Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-05-08
.peR,Ls OF INDIAN FIGHTING:
"reminiscences of the Ra1ds of Sitting Bull
and His Painted Warriors.

anu his h1HVCu SVhIAIOAos
''Why do keep that cartrdge-box
hung over my desk? It's a relic Of my
life on the plainA for around that little
box cluster some of my greatest trials"
The speaker, a middle-aged man, was
seated in his Office on Court street.
cit first became mine when I joined
the Twenty-second Regiment at Fort
Gratiot in July. 1876, about the time
brave Custer and his command had
gone to slaughter. Troops were hur-
ried into the field. On the seventh of
the month our detachment started for
Fort Lincoln. We found the garrison
there very small, all troops that could
be spared having been sent to the
front. We marched to Powder River,
where we met Indians in large num-
bers. Clusters command had left a
lot of corn on the right bank of the
Yellowstone, and when we came up the
redskins were ferrying it across to the
other bank.
1T was my first fight, and how mar
row was my escape that little hole in
the box bears witness.
"a few miles further on we reached
the Indian camp, and there found the
arms of the slaughtered command.
While there l took up a revolver /
found in a tent, and put it in my inner
coat pocket, thinking 1 might sometime
need it. Continuing our march, under
the direction of Buffalo Bill, we made
for Glendive Creek, and there went into
winter quarters.
1.-The Indians lowered in large num-
bers about the camp. 1t was the uni.
versal belief among the troops that
going out of the camp on scouting
duty meant death. It was by no
means pleasant news to me to be de-
tailed to carry the mail between Glen
dive and Fort Buford, seventy-tive
miles away. | was accompanied by a
halt-breed scout. The trip was made
successfully. After we returned to
camp | was sent with a detachment of
scouts to the headquarters at Glendive
Greek.
''Three days after we arrived Indians
surrounded us. Among the hills were
hundreds of savages in fierce war paint.
The commanding officers met in coun-
Gil, and about midnight l was ordered
to report. The Colonel said: I want
you to take this dispatch to Fort
Buford. Travel as fast as you can,a and
deliver this in person to Colonel Hazen;
our ammunition and provisions are
giving OUT Istarted. The night was
clear and still. The guard let me out
through the picket line, and, leading
my horse, 1 stole out.into the darkness,
revolver in hand.
II started my horse on a slow trot
and rode at that speed for about twenty
miles until Irode directly into an Indian
camp. The dogs announced my arri-
val, and in a moment more the Indians
were in hot pursuit; but my horse was
one to be relied upon, and I soon left
the most OF my pursuers behind. There
were two young bucks, however, who
kept close after my trail forhours. My
horse was becoming winded and I de-
termined to fight. Drawing my car
bine l fired one shot. killing one Of my
pursuers' horses, and / Immediately
followed it with another, which had
some effect, as the Indian gave up the
chase. At ten o'clock the next day [
was in Fort Buford, and two hours
later a large body of cavalry, with a
wagon train. started for the besieged
camp. When l started to return the
train was about twenty miles ahead
Of me-. The wagon train missed
the right trail. I was unable to find
the.command, and after hunting sew
eral hours in the rain / determined to
start for the camp on Glendive Creek.
My horse vas in bad condition. and
concluded I would camp for an hour
and make a little coffee. 1t was now
dark. Picketing my horse, I kindled a
fire, and throwing aside all my arms
and taking off my belt 1 determined at
all hazards to take a rest.
I was making myself comfortable
when I heard what seemed to be the
bark of q prairie wolf. I knew what
it meant. There were Indians about,
and the bark was simply a signal. Ii
was repeated, and then [ noticed two
dusky forms stealing along the ground.
My loaded rifle was within reach, and
and, picking it up. I took a quick aim
"iis AiAou' nSAy "a pam lOllOWeu, anu
without waiting to hear the shouts of
rage I ran for my horse, and mounting
I started at break-neck speed, not for
the fort as I should have done, but in
the opposite direction. 1 found that
my arms were gone but one. I still
had the revolver Ihad picked up in the
camp where we had found the arms of
Custer's men.
Irode all that night, and on the fol-
lowing night ran successfully into
Camp Glendive, without any trouble
say a personal encounter with one In
dian neal the picket line. The next
day Colonel Hazen arrived with rein
forcements, and Sitting Bull and his
blo%odthirsty savages were foiled. A
week after [ was sent with a force to
Fols Buford, and o the ground where
| had left it was my rifle, and near by
the cartridge box.-Boston Globe.
Rubies.
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