The National tribune., 1890-05-01
OUT ON THE PLAINS.
The Mind Strings and Rush Crock Affairs.

correcting l.. NJ Brakes statements in the
issue of Nov %, and also Geo. w. RowanS ac-
cnHnt in the issue of JAM 30, propose, II you
will allow me n small space in The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE, to write n correct account OF tho Mud
Springs aud Rush Creek fights, which ] feel
the more competent to do from the fact that
kept diary from March z, 1864, to March z,
1865, and which, in the form Of n small pass
book. is on the table before me as | write.
Feb 4, 1865 tho commander of the Post mt
Fort Laramie received n dispatch from Mud
Springs, 10 miles distant, to the effect that the
station was surrounded by large number of
Indians, and that unless speedily snccored the
ii men at that place five citizens aud nine
soldiers) would bo killed or captured. Col.
Collins. of the 18th Ohio Cav, realizing the
Importance of prompt action, started about dark
same day TO the rescue.
His command consisted Of parts of four
companies of the 11th Ohio Cav, about 100 men,
and Co. ID, 9TH Iowa Cav, about 80 men, in all
about $50 men. well mounted. and armed in
most part with Spencer rifles and carbncs. 1t
will DO seen by tho above that the 18th ONO
Cav. furnished a pretty strong "CorporaPs
guard"
We marched all the night Of the Ath aud
until about IL o'clock of tho 9th. when we
arrived at Fort Mitchell, one-half tho distance
to Mud Springs Here We rested and refreshed
ourselves and horses until about p m, when
we resumed our march, the Iowa company,
under Capt. Foutz, having been sent on in adj
vance. Marching all the night of the 9th we
arrived at Mud Springs about7 o'clock on tho
morning OF the 9th, which is the date OF tho
Mud Springs fight, and not the 9Th, rs stated by
Comrade Drake nor rs late rs the 25th, rs stated
by Comrade Rowan. Meantime the II men in
the station, which consisted of two small log
houses used for telegraph Office and stable, re-
inforced by the Iowa company, who by the way
were splendid fighters, had made il so hot for
Mr. 10" that they had made but little head
way toward reducing the station Having
marched for two nights and n day in terribly
cold weather. with no sleep aud but little rest,
we were in rather a sorry plight, many OF tho
men having their hands and ieet badly frozen.
We were in no condition to resist tho assaults OF
overwhelming numbers, yet we did so success
fully. The number of Indians was estimated
at 800 to 1000. Hastily forming corral out
of our few wagons, and thus securing our stock,
we prepared TO give them warm reception,
and they came at us in fine Indian fashion.
Soon after the fight began Col. Collins tele-
gTaphod to Laramie for TeinfoTcements. The
affair" continued without intermission from
z r. M till dark. Our loss was very light com
pared with that Of the Indians, AS we did most
of our fighting from the two log houses men
toned. while they were in the open. The
Indians made several desperate attempts during
the day to stampede our horses and mules aud
get them out OF the corral. Many OF their
braves " bit the dust-or rather the sand-in
these attempts ms il brought them within close
range of our unerring Spencers. We could not
ascertain with any degree Of accuracy how
many warriors were killed, rs most of them
were tied TO their ponies. n custom they have TO
prevent their killed from falling into tho hands
OF their enemies. The fight eaded ut dark by
tho Indians drawing of. We rested on our
arms during that night and the day OF the 9TH,
not, however, relaxing our vigilance. Never
was day of rest more welcome to poor mortaIs
than this 9TH day OF February. 1865, was to us.
During the night of the 9TH the reinforcement.
consisting of 90 of the lIth Ohio with cannon,
arrived.
We now had about $50 or 100 mon able for
duty, having lost 20 to 30 men killed wounded
and frozen since leaving Laramie. With this
small force Col. Collins concluded 10 pursue
and . catch the Indians. Catching them was
an easy enough matter, but we had n terribly
hard time letting them CO. as the sequel Will
show. Following their trail, which they made
no attempt to conceal, we came up with them
on the Sth, about 10 miles from Mud Springs.
When we arrived at the Platte. opposite tho
mouth of Rush Creek, We could see the Indians
ia great numbers on tho opposite side OF the
Platte, which was frozen over solid, 40 that We
could have crossed easily. This Col. Collins
wanted 10 do, and attack them in the hills. /
quite agree with COmrade Rowan that had this
been attempted, the result would have been
similar TO the Custer massacre on the Big
Horn, Ia June 1876.
Better councils prevailed, however. and IL
was determined that IL they would fight they
should do so on ground Of our own choosing.
As soon as they saw we were not going 30 cross
the river, they came pouring out OF the bluffs
by tho hundreds, the ice on the river being lit-
orally black with them. IL was now that we
did tho most effective work with our cannon.
as we got in several very good shots while they
were in Is compact body on the ice. We only
got in few effective shots. however, rs they
scattered out into small squads but they kept
| coming all tho same TIL all of them were
across. Meantime We had been busy preparing
To receive them. We had very strong posi-
| ton made by digging n trench In the sand and
/ throwing up the sand thus removed for breast
| work, as described by C0mrado Rowan. The
/ Indians now had us surrounded, except Oh the
| side next the Platte, and it seemed as though
the prairie was literally alive with them. True,
| We bad very strong position, but they out
numbered us at least 10 10 one; were well
armed, well mounted. cunning and brave; in
| fact. they fought like old warriors from away
back. About 200 10 300 yards from our ditch
was what seemed 20 be long. low place. or
! dry branch. where the grass aud sage. brush
! had grown very rank. and the dead grass haV-
| ing fallen down, afforded good conccameut for
/ the redskins. Two of them would get on
! pony, aud riding swiftly through this place, one
! OF them would slip of. This they kept up un-
1 til this place, which commanded our position,
was literally filled with warriOrsy and they
| picked of our men AT every opportunity. Our
| situation was growing more desperate every
minute. But the redemption Of that rayine
was close AT hand.
Lieut.. Patton, Of the 18th Ohio, asked per-
mission TO take 20 picked men aud charge into
the internal nest and Tout the Indians out.
| This was not readily agreed TO, rs il was a
| desperate and dangerous undertaking. aud we
had no men TO spare. But something must be
done, and II was finally granted aud Lieut..
Patton forming his men in elmo" aud giving a
few parting and final instructions. gave tho
command " forward" and into the "nest"
they went pell-mell and out the Indians went
those Of them who were not killed or wounded
The 20 men, after emptying the two reyovera
that each carried started 10 regain the breast.
works. The Indians now rose up from all
sides and la the middle To try and cut off the
gallant Lieutenant and his little band This
however we bad expected, aud from our breast
work We poured into them most muFdcr0us
yOlley, that made them Tecol, and gave the
charging squad chance To get back. Tive
men were killed in the charge - Harris o
tho 9TH Iowa, and Billy Hartsh0rn, Of the It'll
| Ohio. The chargers were principally lltf
Ohio men, OF the old battalon-as we called
them--who had been on the frontier more than
three years and were good Indian fighters
COmrade Rowan, therefore, is in error In say
| ing that the Lieutenant was followed In tn,