The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-21


On April IA, 1867, l left Fort Hays,
Gan, to carry q note to the men at
Lookout Station, nineteen miles away, tell
ing them to beware of the Indians. The
red devils had cut loose all along the
Smoky Hill route, and were thirsting for
blood All the SIEGE stations, with one or
two exceptions, were prepared for Indian
attacks That is, each station was garri-
eoned by three men, armed with the best
weapons and the building was bullet proof
AS a further security the men dug for
themselves a circular hole in the
Ground, covered it over by timbers
and earth, and by firing from
the loopholes could stand off any number
Of Indians. This dugout had an under
ground passage from the stable. and was
always stocked with water and food. Look
out station was one of the exceptions. Why
dugout had not been provided don't now
recollect but il was because of this negli-
sence that was sent out from the fort.
was then in government service as a scout,
and was paid for carrying my scalp to any
point convenient for the Indians to take it.
Within fifty miles of Fort Hayes there were
at least 1000 Sioux and Cheyennes on the
warpath Between the fort and Lookout
station might encounter a hundred. On
that dav thirty warriors had come within
I'VE IulleS VI OhO pOSUJ anu AA0uiSou III yollS
of defiance.
left the fort soon after dark, mounted
on genuine Mexican mustang and armed
with 16-shooter and a revolver While
the direct route was bad enough for any
traveller, had to plan for worse one. NY
only hope of getting through would be to
avoid the Travelled line. l got well away
and then took my bearings to keep a route
five miles to the left of the stage road. This
+oIxa hol
Of country, but prudence commanded this
policy. knew when / set out that it would
Be all night in the saddle, as the ground
would be too broken to permit of fast
pace, and I'D to midnight. when had made
distance of ten miles in the right direct
ton, the mustang had scarcely broken his
walk. 1t came on pretty dark, with ugly
clouds driving across the sky and every
few minutes there was a gust of wind which
had warming in it, While all my senses
were keen and alert, depended much on
my horse. He had campaigned in Mexico,
and would be the first to detect "signs." 1t
was about midnight when he suddenly
stopped dead still and threw up his head
That meant Indians.
The next minute was an hour long. Then
came gust of wind, singing and signing
over the barren plains, and 1t brought to
my ear the footballs of horses. Thew came
L
pass very near me. Nc two dangers have
the same situation. 1t might have been a
good plan to dismount and lead my animal
to the right or the left. judged it best to
dismount and remain perfectly quiet. All
men who have studied the Indian will tell
you that his eye is quick to detect moving
object, and that his sense of hearing is won
derfully acute. Even In the darkness they
might see us moving, and if the horses foot
eN,R %hn -
reach them. The company of the mustang
was better than that of the Oldest scout on
the plains. I stood with one hand on his
neck, and he was as firm as rock. He
realized the peril as fully as | did, and be-
heve he reasoned something like this:
"Those persons who are approaching are
Indians. The slightest noise will betray us.
We must remain perfectly quiet, in hopes
they will pass. If discovered, we will run
for it,"
In two minutes after receiving the first
alarm the first Indian was up with us, and
not over 80 feet away. They were not rid
ing in single file, but by twos, threes, and
tours, with the evident purpose of making
as broad a trail as possible. l could see
every pony and warrior, and every instant
expected to see some movement to prove
that we were discovered. The ponies were
on the walk, and there were forty-two In
NldllS Ill Iuo DdLu. DSiitNo bueN were
four or five minutes in passing, and during
every second Of this time, if my horse had
lifted a foot, champed his bit, or flung his
head, the sound would have betrayed u.s.
It did not seem possible that we were thus
to escape, and when the band had finally
disappeared in the darkness, l was not GER
tain but there was some trick behind it.
climbed softly into the saddle and let the
mustang pick his own way, and it was a
ell laIf L. laP T LIZ
were not followed.
We soon got into very bad spot, cut up
in all directions with gullies and washouts,
and our progress was slow. The mustang
naturally picked for the best route and
about an hour before daylight | suddenly
discovered that we were on the stage road
There were no coaches running then except
at long intervals, when strong escort could
be had while the Indians were riding over
the route at all hours. | dared not travel it,
but pulled off to the left again, and as a
consequence daylight came while was yet a
mile and a half from the station. 1t was
not yet fully light, and was settling my
self in the saddle for gallop to the station,
when heard the yells of Indians in that
direction. That settled it. They were there
before me, and my peril was now far greater
than that of the men | started out to save.
They were three in number. and had the
shelter of a stout log hut. | was alone and
on the open plains. To have pushed
on meant the loss Of my scalp; to attempt
to return to Fort Hays meant the same
thing. had only couple of minutes to
think, and there was only one Chance of
escape. There was big washout close at
hand, and led the mustang into it, and
made him lie down. When / sat down
beside him we were concealed from the
sigit of any one passing quarter of a mile
away, and there we must put in the day
without food or water / hadn't brought
50 much as mouthful of meat with me,
depending on reaching the station by day
light, and there wasn't a drop of water
within mile of us. We were scarcely set
tied down before the station was vigorously
attacked, and estimated the number of
Indians to be not less than fifty. The three
men were not surprised, though they had
but slight warning They we're provided
with sixteen-shooters and revolvers, and
they returned the fire with vigor.
The Indians must have known that this
station was not provided with dugout, for
they had become prepared to burn it. The
forage for the stage horses had to be kept
within, and its inhammable nature gave
The savages pointer to work on. 1t was
an unfortunate thing also that the lay of
The ground, gave them cover to creep up
within bow-shot. For three or four hours
there was scarcely lull in the firing, and
during the time, as was afterward ascer-
tanned, four or five Indians were killed and
astlll larger number wounded. When the