Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-09-20
covered by the Indians we woro wit

| Caulp, uuu tuo uctuChHeHS tuat
was sent to open fire in the rear
had arrived in position. We knew
by the yclls of tho Indians and the
great commotion among them that we
were discovered, and We began tho 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 would make our vi Glory an
easy one, but suddenly an Indian of
| enormous statue and build. his face
| hidcously strcakcd in crossbars with
bright yellow and vcrmiliion paint,
came dashing into the midst of the sur
prising and panic-stricke land from
some place among the rocks riding
black pony. His yell could be heard
above everything else as no dashed to
and fro among his warriors, and the
effect of his presence Immediately
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 DIES pcratc
one.
cove were in secure position, but
the Indians were just ms secure US we
were. The only way VIC could hope to
defeat them was to charge upon their
stronghold, disodge them, and settle
iho lf,ir l,u ., ,ln,nn-ot, L,.,l a., l.I
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 rs hidcously as
the red devils themselves. AS soon rs
VIC had emerged from the woods VIC
were met with rifle balls from every
side, and n good many poor fellows
never reached the camp. Tho dctach-
mcnt in tho rear of The camp came into
the conflict from that sdo, and wc
forced the Indians out from their hid
ing places to the open ground, and the
battle wagcd right among their tents.
Black Kettle seemed to he every where.
Ills hidceus presence alone prolonged
the fight. lie held his warriors TO their
ground, and the fight became free and
general. The Ind ian women. and even
the children, took part in it. and among
tho dead that soon strcwcd the snow
squaws and pappooscs were mingled. In
lew minutes the snow for rods around
was dyed us red with the blood from the
dead and wounded us the paint ON
Black Kettles face.
q TN hand to- hand fight like this.
of course, it was every man for himself,
and soon found myself on one edge of
the camp firing and bayonctting and
clubbing my gun just rs the situation
Tor tho moment required. A mcssmatc
of mine, who was fighting by my side,
was killed by an milan who fired from
behind tent, and he fell so was
obliged to step over him. As did
that ball shattered my arm at the cl-
bow, and it fell helpless at my side.
Immediately following that shot big
lndinn, doubtless the one who had
killed my mcssmatc, sprang from behind
the tent and rushed Mt me with his toma.
hawk raised. My gun was empty, aud
my left hand being useless could not
load I would have run my bayonet
through the advancing Indian, though
before ho could have used his tomahawk
on me, but an Indian woman had stolen
up behind me, and she threw one arm
about my neck and jcrkcd me backward
in the snow.
"'None of our men were near me, MS
thc'thiclcst of the fight was in another
part of the camp. The big Indian who
had come Mt me with his tomahawlS
seemed o be also the only warrior of
this band who was not in tho general
engagement. The squaw who had
jcrked me down in the snow held me
there by the hair, and lot of other
squaws and children camo swarminp
from tents in all directions to the spot.
They surrounded me, spit in my face,
jumped on my body, kicked me. pinchcd
nc, thrust the points of knife blades in
my flesh, and tortured me in every way
they could think of. Besides, my arm
was paining me tremendously and dye
ing the snow all around me with
the blood that flowed from the
wound. The big Indian stood by with
his tomahawk in his hand, and, fortu-
nately for me, he gave the women and
their young devils too much time to have
their sport with me, for suddenly there
came the sound of a gun near by, and
two squaws fell dead in the snow by my
side. One of our boys had discovered
my situation. The other squaws and
their young ones scampcrcd away, but
the big Indian determined to RIM tbc