE MILK RIVER FIGHT.

THE MILK RIVER FIGHT.
Full Particulars of the Fight at Milk River
At Which Major ThOrnburgh was Killed
The Remnant of the Command, After
Six Days of Deadly Peril, are Rescued by
Merritt's Forces.
RAwLINs, WY. T., October s-A courier
from the front brings the following from an
officer with Payne's commands:
The Story of the Besiegcd.
BATTLE FIELD, MILK RIVER, CoLo, October
T. p. ma courier will leave some time to-
night with dispatches if possible. Indians
from the commanding bluffs at n distance of
800 or 600 yards; having cross fire upon our
position, which position was chostn hastily
on the frst day of the fight. All horses
and all but Il mules. have been killed. We
sheltered them as best we could with wagons,
but to no purpose. Capt. Dodge and Lieut..
Hughes, with Company ID, 9Th Cavalry, came
over to o,lr rescue yesterday morning at day
from Rear River Cheer upon cheer rent
the air fE-,nI our trenches when it was asc-r-
tis1n% enabled them to come in and shelter
their horses si well is possible, taking to the
doubled its fury. Had the heights been acces-
Sihc Capt. Dodge would have charged them
with his company. while W. covered him from
"!I' iiiit' pits, bI this being utterly i,npossi-
bic the ascent being nearly Perpendicular, all
"" could do dun in-t the day WAS to keep
good look out ironlth loop holes ana return
the, fire when any indian showed his head.
rms, however, was Il very rare occurrence, as
the Indians have rifle pits and loop holes.
Before dark every horse but three OF Capt.
Dodsrs command was shot down. \ very
fortunate lnlh@ Tor us has been that the, In
di:;nS have left rs unHioleSted mt night with
the exception of am occasional shot to make
Us scatter to our pits. We have been able at
great risk to haul OF our dead animals every
night otherwise the stencil would he intoler-
able. y sally is made every night for water, Il
distance of 200 yards from our intrenc lnncnts.
Night before last Private Erscr of Company
was shot in the face while out with II party
yards AWAY, and were driven of by a volIey
from the guard and trenches. Capt. Dodge
brought the cheering news that our dis
patches had reached Bear River safely and
would undoubtedly reach RawIns. We have
Dccn counting the hours which il will proba
bly, take for relief to reach We all agree
that Gen. Merritt, from Fort Russell, with tho
other available troops, will be ordered to our
rescue, as they will all be needed to finish the
campaign.
a Graphic History of the Fight.
The field of battle admirably chosen for
defense by the Indians, and had it not been |
for Mai: Thornburgh's advance guard, com !
manded by Lieut.. Cherry, discovering the |
been annihilated. lie saw n small party of |
Indians disappear over n hill n half mile in |
hotter, and only discovered them when he had |
fi;tnked their position by about POO yards. |
Cherry rode back at full speed with Two or |
three men that were with him, and notified |
Maj Thornburgh, who had already begun the |
descent into the deep ravine intended to en-
mounted and lying down along the crest OF
the high, steep ridge, not 100 yards from the
commenced. The troops were Withdrawn q |
short distance dismounted and deployed in
of the Indians, but Cherry was here ordered
by Thornburgh to take a detachment of Is
if possible. with the Indians. as
it was thought that they only desired to Op-
pose his approach to o., their agency and would
communicated with. Cherry moved out at
galiop with his men from the right flank, and
20 Indians. From the left of the Indian
of nc asrs to Of tba
dams, took OFF his hat and waved 1t, but
THE RESPONSE WAS SHOT
fired Mt him, wounding man of his party and
was Instantly folloWed by Woiiey ley f1 tho
Indians The work had now begun in earnest,
held. Cherry disnounted his detae hmens and
depioyed slopg the crest of the hill, to pre-
cover the retreat if found necessary, and to
retire upon the wagon train which was then
of Company d, Fifth Cavalry. The two com,
panics in advance were Capt Payne's, Cam
pany +, Fifth Cavalry, and Capt, Lawson's,
Company +, Third Cavalry, which were dis
mounted and dcpioyed skirmishers, Capt.
