The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-09

| COTTONWOOD Tree OF goOu SIZE, auo ilon
thence kept up such steady and etfec
tive fire that the redskins dared not make
the charge which the had planned.
Five or six of the Indians had beer
sent to their long home, and several hao
been wounded by the time the last wagon
crossed the ford. One mule and one
white man had been killed by the enemy
and two of the drivers slightly wounded
But the train was soon again winding on
its way, having fairly repulsed the pur'
suers for time at least. Crossing the
ford was hard work for the animals, and
halt was ordered mile beyond the
river and the teams coraled.
Here another of the wounded mules
gave out and soon after died, leaving but
two animals to draw the rear wagon.
The Indians had been severely pun
ished, but they were very persistent, and
on the following morning they were seen
lowering about the rear of the train,
which was now compelled to make fire.
quent halts on account of having but two
mules in place of four attached to the last
wagon. The load was lightened and
divided among the rest to considerable
extent, but still it was heavy work for
the two animals to keep up with the rest
of the outfit.
The Indians watched this rear wagon,
hoping that the train-master would
abandon it in his efforts to escape from
them, and they were encouraged by this
prospect of booty, pressing as closely as
they dared upon the rear of the train.
Now and then the best marksmen among
the whites would get good shot at one
more venturesome than the rest, and
would wound him or shoot his pony, and
an Indian upon the plains without his
horse is of no account.
It soon became evident to Captain Goss
that he must sacrifice the last wagon, and
he, therefore, ordered a halt, and, shift
ing everything of value into the other
teams, took the two mules and placed
them as additional leaders upon the
heaviest wagons. Tossing into the
wagon about to be abandoned a 10. of
comparatively valueless articles, he left
in the centre heap of blasting powder,
for sharp idea had occurred to the Cap
tain.
Something must be done to get rid OF
these banditti of the prairie, or they would
worry out and one by one kill off his men
and animals before he could reach Den
yer, at the foot of the mountains.
He knew that the redskins would
pounce upon this wagon in five minutes
after he had deserted it, expecting to Sc
cure the booty which he was compelled to
leave behind. He therefore went very
understandingly to work. He arranged
seven-minute slow match, which he
connected with the bung-hole of the keg
of powder. The train was once more or
dered to get under way.
In the distance, just out of rifle range,
the redskins were to be seen in full force,
but afraid to approach within range OF
those deadly spencers. They had lost
eleven of their fighting men, besides
several who had been left wounded far
behind. This was losing game, for
they knew that they had inflicted but a
comparatively slight injury upon the
whites.
Once more the Lode Star train was
gradually got on its way, moving slowly
forward.
After it was fairly in motion Captain
Goss himself returned to the wagon which
was to be left behind and applied the
match, then dashed off after his train.
Rapidly as he rode away upon his little
white pony the Indians more rapidly came
on to secure the booty which was about
to fall into their hands. 1t seemed to be
q general race among them to see which
should reach the prize first.
There were forty redskins engaged in
that mad race toward the deserted wag-
on.
In the meantime Captain Goss had
Joined his command, and the train was
urged forward by his orders with in
creased speed, until at last half mile or
so had been placed between them and
the abandoned wagon. Then the train
was halted.
The whites were now all watching the
hcadlong rush of the redskins in their
race for spoils.
They swept down nearly together and
surrounded the vehicle on all sides, sew
eral dismounting, endeavoring to effect
entrance beneath the canvas covering,
both by tho front and rear. They
swarmed like bees about a hive, and at
the distance of half a mile looked like
one solid mass.
Hark! The catastrophe has occurred!
The whites saw cloud of smoke and
debris rises a hundred feet into the air and
spread hundred feet in all directions
laterally, then came shock that made
the earth tremble under their feet as
though an earthquake had occurred.
1t was holocaust of men and horses.
Limbs and bodies cast in separate direc-
tions, heads and trunks severed. Twen-
ty lives we're sacrificed in one instant of
time and twenty more of the Indians
were burned half to deathl A few of
the horses, which had escaped, were seen
dashing over the prairie mad with fright
and riderlcss.
A few of the wounded were seen es-
Gaping on their hands and knees away
from the terrible spot.
"Let us return and finish them," said
one of the frontiersmen to Capt. Goss.
"No," was the reply. "They have
been awfuily punished; our way lies to-
ward Denver"
"But there are six or eight of the red
skins crawling away; they couldn't show