Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-07-11

the tightly drawn bows too surely flew the murderous fiint-pointed arrows of the Apaches. Here in the dust they rolled side by side, the unhorsed trooper and his willy foeman. Then on foot they fought, with carbine with pistol, or still with lance and sabre, with the ferocity of war, and for self-preservation, this unto the death.
 Riderless dashed the frightened ponies of the Indians and the larger horses of the fallen soldiers, with nostrils wide apart, wildly snorting into the thickest of the fight; then as some faithful brute received his death wound, sounded that cry of equine terror heard mid the scenes of car- mage where Destiny has often led human ity. There was no quarter; to fall was al- most certain death. Quickly was the ground strewn with the bodies of those who but now sought each others lives; together, silently and peacefully, lay the white man and the Indian in the, arms of death.
 All this passed in almost the space of time 1t has taken to tell 1t, and the oppos- ing forces have passed through each other" On the other side the trumpeter had already sounded the rally" Quickly did the Captain assemble the remainder of his men to renew the charge, but the h. dians did not wait, it was not their method. The Apaches seemed almost to vanish, so rapidly did they gain the cover of the trees and rocks bordering the stream at 8 point above the post.
 While the cavalry was charging the h. dians on the open plain to the right, their infantry companions had not remained idle. As troops had moved out to meet Cochise, there had come from the conceal .ment afforded by the rocks and mesquite trees above and in the rear, another band of Indians dismounted. This was even a larger number than that with Cochise, and was led by powerful savage, second only to Cochise himself. Hitherto their pres- ence had not been discovered; and, had their apparent purpose to form a junction inside the post, whore general massacre would have been the sequence.
 The approach of these Indians was only | discovered by the Major who commanded the infantry in time to enable him to move his men at 8 rapid gait to a place in the rear of the line of officers quarter ITS. Directly behind each of these quarters had been built "dugout" a kind of outside cellar, such as is used in warm climates to keep the family stores; these were a few feet below the level of the ground, the logs forming roofs covered with earth. Into | these were now unceremoniously hurried the terrified women and children compos- | ing the families of the officers and soldiers of the command. It was just possible to l do this and reach point beyond probably one hundred yards when the attack began The quiet was broken by the fierce whoop of the Apaches, which, once heard, can never be forgotten. The gaudily- painted and ochered savages, bare to the waist and clad only in breech-clout and | moccasins, came on at rapid run, in thin, 1 scattering line, extending far to the right l and left. To throw out skirmish line was but the work of moments, when the steady fire of the disiplined soldiers checked the rapid advance of the Indians, causin Q them to waver slightly. Quickly pushing his temporary advantage, the Major drove 1 them again to shelter. But now there came from the Apaches deafening yell, the significance of which the soldiers knew we'll Cochise had come!
 | When Captain Sigourney saw that Co., chise had gone, he for the first time heard the firing in the post. Moving his troop at a gallop, he quickly passed over the | ground of his recent charge and reached the remainder of the command just as it was being forced back upon the rear of the line of officers quarters and toward | the little parade ground at Baldwin. Many of the soldiers had already been killed by the united bands of Apaches. With Co., chise at their head and in number greatly in excess of the soldiers, 1t seemed for lorn hope, and that it only remained for | these brave men to sell their lives as dear | ly as possible.
 
 ing air the welcome notes of the bugle mingled with the wild cheering of the gal | lant infantry men, as from between the quarters dashed the troopers. In the light | of the setting sun again the saber flashes and does its noseless execution; the pis- | tol, too, comes into noisy requisition, alter hating with the cracking carbine shots the footmen take new heart and their long guns send many a red man to the happy | hunting grounds; the bullets batter, and | the whizzing arrows sound like flights of birds. The struggleis desperate; the face of the little garrison trembles in the bal | ance.
 From the thickest of the fight the quick eye of Cochise falls on Sigourney. His wounded arm still smarts from the Cap tain's thrust, and once more he calls "Now, white man, diew
 Cochise is again armed with his favorite weapon, the lance; with deadly point he rides straight at the young commander. Again the latter attempts to parry, but this time is less fortunate. The lance en- | terS his side and he Is diSmOunted, the h. dian still holding the end of the weapon.
 To Captain Si9burney, helpless and wounded at the feet of his savage adversa- ry, all seemed over. Done now his dream of glory, done his loyal pride in his chosen work, done everything for him on earth save, last, the agonized thought of his | WlQOWeQ DrlQ0. 10 ulo CQuS W1CnOuG dQ- other glimpse of the sweet face of her who was so near, to leave her in her desolatior - Whiz! Crack!
 With a mad yell Cochise sprang into the air, and the fallen soldier realized that not two hours ago, but only the space of 6 lightning flash, had the lance entered his side. Cochise had not time to inisn his work.
 The fight still ragged; but in place of the blood thirsty Apache, a woman'S form bent over her husband, and Mary Sigour- ney dropped the still smoking gun. With strength born of agony she dragged the wounded man back to the safety of the dugout.
 The fall of Cochise turned the tide oi battle; and waiting only to secure the wounded chief, the Apaches scurried to the hills like flock of quails. Then for hel who had saved the day at Baldwin" Fol the Captains Wife!"-long and loudly die the soldiers cheer.-Capt. Frank Upham in Demorest's.