Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-10-10

| Details OF the First Attack-Gal
liant Conduct OF Lieutenant Cner
ry-Liet of she K,iIed Reinforce
ments Arrived.
A courier from Payne's com
mand arrived at Cheyenne yester
day with the following detailed ac
connt of the fsht and siege al
Milk river, sent by an officer in the
beleaguered camp:
MILK RIVER, Oct. 8, 6 p. Min.
dams surround us and pour an eff.
fective fire from a commanding
bluff at q distance of five or six
hundred yards, having cross fire
upon our position, which was chos-
en- hastily on the first day OF the
fight. All our horses and all but
twelve mules have been killed.
Capt. Dodge and Lieut.. Hughes,
Company ID, Ninth Cavalry, came
to our rescue yesterday morning at
daybreak, after a forced nights
march of thirty-five miles from
Bear river. A lull in the firing en-.
abled them to come in and shelter
their horses as well as possible,
taking to the Notifications quickly,
when the attack redoubled its fury.
Before dark every horse but one of
Capt. oige's command was shot
| down. The Indians have left us
unmolested at night with the ex-
| ception of an occasional shot. We
have been able at great risk to haul
| off our dead animals every night,
| otherwise the stencil would be in
tolerable. A sally is made every
night for water, at a distance Of 200
yards from our intrenchments.
Night before last private Ere
Ger, of Company f, was shot
in the face while out with a
party after water. The In
dams were only few yards away
and were driven off by volley
from the guard and trenches. The
field of battle where we were first
attacked was admirably chosen by
the indians, and had it not been
for Major Thornburgh's advance
guard, commanded by Lieutenant
Cherry, discovering the ambuscade,
the entire command would have
been annihilated. Cherry rode
back at full speed with two or three
who were with him and notified
Major Thornburgh, who had al
ready begun his descent into the
rayine. The Indians were dis
mounted and lying down along the
crest of a high, steep ridge not e
hundred yards from the point
where the deadly assault would
have commenced. Two companies
were Withdrawn short distance
and .,dismounted and deployed in
line Of battle with orders to await
an attack of the Indians. Lieut..
Cherry was here ordered by Major
Thornburg to take detachment OF
fifteen picked men and make re-
connoissance and communicate II
possible with the Indians, as it was
thought they only desired to oppose
his approach to their agency and
would parley if they could be COM
munica.ed with. Cherry moved at
a gallop with his men from the
right flank and noticed like
movement of about twenty Indians
from the left of the Indian position.
He approached to within two hun
dred yards of the Indians and took
off his hat and waved it, but in re.
sponse o shot was fired at him,
wounding man of his party and
killing one horse. This was the
first shot, and was instantly fol-
lowed by volley from the Indians.
Seeing the advantage of the posi-
ton lie held, Cherry dismounted
his detachment and deployed along
the crest of the hill to prevent the
Indians from flanking his position
or to cover his retreat if found ne
cessary to retire upon the wagon
train, which was then com
ing up slowly, guarded by Lieut.
Paddock's Company ID, Fifth
Cavalry. Orders were sent to park
the wagons and cover them with
the Company guarding them. The
two companies in advance were
Capt. Payne, Company E, Fifth
Cavalry, and Capt. Lawson's Com
pany e, Third Cavalry, which
were dismounted and deplOyed as
skirmishers. From Cherry's posi-
ton he could see that the Indians
were trying to cut him off from the
wagons, and at once sent word to
Major Thornburgh, who then
Withdrew in the line slowly, Keep
ing the Indians in check until op.
posite the point which his men
held, when seeing that the Indians
were contracting to cut off his re-
treat, Capt. Payne, Company f,
Fifth Cavalry, was ordered 70
charge the hill, which he did in
gallant style, his horse being shot
from under him and several OF his
men wounded. The Indians hav'
ing been driven from this point,
the Company was rallied on the
wagon train. Major Thornburg
then gave orders to Cherry to mold
his position and cover Captain
Lawson's retreat, who was ordered
to fall back slowly with led horses
of his Company. Cherry called
for volunteers of twenty men, who
responded promptly and Tough,
with desperation. Their names
will be given in later dispatch
Nearly every man was wounded
before he reached the camp and
two men were killed. Cherry
brought every wounded man with
him. Major Thornburg started
back to the wagon train after Civ
ing his orders. He must have
been shot dead when barely hal
way here, as his body was seen By
one of Capt. Lawson's men with
life extinct and lying on his face
Capt. Payne being then in com
mand, at once set about having the
wounded horses shot for breast.
works, dismantling the wagons Of
boxes, bundles Of bedding, corr
, and flour sacks, which were quick
ly piled up for Notifications
Picks and shovels were used vigor
ously for digging entertainments
meantime a CALLING fire was con
centrated upon the command from
l 1t ...l.