Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-03-03
EKLY FAMILY HOME
MARTNsBURG, W. Va. SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1888.

fairiy good position to defend themselves
The Indians had not anticipated this move
and were seen hot on the trail by sunrise
A bloodless duel on the part of the whites
continued all day.
Trouble was expected during the night,
and it came. The night was very dark
and favorable for both parties to conceal
their movements. The oxen were hitched
to the wagons and hauled back on the
trail some forty rods, SO that the Indians
could not locate the camp before morning
Lawrence, Ash and Presho went back to
the first location to keep guard No In
dams were seen during the night, but
very suspicious clump of brush had grown
up during the night not far from the
party In charge Of the mill. Two Indians
had cut q quantity of brush and crawled
up close to the trail so as to get in the rear
OF the mill camp as first located The
brush looked natural enough stuck In the
ground, but the practiced eye OF Lawrence
detected the fraud, and he opened fire at
once to warn the camp and expose the II.
dams, who had no chance to run and were
between two fires. 1t took but a few
minutes to settle their hash. Lawrence
fell back to camp and prepared for a hai1
fight, which was bitter on both sides.
The Indians were getting desperate and
bold. The whites, to save their scalps,
were fighting as men will fight to save
their lives. There was no cover on the left
of the trail by which the Indians could
approach within range, which alone saved
the determined little party from being
wiped out. The Indians had evidently
been REINFORCED. For nearly two hours
they kept up steady fire from all points
within range on the right of the trail
The boiler proved to be the salvation Of
Capt. Branch and his men. The wagons
were riddled. Evans, Ash and Taylor re-
ceived slight flesh wounds, not severe
enough to render them unfit for duty.
Three Indians were hit, but whether
fatally or not 1t was impossible to find
out. After supper council of war was
held. 1t was possible to hold out twenty
four hours longer, but their condition or
means of defense woald not be improved;
hence it YVES decided to abandon the mill
and oxen, and push through the gap be-
fore daylight and procure requirements
at Custer City and return for the mill.
This programme was carried out, and sue
cessfully.
The next afternoon Capt. Branch and
his party arrived at Custer, where they
received nearly welcome. volunteers
were plenty and willing. ThIrty-seven
determined men, with horses to haul the
mill, returned to the scene of the fight.
Instead Of going to the mill direct they
flanked the position held by the Indians
during the fight, and, to their satisfac-
ton, discovered about fifteen Indians on
watch for those who might return to the
mill. Six of these redskins were killed at
the first fire and the others were wounded,
but they managed to reach their ponies
and make good their escape. The mill
was hauled into the mining camp, where
1t did good service in furnishing the
miners with lumber. The oxen had been
driven off, and were never recovered
Ash, Evans and Taylor soon recovered
from their wounds. Three of the origi-
nal party are still in the Hills. III. c.
Ash is justice of the peace at Sturgs
City. He believes in the freedom of the
bench, as he frequently adjourns court to
give all hands chance to irrigate. The
foregoing constitute the main facts of the
trouble in getting the first sawmill into
the Black hills. Indianapolis Tribune.