Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-10-22
4 VALIANT Defence.

bined pluck, endurance, suffering
and desperation was that OF Cap
tain Swift and his five companions,
near the forks of the Big Cheyenne.
They were all citizens, and all on
their way into the Black Hills coun-
try on foot. Swift had been a Cap
tain in q border company raised to
fight Indians in Northern Nebraska,
and was the only one in the lot who
had ever met a hostile. Swift and
two companions found the other
three prospectors near the forks,
and it vas agreed that all should
push further west In company
Every man was armed with a Win
chester and two revolvers, and each
carried several hundred rounds oil
ammunition. The men had broken
camp five miles below the forks,
and were on the south bank OF the
main stream, when they we're at
tackled by thfrty-hve mounted In
dians. The whites were on foot
and had the shelter of timber along
the banks, and, although they were
harassed for a couple of hours, no
one was hurt, and the march was
not greatly retarded. However,
as they reached the forks the force
of Indians suddenly increased to
over 100, and, as they not only
barred the way but had cut OIL re-
treat, Swift realized that the little
band must 60 into camp and pre-
pare for a siege. They drove the
Indians down the south fork about
mile until getting possession OF a
bluff which was we'll covered with
timber, and here they intrenched.
A natural sink was deepened with
hatchets and knives, few rocks
and limbs were piled around the
edges, and the men got into the
rifle pit, knowing that the odds
were twenty to one, and that there
conld not be the faintest hope OF
re.enforcements.
The Indians could not approach
the bluff except under fire. After
they had maintained fusillade for
upward of an hour without harm to
the party, they sent forward nag
of truce by a half bred 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 In
dian 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
defense the men had erected, and
to be certain of their number; but
Swift baffled him in this by meet
Ing him outside the timber. The
two we're in rife 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 others coming !
up in the afternoon, and that it was
folly for the white men to think OF
holding out against such a force
la case of surrender, they would be
dIsarmed and set at liberty to make
their way out of the country, but
if the Indians we're compelled to
fight them to a surrender they
could expect no mercy.
Swift replied that his party did
not seek war with the red NEIL
They we're going into the Black
Hills with hundreds of others to
prospect for gold, and only asked
to be let alone. They had been at
tackled without proyOcation, and
they should fight to the bitter end.
The half bred had his rife lying
across his saddle while ne talked,
while Swift leaned on his. The
Captain suspected what would fol-
low his refusal to surrender. The
half breed once more put his de-
mand, and as it was refused he sud
denly 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 rife to fire a return
shot he would have been a dead
man, for the action Of the half
breed was the signal for fifty In
dian niles to ring out. Swift
dropped in bis tracks and crept
back to the rife pit unframed but
be was avenged before he reached
il. One of the men had kept the
half breed covered with his Win
chester, and as he turned to gallop
away he received a bullet in the
back which flung him from the sad
die 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
demonstrations. In ten minutes
they we're 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 instruction to the men
were not to waste a bullet. The
Indians had to expose themselves
more or less, and by watching for