Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-16

test. At that instant the horse struggled
to his feet again and Howard saw that hif
opportunity had come, his foe was at III:
side, and he quickly thrust his rifle against
the Indians body and fired, blowing hole
through that seemed as large Us ones arm
The Indian shrieked, leaped out OF his sad
die and fell to the ground on his face, dead
Looking about Howard saw the remain
| der of the band following at prudent ulS-
lance, for by this time they began 10 iook
upon him as god, inyulnerable to all their
| weapons When, at last, the poor morse
fell PROSTATE, and apparently dead they all
fiocked up to make final dlsPosltioh OF
| their troublesome enemy. But Howard,
undaunted, Law quietly down behind the
| body of his horse, and when they came
| within short range took deliberate aim and
| fired killing another man. This unlocked
| for disaster completely demoralized them,
! and they fled in all directions. Within
| three minutes not an Indian was in sight.
| He turned his attention to his horse, loos-
ened the girth to take off the saddle, and
| was surprised when the animal drew deep
breath and struggled to his feet. He then
led him slowly to where the rest of the
party had made stand about their wagon,
and as he approached from one direction l
came imping up from the other, with
bullet in my right leg. The Indians had
paid their gentle attention TO the rest OF Us
during the time Howard was having his
fight, but fortunately not in force, and we
succeeded in getting together at the wagon
without the loss of Il man, | being the only
one wounded in the whole engagement.
AS soon as Howard joined US we started on
the retreat for camp, the Indians harassing
us the whole way. They would form in
single file or all abreast, and charge as
though they were going to ride over us, but
on getting within short range would wheel
and retire, after discharging Il vO4ley of
shots that would tear up the earth all
around us. This was most terrifying to
me, boy fresh from school, who had
never experienced any sort OF warfare, and
had never even seen a gun fired by one
man at another, but Howard, who had gone
through four years of war OF the rebellion,
and had seen three years or more of border
warfare with Indians, was quite exhiiarated
by the excitement He gave them a chal-
lenge by walking alone several hundred
yards AWAY on one side. They charged, but
retreatcd when he kneeled and fired.
Arriving at camp after an hours ride
and running fight, we found the escort
thoroughly alarmed and Just starting out
to pick up our dead bodies for they had
seen so many Indians about that they made
sure We were all killed. 1t was scene of
mutual rejoicing and congratulatiOn, as we
had feared that they had met an untimely
late. A hasty council of war was held as
to what was 10 he done. We were unani-
nous in the opinion that it was folly to
continue work without q larger escort and
= personal body guard, besides it was nee
cssary that my wound should be dressed
Consequently it was decided to turn our
faces in the direction of Sheridan, which
we did, arriving there late in the afternoon,
the Indians following us all the way seek
ing an opportunity To attack us again.
With them II became question of re-
venge, as they had lost heavily, while we
had escaped entirely.
The horse that carried Howard so nobly
through the first fight ultimately recovered. |
Three Of the five bullets were extracted. | |
took him home to Burlingame
where he was carefully fed and pampered |
for some years till he died.
I recovered from my wound very quickly, |
and within six weeks reioined the party, |
receiving promotion to the first place in the |
corps-that of tranSitman-which | Occu- |
pied until the road was completed.
Our miraculous escape was long the sub |
ject OF wonder on the frontier where it was
regarded as the most marvellous on record, |
as we fought against such fearful odds. | |
hope the narrative as | have written it will |
be Ineligible. | fear I have not made it |
as clear as | could verbally. 1t always ex-
cites me to think or tell of it New York |
Evening Post.