The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-16
The next dav the cavalry officer de-

Inc next Jay tuo cavalry OAhOoA w
tailed rode out four miles from the post,
accompanied by one orderly, to meet the
young savages and make the first count.
The officer selected was one who had
seen considerable service and fighting,
but he subsequently confessed that he
would have been glad to exchange the
duty assigned him for detail to lead
forlorn hope over breastwork.
However, he had been told by the
General that it was undesirable to send
a force on the duty, as some OF the war
riors might become alarmed, and In
their ignorance make trouble, and that
the object was to give the Indians fail
chance. So out he rode, with his heart
in his throat, feeling pretty confident
that unless he kept his head some
Young '.buck" would stab him in the
back, and thus distinguishing himself,
take his departure for the war-path.
The place selected was at the foot of
hill on which was situated the largest
Indian village of the reservation. Ar
irving at the point, the officer was met
by the whole band rushing down the
hillside with yells and shouts. and as
he approached nearer he had the horror
of perceiving that they were nearly all
drunk. They had been celebrating the
disagreeable order of the day before by
'tiswin" spree.
The Lieutenant received the charge
by dismounting and standing, with a
nonchalance which was far from natu-
raj, at the foot of large cottonwood
tree, the orderly, mounted, holding the
horses few yards in rear. 1t was soon
apparent that several of the chiefs had
remained sober, and were doing their
utmost to prevent trouble, and by their
exertions the rabble was halted about
twenty yards from the tree and seated
with some attempt at the usual half
circle formation. The counting officer
then approached, with book and pencil
in hand and though approaching the
danger of assassination, he resOlutely
passed along the front of each circle and
checked off the numbers on the tags.
Many of the rascals, with impudent
drunken leers, shook the tags in his
face, and one fellow refused to show his.
Passing the mutineer for the time be.
ing the lieutenant concluded the check.
ing process. He was now confronted by a
formidable problem: either he must
capture the drunken young savage or
submit to the indignity of seeing the
orders intrusted to him for execution
treated with contempt, of which the
Indians were sure TO take advantage,
taking it for confession of weakness.
In this perplexity he called up tho
orderly with the horses, and then
turned to one of the most reliable OF
the chiefs standing near, and made
signs to him to bring up the young man
and force him to show his tag. The
young fellow lounged up when
hidden by the chief, but stood
immovable, staring at the represent
alive of the Government with drunken
insolence. Giving the orderly, who was
still mounted, few words of direction,
the Lieutenant mounted his own horse
as if to ride off, and at signal the
orderly, a fine old soldier, suddenly
drew his revolver and covered the young
savage at the same time making an i'm.
perious sign to him to jump up behind
the officer. The old chief took in the
situation instantly, and selling the fell
low under the arms, almost threw him
up on the Group of the horse behind the
Lieutenant, and so, covered by the
steady pistol of the orderly, they rode
off. The Indians were quick to appreci-
ate the defeat of the braggart, and the
little procession of prisoner and captors
was followed by yells, screams and jeer-
ing laughter. The prisoner was safely
landed in the post guard-house, a sub.
stantial witness of the nerve and cour-
age of a resolute officer over the savage
fury of the Apache. Such captures
were not always made so successfully.
A few months later two soldiers ap.
preached to arrest young fellow who
was seated on the ground wrapped in 8
blanket. Quick as thought the Indian
threw off the blanket and by left and
right stroke with knife killed one SOL
der and severely wounded the other.
No further trouble occurred at the
daily verifcation of the Indians. The
young men who preferred war to steady
rations quietly slipped away and were
seen no more, and correct estimate Of
the number of the hostiles was the re-
suit of the counting process.-General
Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., in Tarpor'i
Magazine.