Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-08-26
A Scouts Story.

Along in the fall Of 1866, while the
Indian tribes of Kansas, Nebraska
and Colorado were protesting peace,
yet making ready for the bloody
spring campaign which cost so many
lives. Black Bird. son of Roman
Nose the famous Cheyenne chief, paid
q visit to Fort Iarncd HI was
youpr man about twenty years OF
age. tall. active and brave "a lion.
! Although be made the excuse OF trade,
and although he did purchase a few
supplies, it was believed by everybody
at the post that he came as spy.
There had been u war council OF all
the tribes. and it had been agl eed 10
open war in the spring which should
not cease until the white man was
driven east Of the forks of the Kan
sas River.
One of the hunters and scouts at
| tached to the fort at that time was
man named Joe Hall, who had served
as a scout under Gen. Sheridan. lie
was thirty-five years old, strong ana
rurped and il was said of him that
he didn't know what fear was. he
firmly believed that young Black
Bird came to ascertain and report on
the strength of the fort, and he picked
n quarrel with him TO obtain sat stac-
ton. Black Bird, although alone
and realizing that he had no friends
there. did not show the white feather.
1t was fight with knives, beginning
so suddenly that the officers could
NOT interfere. The Indian was
wounded and disarmed, and in or
der to humble him still more Hall
snat upon him and retained his knife
as a trophy. 1t was an act criticised
and lamented by the officers, and
disgrace they knew would have TO be
washed ont i'm blood, and Hall him
self realized that from that hour every
man of the Cheyenne tribe would
thirst for his life. Two weeks later
old Roman Nose sent in the follow
ing message:
Give up the man who insulted my
son and | will be satisfied. If you do
not it shall be war between us ard
the whites as long as | Lay war
rior able to raise tomahaWk.
/ = raFIspI
and to give Hall a better chance to
protect himself he was transferred 10
Fort INon, Col. The Indians soon
learned of the change, and Black
Bird received the command OF ten
warriors and ordered not to return TO
his father until he brought Halls
scalp During the greater part Of the
winter this band hung about Fort
Lyon for an opportunity to Kill the
scout. He knew Of their presence
but made no change In his pro
pramme. He had n mule almost as
fleet of foot as an antelope. and al
WAYS carried a Winchester and two
! revolvers
Spring came. and with it the open
ing of savage warfare. The Indians
took the field determined to sweep
everything before them. In June Joe
Hall was sent from Fort Lyon to Fort
Wallace with dispatches. The in
tervening country was literally
swarIning with hostiles, but he was
within three miles of Wallace before
he found bis position pe7ilous. Ro-
man Nose and his band, numbering
about $50 bucks, made sGdden dash
on the overland stage station mile
from the fort, and gobbled up about
fifty horses and mules. They eX-
pected TO get the scalps of five or six
enploves as well. but the men ran TO
their dugouts and poured in such a
hot fire as to drive the Indians of.
Roman Nose then ordered an attack
on the fort. which was only collec-
ton of tents and shanties, and sllnly
parrisoned. He was beaten of after
sharp fight, and while retreating
his force came upon Hall trying to
make the fort
The scout was cut off, and he turn
ed TO make run for it. His mule
would have distanced any pony in the
band. but the race had scarcely be
gun wheE a bullet from the rifle oil a
pursuer struck Hall in the back ot
the head. 1t was a spent ball anu
didn't draw blood, but it gave him
such a shock that he tumbled out oil
his saddle and was a prisoner wheh
he recovered consciousness There
were thirty different warriors who
knew Hall by sight, and when it be-
came known who the prisoner was
the rejoicing was something terrible.
He was thorougly up IN the Cheyen-
ne dialect, and of course caught every
thing said. When Roman Nose was
told that Hall was the prisoner so