Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-01-15
TWO SOLDIERS.

.
Noers reply was: II have already heard
go much from you today, Mr. Mason. II
hear one more word you go to the rear in
arrest. | am wounded, sir. but | will not
turn over this command to you"
wounded be hangedl Capt. Noel
vou we got a scratch of which a child ought
10 be ashamed" WIS the furious reply,
mon which Noel, considering that be must
at all hazards preserve the dignity of his
position, ordered Lieut.. Mason to consider
himself in arrest. And dismounting, and
calling to one or two of the men to assist
him, the captain got out of his blouse and
had the sleeve of his undershirt cut off,
and then in full hearing of the combat up
the pass proceeded to have a scratch, as
Mason had truly designated it. stanched
and dressed.
Meantime the troop, shamefaced and
disguised, dismounted and awaited fur
Their developments. For fifteen minutes
they remained there, listening to the bat
file mile away, and then there came a
sound that thrilled every man with excite
ment--with mad longing to dash to the
front; there came crashes of musketry that
told Of the arrival of strong reinforce
ments for one party or another, which
party was soon developed by the glorious,
ringing cheers that they well recognized
TO be those of their comrades of Greene's
battalion.
"By heavens" said Mason, with groan,
latter all, we have lost our chance It's
Greene, not old K troop, that got there in
time TO save them"
The lobe that xuara cacf foxuor d fbo;, ..
new captain by the men, standing in sui
len silence at their horses heads, were not
those that any soldier would have envied.
Directing the first sergeant to take half
a dozen troopers and feel their way eau
tiously TO the front and ascertain what
that new sound meant, the rest of the men
meanwhile to remain at ease, Noel still
sat there on the ground, as though faint
from loss of blood. The bleeding, how
ever, had been too trifling to admit of any
such disposition on the part of those who
had been looking on. The cheering up the
pass increased. The firing rapidly died
away. Soon it was seen that the first SER
geant was signaling, and presently man
came riding back. The sergeant and the
others disappeared, going fearlessly into
the pass, and evidently indicating by their
movements that they anticipated no fur
Their resistance. The arriving horseman
dismounted, saluted the captain and re-
ported substantially that the pass was now
in possession of Mai. Greene's men, and
that the Apaches were in full flight to-
ward the south, some of the troops pursu-
ing.
Then at last it was that the mount"
was sounded by the trumpeter, and half
an hour afterward-full three hours after
they should have been there-Capt. Noel,
with X troop, arrived at the scene Lane,
faint from loss of blood, was lying under
tree; four of his men were killed; one of
the helpless recaptured women had been
shot by an Indian bullet; five more of the
Devils own DIS" were lying wounded
around among the rocks. Desperate had
been the defense; sore had been their need;
safe, thoroughly safe, they would have
been had Noel got there in time, but it was
Greene's battalion that finally reached
them only at the last moment. And yet
this was the thrilling announcement that
appeared in The Queen City Chronicle in
its morning edition two days afterward:
Gallant Noell Rescue of the Indian
Captives! Stirring Pursuit and Fierce
Battle with the Apachesl
"A dispatch received last night by the
Hon. Amos Withers announces the return
from the front of Capt. Noel, who so re
Gently left our midst, with portion of his
troop, bringing with him the women and
children who had been run off by the
Apaches on their raid among the ranches
south of their reservation. The captain
reports a severe fight, in which many Of
the regiment were killed and wounded, he
himself, though making light of the mat
ter, receiving bullet through the left arm.
while the rest of the command had
gone on in pursuit of the Apaches the cap
tain was sent by the battalion commander
to escort the captives back to the railway.
"This dispatch, though of private char
acter, is fully substantiated by the official
report of the general commanding the de
partment to the adjutant general of the
army. 1t reads rs follows:
Capt Noel, of the Eleventh cavalry,
has just reached the railway, bringing with
him all but one of the women and children
whom the Apaches had carried off into
captivity. The other was shot by bullet
in the desperate fight which occurred in
San Simon Pass between the commands of
Capts. Lane and Noel and the Apaches,
whose retreat they were endeavoring to
head off. Greene's battalion of the Eleventh
arrived in time to take part; but on their
appearance the Apaches fled through the
in the widest confusion, leav
ing much of their plumber behind them.
1t is impossible as yet to give accurate
accounts of the killed and wounded, but
our losses are reported to have been heavy.
How thoroughly have the predictions
Of The Chronicle with regard to this gal
ant officer been fulfilled To his relatives
and many friends in our midst The Chron-
Gle extends its most hearty congratula
ions We predict that the welcome which
Capt. Noel will receive will be all that his
iondest dreams could possibly have cher
she'd"