Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-05-12

them, and though our fire might have
inflicted some slight loss. it did not
prevent them from getting two guns in
position. They had an earthwork six
feet high 10 protect the gunners. and
as the sergeant looked out and saw
what had been done lac grimly said:
"Well. we shall have a few days less
to live"
While we were at breakfast the guns
opened fire with solid shot. They were
only forty rods away, and yet the gun
merry was so poor that the first nine
shots were thrown away. When they
began 10 strike, however, we realized
the damage they might inilict. The
stones were but litde harder than sand.
stone, and while too heavy to be hurled
dowl they faxed and crumbled under
the impact. We manned the portfolios
and fired at the embrasures. and in this
way we choked though we could not
silence the fire. They got the guns
trained on one particular spot. and be
fore night came we knew they could
breach Us in two days more. As dark
ness closed in their fire wa suspended.
They could see the progress they had
made, and there was no need of hurry.
We had with US a native born Yan.
kee who had fought under almost every
flag and taken the oath of allegiance to
four or five governments, and early in
the evening we noticed him overhaul
ing the pile Of poles we had dragged in
for firewood. He at length selected out
four o r five which had all the spring Of
American hickory, and then unfolded
his idea 10 the sergeant. IL was simple
enough, but no one but a Yankee would
have ever thought of il. We first laid
five short poles on the ground and
pinned them fast. Then three feet in
rear of them we elevated five other
short poles about two feet from the
ground on crotches. When the end of
a long pole was put over one Of these
and rested against the one on the
ground we had what would have been
a spring board, if there had been any
board about it. We then nailed box
covers TO the other ends of the poles,
made ropes fast to bend them down,
and we had a principle made use of in
war 1,6OO years ago.
Now, then, pull down the end Of the
pole, place a stone on the pan and let
go, and the spring sends the stone flying
sky high, to come down with a crash on
somebody's head. In an hour we had
the five ready and playing away, there
being plenty Of broken stone in the fort
for ammunition. There was spring
enough 70 the poles TO throw a Eve
pound stone sixty rods and we heard
sounds 70 prove that we drove the
enemy from a dozen different positions
the night.
The guns opened on US early in the
morning, and then a funny thing took
place. IL may seem almost absurd 70
you, but I'm giving you only what was
officially reported when / say that with
five spring guns, as you might call
EN-. We actually drove the gunner oct
Of that redoubt and silenced their fire.
After a little practice we could get Just
the right spring 20 send the stone soar
ing away like a bomb, TO fall upon
their uncovered heads A jagged stone.
weighing from one to five pounds, and
from a height of fifty or sixty
feet, is not TO be despised They tned
get a shelter over them, but with
our musketry fire at the embrasureA
and u rocks dropping from above,
they had TO desert the redoubt Wher-
we found a body Of the enemy
sheltered by rock or thicket 20 fire. on
Us we trained our Yankee inventions
On them, and they had to withdraw.
After the failure of the artillery 10
breach the walls, the Afghsns sat down
10 starve US out. The idea was 10 wear
Us out As well, and a fire Of m1sketry
maintained day and night. They
probably didn't expect 10 do any great
harm by this fire, but they knew il
keep us on the alert and annoy
and irritate. IL did have that effect,
and they harrassed US further by threats
assault. We on our part kept them
lodging with missiles, and / have
40 doubt we wounded a good many of
hem in that way. They couldn't make
what sort of guns we had which
ired without noise and threw rocks in.
Itead of iron or lead, and this puzzle
vas what prevented them from carry
ng our walls by assault.
For thirty-six long days and nights
We were cOoped up in that fort, not
differing for food or drink, but a prey
constant anxiety, and then the sec
main column came up from the
,oast and sent US relief. In the fight in
he pass below the fort over 300 natives
we're killed, and of the dozen captured
live every nan Of them expressed a
to see our strange guns before
disposed Of as prisoners were.
They were brought inside and permit
ed to inspect them, and then curios
ty was unbounded. Poor devils!
They were backed against the wall,
,DF fe-.Wv fa.F 49,, II -. -