Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-15
FIGHTING THE SIOUX.
A Memorable Bate which Took Plac
Many Years Ago.

n MelnOT1Die E2st-c - hicl TOOK race
Many Years Ago.
SIT was in the summer and fall of 1868
that the northern Cheyennes and Sioux
carried terror all along the border, said
General G. A. Forsyth at Denver to q
correspondent. They killed many set
tiers and narrowed all the little settle
ments into the widest excitement. I
was then on Major-General Sheridan's
staff, and asked that l might take the
field to meet the savages. l was given
command of fifty scouts, having under
me Lieutenant Beecher, a nephew of
Henry Ward Beecher, and Brevet
Brigadier-General Mccall, who acted as
my first sergeant. Most of the men
had seen service in the rebellion, and
were good shots and thoroughly to be
depended upon.
ION the 9th of September we started
from old Fort Harker, worked up to
Fort Hayes, to Sheridan, Kas., and to
Fort Wallace. We started with seven
days supplies on the Indian trail. After
following the trail thirty miles it scat
tered over the prairie, and we were
obliged to circle for three days before
we struck the trail again. We found
where five warriors had slept at a
wicl1iup and soon we came upon a
broad trail, which indicated that thou
sands of Indians were ahead of US
On the afternoon of September II the
party found itself out of supplies and at
4:30 o'clock went into camp. The spot
chosen was where the Ariclkaree enters
the Republican river. In the middle of
the channel was a sandy island sur
rounded on all sides by water three or
four inches deep. There were no river
banks to cut off the view of the sur
rounding country, which seemed to meet
the sky on all sides, the surface being
rolling prairie.
During the night l arose several
times to inspect the guard. and be sure
that we should not be taken by sur
prise" continued the General. I'VE
tethered our horses and mules in a cir
Gle around us, and every man was di-
rected to dig hole in the sand, as a de-
Tense against the arrows and bullets of
the savages. At daybreak on the fol-
lowing morning the trouble began. A
dozen Indians first appeared, with
dried beef and bells tied to the sides of
their horses, making a noise so as to
stampede our animals. l took shot at
the savages. and called on the men to
saddle up. Before we could mount the
whole surrounding country seemed to
grow Indians.
They appeared innumerable and
seemed to come from every quarter.
They kept up a running fire all day,
killing all our horses. but not coming
near enough for us to do much to
them. Toward evening. however, one
leader. Thisthrew them into confusion,
and they withdrew"
The next day the Indians renewed the
attack, but made no more mounted
charges. During the night General For
syth had dispatched two scouts. who
were to attempt to reach Fort Wallace,
one hundred and ten miles away. They
crawled out of camp in their stocking
feet. The second night another detail
of scouts was sent in the same direction.
The party subsisted on horse and mule
meat. but on the fourth day it began TO
purify, and for four long days not a
mouthful of food was found in the camp.
From the actions of the Indians it was
plain that they were preparing for re-
treat, but, fearing an ambuscadc, the
party remained intrenched upon the
island. On the morning of the eighth
day the first column of the relief corps
was visible on the hills, and never did
the eyes of despairing men rest on
a more gratifying sight. Four troops
arrived from as many directions within
two hours. General Forsyth was car
rid to Fort Leavenworth. and it was
two years before he recovered from the
sufferings of those dreadful seven days.
ut was not until 1871 that | learned
the true strength of the Indians" said
he. I'm my report to the Government
estimated the force at 500. but in Den
yer l met Cheyenne chief who carried
a bullet in his lungs as a memento of
the battle. He said there were go war
riors in the Indian camp. and that their
loss during and Immediately after the
battle was seventy-five men. In his
words, the wounded were heaps Had
we attempted to leave the island. he
said, we would certainly have been de-
stroyed in an ambush which had been
for our reception.-N. Y. Star.