The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-06-04


around the low parapet, and supplied them
with blankets and other thick material to
cover themselves as they lay PROSTATE in
the wagon bottoms On rode the Indians
in a formless mass and at keen run, but
the merciless power of the breechloaders
was too much for even their savage ardor,
and after drawing heavy fire they re-
tired
As soon as they reached the main host of
their companions lively stir among all
the warriors showed that something I'M
usual was on foot Indians moving singly
and in bands pushed their way through
the disordered gathering toward the front.
and soon body of mounted men to the
number Of 500 stood apart from the rest,
ready for grand charge The soldiers in
the corral understood what was before
them, and made desperate effort TO add
something to the slender protection that
stood between them and massacre. Blank
cts and clothing were rolled into wads and
cramned into the openings of the parapet.
Surplus weapons were placed at hand, and
also tools for intrenching in case they were
driven from the corral and compelled to
take to rife pits for a final stand. These
little efforts in such crisis may not be of
substantial value, but they occupy the
mind and are better than mere waiting and
dreading.
In a short time the Indians rushed for
ward, encircling the corral and sending up
their frantic whoOps to torment and terri
fly their foes The soldiers waited until the
warriors were within easy range, and then
opened fire with the repeaters that stag
gered the savages and finally brought
them to dead stop, amazed that "a hor-
nets nest so small should have so many
stings in it. In the briefest possible
time for getting under Roadway they ad
vanced again, and found the stings as
plentiful and as businesslike as before
This time they gathered up their dead and
made for the distant timber for shelter.
The breechloaders had proven success.
Meanwhile steady fire of burning ar
rows was hurled upon the corral by skill
full marksmen, and though the target was
hit again and again nothing came of it.
AS soon as the mounted men retired a
party of dusky sharpshooters, armed with
rifles, crawled out of the ravines and ad-
vanced slowly, with punches of grass held
before them for screens. These foolhardy
victims found that Capt Powells stings
were long-reaching as well as innumerable,
and all that lived the venture out retired
and gave it up.
The mounted warriors abandoned their
ponies after the repulse of the grand charge
and stripped themselves, and with a re-
enforcement that swelled the number to
nearly 1900 advanced in a semicircular
line. When within a few hundred PAGES
they started on run, and kept it up in
spite of the hot fusillade of bullets that met
them until some of them dropped at ten
PAGES from the corral Among the dead
was the war chief of the band. In this at
tack the men in the corral tasted the Indian
fire for the first time. In their savage fury
the redskins, as rule, shot over the mark
During the run of the naked warriors
Lieut.. Jenness and one of the private sol
diers yielded to burning curiosity to wit
ness the spectacle, and raised their heads
above the parapets. Sudden death was the
penalty
The Indians found the little nest too well
supplied with stings to be breasted in solid
bodies on charge and SO changed their
tactics. A number of small parties Of per-
haps dozen warriors each, paraded them
selves on one side of the corral and set up a
savage war song. When they got within
range the breechloaders quickly scattered
them, and as they ran off swarm of their
fellows arose from the ground on the oppo-
site side of the corral and dashed impetu-
ously toward the low parapet. These, too.
yielded before the breechloaders, and again
the whole war party drew away to take