Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-09-23

DDS for obtaining what all now really
suffered for were suggested and rejec-
ted. There was only one way. 1t
must DO got from the tree if at all. An
hour or two after Swift was shot
man named Cooper crept out on the
tree and lowered the canteen. He sue"
ceeded in drawing up few swallows
of water, and at once fastened to Swift.
The Captains wound had of course set
him in fever, and while he could have
gulped down quart he had only gill.
Cooper returned to the tree and in low
ering tho canteen lost it. Another
rope was extemporized and coffee pot
lowered, but the Indians in some
manner got hint Of what was
going on and again opened fire. While
Cooper was not wounded, he was driv-
en- to the pit and all further hope OF
securing water was abandoned Not a
man slept wink during the night, 1t
being genonally understood that the
Indians might make q rush any mo-
ment As early dawn came shot
was fired from the top of q tree in the
edge Of the grove, which struck man
named Abbott in the head and killed
him instantly. A second shot imme-
diately followed, but hit no one. 1t
was at once discovered that two Indian
harpshooters had climbed into she
tree during the night, and from their
elevation could look down into the ri
1o pit They could not be seen, but
two of the mon opened rapid fire on
the tree, and after about twenty-five
shots had been fired both redskins
were tumbled to the ground. Their
fan w.s the signal for the ball to open
all along tho line, and again the bullets
whzzed over the pit like legions of an
cry bees. The Indians were pretty
cautious about exposing themselves,
but during the forenoon four Of them
were seen to drop, either hard hit or
killed outright,
From noon to- o'clock not n shot
was fired on either side, and from 5
until SHUTDOWN the Indians fired only
about a dozen tmeS-suilicicnt to warn
the white men that the siege was still
on. Hunger now compelled the mon to
eat raw bacon and -four, and the tor
mcnts of thirst wcro increased Swift
suffered far more than the others, be-
ing wounded, but not a complaint pass
ed his lips. He was too stiff and sore
to leave the pit, but about 10 o'clock
one of the men volunteered to try for
water Some Of the Indians swan
across, and werc located under the
bank. While they could not climb it,
or at least did not. they were at hand
to prevent the men from getting water.
1t was Foster who went out on the
tree this time, and he had not yet low
cred the vessel when bullet knocked
his cap of, a second struck the stock of
his rifle, and third went through tho
coffee pot. He reached tho pit I'M
wounded, however and Swift advised
that no one else should expose himself.
They dug up the roots around them,
and got slight consolation from chew
ing them, and again tho morning
broke. 1t soon became evident that
the Indians intended to finish their
work. They were whooping and
shouting all along the line, and seemed
in good spirits.
An hour after daylight the whole
line advanced on the pit, each redskin
working along under the best shelter
he could find. There were only four
men to defend the pit, but, armed as
they were, and desperate as they had
become, the odds were not so great
They fired coolly yet rapidly, and
they not only halted the line, but at
one point where three bucks were
killed within ten seconds of each
other panic occurred. Thirty or
more Indians rose up in a body for
rush, but the fire broke them before
they had made jump, The four men
had the six rifles, and their revolvers
were lying beside them for the emer-
gency which all expected. The peril
Of the morning did not last TWEEN
ty minutes. The bafIlod Indians
retreated back to their old position,
and about 9 O'Clock withdrew so
quietly that their going was not sus-
pected for another hour. They went
en- masse, leaving not even scout
| behind. When tho four men had Sc
cured water and something to cat
they took look over the battle
ground. The carcasscs Of seven
ponies had been left behind, and
there were plenty of blood stains to
prove that their Winchesters had not
thrown away all their lead. A Dog
Sioux, who was afterward employed
as scout at Fort Sully, told the mil-
itary authorities that thirteen Indians
were killed and twcnty-one wounded
in the fight, and that they felt them
selves fairly whipped. Other Indians
reported the number killed at nine
teen and the wounded at thirty, but
they asserted that the number of
white men was fourteen. --Ncw York
Ssna.
VI q -