The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10

StOryLof q .f1SuC with INC ihaia"s anu
How.he WAS Mutllated.
Harvn Holly, of Dearborn County,
Ind. is visitingr friends in West Thir.
teenth street, New York. Mr.. Holly
was soldier in the United States infan-
try, under Custer, and participated in
many of the battles with the Indians
during this campaign of 1869, among
them the bloody fight with Black Kettles
band in the Big Horn Valley. In this
engagement Mr.. Holly was wounded aud
scalped by the Indians, and is one Of the
very few persona who were scalpcd and
lived to tell of it. As evidence of his
sacrifice he shows n round, bare, hat spot
on the top of his head, probably three
inches in diameter, where his scalp was
cut and torn away. Although fourteen
years have passed since he was scalped,
the spot is still extremelyee tender. 1t is
of a pale red color, and in very damp
or cold weather ia painful. Mr.. Holly
gives q graphic and realistic description
of the circumstances which led to the
mutilation and his sensations while the
Indian was securing the trophy from his
head.
owe had heard that Black Kettle was
encamped somewhere in the Big Horn
Valley" says Mr.. Holly, ''and was al.
most daily sending out preparatory bands
Of his warriors to plunder aetters and
emigrant trains and General Custer de.
cided to hunt him up aud punish him.
The infantry was some two miles in ad-
vance Of the cavalry, when one day, Just
at daylight, we came in sight OF the emo
my's camp. Wo we're on high hill
overlooking the valley and the Indiana
were below. 1t was in the depth of
Winter and the snow wes very deep.
Their camp was in rocky spot, and as
the women and children were :hc-e, it
was evident that it was the hcadqua tiers
of the band. 1t was determined to sur.
prise the village, and portion of our
command was sent through the woods to
the right to get III the rear of the camp,
while the remainder advanced quie tly
down the mountain, from the top Of
which good trail led to the valley
through the thick woods. This ma
neuvring was 80 successful that before
our presence was discovered by the In
dians we were within 400 yards of the
camp, and the detachment sent to open
fire in the rear had arrived in position.
We knew by the yells of the Indians and
the great commotion among them that
ne were discovered, and we once be-
R8u tu6 dtt6Ck. OcBdu VI DOtu
sides of them ut once, and thus caused
among the Indiana that would make our
victory an easy one, but suddenly an In
dian of unusual size, with his face streak
ed with bright yellow and vermilion
paint, in cross bars, came dashing from
some place among the rocks on 4 black
pony. His yell .ould be heard above
everything else, as he tore 10 and fro
among the warriors, and the effect of his
presence at once became apparent. In
less than two minutes after our first fire
every Indian WAS in position behind
some rcck or tree, and we knew that the
fight would be desperate one. We were
in eecure position, but the Indians we're
just as secure as we were, and the only
way we could hope to defeat them was to
charge upon their strongholds, dislodge
them, and settle the fight hand to hand.
We were ordered to charge down the hill
upon the enemy, and, every man of US
yelling as hideously as the red devils
themselves, we rushed right into the en-
emy's camp. Az socn az we emerged
from the woods we were met with rifle
balls from every side, and good many
poor fellows never reached the camp.
The detachment in the rear of the camp
came into the conflict from that side,
and we forced the Indians out from their
hiding places to the open ground, and
the terrible battle waged right among
their tents. Black Kettle seemed to be
everywhere, and his hideous presence
alone prolonged the fight !e held his
warriors to their ground, d the fight
became free and general. The Indian
women and even the children took part
in it, and among the dead that soon
strewed the snow, squaws and papooses
we're mingled. In q few minutes the
snow was as red for rods around rs the
paint on Black Kettles face from the
blood of dead and wounded. In hand
to-hsnd fight Ike this, Of course, it
vas every one for himself, and / soon
found myself in one edge of the camp,
frir :; and bayoneting and clubbing with
my gun, just as the situation required. A
soldier named Wilson, who had messed
with me, was killed right by my side by
an Indian who fred from behind tent.
The next instant ball shattered my
right arm, st the elbow, and it fell help
less at my side. Immediately following
that shot big Indian, no doubt the one
who killed Wilson and wounded me,
sprang from behind the tent and rushed
at me with his tomahawk raised. My
gun W8B empty 3nQ NY ioiI uhuo peiuR
useless I could not load. think could
have run my bayonet through the Indi-
an, though, but an Indian woman stole
up behind me and, throwing one arm
about my neck, jerked me backward in
the STOW. The thickest ls-t of the fight
was in another part of the camp, and
none of cur men were near me, except
poor dead Wilson. The Indian seemcd
to be the only one, too, that was not in
the general engagement, except q lot of
squaws and papooses that swarmed in
tents from all directions to the spot where
lay, the squaw who threw me holding
me down by the hair, while other women
and papooses spit in my face, jumped on
my body, kicked me, pinched me, and
tortured me in every way they could.
My arm was very painful, and was bleed
ing profusely. Fortunately the Indian,
who had jumped from behind the tent
with his tomahawk drawn, gave the
women and papooses too much time to
have their fun with me, thinking, per-
haps, that he had me sure. Suddenly !
heard shot, and two aquaws fell dead
In the snow by my side. One of our
boys had discovered my situation. The
papooses and sqnaws instantly escaped
away, but the Indian was determined to
run the risk Of getting my scalp anyhow,
and he pounced down on me with his
- III f~,.SE Eo nd