The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-11
THE SCOUTS ESCAPE.

THE SCOUTS ESCAPE.
In June, 1867, while Gen. Custer, with
his command, was at the forks of the
Republican River, in Western Kansas,
and the Indian war had fairly begun, |
was doing duty with several, Others as a
scout. On the morning of the 10Th a
young man named Robinson reached the
camp and reported that he, with three
others had been hunting to the west of
US, and had been stampeded by the Sioux
Indians. One had been killed, as he be-
ieved, while the others had made dash
for it and scattered, each taking his own
course. Robinson had blundered upon
our camp after riding all night.
Custer was at this time hopeful of
making peace with the redskins, and the
camp ct tie forks would be permanent
for at least fortnight. II YES with this
understanding of the situation that set
out with Robinson, after he he'd had an
-all-day's rest, to hunt up bis stampeded
companions and bring them in. We left
camp just after dark, both Of us heavily
armed, and rode straight to tie west. As
I had never seen Robinson under fire I
was more anxious than if one o; my fell
low scouts were with me, but in the
course of "a couple of hours I had made
up nv mind that he had plerty of
nerve aud could be depended upon. As
near as he could judge his party was
thirty miles west of the forks when STAN
peded. At midnight, after an easy cauter
of five hours, We halted, dismountcd and
went into camp for the remainder of the
night, believing we were close upon the
spot where the hunters were attacked.
Both of US slept from that hour until just
before sunrise.
80 We had cold bite for breakfast, and
had scarcely mounted our horses when
we caught sight of the carcass of horse
lying on the plains about quarter Of q
mile away. As sooE as we reached it
Robinson identified the animal as having
been the one he saw fall as the stampede
began. Its rider was man named Nc
E Henry, who had previously been en-
ploycd as civilian at Fort Larned. The
buzzards and wolves had been at the car
.cass, but we made out that the horse had
received three bullets and dropped in his
tracks. Saddle, bride and all other
portable property had been removed.
Robinson estimated that the attacking
party numbered fifty. After half an
hours search I put the number at twenty.
He believed that all who dashed away
were pursued. I found that none of
them had been followed over half q
mile.
Had McHenry been killed or seriously
wounded by the volley which killed his
horse, his body would have been found
lying beside the carcass. As it was not,
I reasoned that he. had been captured
unhurt and taken away prisoner. The
trail of the Indians led to the north, as
if making for the south fork of the Platte
River, and we followed it at q cautious
pace. At the end of five miles VIC came
to the spot where the band had encampcd
for the night. 1t was on the banks of a
small creek, in scattered grove, and the
first thing we saw was the dead body OF
McHenry. The Sioux chiefs had de.
clared their anxiety for peace, and were
protesting the greatest friendship for the
soldiers. Indeed, Pawnee- Killer had
visited Custer to shake hands and sign 4
declaration of peace. While the old
hypocrite was declaring and protesting
his whole tribe was making ready for
war and indulging in atrocities. While
the big chief was "how-howing" in Gus
ter's camp and declaring his love for the
white man, one of his bands only thirty
miles away was subjecting hunter to
the most agonizing tortures. They cut
out his tongue, blew powder into his
body, cut off his toes, broke all his
fingers, pricked him with knives and
finally ended by scalping him. He must
have suffered for many hours before death
finally came as glad relief. The body
was not yet cold when we found it, and
had not been gone more than an hour.
Of the two who stampeded and got
clear, one went to the northeast and the
other 10 the northwest. Robinson had
held due north and thus reached oul
camp, although he was not aware OF it:
location. We took up the trail of the
one going to the northeast, believing
that he was in the greatest danger. ne
went at wild pace for at least ter
miles, never seeming to have looked
back and discovered that pursuit had
been abandoned, or to have turned tc
the right or the left, to throw tAe red
skins of his route after darkness came
It took us three hours to cover the dis
tance he rode in one, as we expected tt
see indians at any moment. About
twelve miles from the spot where w
found McHenry's horse we came upol