The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-11-13
A LUCKY ESCAPE.
ny NJ. QUAD.

lowed the close of the Civil War, I WAS
attached to various Western forts and
Camps ~ scout aud despach rider. and
,ssin thst,capso bad my fafrshare or adj
ventures. 1t was my fortune or misfor-
tune almost ut the outset Of my career to
strike the Sioux blow which made them
forever after hungry for life This was
in 1856, while they were pretending To
bc at peace, Lut actually killing every
white man who was found outside the
forts. Twas then ut Fort Mcphrrson.
and Will" carrying despatch to II small
body OF troops stationed on the Saline
Fork of the Kansas River, encountered
small band of Indians. This was about
10 o'clock in the forenoon | saw them
emerge from dry ravinc and head To-
cut me of, and at once halted and dis.
mo itcd. was then on the crest of n
ridge, and close to u natural sink which
would make good rifle pit. II was biz
enough to shelter my horse rs well, and
was all ready for the redskins before
they knew had taken the alarm.
not N %aF p9lns nau theX pusk ssR9MsY Ysl
ii fell into their hands my scu,p would
change owners within five minutes rbcrc
wasn't Winchester rific among the In
dians ut that time, and not one in ,cn
had seen one. had one, while the nine
redskins before me had old CoShi,prd
muzzlc loading rifles, and believed |
could surprise them. They were lcd hy
sub chief namcd Little Feather. and
among the ninc were two others named
White Water and Running Bear. Thc,,
ID. IsGS
nown, and were then on their wny To nj
tend II council and II war dance.
IL WIS Little Feather who summoned
me to surrender on pam of being burned
mt The stake, aud he was tho one who
directed affairs when | shouted my re-.
fuSal. The nine spread out, mounted ON
thclr ponies, until they half cncirclcd INV
refuge, then, at II signal, they came
CmaITIhhg cnnI;mhh up the slope, each one yelling
my face, with dead rest for my 'p%.-Qn
tumblcd Little Feather and White Water
out OF their saddles, and that stopped
the charge. Al they checked up |
killed Running Bear, and before they got
out of RANGE Wounded 9Yc "a tisn,T~ isnT
riors. Tho living ,S"f"to" VIZ
carried two ponies ana All inc "c''"'''
meats of the dead GAicl' safely INTO thc
fort. , ,
Stony what "sicat tribe swOre to have
y. ..o. 4 reward Of ten ponies was
offered To any one who should kill me,
and twenty ii were taken alive. Twas
advised hy everybody to clear out of
that locality, but refused to 90 until
the l"ng.rNpcctcd war finally broke out
and was attached to u moving column.
The threats Of the Indians had not
greatly disturbed me, as | knew they
they would always be trying their best
To capture scout, no matter if they had
never heard of him. Those were ,ays
when every white man on the plains
ilNcd year IN every week and never
forgot FOR Il moment that his life WAS in
continual jeopardy. Several plans, rs
| aitcrward learned, were formed to
capture me, but slipped through.
was finally made prisoner under
8 sino ulnr ACKNOWLEDGEMENT was RETURNING
.s1fOin the dying cofumn 10 Fort Wallace
with dispatches. had set out soon
after dusk and made II good TWENTY-FIVE.
miles when II heavy e.. settled down on
'mc PIa'ns. Il wouldn't have bothered
an Indlnn I" keep the points Of the com.
pass, hut after had TUNED and twisted
among som" dry ravincS had TO own IN
that ! was lost. My horse was lust a>
badly oil. When | gave him his head
he cam" toa stop. The only thing to dc
WAS I" diSmount and wait Tor daylight.
waF sitting on the ground. not feeling
blt sleepy, and my horse was living
down. when band of thirty-scvcn In.
dmn>, I'll mounted, walked right ON To
me thIouIht the fog. | heard the foot.
steps ot their horses, but could not 10.
cate them in the fog until too late.
When | lcapcd up it was with the
thought that might make break for
1t on foot, but before could turn .hcy
were all about me, and IN another min.
ute ! was made prisoner
The Indians were as much surnriscd as
was, and i "as broad daylight before
thcy identified me. tip to that time the,
had treated me fairly well. When il
was known that ! Was the scout who's.
life they had So lpns thrstcl after half
II dozen bucks tric their best To toma
hawk Inc on the spot. When thcn
angry excitement had cooled down there
was as much rejoicing rs if they had cap
turcd Il tolt. Six warriors were called
out as Il guard, and soon after sunrise
was put IN their charge and started for u
De SIOUX village on Deer Creek, he
tween the two FORKS of the Republican
RiVer. was, Of course, disarmcd.
Then my elbows were tied together, my
feet tied under the horse, and for fear
the horse would run OF with me he was
led by lariat.
AZ noon we made halt Of half an
fs0ssrsnnd was given about half pound
OF jerkcd buffalo meat as my share of the
MONDAY meal. My arms were unbound
that might cat, but the whole six con
stantly kept their eyes on me When we
set off again was bound as before, and
we rode at Il 9alIop until 10 o'clo"k q,
night before The village was reached. I
understood the Sioux lingo very well,
though did not let on to-, and the talk