Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-09
GILLIS.
History of the Siege.

CHEYENNE, Oct. S.-A courier from the front
brings the following from an officer with
Payne's command: Battlefield, Milk river,
Colorado, Oct. 3, 6 P. MA courier will leave
some time tonight with dispatches, if posi-
BILE. The Indians still surround US and pour
in an effective fire from commanding bluffs at
distance of 500 or 600 yards, having a Cross
fire on our position, which position was chosen
hastily on the first day of the fight. All our
horses but twelve have been lost. We shelter
ed them az best we could with wagons but to
no purpose.
CAPT. DODGE AND LIEUT.. HUGHES
with company D, Ninth cavalry came to our
rescue yesterday morning at daybreak after a
Beaver river. Cheer upon cheer rent
the air from our trenches when
it was ascertained who were
coming. lull in the firing enabled them to
come in and shelter their horses well pos
sible, taking to the fertilization quickly when
the attack redoubed its fury. Had the heights
been accessible, Capt. Dodge would have
charged them with his company while we COW
cred him from our rifle pits, but this being i'm
possible, the ascent being nearly perpendicular,
all we could do during the day was to keep q
look out from the loop holes and return fire
when any Indians showed themselves. This,
however, was a very rare occurrence, as the In
dians have rife pits and loop holes. Before
dark every horse but three of Capt. Dodges
command was shot down.
very fortunate thing for us is that the In
dians have left us
UNMoLEsTED AT NIGHT
with the exception of an occasional shot to
make scatter to our pits. We have been
able at great risk to haul off our dead animals
every night; otherwise the stencil would be in
tOlerable. sally is made every night for
water distance of 200 yards from our in
trenchments. Night before last Private Eizen,
of company F, was shot in the face while out
with party after water. The Indians were
only = few yards away and were driven off by
volley from the guard in the trenches. Capt.
Dodge brought lis
THE CHEERFUL NEWS
that our dispatch reached Bear River safely
and would undoubtedly reach Rawlins. We
have been counting the hours which it will
probably take for relief to reach us. We all
agree that Gen. Merrill from Fort Russell
with the company Of the Fifth cavalry there
and other available troops will be hurried to
our rescus as they will all be needed to finish
the campaign.
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
was admirably chosen for defense by the In
dams, and had it not been for Major Thorn
burgh's advance guard, commanded by Lieut..
Cherry, discovering the ambuscade, the entire
command would nave been ann1n1laGed. de
saw a small body of Indians disappear over
hill Il mile in front. He at once divided the
party to reconnoitre and only discovered them
when he had flanked their position by about
zoo yards. Cherry rode back full speed with
two or three men who were with him, and no.
titled Major Thornburgh, who had already be-
gun the descent into the deep nvine which
was intended to engulf the command. The
Indians were disnounted and lying down along
the crest Of the high steep ridge, not 100 yards
from the point where
THE BLOODY ASSAULT
would have commenced. The troops were
withdrawn at short distance, dismounted and
deploYed in line of battle with order to await
the attack of the Indians. Lieutenant Cherry
was ordered by Thornburgh to take a detach-
nent of fifteen picked men and make recon
noisance and communicate if possible with the
Indians, as it was thought they only desired to
oppose his approach to their agency and
would parley or have a big talk if thew could
be communicated with. Cherry moved at a
gsllop with his men from the right flank. ard
noticed like movement of about twenty In.
dians from the left of the Indian position. He
approached to within about couple of hundred
yards of the Indians aud took off his hat and
waved it, but the response was a shot fred at
him, woundlng man of his party and killing
his horse. This was
THE FIRST SHOT,
and was instantly followed by volley from