The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-10-19

him up and punish him. The infantry
was two miles in rdvance OF the cavalry,
when one day, just at daylight, it came
in sight of the encmy's camp.
COVE were on high hill overlook
ing the valley Sambertson said, in
giving the account of the affair, 'and
the Indians were below. 1t was in the
middle of winter and the snow was very
deep. The Indian camp was in rocky
were there, it was evidently the head
quarters of the band. 1t was de-
terinined to surprise the village, and
portion of our command was sent
through the woods to the right to get
in the rear of the camp, while the re-
mainder advanced quietly down the
mountain, from the top of which good
trail led to the valley through the thick
woods. This manGuvring was so sue
cessful that before our presence was dis
| covered by the Indians We were with
in tour hundred yarls of the
| camp, and the detachment that
was sent to open fire in the rear
had arrived in position. We knew
by the yells of the Indians and the
great commotion among them that we
were discovered, and we began the at
tack. Firing began on both sides of
them at once, and this caused what at
first promised to be panic among the
Indians that woald make our vi ctory an
easy one, but suddenly an Indian of
enormous statue and build. his face
hideously streaked in crossbars with
bright yellow and vermiliion paint,
came dashing into the midst of the sur
prising and panic-stricken land from
| some place among the rocks riding
black pony. His yell could be heard
above everything else as he dashed to
and fro among his warriors, and the
effect of his presence imme diately
changed the whole situation. In less
than two minutes every Indian was in
position behind some rock or tree, and
knew that the fight would be desperate
one.
"'We were in a secure position, but
the Indians were just as secure as we
were. The only way we could hope to
defeat them was to charge upon their
stronghold, dis!odgc them, and settle
the affair by desperate hand to hand
| fight. We were ordered to charge down
the hill upon the enemy, and we rushed
head long right into the Indian camp,
every man of us yelling as hideOusly as
| The red devils themselves. As soon as
we had emerged from the woods We
were met with rife balls from every
side, and good MANI poor fellows
never reached the camp. The detach-
ment in the rear of the camp came into
the conflict from that side, and We
/ forced the Indians ont from their hid
! inG-places to the open ground, and the
battle waged right among their tents.
/ Black Kettle seemed to be everywhere.
His hideous presence alone prolonged
the fight lie held his warriors to their
ground, and the fight became free and
general. The Indian women, and even
the children. took part il it. and among
the dead that soon strewcd the snow
squaws AMI pappoose3 were mingled. In
Few minutes the snow for rods around
was dyed as red with the blood from the
dead and wounded as the paint on
Black Kettles face.
"'In hand-to-h hand fight like this,
of course, it was every man for himself,
and l soon found myself on one edge Of
the camp firing and bayonctting and
clubbing my gun just as the situation
for the moment required. A messmate
of mine, who was fighting by my side,
was killed by an In .ian who fired from
behind tent, and he fell so was
obliged to step over him. As Ibid
that ball shattered mr. aim at the ell
bow, and it fell helpless at my side.
Immediately following that shot big
Indian, doubtless the one who had
killed my mcssmatc, sprang from Lehind
the tent and rushed at me with his toma.