Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-09-23
Captain Swift's Valiant Five.

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Captain Swift's Valiant Five.
A defense in which were combined
! pluck, endurance, suffering and des-
peration was that Of Captain Swift
and his fivecompanions, near the forks
OF the Big Cheyenne. They we're ali
citizens, and all on their way into the
Black Hills country on foot. Swift
had been captain in border com.
pany raised to fight Indians in
Northern Nebraska, and was the only
one in the lot who had ever met
hostile. Swift and two companions
found the other three prospectors
near the forks, and it was agreed that
all should push further west in com
pany. Every mar was armed with
Winchester and two revolvers,
and each carried several hundred
rounds of ammunition. Themen had
broken camp five miles below the
forks, and were on the south bank of
the main stream, when they were at
tackled 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 a
couple of hours, no one was hurt, and
the march was not greatly retard-
ed. However, as they reached
the forks the force of Indians
suddenly increased to over one
hundred, and, as they not only
barred the way but had cut of retreat,
Swift realized that the little band
must 60 into camp and prepare for
siege. They drove the Indians down
the south fork about half mile untd
getting possession of bluff which was
well 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 could not ts the faintest hope
of reinforcements.
the Indians could not approach the
bluff except under fire. After they had
maintained fhsilade for upward OF
an hour without harm to the party,
they sent forward flag of truce by a
half-breed who could speak English
tolerably well. Swift went forward to
the edge of the timber to meet him,
he, -
be on their guard against treachery,
and to shoot down any other Indian
who sought to approach while par
ley was being held The half-breed
came forward without fear. 1t was
evidently his object to get near enough
to see what sort of q defense the
men had erected, and TO be certain
of their number, but Swift BAT
fled him in this by meeting him out
side the timber. The two were in rifle
shot of both forces, and as the half
breed rode up he demanded the inn
mediate surrender of the party. He
said that 120 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 force. In case of sur
render. they would be disarmed and
set at liberty to make their way out
of the country, but if the indians were
compelled to fight them to surrender
they could expect no mercy.
Swift replied that his party did not
seek war with the red men. They
were going to the Black Hills with
hundreds of others to prospect for
gold, and only asked to be let alone.
They had been attacked without prov
ocatIon, 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
half-bieed 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
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 rifle
pit unframed; but he was revenged
before he reached it. One of the men
had kept the half breed covered with
his Winchester, and as he turned to
gallop away he received a 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 wells and individual demonstra-
tions. In ten minutes they we're firing
all along the line, and some of them
took advantage of the ground to APP
proach 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 keeping cool the men in the pit
made some telling shots. Before sun
down they had killed or wounded
dozen savages and forced the 9th
ers to exercise far greater caution.
Not over thirty shots were fired
from the pit during the after
noon. As night approached the want
of water began to he felt. No one had
had drop since morning. One of the
men crept back to the bank of the
river to see what the prospects 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 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 Sc
cure water was abandoned for the
time. All 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 probably
reasoned that il was only question
of few hours more when the
white men would fall into their hands,
and they had maintained such hot
fire throughout the day that their am
munition must have been running
low.
The death of Walcott cast gloom
over the party, but no one weakened.
Along toward midnight, when every
thinu was verv nt1iet Cant Swift tried