Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-02

tall grass. This second charge was re
pulsed also; and not at all by the continued
storm of arrows, but because our horses sud
denly came upon spears and elk horns anc
sharp sticks that pointed outward from til,
island. The water was made bloody anc
ruddy from their wounds, and they refused
to go forward. At the third and final on.
slanght the men stripped to the waist and
waded 10 their necks, advancing from every
side and firing their pistols only, while the
men in the grass still kept firing at long
range with larger artillery.
AS for myself sat on horse little dis.
tance back directing the fight. Suddenly
saw q great commotion. Then boats shot
out from every side. 1t was cunning and
most carefully planned scheme and bril-
liantly conducted on the part of the Indians.
It was at once seen that they had lost all
hope of defense and had raised the old cry
"save who CAMP At first our men in the
water fell back. Then they rallied and
fought desperately hand to hand, often up
to their necks in the water.
Let it be confessed after nearly 40 years
that it was great satisfaction to see so
MANY canoes filled with women and children
and old men dart through that band OF
naked besiegers and escape to the wider
that the water was red. 1t was the reading
over again the bloody page Of Prescott; the
Aztec; Cortez and his boats on Tezcuco-
the bloody water.
There was one little boat, indeed it was
only two little dry bales of reeds lashed to-
gether, as afterward observed, that from
the first noticed with concern. For it held a
young woman, young woman who was
singulariy tall and slight and supple.
There was only one other person in this
boat, bent old man. Guided by the girls
strong, sure hand, the strange craft got
through the besieging party and came to
land few hundred yards from where I sat;
the girl landing first, STOPPING low, running
forward leading the bent old man, almost
dragging him in her swift run through the
long, green grass. I plunged forward; my
horse sank to his knees, then to his belly. I
ran on after the fugitiYes on foot. did not
even draw my pistol from the holster. My
nilsson was of love, not of warl But alas
and alas, it was not shel The bent old man
was badly shot and made the water in which
the rank grass stood bloody as they ran. He
fell on his back as I ran up and kicked at
me, trying to keep me back for the girl to
escape. But she refused to run.
She bent down over her father
and held his head up out of
the water, glaring at me like wild beast.
Her black eyes literally blazed. I turned
back and LETT them, trying to interrupt
some men who had caught sight of the girl,
as got to my horse. But the beasts had
seen that the girl was beautiful. There
were some pistol shots. Then the girl was
dragged away for worse fate than that of
her dead father there in the wet warm grass
and flowers of California. Sherman has said
''war is hell" and if General Sherman
had said heroes are fiends he would have
made some enemies of soldiers, but he
would have told brave and ghasSly truth.
Out and up from the great rich valley of
grasses and flowers the army OF California
rode on the first day of May, leaving not
one living Indian behind. Some of their
horses were hung with scalps, as if they had
been hung in black fringe for a funeral.
The army of Northern California, as it rode
out and up from the valley through the
glorious pines, was literally loaded down
with scalps, with plunder and with lice. I
got back to my own camp alone, and on
foot And if the printer finds this manu-
script hard to decipher, let the bullet wound
and the broken arm that carried back with
me be my excuse for its bad condition.
And that beautiful and silent lady there
alone among the savsges? Never word or
sign.
General Crook entered the valley from the
water right through the heart of the Modoc
soon after we left the Pitt river
valley, and established the military post
known as Fort Crook; and happen to know
that he made all possible effort. in her behalf.
But she never was found. Her head must
be as white as snow now; from sorrow, if not
from time.
I shall go back to those pine trees this