Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-10
A BRAVE DEFENSE.

Onelennt. lney were Ill ClIlErusr hhu al
on their way into the Black Hills country
on foot Swift had been captain in border
company raised 20 fight Indians in north
ern Nebraska, and was the only one in the
lot who had ever met hostile Swift aud
two companions found the other three
prospectors near the forks, a'sl it was
agreed that all should push further west
in company Every one was armed with
a Winchester aud two revolvers, and each
carried several hundred pounds of am
munition. The men had broken camp five
miles below the forks, and were ON the
south of the main staeam, when they were
attacked by thirty five mounted Indians
The whites were on foot and had the
shelter of timber along the banks, and,
although they were harassed for couple
OF hours, no one was hurt, and the march
was not greatly retarded. However, as
they reached the forks. the force of In
diaus suddenly increased To over 100, and,
as they not only barred tn. way but had
cut off retreat, Swift realized that the lit
tie band raust go into camp and prepare
for a siege They drove the Indians down
the south fork about half mile until
getting possession of bluff which WAS
well covered with timber. and here they
with hatchets and knives, few rocks
and limbs were piled around the edges,
and the men got into the rife pit, know
ing that the odds were twenty TO one, and
that there could not be the faintest hope
of re endorsements.
The Indians could not approach the
bluff except under fire After they had
maintained flIsillade fol upward of an
L i'll l.. Y1.,,,
forward a flag of truce by half breed
who could speak English tolerably well
Swift went forward to the 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 parley was being held. The half
breed came forward without fear. 1t was
evidently his object TO get near enough To
see what sort OF defence the men had
erected, and to be certain of their number,
but Swift baffied him in this by meeting
him outside the timber. The two were in
rifle shot of both forces. and IS the half
breed rode up he demanded the immedi
ate surrender of the party. He said that
12U Indians were on the ground, with
others coming up in the afternoon, and
that it was folly for the white men To
think of holding out against such a force.
In case of surrender, they would be dis
armed and set at liberty to make their
way out of the country; but if the Indians
were compelled To fight them TO sur-
render 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 hundreds of
Others to prospect for gold, and only asked
10 be let 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 surrender. The half breed
once more put his demand, and as it was
refused he suddenly raised his weapon
ard 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 10
the rifle pit unharmed, but he was re-
Nenged before he reached it. One Of the
men had kept the half breed covered
with his Winchester. and as he turned to
gsllop away he received 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 indi-
vidual demonstrations. In ten minutes
they were firing all along the line, and
some of 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 a bullet The Indians had to eX-
pose themselves more or less, and by
watching for opportunities and keeping
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 sthirty shots were fired from the
pit during the afternoon. As night ap-
preached the want of water began to be
felt. No one had had a drop since morn
ing. One of the men crept back TO the
bank of the river TO see what the pros
poets were for getting 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 1t
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. All the
provisions in the party were in a raw
state, and. of course, no fire could be
lighted. Soon after dark the fire of the
Indians ceased entirely. They probably
reasoned that it was only a question 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 ammunition must have been
running low.
The death of Wolcott cast gloom over
the party, but no one weakened. Along
toward midnight, when everything had
grown very quiet, Capt. Swift tried for
water A cottonwood leaned off over the
bank until one in 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
open fire, and before Swift could descend
from the tree bullet wounded him in
the calf of the leg. He crept back to the
ritie-pit and bandaged the wound, and in
fifteen minutes would have given year
Of his life for pint of water. Various
methods for obtaining what all now
really suffered for, We're suggested and
rejected. Tnere was only one way. 1t
must be got from the tree if at all An
hour or two after Swift was shot a man
named Cooper crept out on the tree and
lowered the canteen. He succeeded in
drawing up few swallows of water, and
at once hastened to Swift. The captains
wounds had of course set him in a fever,
and while he could have gulped down
quart he had only a gill Cooper re-
turned TO the tree, and In lowering the
canteen lost it. Another rope WAS extern
porized and coffee pot lowered, but the
Indians in some manner got a hint Of
what was going on and again opened fire