Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-01-11

company obeyed the call and joined
Bancroft in the cheer and charge, and
the ridge was promptly cleared.
In one or another of the charges made
Captains Pollock and Jocelyn and Lieu
tenants Etenhead, Farrow, Wood, Bally,
Duncan and their men played an active
part. We had not as yet done much,
but merely taken the outworks OF DO
seph's sheltered line. Following up the
excitement Wilkinson gathered all the
available men who from any cause were
not in front, including horse holders,
orderlies, extra duty and train men, and
with them made rush from the right
down into the ravine. This attempt
drove in some worrisome sharpShooters
and made our exposed right flank
more secure. Fletcher and Otis pointed
the howitzers and helped on all
the exciting charges by landing shells so
as to explode them among the Indians;
but this noisy work only madethe warrl-
ors cling more closely to their barricades.
Farther to the left the Indians soon at
tempted the white mans favorlte game.
In squads, they too vailed and charged;
but Winters, Morris, Berry and Whlpple
quickly arrested these onsets and sent
the Indians back with severe loss. But
as darkness came on our comrades dld
not have very hopeful view of the held.
Cut off from all communication with the
outside world, our water supply still In
the enemy's hands, with every hghtlng
man on the line-a single one, long
and thin-and with Indians numerous
enough to encircle our whole front, the
night was cherries indeed. New bar
ricadeS were constructed on both sides.
The Indians were noisy, and like Coll
ath of old, frequently def I'd their Toes
MANY of our officers risked their lives
by going in the night TO the spring to
bring back water to refresh their men,
and greatly encouraged them. In the
day time it had not been safe to pass
from one part of the line to another. To
avoid a shot our officers found that they
must creep. like children, TO and from
the front.
Matters were yet substantially I'M
changed at dawn, except that an often
sive plan had been promulgated. 1t
was. first to recover the spring; second,
that every man should have his break
| fast, not emitting a cup OF coffee Tor
each: third, TO withdraw Captain Mil
ler's artillery battalion (all that were
serving as infantry, from the front line.
Fourth. at an hour appointed Miller was
| TO form a column, move out southwark,
pierce the hostile curve and, when Just
| far enough across, face TO his right and
roll up that line. The howitzer battery
and all other troops were TO support
and follow up Miller'S movement if it
should be successful. But Joseph, SEEM
! ing TO anticipate some contrlvance
against him, had his own offensive
plan. He set in motion herd OF ponies,
some three hundred strong, and direct
ed them across the space which was not
covered by our troops. He did it doubt
| less with a view TO stampede our ami
mails and possibly break our ranks and
terrify our men. They ran swiftly, as
la herd of wild animals can, keeping
well together, but were themselves
turned from their straight course by the
discharge at them of few pieces; and
they disappeared as suddenly as they
came without doing us any percepti0le
damage.
Our operation for the second day COM
menced about sunrise. Miller had OTIS
battery so located as to shell the bushes
and hollowS in the neighborhood of the
spring. Perry'S and Rodney's men, who
were waiting on foot near at hand dur
ing the Smelling at the command and
with no little shouting made series of
charges from hillock to hillock, till the
ground was cleared of enemies far and
near. Immediately picket posts were
so chosen and occupied that a man,
going with pail to the water, could not
again be moleSted. Soon little fires
had started, and camp kettles were
steaming. The handy. soldier cooks,
sent from each company, made ready
the hot coffee and warmed up the food,
so that before two hours had expired
officers and men had been cheered and
refreshed by respectable breakfast.
The third thing devised, to take away
from the front several companies, was
not so easy to execute. There was
strong protesting: "Oh, no, General,
our lines are too weak already. 1t is not
safe" But the General remained firm
and shouldered all the risk. Captain
| Miller then cautiously withdrew his
| four companies: while Captains Miles
and Perry stretched out their battalion
lines TO fill the gap so created. IL was
fortunate for us, perhaps, that Joseph
did not comprehend what we were do
ing. so made no attack while the COM
panieS were in motion. Miller, at half
past two, the time designated, was just
ready to start across the ravine held by
the Indians. His entire command, IN
waiting, were filed with hope and ex-
pectancv, prepared TO take up the parts
assigned them, when 10, a big dust: 1t
rose some two miles away towards the
southeast.
1t was Captain Jackson 5 troop that
had been coming from Fort klamath
with instructions to join US; they were
escorting supplies. Immediately the
expectant artillery battalion was or
dered to push out and meet the coming
cavalry. Miller moved at once and rap
idly, taking the Indians by surprise, so
that only moderate diminishing arose
when he was crossing their lines. IL
required, however, more than an hour
to bring in the new troops, some fifty
strong, and the provisions.
Miller'S column began to move quick
ly toward us, and 10 encounter quite a
storm of bullets ftfully striking the
ground around him. He had again
pierced the Indian line when his men
| faced suddenly to his left and charged.
Rodney's company, having halted mo
ment, let the others pass, then followed
some distance in the rear TO guard
against the repeated attempts OF the
Indians to get around one flank or the
other of the moving front. There was
some obstinate resistance at JoSeph'S
barricade, some rapid firing, but no In
dian dreamt of such a rolling up. AT
ter a few more wild shots, and few
bold but vain efforts to gallop around
Miller'S command the Indians gave way
en- maSSe aud began to run down the ra-
vines and the clear slopes TO the Clear
XVotor brspeb and thpn n wade mr.