Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-30
PERIIS OF THE PLAINS.
THRILLING ADVENTURES OF A GOV
ERNMENT SCOUT.
Miraculous Escapes During the Indian
Wars-The Affair that Cleared the
Road at Last.

| post rlder at rOrt wallace In 1901 may b
judged from the fact that no less than fou
attacks in force were made by the Chey
ennes on that fort during the summer
The place was small collection of huts
with nothing whatever in the shape of s
fort, and for distance of 200 miles tn,
stage stations were wiped out, one afte
another, and the post thus isolated. Ii
May, 1867, when the campaign opened
there were seven of us, says writer il
the New York Sun. When the first snow
came in the fall 1 was the only one left
The other eight had been wiped out in the
line of duty. We were not only required
to scout the country about Fort Wallace
but sometimes to make ride of 200 miles
to other forts or posts, and to keep oper
| the lines of communication between the
making their last fight, and they were
never so vigilant, cruel and cunning.
| When the first attempt was made to re-
establish the stage route small body Of
soldiers was left at each station. Each
station was provided with dugout, which
was an excavation or pit, rooted over and
provided with water and provisions. Port
holes were left for firing, and four men
esconsced in one of these pits, often proved
too many for hundred blood. thirsty red.
skins. l had a route covering three OF
these stations for some weeks, and there
was not an hour in the twenty -four, nor a
mile Of the route. which did not have its
own peril.
ORe afternoon, about the LIST of June,
| about 200 Indians appeared within mile
| Of the fort, INDUCED in extravgant demon
strations of defiance and contempt for the
few soldiers guarding the post, and drew
off Just before dark. This was before the
stage stations had been abandoned, and at
| dark was posted off to warn the first two
that the enemy was out in force. 1t was a
calm, starlight night, with crisp air and
frost, and horse and rider could be
seen pistol-shot away. | believed the
whole body OF Indians to be between the
fort and the first station, and the only pre-
caution l could take was to bear away and
make quarter circle, hoping to flank
them that way. Six miles from the fort,
as l brought my horse down to walk on
reaching a stretch of broken ground, /
| rode right in among the Indians, who
were strung out across the stage route for
half mile on either side.
/ came upon the line as it was de-
bouching from dry gulch, and so sud
denly that / saw the horses close ahead of
me before l caught the slightest sound OF
their near presence. Owing to the nature
| of the ground the line was very irregular
and all the ponies were ON the walk. For
| long ten minutes | rode within fifteen
| feet of three Indians who were on the
| right of the line, and who had only to
turn their head to discover that / did not
belong to their party. They were smok-
ing and talking and gave me no attention.
When we came to the foot of rise
| checked my horse and let them pass on
| out of sight, and then bearing off to the
| right made detour and gained the trail
| ahead of them and pushed on.
A month later, when passing between
stations, had an escape which seemed to
show the hand of Providence. The stages
| had then ceased running, but the dugouts
were being held by the employees, and l
was carrying orders and extra ammuni-
| tion. We had seen no Indians during the
| afternoon, and the night came on dark and
| rainy. l got away as soon as darkness had
come, and keeping to the left of the trail
| did not attempt to go beyond walk. |
| had covered about half the distance when
| heard the movement of horses in front
of me, and at once came to halt. In
about two minutes | was surrounded by
Indian ponies, which had been turned out
to Craze on the scanty feed, and some of
| which were hobbled. Had it been clear
night they would have moved away from
me, but the dampness and darkness seemed
| 10 have taken all the spirit out of them.
at once dismounted, and had scarcely done
so when the herd wedged me closer, and |
| heard the voice of an Indian on my left
call ont in the Cheyenne dialect:
Are you trying to drive them over me
while | catch little sleep?"
They move because they are hungry p
replied a voice right in front of me.
These were the sentinels of the herd.
The war party were no doubt in the basin
ahead of me, and between me and the
station. / stood there holding my horse
for fully ten minutes, and by that time
was quite alone, for the ponies had no
sooner got my scent than they began to
draw away. passed to the right step by
step, and almost foot by foot, and when /
had gone half mile 1 got into gully
and followed it up until felt that l must
be beyond the party to whom the ponies
belonged. Such proved to be the case, as
| reached the station without further in
cident. found an adobe house and barn
and dugout, and there were FIVE en-
ployes of the stage company. Each had
a Spencer carbine and two revolvers, and
the ammunition had brought put the men
in good spirits. They hoped the Indians
would make an attack, as everything was
now ready for them, and it was hardly sunrise
when the hope was gratifed The red
men could approach US within half mile
under cover of the gullies and washouts,
and after that they showed themselves
They first tried trickery, as an Indian al
ways does when he fails to surprise. A
warrior advanced with white handker-
chief tied to stick and his right arm held
up. He came boldly forward within pistol
shot, and | went out to meet him. He
proved to be a sub-chief named Little
Featker, and as we met he extended his
hand and said in very good English:
'How, brother, how? Are you well?o
81 am well, and SO are all my brothers
back there" 1 replied, pointing to the
station. docs Little Feather wish to sur
render to us?''
He was disconnected and embarrassed
for moment, but finally said he had come
to offer us terms. We were but three. he
said, and they were FIVE hundred. 1t
would be foolish for us to resist. If we
would surrender we would be sure of good
treatment, and weuld probably be sent to
the fort very soon. / turned the tables on
him by saying that | was in their camp
the night before, had counted them, and
made less than two hundred, and if his
misguided brethren would surrender their
horses and arms we would let them depart
'en foot. II not, they must abide the con-
sequences. He went away looking at me
as if he thought me crazy, and ten min
utes later We were encsrcled, and the fight
began. My horse was The only one at the
station. | caused him to lie dowE in tie
stable, sheltered him aG much as possible
with the means at hand, and then retired
TO the dugout in company with the Others.
Each OF us had port-hole, but more than
tive hgndred builess had been fired by the
Indians before we fred oar first. Then,
inside OF ten minutes, we killed seven and
wounded three. There we're about one
hrrnirad and ffty yaj;a,,s -, ,bo ,1,r.,,