Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-10-21

Jllc men got lUlO lllC llllC plCi hho"ihS
that the odds were twenty to one, ard
that there could not be the faintest
hope of re-enfOrcements.
The Indians could not approach the
bluff except under fire. After they had
maintained fucillade for upward of
an hour without harm to the party they
sent forward a flag of truce by Il half
breed who could speak English toler-
ably well. Swift went forward to tie
edge of the timber TO meet him ,and the
men in the pit were warned to be on
their guard against treachery, and to
shoot down any other Indian who
sought TO approach while a paIley was
being held The half breed came for
ward without fear. 1t was evidently
his object to get near enough to see
what sort of defense the men lad e
rected, and to be certain Of their num-
Der but Swift baflled him in this by
meeting him outside the timber. The
two were in rifle shot of both forces,and
as the half breed rode up he demanded
the immediate surrender of the party.
He said that one hundred and twenty
Indians were on the ground, with 9TH
ers coming up i'll the afternoon, and
that it was folly for the white men to
think of holding ont against such
force. In case of surrender, they would
be dsarmed and set at liberty TO make
their way out Of the country, but If the
Indians were compelled to fight them
to a surrender they could expect no
mercy.
swift replied that his party did not
seek war with the red men. They were
going into the Black Hills with hun
dreds of others to prospect for gold,and
only asked to be left alone. They had
been attacked without provocation,and
they should fight to the bitter end. The
half breed had his rifle lying across his
saddle while he talked, while Swift
leaned on his. The Captain suspected
what would follow his refusal to sur
render. The half breed once more put
his demand, and as it was refused he
suddenly raised his weapon and fired at
Swift, and then wheeled his pony. The
men were not over ten feet apart, and
the bullet passed between Swift's left
arm and his side, cutting through his
coat. Had he raised his rifle to fire a
return shot he would have been a dead
man, for the action of the half breed
was the signal for fifty Indian rifles to
ring out. Swift dropped in his tracks
and crept back to the rife pit unharm-
ed; but he was avenged before he reach
ed it. One of the men had kept the
half breed covered with his Winchester
and as he turned to gallop away he re-
ceived bullet in the back which flung
him from the saddle and left him dead
on the ground. The redskins had been
beaten at their own game. and they
gave vent to their chagrin and anger in
shouts and yells and individual demon
strations. In ten minutes they were
firing all along the line, and some or
them took advantage of the ground TO
approach within pistol shot of the rifle
pit.
Swift's instructions to the men were
not to waste bullet. The indians had
to expose themselves more or less, and
by watching for opportunities and keep
ing cool the men in the pit made some
telling shots. Before sundown they
had killed or wounded a dozen Savages
and forced the others to exercise far
greater caution. Not over thirty shots
were fired from the pit during The al
ternoon. AS night approached the
want of water began to be felt. NO
one had had drop since morning. one
of the men crept back to the bank Oh
the river to see what the prospects were
for gettiug down to the water, and he
was instantly killed by bullet fired
from the other side of the stream. His
fate was not known until darkness came
on and a second man went to look for
him. The bank was very steep. twelve
or fourteen feet high, and it would
have been extremely difficult to get
down to the stream had there been no
danger. The attempt to secure water
was abandoned for the time. AL the
provisions in the party were in raw
state, and of course no fire could be
LIGHTED. Soon after dark the fire of the
Indians ceased entirely. They prob
ably reasoned that it was only ques-
tion of a few hours more when the
white men would fall into their hands,
and they had maintained such hot
fire through the day that their ammunl-
tion must have been running low.
The death of Wolcott cast a gloom
over the party, but no one weakened.
Along toward midnight, when every
thing had grown very quiet, Capt. Swift
tried for water. A cottonwood leaned
off over the bank until one on its top
would be over the water. A canteen
was lowered by rope after Swift got
into position, but some slight noise was
made. which caused tie Indians on the
opposite bank to open fire, and before
Swift could descend flOm the tree a
bullet wounded him in the calf of the
L., To oronL hack tO the rifle pit and