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

the following interesting story of the peril
OF engineering life on the plains only fif
taen years ago:
In the month of June, 1869, when tn,
grass and flowers on the plans of Kansa.
and Colorado were nearly knee high, tn,
result Of unusually abundant rains which
left clear pools of water in all the little ar
EoyOs, a corps of Kansas Pacific engineer.
under the leadership of Howard Schuyler
were engaged in making certain preliminary
surveys in the vicinity of the terminal
town OF Phil Sheridan, near the border lin,
Of the two States. They had been out or
trip of several months in the direction OF
Denver, and had returned to the end of the
track 10 begin the definite location. which
we afterward carried through to Denver
At this time | had been with the party
some two or three months, taking my no
vitae in engineering, and was occupying
the position of rOdman Prior to com
mcncing the location, we were running
some rapid trial lines north of Sheridan.
and by the 18th of June were some fifteen
or twenty miles out in rolling country.
where the heads of the Smoky Hill and
Republican forks of the Kansas river inter-
lock. On the evening before our camp had
been brought up to the end of our work
we started out bright and early on this
memorable Saturday morning, so that by
10 o'clock we were several miles away from
camp. In all our work We had been ac-
companied by an escort of fifteen infantry
soldiers under the charge of Lieutenant,
acting in the capacity of Camp-guard.
who, while they were useful in guarding
our base of supplies, were of no protection
to us in the field. Our party numbered
thirteen ell told, two of whom remained in
camp as cook and teamSter The working
party was therefore reduced to eleven. in
Guiding Howard, whose custom it was to
ride several miles ahead, looking out the
line and indicating it by building sod
mounds two or three feet high with q
shovel. We followed one mound to the
next, measuring angles and distances and
leyeling the ground. Our progress was as
rapid almost as man would walk at 4
moderate pace, and we were exceedingly vul-
nerable to attack, as we were all separated
strung out over distance of a mile or
more, while Howard was always out of
sight and several miles ahead, but having
being out several months without seeing
any Indian Signs we had no suspicion of
danger and did not dream there were any
Indians in the country. We afterwards
knew that they had been watching us for
some days and were simply waiting for the
most favorable opportunity to make the at
tack, having evidently planned to kill
Howard first and then come back along the
line picking off the rest of the party one by
one.
In pursuance of this plan they lay in wait
until they had COrnered him in trap when
they fired shot, striking his horse in the
hip, and looking around he saw long line
Of the red-painted devils on three sides of
him, while on the fourth, in the direction
Of his party, was half mile or more of
broken ground, cut up by deep narrow ra-
vines. 1t took but Il moment to decide his
line of action. Putting spurs 10 his horse
he turned to the only lo0phole of escape,
and, to the surprise OF the Indians, Went
leaping over the ravineS. one after the
other at the risk OF his life, bur with the
assurance that thcy could not follow him,
as none Of their ponies were equal to the
work, and to keep up the pursuit they
were obliged I'd make long detour
Having once got clear OF the broken
ground, Howard looking back. found hirl-
self well ahead, and was congratulating
himself on 50 easy an escape, when he saw
directly before him, springing out of the
grass, formidable array Of Indians. inter
ccptins his flight; those pursuing in the
rear closed up, and almost before he could
realize the situation he found himself again
cntrapped, this time by n line Of Indians
that entirely cncirclcd him. numbering
about one hundred, ~ near IS he could
Judge. They rapidly narrowed the limits
Of the circle, and began taunting him with
all manner Of insults, and telling him of
the fortunes that awaited him and of the
slow roasting that they proposed to give
hlot. For several minutes hc sat on his
horse trying TO reconcile himself to the
certainty that death was before him. but
when the first struggle was over all tremb-
ling ceased, and with As true an aim rs
ever huntsmau ieyclcd al a deer, he drew
ZIP his rife and fired ut the nearest man.
killing him instantly. Earlier in the fight
he had realized that he was more lightly
armed than usual having that morning
left his belt, with 4 brace Of pistols and 4
box OF cartridges, in camp To- be cleaned
taking only his Winchester carbine. carry
ing twelve shots. He now determined to
sell his life ~ dearly as possible. and
counting every shot II be sure that he
saved one for himself Is a dcrajcr resort in
case of capture, since death bv his own
hand was preferable to slow torture Twice
more he shot in quick succession without
fatal effect, when he suddenly put spurs to
his horse and dashed through the line At
this moment there was q general scramble
and rush for him, some trying for him
with their spears, others selling his legs
and striving 10 unhorse him. He sue
ceedei = the Lwinkling of an eve in throw
ing them al OF, and even killed 4 second
man riding ~ bis side putting his gun
against his ttIc InGian'sl body and blazing
sgra 3 J -
buckskia icc,inps, saddle and horse. The
instant he freed himself from them and got
clear alone on open ground ahead of them,
where they were not in danger of killing
each other in shooting NJ him. they fired Il
v0llev of bullets and arrows n him None
of them hit him. and mp 10 this moment
he was entirely uuharmed Had his horse
been equally fortunate this would doubt
less have ended the fight ~ the horse was
81 fine, hlgL-spirited animal. superior o.
any %: The Indian ponies. But the first
shot received al the beginning Of hoStilitips
had cut small artery. and from this the
blood was pumping ont steady stream
that. together with his violent eXcrtions
was fast sIppiug his strength. The Indians
seeing this, were encouraged To continue
the pursuit, and their lender, mounted on
an American stage horse stolen the day
before at a stage station a few miles back
which they had burned numbering ali the
inmates succeeded - well in keeping
pace with him. that Howard could almost
feel the breath from the nnStulS of the pur-
SuerS horse. Thus they rode, nose To tail
for mile or two, the Indian occupying the
time in shooting at Howard Three PTS
t0ls, SIX shooters, hc cmpticd, ana bullets
flew around poor Howard on every side
-Four more entered the poor horse, already