Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-01-15

not know it. He bezad the conversa-
ton as follows:
How many soldiers are there in the
fort."
about a hundred, !" / answered. Civ
ing him the correct number.
.-"Why didn't they come out and fight
usg'
They were hoping you would come
nearer"
"You are called Night Shadow"
"Yes."
"You have killed some of my peopleT
"After they had sought to kill me-"
"Rul The Indian has right to de-
fend his own lands. The white man
wants everything, even the dry rivers
and the bare rocks. In an hour shall
burn you at the stake"
hadn't the slightest reason to hope
he wouldn't. The Cheyennes had an old
score to settle with me personally, and
their loss Of men at the station that day
must be avenged. l was turned over TO
q guard of three warriors, and they gave
me something to drink and to eat. was
hungry and thirsty and made as good
q meal as if expected to live fifty years
instead of an hour longer. A stake was
driven while was eating, and before /
had finished the warriors had begun col
lecting brush.
1t was written of me by correspond
ent at Fort Wallace that Providence
saved my life. Soon after the stake had
been driven it began to rain. Although
the Indian is half animal he breads the
rain, and the storm soon took all the en-
thusiasm out of my captors. At the
same time almost a scout came in with
some news, and l was soon told by the
half breed that / had been respited.
This scout, as afterward appeared, had
discovered that the fort had neither can
non nor Notifications, and it was be-
ieved that the soldiers were demoralized
and would surrender if attacked. At
about midnight, when the rain began to
hold up, all but five men set out in the
direction of the fort. The five were left
to guard me. They did not hesitate to
tell me that the fort was to be attacked,
and that they were sure of victory.
slept from midnight to daylight,
being staked out at tho ankles and hay
ing warrior on each side of me. Soon
after daylight my guards were astir,
and when breakfast had been prepared
my feet were tied together, and / was
allowed to sit up and help myself We
were fully twenty miles from the fort,
and no news was expected until late in
the afternoon. When they asked me
what l thought of the chances l an
swered that Roman Nose would be
beaten off, and we argued the matter
pro and con without the slightest i'll
feeling.
What happened at the fort did not
learn for some days afterward. Had
Roman Nose made secret approach to
within striking distance and then
charged in he would have won speedy
victory. The presence of his force was be-
trayed at an early date, and the garrison
threw up breastwork from whatever
could be had, caught up their horses,
and the first charge took all the conceit
out of the 300, several being killed or
wounded, and the chief himself sustain
ing severe wound from q bullet. One
charge en- masse would have swept every
cavalryman off the earth, but it was not
made. After an hour of long range
firing the redskins withdrew, excusing
their cowardice by saying that the evil
one had sent men with black faces to
blind their eyes, This referred to few
negro soldiers who took gallant part in
the defense.
About o'clock in the afternoon a
courier reached us. knew, as did all
the others, long before he reached us,
that he had no good news. He told big
stories of the prowess of the Cheyennes,
but had to admit they were driven off
with loss. My guards were directed to
report with me at certain spot on Red
Deer creek, about sixteen miles away, to
which the main party had resorted after
being driven off. When learned that
Roman Nose had been wounded knew
what was in store for me. He would got
some small satisfaction for humiliation
by putting me to the torture. The cou-
rier did not wait to go with us, but rode
off to notify small party which had
been sent in another direction.
| During the entire day had been pas
sive, and betrayed no anxiety, telling
the guards that had friends at the fort
who would pay the chief a big ransom
for me. This lulled their vigilance and
they treated me more as guest than a
prisoner. Another friend had been
working in my interest during the day,
but did not discover it until an hour
before the courier arrived. A bottle OF
whisky had in some manner come into
possession of the guards. The bottle
was kept out of sight, and it was only
when their demeanor betrayed them
that knew what they had been up to.
None of them was drunk, but all were
happy and quite good natured.
1t was after o'clock before we were
ready to set out. The five ponies and
the station horse were brought mp and
bridled and saddled. This work was
done by three of the warriors, while the
other two were gambling for q blanket
/ sat about ten feet away from them
There had been no time since noon when
! could not have cast off my bonds al
will. There had been no opening fol
escape, but one was made now in 9
manner totally unexpected.
The two gamblers got into a dispute
and the three warriors approached tc
quiet them. Some one was struck, and