Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-05-20

me next day the cavalry of,cer A..
saiied roae cut four miles from the noat
accompanied by one orderly. 20 uas, ~,
ss -, sayages and make the first count,
ne onicer selected was one who had
seen considerable service and A0hting
put ne subsequently, confessed that he
~oulo nave been glad to exchange tho
ahsy assigned him for detail Ia lead
ipriorn hope over breastwork
however he had been told bv tha
aenesai mat 1t was undesirable to send
iorce ON the duty. as some Of the war.
fiofs might become alarmed. and e.
their ignorance make trouble. and 4ha.
sne OBJECT was to give the Indians a fair
ehance. 80 out he rode, with his hear,
IN MS throat, feeling pretty confident
ehat unless he kept his head Soma
young buck" would stab him In the
oacK' and thus distinguishing himself
take his departure for the war-na+h
lhe place selected was at the foot Of a
NH on which was situated the 1aroas1
indian village Of the reservation. Ar.
irving at the point, the officer was mo,
~ She whole band rushing down the
hiil-side with yells and shouts, and "a
ne approached nearer he had the horro,
OF percoiying that they were nearly ali
drunk They had been celebrating tho
disagreeable order OF the day before bv
''tiswin" spree.
Inc Lieutenant received the charos
by dismounting and standing. with a
nonchalance which was far from nat,,.
RAJ at the foot Of large cottonwood
tree, the orderly, mounted, holding the
horses a few yards in rear 1t was soon
apparent that several Of the chiefs had
remained sober, and were doing tbei,
utmost TO prevent trouble, and BY their
e1ertlons the rabble was halted about
twenty yards from the tree and seated
with some attempt at the usual half.
circle formation. The counting office,
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 mum bers on the tags.
Many of the rascals, with irnpudent
drunken leers, shook the tags In bis
lace, 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
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 1t for confession of weakness.
In this perplexity he called UP the
orderly with the horses, and then
turned 10 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
immoFable. 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 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 ieer-
ing laughter. The prisoner was safely
landed in the post guard-house, sub
stantial witness of the nerve and cour-
age of 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 VINO
was seated on the groun1 wrapped in
blanket. Quick as thought the Indian
threw off the blanket and by 4 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
he number of the hostiles was the re-
suit of the counting process. General
Wesley Merritt, L. S. A, in -Iarper's
Magazine.