The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-02-03
INDIANS BAFFLED.
white Man a Heap Smart-He
Talks With Lightning

A few fictitious names have been used
in this sketch, but the events occurred
substantially as narrated:
The Cheyenne Indians are a restless,
turbulent race. Ever since the re-
moval of a portion of the tribe from
their reservation in Dakota to the In
dian Territory, there have been heard,
almost yearly, the deep mutterings of
discomfort and the ominous threaten
ings of an outbreak. On one of these
occasions dark words gave place to
murderous deeds, and the wild, half
incoherent chant of the scalp-dance
was succeeded by the deadly raid and
the torch of the incendiary. This was
in the year 1876. A portion of the
band in the Territory, by a precon-
certed movement, stole away from their
reservation, evaded the notice of the
United States troops, and, ere the Of
ficials became aware of their absence,
were carrying CONSERVATION and dea tn
into the peaceful homes of the settlers
of Western Kansas. They travelled
with almost incredible speed, leaving u
lurid trail of burning dwellings,, and
were half way across the State before
they encountered any organized re-
sistance.
Near the line of the Union Pacific
railway half-equippcd militia com
pany, sent out hastily from Topeka,
threw itself across their path. A sharp
contest followed, and the Cheyennes.
doubtless fearing they would be cut of
by troops from over the Santa Fe,
abandoned their evident intention of
penetrating to Dakota, and began n
hasty retreat. They-were well mounted,
and, as the militia company had no
serviceable horses, it was impossible to
follow them. In their flight they drove
off the ponies of ranchman named
Watson; murdered Watson, his wife
and two sons, and made captives of his
two daughters
The inhabitants of the little town of
Percy, which nestled quietly in the
blufI-protected valley of the Arkansas.
were filled with the deepest dismay
when, one pleasant afternoon, this
horde of painted Cheyennes leaped
suddenly from the ravines to the
northward and dashed into the streets.
After some sharp but desultory fight
ing, they fell back to the bluffs. and
the citizens of the town took shelter
in a strong adobe. Seeing this, the
Indians again advanced, and. shelter
ing themselves behind the deserted
houses, directed a rapid but Intellectual
fire against its bullet-proof walls
Baffled in this, they applied the torch
10 such of the houses rs they did not
require for purposes of cOncealment
and then began shooting burning ar.
rows at the roof of the adobe, in the
hope of setting it on fire.
All this time the people crowded
within the little structure were MOI
idle. The best marksmen among them
posted themselves at the small, square
windows, screening their persons a,
much as possible, and. whenever ;
feathered head-dress appeared, bulle
was sent in uncomfortable proximity
20 it. Among the inmates of tn,
adobe was Sydney Realf, a youth o.
about seventeen, the son Of a ranch
man. Young Realf had for some time
been studying telegraphy in the Office
of the railway operator at Percy, ant
he had made such rapid progress tina
he babe fair soon TO become an expert
At the first onslaught of the Indian!
the operator had abandoned his office
and when the short fight ended, hur
ried, in common with the other citi
zens of the town, to the protection o
the adobe, utterly forgetting, in hi
excitement, to telegraph for help
There We're only two trains day, ON,
each way, and they had passed hour
before the Indians made their appear
ance. The people now began to real
ize the possible consequences of tn
operators neglect. Cooped up il
narrow quarters, with scarcel,
enough food for one. family, with onl,
one bucket of water, and surrOunde,
by band of relentless and bloodthirst,
Indians. the situation could scarcel
have been worse The telegraph otfic
could only be reached by penetratin,
the ranks of the Cheyennes, and thi
seemed certain death to whoever al
tempted it. A dash in force Nigh
have accomplished the object, but
would have been at the expense @
many lives.
After discussing the matter fully.
was decided that the only thing posi-
BILE tn insure the safety of all was t
remain ia the adobe and stoically Ell
dure the consequent hunger aud thir.
until the arrival Of the Eastern-houn