New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-05-23
Facing Indians.


On the Is day of June, after 4 most
perilous ascent of what our company
called in plain English, "thc Devils
CASTLE" we found ourselves face to face
with-the foe Not an Indian WAS to be
seen. Now and thea an arrow came
singing through the air and glanced the
manzanita bushes, where we were gath
ering our forces for fight, and now and
then the ugly muzzle of a gun barkcd
and smoked at us across the little open
ing and flattened bit of lead on the
rocks around us. But we could not sec
even an Indians feather. At last oul
leaders decided on a plan of battle, and
the most of us were stationed behind
trees and rocks to engage the enemy,
while a dashing scouting party, stripped
to the waist, attempted to rout the rear.
At signal from this party we were te
advance and run across the clearing and
charge the rocks and chaparral. How
reckless! What risk! And for what!
Well, stood there, loading up and pep.
pering away slowly. l did not see az
Indian. 1. to tell the truth, did not
pine to see an Indian. Now and ther
u bullet would knock the bark of from
L
err on the rocks very frequently. Bu'
one gets used to such things in q shorter
time than you would think The day
was hot and sat down and read tat
tered pocket edition Of Byron that had
picked up in an abandoned prospectors
camp a few days bcfore-the first that ]
had ever heard of Lord Byron.
BY and by our boys got foothold in
the rocks in the rear and began to pour
in their fire. Then we began to heal
groans and wells from the Indians. And
I tell YOU, it sounded awful! The walls
of the women made the thing ten-folG
more terrible. 1 sprang up, filled my
mouth full of bullets SO as to have then
handy and prepared to join in the
charge across the little clearing. With
whoop and a yell our party dartec
forward and with them-my dog bark.
ing at my heels. An arrow drew blooc
in my left limb and my dog fell deac
from stray shot. But we poured
ahead, right into the brush and rocks.
But here irregular sluicc-head of arrows
met us, and that is about all l remem
Der of my first battle. l had been car
ricd out of the fight and laid under the
pines along with q little row OF Other
wounded fellows, and Mountain Joe
was cutting off the head of the arrow
which had pierced and passed through
the left side of my face and neck.
When he had done this and drawn ou
the arrow from my face, [ again became
unconscious from the loss of blood and
do not remember anything more tina
happened until next morning, whel
they were bundling me off on the back
of q squaw prisoner to. be carried dowI
to the Sacramento River. AS we were
about to start one of our party, a stout
burly fellow called 'sGabe," but whose
name I never knew, held q bag up be
fore my face; q heavy bag, half full;
bag through which oozed and steamed
and dripped on the pine quilts and pat
tered on the leaves blood! He tapped
this with his bloody knife and said
''Scalps! Boy, them is scalps for you!
This sickening sight almost cost me m.
lite, for again became unconscious ant
remembered only speaking to the oil
we reached the river.
Three years ago l went with my
daughter Maud, now in a convent schoo
in Canada, to spend little time at m,
old home, which had long since passe
into the hands of those who did nothin!
to subdue this savage border to civiliza
ton, but are careful to reap the reward
We sat down under the same pine
where had lain all summer just TWEEN
ty-fve years before, and the water talk
ed to me there in the old, swift, swee
fashion, till tears came in my eyes and
had to turn away. Some Indians who ha
heard that was once more with then
came back, gathered about me, gray
battered, all broken up, and leaning o
their guns, talkedinn strange and almos
forgotten tongue of my battles, my love!
my lifetime, a weary generation before
And Maud looked on and listened, large
eyed and silent, wondering what it a
meant. Queer world, amt it?-Jot
q21i7a Miller.