The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-09-06
Eaoxu1E1 ARMY LIFE.
Nnw AEamous Indian Fighter Wat
Robbed Of His Wife By Redskina.
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Nnw = Famous Indian Fighter Wat
Robbed Of His Wife By Redskina.
b.ssfiaad MSkthiy.
The routine Of army life and the mo-
notonous march through ahe wilderness
does not prevent o soldier making an
interesting acquaintance now and then
with prominent characters. Thus the
writer was SO fortunate as to fall in WITH
two we'll known frontiersmen who hap.
pened to meet at Maxwell's while we
were all enjoying thatgentleman's hospi.
tality. One of them was the famous
Indian fighter, Kit Carson, who had
come down from his mountain home OIL
, flying visit. His personal appearance
differed very widely from the type usual
among men of his kind and surround
tngs. His voice was quite mild, and
whoever looked at his smooth-shaven
eace and his hair coined down close to
his head, would have taken him for a
minister Of the gospel, rather than for
e man who had many years been the
terror Of the Indians all over the west
ern country, and on whom they looked
even then-about two years before his
death-with fear and awe. The other
man was Lieutenant-C Colonel Pfeiffer.
who had served in the regiment of which
Kit Carson was colonel, and the two old
soldiers hugely enjoyed meeting again
on that occasion.
/ Since the Indians were constantly
on the wal path at that time, it was
only natural that our conversation
should turn on that topic. Colonel
Pfeifer vas persuaded to relate an ad-
venture which he was rather averse to
talk about, because 1t awakened the sad
reminiscenee of his wife;s death, There
trAs b small military post BY the name
of Fort McRae-now abandoned-on the
bank Of the Rio Grande. It is a wild
looking spot and a very dangerous one,
because the Indians use it q great deal
for driving their stolen cattle across the
river, which is comparatively shallow
and free from quicksand just at that
point. The river describes o semicirclc
about forty miles in diameter, and on
account Of its banks being bordered by
rocks, thick bushes, and favines, the
teams can not follow its course in that
neighborhood, but have to 20 across
what is called the "Jornado del Muerto''
Journey Of Death). The road takes its
name because so many horses and stock,
and even men, have persisted there from
want of water. The military and their
trains used to take large, transportable
water tanks for the men along with
them, and to travel at night, so as not
to be affected by the heat. The ami
mails, however, had to be unhitched
while the soldiers were in IN and
driven fourteen miles to the vicinity OF
Fort McRae and back again, merely in
order to get a drink of water at the Rio
Grande, and thus be saved, if possible,
from q miserable death. There are hot
springs within nine miles of Fort Nc
Rae, and thither Colonel Pfeifer went
one day with his wife and IN escort of
about twelve soldiers. While he was
bathing the men were OF the lookout Tor
Indians at the top of q rock about ten
yards from the springs. But the Indians
outwitted them, and captured the lady,
while he had just time to seize his rifle
and wade across the river without a stitch
Of clothing on, Knowing the Indian
character. he calculated that they would
not kill his wife Immediately, but take
her to their hiding places, and make her
do mental work. He therefore made
for the fort to give the alarm and send
reinforcements. He was followed by
the Indians who sent arrows after him,
one of which entered his back, with the
end coming out in front. In this con-
dition and with the arrow in his body,
he ran until he reached an Enclosure Of
rocks, where he made a halt and de-
Tended himself for several hours, while
the burning sun shone on his bare body,
causing intense pain. He was known
by the Indians as an excellent marks
man, and when they found that they
could not get him out of his strong
hold without losing several of their
number they gave up the seige. They
had no sooner left than he ran for dear
life to the post, nine miles away, and at
last reached it more dead than alive.
When the surgeon eXtricated the arrow
the entire skin peeled off from his body
from the effects of the scalding sun; and
he was at the point of death for almost
two months. His escort, meanwhile.
went in pursuit of the Indians who had
captured his wife, and were almost
within reach of them when the savages,
finding that the lady would be an in
cumbrance to them in their flight, killed
her on the spot, and took to the bushes.
Whenever new troops arrive at the
frontier, the savages make it a rule to
test, If possible, the enemy's fighting
Qualities and efficiency in their own pc
;uliar warfare. Since they have the
advantage of thorough knowledge OF
the country, they are apt to get the bet
ter of the soldiers, unless they are com
handed by officers who have experience
n fighting the savages.