The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-02
SCALPED BY AN INDIAN.
THE THRILLING STORY TOLD By AN
INDIANA MAN.
How n Feels TO be scaipcd- One Of
tuster's Soldiers Recalling am
Incident Of Hot Fight.

OF Dearborn county, Ind, was a soldier IN
the United States Infantry under Custer,
and participated in many OF the battles
with the Indians during his campaign OF
| 1860. among them the bloody fight with
Black Kettles band in the Big Horn Val
ley. In this engagement Mr.. Holly was
wounded and scalped by the Indians, and
Is one OF the very few persons who were
ever scalped and lived TO tell OF 1t.
As evidence OF his sacrifice be shows q
round, bare, ia. 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 sealped, the spot is extremely ten
der. II Is OF pale red color, and in very
damp or cold weather Is painful. Mr..
Holly has given TO the Enquirer a graphic
and realistic description OF the circum-
! stances which led to the mutation and
his sensations while the Indian was Sc
curing the trophy from his head.
AN INDIAN CAMP.
eve had beard that Black Kettle was
encampcd somewhere ia the Big-Hom
Valley" says Mr.. Holly, "and was almost
daily sending out predatory bands OF his
warriors TO plumber settlers and emigrant
trains. aud General Custer decided TO hunt
him up and punish him. The infantry
was some two mules in advance of the
cavalry, when one day, just mt daylight, we
came in sight Of the enemy's camp. We
were OH high hill overlooking the valley
and the Indians were below. IL was in
the depth OF winter, and the snow was
very deep. Their camp was in rocky
spot. and az the women and children were
there IL was evident that IL was the
headquarters OF the band. 1t was deter
mined to surprise the village, and por-
ton OF our command was sent through the
woods to the right to get In rear of the
camp, while the remainder advanced quiet
ly down the mountain, from the top OF
which good trail led to the valley through
the thick woods. This manGuvring was
so successful that before Our presence was
discovered by the Indians we were within
four hundred yards Of the camp, and the
detachment sent to open fire in the rear
had arrived in position. We knew b. the
wells Of the Indians and the great commo-
ton among them that we were discovered,
and we at once began the attack.
A HAND-T0-BAND FIGHT.
"Firing began on both sides OF them at
once. and thus caused what at first prom
sed to be a panic among the Indians that
would make our victory IN easy one; but
suddenly an Indian OF unusual size, with
his face streaked with bright yellow and
verrilion paint in cross-bars, came DASH
ing from some place among the rocks on |
bac'i rony. His yell could be heard |
above everything else us he tore to and !!
fro among his warriors, and the effect OF |
MS presence ut once became apparent. !
In less than two minutes after our fire |
every Indian was in position behind some !
rock or tree, and we knew that the |
fight would be desperate one. We were
ordered TO charge down the hill upon the |
enemy. and. every man OF us yelling as
mdeousiy as the red devils themselves, we
rushed right into the enemy's camp. As
soon as we emerged from the woods we
were met with ritie-balls from every side,
and a good many poor fellows never reach
cd 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 battle waged right
among their tents. The Indian wo-
men and even the children took
part in it, and among the dead that
soon strewed the SHOW squaws and pa
pooses were mingled. In few minutes
,hc snow was as red for rods around as the
paint on Black X titles face from the blood
o. the dead and wounded. In Il hand-to-
hand fight like this OF course it was every
one for himself, and | soon found myself
in one edge of the camp, firing and bayo-
netting and clubbing my gun just as the
situation required. soldier named Viii
son, who had messed with me, was killed
right by my side by an Indian who fired
rom behind tent. The next instant a
bail shattered my arm at the elbow and it
Tell helpless by my side.
SCALPED.
Immediately following that shot biz
Indian, no doubt the one who killed VIII
son and wounded NE, sprang from behind
the tent end rushed at me with his toma-
hawk raised. Ny gun was empty, and my
left hand being useless could not load. L !
think could have run my bayonot through |
the Indian. though. but an Indian wo-
man stole up behind me. and, throwing |
one ann about my neck, ierked me |
backward in the snow. The thickest |
part OF the igat WAS IN another part !
OF the camp, and none OF our mon were |
near me except poor, dead Wilson. TIE |
Indian seemed to DE the only one. too, that |
was not in the general engagement, except !
q lot OF squaWs and papOOses that swarm d |
from tents in all directions to the spot |
where | lay, the squaw who had thrown |
me holding me down by the hair, while !
other women and papooses spit in my face,
iumped on my body, kicked me, pinched |
m, aud tortured me in every way they
could. My arm was very painful, and
was bleeding 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,
perhaps, that he had me sure. Suddenly
heard shot. and two squaws fell dead
in the snow by my side. One Of our boys
had discovered my situation. The pa
pooscs and squaws instantly scampered
away, but the Indian was determined to
run the risk OF getting my scalp anyhow,
md he p0unced down upon me with his
knees on my chest, drew his knife, and the
next second, although IL seemed hours to
me. the top OF my head was in his hand
md he was gone.
HOW IT FEELS TO BE SCALPED.
''Imagine some one who hates YOU with
The utmost intensity grab5inga handful OF
your hair while you are lying PROSTATE
md helpless, and giving it sudden jerk
upward with force enough almost to
loosen the scalp. Then, while this painful
enslon is not relaxed, imagine the not par
icularly sharp blade OF knife being run
quickly in a circle around your scalp with
, saw-like motion. Then let your magma.
ion grasp, il 1t can, the effect that a
,trong, quick jerk on the tuft OF hair
% release the scalp from any clinging par
liclcs that may still hold it in place would
have on your nervous and physical sys-
ems, and you will have some idea how it T..
cels TO be scalped. When that Indian
sawed his knife around the top OF my head
first sense Of cold numbness pervaded
ny whole body. This was quickly follow