Connecticut western news., 1889-07-31

covered by the Indians we were with- in four hundred yards of tho 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 would make our vi victory an easy one, but suddenly an Indian of enormous statue and build, his face hideously streaked in crossbars with bright yellow and vermillion paint, came dashing into the midst of the sur prising and panic-stricken baud from some place among the rocks riding a 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 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 des perate one.
 We were in 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, dislodge 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 headlong 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 many 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 out from their hid ing places to the open ground, and the battle waged right among their tents. Black Kettle seemed to be every where. His hideous presence alone prolonged the fight. He held his warriors to their ground, and the fight became free and general. The Indian women, and even the children, took part in it, and among the dead that soon strewed the snow squaws and pappooses 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.
 "tIn 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 bayonetting 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 Indian who fired from behind tent, and he fell so was obliged to step over him. As did that ball shattered my arm at the el- bow, and it fell helpless at my side. Immediately y following that shot a big Indian, doubtless the one who had killed my messmate, sprang from behind %>,. oA L k>.- hawk raised. My gun was empty, and my left hand being useless could not load. I would have run my bayonet through the advancing Indian, though, before he 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 jerked me backward in the snow.
 "'None of our men were near me, as the thickest of the fight was in another part of the camp. The big Indian who had come at me with his tomahawk seemed to be also the only warrior of this band who was not in the general engagement. The squaw who had jerked me down in the snow held me there by the hair, and lot of other squaws and children came swarming from tents in all directions to the spot. They surrounded me, spit in my face, jumped on my body, kicked me. pinched me, 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 an6 their young ones scampered away, but
 the big Indian determined to run tho
 risk of getting my scalp any way, anc
 he bounced down on me, with his knees
 on my chest, drew his knife, and tn,
 next second, although it seemed hour
 to me, the top of my head was in hi
 hand, and he was gone.
 " Imagine some one who hates yo,
 with the utmost intensity Sanbertsor
 said, in describing the sensation of thu
 scalping, and he suddenly grabbing
 handful of your hair. while YOU arr