The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-07

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all but realized to the letter one summer
day in 1867, in the wilds of Dakota, when
Capt. James Powell and twenty-seven fol-
lowers kept at bay for three and a half
hours over 1900 Cheyenne and Arapahoe
warriors. It was an accident, of course,
that a handful Of men should be pitted
against such host 1t was an accident,
too, but very fortunate one, that the
handful had just been armed with the
serviceable repeating rifle, then quite new
on the plains, and the Indians were not
aware of it, and supposed that they had the
little band completely at disadvantage.
Capt. Powell, with his company G, TWEEN
ty-seventh United States infantry, was
guarding the wood train belonging to Fort
Phil Kearny, and disposed OF his men in the
best manner possible in the timber where
the choppers were at work. The pinery
was about five miles from the fort, the
nearest point from which help could be
drawn Ordinarily the hostility of the
savages was displayed in harassing at
tacks on the choppers at their work and on
the wagons passing to and from the fort
The summer previous, however, body of
seventy nine men, including officers, led
by Col. w. j. Fetterman, had been inter
cepted on the march from the fort to the
relief of wood train that had been at
tackled and slaughtered to man. In an
ticipation of an attempt by the Indians to
repeat that terrible act of vengeance, Pow
ell, on being assigned to the duty of guard
ing the choppers and trains, prepared for
the worst. The drivers, choppers and
herders were under orders just where to 90
and what to do in case of attack, so that
there might be no confusion or stampede
at the trying moment.
Now in an emergency man with gun,
standing or lying with an object between
his body and the foe, no matter if the OBJ
ject is only piece of canvas, feels better
for the bit of cover. To have him feel Just
right at the outset will often make brave
man of him through long fight. The
better the protection as bullet armor the
better he will feel and the drawer he will
be. Powell constructed cover for his camp
and reserve guards by removing the wagon
beds from their gearing and Arranging them
with the right side upward on the ground
in the shape of circular parapet or so
called corral" The wagon bodies were
of wood, of course, and were loopholed so
that men could fire without exposing
themselves. The wagons numbered only
fourteen, and in order to enlarge the circle
for the accommodation of all who might
seek protection there, intervals were left
between the wagon bodies, aud filled up
with OK yokes, sacks of grain, rolled tent
cloths and other objects that would serve
to stop bullets and arrows. There were
also defensive positions on a rocky hillside
close to the places where the choppers and
cattle herders were employed during the
day, and In these the workmen and their
immediate guards were to seek refuge in
case of a sudden attack
Powell and his second in command.
Lieut.. John c. Jenniss, remained in the
corral with twenty-five soldiers and five
armed frontiersmen, who acted as guides,
Interpreters, etc. Thus the muster of
fighting men in the corral was thirty-two
in all, including the officers. Sharp Wig
lance was practised night and day to pre-
vent surprise. On the morning of Aug.
faint signs of an attempt on the part Of
the Indians TO stampede the animals in
their grazing ground were disclosed about
daylight, and all of the men of the camp
took up their fighting attitudes. In
very few minutes small mounted parties
of redskins dashed forward toward the
corral and toward the herd The herders
with their gusrds repulsed their assailants,
and Capt. Powell promptly deployed MS
reserves to cover the retreat of the party
to their hiding places among the rocks,
where the choppers and their guards had
already taken shelter. The Indians ap-
peared in force, coming to level out OF
ravines whers they had massed themselves
while it was dark A spirited skirmish
took place along the rocky hillside, but
the Indians were driven off with heavy
loss. Powell's reserve party lost four
killed, and the remainder retired TO the
corral TO await the general assault The
tactics of the savages weS TO stampede the
cattle and the outlying PARTIES first, and
then overwhem the principal camp The
surprise having failed, they fell 70 more
serious work, and formed body OF several
hundred mounted warriors in sight Of the
corral Capt Powell distributed his men