Payne ON the left and Capt. Lawson on the
right. From Cherry's position he could see
hat the Indians were trying to cut him off
from the wagons and Mt once sent word to
Major Thornburgi who then withdrew the
line slowly, keeping the Indians in check until
opposite the point " hich his men formerly
had. when secin, that the Indians were CON
to cut off his retreat, Capt. Payne,
with Company F, Fifth Cavalry, was or
icred to
CHARGE THE HILL,
which he did in gallant style, his horse being
shot under him and several of his men
The Indians having been driven
rom this point, the company rallied ON the
wagon train. Major Thornbursh then gave
orders TO Cherry to hold his position and
Tered to fall back slowly with the led horses
If his company. Cherry called for volunteers
II 20 men, who responded promptly and
ought with desperation. Their names will be
rived in later dispatches, as nearly every man
was wounded before he reached the camp,
md two men killed, Cherry brought every
man in will him, Capt. Lawson. IA
Iravc old veteran display ed the greatest cool
up ammunition to Cherry's men when once
hey were nearly without it.
MAJOR THoRNBuEGH
lis final orders to Capt. Payne 10 Charge the
liil and to Capt lawson and Lieut. Cherry
,ecn shot dead when barely half way
here of as c, his h"I a.o, was snrn , hy
.xtinct, and living ON his face. Capt. Payne
he wounded horses shot for brca>tv orl- dis.
nantlin.: The wagons of boxes bundles ot
,ed,!ing, corn and flour sacks. which were
quickly pied up for Qualifications. Picks and
hovcl- were used vigorously for digging in
rene hmcntS. In the meantime calling. fire
vas concentrated upon the command from all
bluffs which commanded the po
ition. Not an Indian coud be seen, but the
ncessnnt cracks of their Sh.irps and Win ,
hester rifles dealt fearful destruction among
he horses and mon The groanS of the dy ,
ny and the a.souiZins cries of the wounded |
old what fearful havoc was being made
imon.s the determined and desperate com
man bound to sell his life as
icary II possible. About this time great
hanger was approaching al II frightfully rapid
pace. The red devils ut the beginning of the
light had
SET FIRE TO THE DRY GRASS
md to the sage brushes to the windwnri of
,ur position, and it now came swccpin" down !
oward the flames lea ping into the air. and
immense volumes of smoke rolling ON to en-
.ulf us. 1t WAS sight to make TIE StouteSt | {
icart quail, and the 1icnds were waiting; ready ,
@ give US Il volley soon driven
rom our shelter. Now it reached the flank, | ,
md blankets bIouses and empty sacks were
rccly used to cxtinguish the flames. Some of |
Ill the force possible to smother it. No water
AN he obtained, and the smoke is suffocating, |
,ut the fire passes, and we will hold our posi-
ion. In the meantime Il constant volley is {
poured down upon us, Capt. Payne being /;
Wounded for the second time, and First Ser
,eant Dolan, of Company +, killed instantly. [
and Mckee were killed, and many
,therS wounded Our greatest danger now is
past. The men have now mostly covered .
but the poor horses and mules
ire constantly falling about us. Just about 5
rundown charge was attempted. but re-
pulsed, the Indians trying to drive off some OF [
,ur horses which had broken loose. The at
ack ceased at dark, and soon every man
vas ut work enlarSinS trenches, hauling out | l
he dead horses, caring for the wounded and .
,uryng the dead. At daylight the attack was
and the firing of the sharpshooters ,
las been kept up every day since, and occa-
ionally at night, sending us to our pits i'll Il I
This is the fifth day of our siege, .
nut we are determined to hold, if it takes a
month Tor Succor to reach us. We are conf
lent that Gen. Merritt, whose name is upon
he lips of every one is on the road to rescue :