Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-12-05
The Scout,s Story.

ern Kansas. The Indians were out on
the warpath, and were never so malig-
nant and cruel. They could see the
beginning of the end, but were deter
mined TO fight it off as long as posi-
bic. left camp at midnight for a
ride of forty miles. / could have made
it by daylight, but at 2 o'clock in the
morning my horse slipped on stone
and went dead lame. | was then on
the right bank of the Smoky Hill fork
of the Kansas River, following it
down. and by leading the horse half
mile / got the shelter of grove of
cottonwoods. knew must remain
there for the day, and l made the best
arrangements | could for defence.
There was large thornapple tree in
the centre of the grove, which was
covered with grapevine. Under this
shelter dug out rifle pit, and when
it was finished | knew / could stand
any small party of Indians off until |
had fired 100 bullets.
| slept from A o'clock until Q, at
which time whimper from my horse
aroused me. | heard the reports of
rifles to the north and the east, min
gled with the faint whoops of Indians,
and as soon as | could get look in
that direction the cause was plain. A
white man on horseback was headed
for the grove, coming from the north.
lie was followed by dozen Indians.
He was well ahead of pursuit, and
would have made the grove all right,
but a party of three Indians were COM
ing down from the east to head him
off. He had pulled up just as looked
out. He was cut off, and those behind
were fast coming up. He took in the
situation in a minute. He was on
knoll covered with dead grass and
scrub bushes. He swung himself from
the saddle, unbuckled and pulled it
off, and gave the horse slap and start
ed him off. l had a telescope with
me, and when got it out and got the
bearings the man was so hidden on the
knoll that could only guess his Local
ton by locating the saddle.
All the Indians had come up and
halted just out of rifle range. There
were fifteen of them, and from the APP
pearance of their ponies l knew that
they had had long chase. The white
mans horse came down to the stream
above me, drank his fill, and then be-
gan grazing as if in his own pasture.
| wanted to mix in at once, but they
were not only ont of range, but my
horse was disabled. To have moved
out on foot would have been throwing
my life away. There was every chance
that | might have to fight them single
handed later on. The white mans ac-
tons proved that he knew how to take
care of himself, and | must let him do
so for the time being. | climbed into
one of the cottonwoods, got an eleva-
ton of about thirty feet, and now nay
glass served me better. The man was
digging in the earth with his hunting
knife TO scoop out rifle pit. While
he worked the redskins rested and
planned. They gave him about TWEEN
ty minutes, and at the end of this
time he was well hidden. even from
my sight. He had turned up several
large stones, and these made breast
work
When the Indians moved it was to
circle around him and keep up fire to
rattle him and waste his ammunition.
While they were at long range he made
no answer, but as they narrowed the
circle puff of smoke suddenly leaped |
from his pit, and one of the warriors |
fell from his horse like log. A Sec
ond dashed in to secure the body, and |
his horse was shot through. The bullet
hit the rider in the opposite leg, and
could follow him as he crept away |
the grass. Another consulta-
ton was held, and it resulted in gem
eral dismount. Then each warrior be-
gan creeping forward on his own ac-
count, firing at will. They had the
man completely encircled, but he was
very cool. When he finally got sure
thing he fired, and shot an Indian so
dead that the fellow never kicked.
Two minutes later he killed second.
This was three killed and one wour ded,
and they were losing their sand All
crept out of range and consulted again,
and knew how ii would end. If the
eleven warriors let one white man beat
them off they would be disgraced for
ever.
The ground was favorable for charg-
ing him on horseback, and they were
soon ready. Six went to the east and
1--WE to the south, and at signal they
put their ponies on the run and rode
for the knoll. Up jumped the man,
his rifle at his shoulder, and he fired
.welve shots into the two sections fast
II than could count. He killed two
ponies and wounded two or three war
riors, and this stopped them. They
broke back and headed for the grove
o make new repairs and study up new
leviliry. | let them come within
pistol shot and then opened on them
With my Winchester, and it is recorded
n military reports that l killed two
,,,1 .r.,,DloI tlsrI Tho l,x-s,r. .,-,,.+