The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-11-05

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ing direction to the right and again to the left.
! the 7th was formed in liBe on the high ground
east OF the camp On nearing the ground the I'd
Cav. was sent OF 20 the left and took up posi-
! tion 20 the northwest Of il, cutting of the herd
and securing it, When the camp was first
deserted portion Of the lodges had been struck,
aud about 100 ponies had been packed for the
days march. These guided by women and
children, accompanied by so OF 60 warriors,
were az once rushed ont and started Borthward
An attempt WAS made 20 cnt of their retreat,
/ Lieut.. McClernand, in command Of q Troop,
% Cav, being sent in pursuit. They halted
Tor light, after going about 6vO miles from the
main body, aud finding large portion of their
pursuers enCumbered by the care Of the ponies
/ they had secured, boldly assumed the offensive
and Forced the soldiers back toward the main
body, though they failed in their attempts TO
retake the stock. Most OF them succeed In
/ getting back through the investing lines and
4 joining their companions ia the defense so
well bad these succeeded in covering them
selves that scarcely one could DO seen; but
from their c0ncealment they sent shots with
uBerring aiIn ar every head exposed by the
troops. Lieut.. q. w. Baird, Adjutant Of the
/ oh Infp Acting Assistant AdiUtaut- General
OF the command, had his left arm shattered
aud
an EAR SHOT AWAY
while carrying orders When the cavalry
| occupied the bluffs east Of the camp, IL forced
| the abandonment of the steep bluff from which
it bad been FIRST fired upon, and as the 5th
! lnf. came up IL executed left front into line"
aud was halted st the crest Of &C. IL was
/ greeted by hot Ere from the coulees" i'm
Insdiately in fTOnt in the low ground some Of
4 them not more than 90 yards away. aud men
aud horses began 10 drop before it could be
/ dismounted. Tie HOtchkiss gun was brought
I up aud attempt made % shell the Indians from
their cover, bnt IL could not be depressed
/ enough 10 be effective, aud they soon drove il
from It's position with severe loss 10 its gnnuers.
The fnen behaved splendiGly, aud the GOODNESS
Of some was wonderful. To get a position
from which their Gre could be made more
/ elective, 10 WAS desired 10 deplUy :" q Of the
5th rs Ekrmishers "by the tight lank," !" End
! the bugler WAS ordered 20 sound the de-
pi6ymcnt. +" cant bl0w, sir; l'm shot" said
4 the brave fellow, aud a glance toward him
showed him on the ground with q broken
thigh, his horse with a broken spine by the
same bullet. Another man lay still when the
movement began Ais head toward the enemy.
/ "A Sergeant IN has rear. creeping crab wise
toward his new position was directed to have
him move along"
he CAN'T DO II, SIR; HE's DEADl"
was the reply. A small piece Of ground
/ directly IN rear Of the steep bluff alluded TO
was sheltered from the enemy's fire. and hero
u tDe wounded who could walk or crawl were
1 gathered for the attention of the Surgeons.
! Capt MOylan, wounded in The thigh. came
back 70 the line after having his wound at
/ tended to bat the effort was too much. aud bad
| 10 be given up. Between % aud 90 lodges
I were silll standing. IN them and az any other
place where they could be- protected from fire.
the Indian women began 20 sink pits for shelter.
1 Many OF the warriors worked their Way no 10
the edges Of the bluffs through the "c0slees y
or draws" which scanned their faces, and
| digging into the banks threw the soil thus
obtained up over the top. and soon had very
( formidable ri6e-pits ia use From these they
/ picked on every man who rose 10 bis feet on
the level ground eEst Of their dcfonses As the
distance was almost rii every shot could be
I made 10 tell. One officer had a shot through
las belt, another carried away the case OF bis
held-glnss q third took OF the handle Of his
hunting -kn8le, and another cut the skin from
an ear.
CREEPING CAREFULLY Up
4 20 the edge Of tie bluI TO look over. A bullei
instantly lifted the hat aud q lock Of hair FOR !
Sergeant another went through the head oi
the comrade 81 his SIDE By 3 o'clock IL be.
came evident that the attack must become q
siege and an attempt was made % pet posses
sion Of the course Of the creek and cut The
Indians of from water. TO ehert this Tr00ps
aud ID Of the 7th Cav, which had no officers
with them, were placed under the command oi
the writer with his own company fG) ~ the
9Th Inf, and were 20 he pushed up 10 the edge
OF the bluiis east Of the valley and attempt 10
dislodge the Indians there. and then direct
their fire on those who could be seen IN the
couieeG IN the bottom. while Co J. bth Inf
under command OF First Lieut.. NOW Captainl
Mason Carter WAS 10 charge down the slope on
the southwestern side and get into the bed oi
The stream. The signal was 90 be given by
swinging hat by the writer when tie three
companies on the high ground were ready C
move Crawling hack 20 his command. the
order was pissed along the line, aud, rising tC
his feet,
THE HAT was SWUNG.
The troops started with cheer, and som,
reached the rite-pts, only 30 fall dead on theil
edge and shot through the iuugg put tLei,
commanding oihcor out Of the fight Go.
succeo3ea ln getting across some Of the smaller
ibflnesi ana some 81 lts numbers among tht
"leDees," but tho Indians rallied ana droyt
them out with loss Of over third of tAeil
number. The wounded who feIl into IN,
hands Of the hostAes were not molcsicd. say,
10 be stripped Of arms aud ammunition. exceri
one hefgoaut oi the cavalry, who rememberinl
lhe i1liie h"fn' hfea on an approaching In.
. dian With tis revolver and was / He'd becaus,
he refused 10 surrender. They even gay,
some Of the wounded water EfLor niRhtiall
when IL could be done with safety.
AZ soon Es darkness closed IN tic troops wsr,
posted around the valley 10 prevent, Ms far a
possible, the escape Of any Of its defenders. bu
the line was necessarily thin one and Scspit,
, al precautions a few, among them White Bir,
J and some Of bis band, who had been resnopsi
bic for outrHges leading 10 the frst outbreak
succeeded in escaping and joining those alread,
iu Canadian terrItoTy. Aside from The Ne
Pcrce there was another possible, II not prob
! able. element Of danger and strife 10 Dc guGrdo
against.