The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-08-31
INDIANS AND buEFALOES.
THE DANGERS 4 w. NOUNTAIN-
EER ENCOI INFERRED.
No Danger Like Waiting for All I'm
known Enemy and Facing ii Charge of
100 200 BufiaIoes.
Especial Cor STATE CHRONICLEl

I'm the summer of Al | crossed the
plains with the treasure wagons that car
ried the pay for our frontier army. Com
pany b, First Dragons, had been dctitl ID
as escort and had enlisted with them a
short time before
This remark interrupted the thread of
bear stories which the hunters were spin
ming about the campfire, for we were in
the mountains of North Carolina The
inteFtninabe flights had grown tedious
and readily We turned to the old man who
had now spoken for the first time since we
gathered. He was tanned and grizzled
and there was upon his face that express
sion which comes from many dangers met
and braved. nike his comrades he
spoke in quiet way that did not bid for
admiration, and none questioned his story
as we listened.
There were six of the treasure wagons. :"
continued he, land it required ten mules
to draw each load Of silver. Besides these
there was quart en- masters's train freight
ed with food and clothing and All that was
needfuI for an army of men. y great
herd Of beef cattle transported themselves,
and the whole caravan was guarded by
our company Of seventy men.
In those days the plains stretched away
one vast uneXptored wilderness. No rail
road had come near he Mississippi,
scarcely village was in the interior, and
across thousands of miles Of western coun-
try the white man had never passed foot
All through the month Of June our tain
dragged !aEIly across the rolling meadow,
now turning aside from the treacherou.
prairie dog villages, now pursuing the elk
and antelope that sprung off at our APP
proach or pausnS perhaps upon some
swell TO watch vast herd of buffaloes
roll away like a black cloud shadow upon
the land.
Our men relieved The tedious march
with hunting, bu; the daily supply of meat
did not come without danger. For hardly
had our backs been turned upon civiliza-
ton when the Indians began to gather
and from that time on they were rarely
out of sight Never within rife range
they fitted about like phantoms. Now
watching our march from some eminence
that we had passed, then presently clust-
cred upon the level plain miles removed,
then before our line had dragged its
length rs if whisked by magic far before
US their faatLered heads would rise above
some swell and they would stand and
watch while we pitched our camp for the
night. Like silhuettes, have seen them,
horse aud lance and man cut bold against
the evening sky. They never came near:
they we're rarely seen IN motion: no one
knew their number Their distant and
mysterious fitting seemed spectral, unhu-
man.
At night the animals were corralled
| The heavy wagons We're circied front to
rear and within tins stOckade the herGnyas
secured from prowicrs and stampa 1But
in the early morning the cattle were turned
upon the prairie and while the wagons
were drawn out and bagGk packer they
-, l.
The Fourth of july found US at Pawnee
Fork in New Mexico just fifty miles from
old Ft. Mann. At that time the day was
red -lettered iii a soldiers calender No
military service was required of him. 1t
was a rest day with a grand feast by the
Government and his only duty vi to eat
and be glad.
We were out of our blankets early
| Wagons had been trunneled back, barrels
and boxes were handled by willing hands,
| and knapsacks We're searched for hidden
/ TASKS or some dainty that would help to
celebrate he day The cattle had strolled
ont into the grass. NOta Comanchec had
! been sighted and the mounted guards were
/ hanging wiSttully near the broiling steaks,
! whiting the fragrance of wine aud baking
pastries and h@llooing to the boys irOllick
! ing with expectation.
/ Suddenly there were screams and whoopS
! and galloping. a shower Of arrows fell
! among the wagons, the men ran to arms,
/ the wounded mules reared and plunged,
! drums ratified and for 2 moment there
| was wild confusion. Another instant the
| dragons Spraug TO saddle at word OF
| command With whoop and scream a
| thousand Comanchees dashed between
them and the cattle and in a moment were
stampedng the herd across the plain as
fast as fri. hteneu beasts could travel.
| Fifty dragons stood abOat the treasure
three hundred teamsters guarded the
stores. while | and a score of comrade.
were ordered to "Chargc' And away
we dashed. The Camanchees were masseG
about the cattle and when in rifle range
we opened fire Not a shot failed. Il
was like shooting at shingles upon house
On they rushed screaming and lancng The
cattle into frenzy Soon we were in clos'
range and dropping the heavy carblne>
used the quicker pistols. They fell from
their horses like leaves from a tree. s.
thick they were we could not fail to hi
them We We're following close WheI
| quick as flash there was right and lef
| wheel and in a moment they had hemnet
lis in and were pouring arrows from ever,
side as they circled round and round
Pistols were dropped and cutlasses il
| mana we Charged them. AIIoNS WltstiC'
about my ears so fast that it sounded like
music Then ! do not know what hap
pened We were all mixed up with them
| remember lodging as a long lance cam
at me, and a pony ran his head through
nv bride. Just then saw cOmrad
cleave an Indians head with his cutlas
and as the COmanchee fell backward tn
lad was run through with lance from
behind. If | fought / could never remem
Der it. They said afterward that di
aud there was blood upon my blade, bu
it seemed TO me that j was lii a dream
with strange noiaes IN my ears, with horse
and lances whirling in wild dance befor
NE How long we fought or what hap
pened cannot say but presently fount
myself with three companions dashini
across the plain towards camp. My arr
was numb and had lost my bride
We had cut our way through them
Blood was gushing from the mouth Of
man who rode near me. An arrow ha
transfixed his body pinninS both arms tt
gether He kept his saddle, escaped an
lived A German, named Straub, fe
from his. wounded horse, and with read
Wit lay still. They thought him dead an
scalped him. He also lived.
BY the time We reached camp the CO
, manchees had disappeared with the cattl
behind rise in the prairie The cOmman
, had not dared to follow, they thought tn
dash a felnt to draw them from the treas
ure To guard it was their duty.