Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-06-14

Most Brilliant Defence---How Sixty Scouts IN
der a Gallant Cavalry Commander, with MesGre
Supply of Food and Powder, Held their Ground
Surrounded by Large Indian Force.
CJames C. Brisbin, in N. Y. Herald.l
The recent severe Indian fighting in
Arizona brings to mind General For
Fork in the Republican country in 1868.
1t was, / believe, one of the bloodiest
conflicts that ever took place on this con-
tinent.
General Forsyth had been sent by
General Sheridan to scout up the Repub-
hcan River and find out if there were any
Indians 10 the country. His party con-
sisted of sixty white scouts, among whom
were Sharpe, Comstock and many noted
plainsmen. They mad been out two
weeks and had seen no Indians. As they
were about TO return home they struck
a very fresh trail and followed it up.
One evening they encamped beside ait
tie dry stream, near ittleisland on the
Annakaree Fork. In the morning as they
were eating their breakfast, several In
dams dashed down from the hills AM
ran off part of their pack mules. For
syth was about to follow them, when
Sharpe, seeing the Indians were driving
them slowly and heading for q ravine,
cautioned Forsyth and asked him to call
back the men, saying the ravine was full
of Indians. Forsyth did as requested
and made for the little island, and had
hardly got upon it before the Indians
came running by hundreds toward him.
Forming his men hastily Forsyth re-
ceived desperate charge, the Indians
passing over him. The revolvers of the
scouts, however, soon cleared space
among the savages around the island,
and, lying fat on their faces, the white
men dug holes In the sand with their
knives and tin plates, on which they had
been eating their breakfasts when sur
prised. Charge after charge followed,
but the scouts fought desperately, and
drove the Indians back each time The
battle lasted all day, and closed at night
with Indians around the white men on
every side, and only about che hundred
yards distant. Lieutenant Beecher and
DR.. Moore had been killed, and nearly
one-half Forsyth's scouts were dead OF
wounded. The general himself had re-
ceived two wounds, one In the head anC
the other in the leg, SCATTERING the bone
below the knee. To add to their dis
tress and the desperation of their situa
ton, the men had been so suddenly
driven upon the island, that they haC
left III their camp all their provisions anC
nearly all their ammunition, which haC
fallen into the hands of the enemy.
handful Of coffee and haversack Of
crackers was all they had saved. Mos
of the horses had been shot on the island
and as soon as 1t was dark Forsyth be-
gan to cut them up and save the mea
for food, During the night the Indians
made an attempt to get upon the island
but were repulsed and drew off.
Forsyth and his men made good use O
the short respite from battle to strength
en- their defenses and lay in a good sup
ply of horse beef.
Two scouts we're sent out with instruc
tons to crawl through the Indian lines
hasten to Fort Wallace, 100 miles dis
tant, and bring relief. Morning found
Forsyth and his men In strong circular
fort, and the fighting began as soon as i
was light.
The Indians did not charge the fort
but circled il, firing at every hand O,
head raised above the line of earth
works. A small bill overlooked the for
and the plunging Indian firing fromit wal
most annoying. Forsyth had his sharn
shooters cover the point, and the Indians
were SO rapidly picked off the fire from
the hill almost ceased. On the third da,
there was little fighting, but the indian
brought down their village and campe(
near the fortt, apparently contented t.
wait and starve out the little garrison
L~-L 4 E. Il
supply of good fresh water was obtained
but the condition of the besieged wa
desperate In the extreme. The wound
of the disabled were terribly swollen
and death and starvation stared all in tn,
face. General Forsyth was delirious a
times, but retained his composure won
derfuily well, and during his rationa
moments gave the most explicit and sen
sible directions for conducting the de
fence.
The fourth, fifth and sixth days passec
YEARLY by and still no relief came to tn,
besieged. The men in the garrison wer,
dying one by one, and all were 80 veal
that any determined attack of the In
dams must have proved successful. Tn
horse meat had become putrid and ther
was little ammunition left. The In
dams lowered about the fort, but hest
tated to charge it. The groans of tn,
dying wounded and the prayers of th,
starving living were heartrending in tn,
extreme. Such was the condition O
Forsyth and his men on the eight day O
the siege.
On the morning of the ninth da,
Sharpe came running to Forsyth an(
said something was up among the In
dams, and he believed relief was at hand
The Indians hurried over the hills, drov
ia their herds, and seemed wild with ex
element. Many in the fort believed