Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-22
THE LODE STAR TRAIN,

from Atchison to Denver. The train
consisted of dozen covered wagons Ia
den with various materials. including II
small engine, in parts, rs well us other
machinery. Each vehicle had four mules
with n driver and keeper, and altogeth-
CIR the train embraced in its connections
about thirty-iivc men.
These mcn were generally armed with
rcvolvcrs, and there was also distributed
among them twelve Spencer repeating
rifles, placed i'll the hands of the best
men, designed to protect the train from
the attacks of those buccaneers of the
prairie, the red skins. The wagons were
heavily loaded, it being necessary 10
carry grain for all the mules. rs well us
machinery.
The outfit made but about twenty miles
per day, and when night approached the
teams were corralcd-that is driven into
circle within which the men and ami
mails were grouped To feed and rest This
arrangement formed sort of fort. behind
which the men could fight to advantage,
if they were attacked by the Indians.
which, was pretty sure to occur some time
during the long journey across the plains.
The Lode Star Companys outfit had
not been three days on the route before
they caught sight, NOW and then. OF
Indian scouts in the distance, lowering
first on one flank and then on the other
of the train, rs il wound along the valley
of the North Platte. The redskins did
not come boldly i'll sight, but rode up
within longriilc range behind the favor.
ing shelter Of some rise in the long roll
of the prairie, and throwing Themselves
Hat upon the ground, raised their heads
high enough for The purpose OF inspect
ing the train.
The outfit was in good hands, aal
under excellent discipline. There was
no staggering, no tagging behind. The
line was kept compact and perfect, and
all hands always in call of each other.
The Indians, seeing there WAS no chance
to pick off any isolated members OF the
train by hanging on the skirts OF the
travellers, were forced to adopt some
other tactics. But they were very
cautious, for they were impressed by the
watchfulncss OF the leaders of the e:;-
pcdition.
The cunning redskins understand per-
4 fcctly The character of those constituting
one of these mining trains, after few
hours Of following and observation
Nothing escapes their vigiant eyes ANY
want OF discipline among the men, or any
'ca-clessness in the way of exposure. is
carefully noted and taken advantage Of.
while Inc train that is kept we'll in hand
by its leader, and conducted with cool
calculation and caution, ii attacked Mt
ALL il is only by very superior Numbers
and under favorable circumstances Of
position.
There were six o. eight fronticrsmcn
with the I.odc-St,r train who knew very
we'll the Indian ticticS, and who ere
prepared for an attack ut any moment.
bu:. i'll the meantime. they steadily mr.
sued their way across the drcary and
monotonous plains, appearing to take no
notice OF the scouts whose heads now
and then appeared over the distant hill
locks.
BY and by the scents became bodcr
and would dash up to within rife Shot.
of the train upon their little wiry ponies.
take a good look and then return again
On the fifth day ont from Atchison
twenty-five or thirty redskins, early in
the morning, came circling about the
train Just MS it started unon the
days Journey and salntcd the whites
with Il shower of arrows from good dis
lance. This onslaught was comparatively
harmless, with the exception of Il slight
wound in the neck Of one of the mules
Not so, however, rs it regarded the
Indians, for one of the fronticrsmca drew
a bead from his Spencer upon a Com
anchc warrior, and put an ounce of lead
through his heart, while another shot a
pony from under his rider. The rcd
skins made hasty retreat, leaving dead
pony on the plains and carrying OF their
dead comrade.
The train was not halted at all bu.
Kept steadily on its way. However. tho
Indians had learned lesson of cautio:
for the future As wss afterwar,l
known, they had lost one of their best
chiefs in this useless attack, and though
they had the additional incentive of re-
vengc added to that of cupid;ty, vet
they were held back by wholesome
fear of the Spencer rifles.
Still day after day they followed the
train, almost wearing out the whites by
the inccssant watchfulness which wa.
necessary Tor sclt-ProtectfOn, and Oc-
casionailys when some favorable in
Acquality OF ground occurred, they would
get near enough to launch their arrows
and to send few rifle shots into the
ranks of the whites. One or two of tine
men and animals had thus been slightly
wounded, but nothing more serious oc-
CURED until the train had reached tho
ford of the Little Blue River.
BY this time, the ninth day, the In
dams had increased in numbers so that
the whites made out some fifty or sixty
of them, and, trusting to the disadvan-
tage necessarily encountered in getting
the animals and wagons over the narrow
but somewhat swift little stream, tho
enemy Eerc attacked the travellers in ;
very persistent manner, partly sheltered
by the belt of cottonwood trees which