The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-09
AN INDIAN ATTACK.
TIE HEROINE OF THE CABIN At
THE SMOKY HILL FORK.


of over Two Hundred savagcs.
copyright. 1899. by Charles p. Lewis.l
When the Indians turned loose in west
ern Kansas and Nebraska In 1878 they
found hundreds of scattered ranchmen and
pioneers totally unprepared for either re-
sistance or fight. The red man had no
mercy In his heart for old or young. lie
took no prisoners--men, women ana chii-
dren were tomahawked and scalped as fast
as they fell into his hands. From the MO
brara river. in South Dakota, TO the
Cimarron, down in the southwest corner
of Kansas he desolated the land with torch
and tomahawk.
At midnight one night wounded man
rode into our camp on the Smoky Hlll fork
of the Kansas river, on the Overland traii.
He had two bullets in his body, and he fell
10 the earth as he was challenged by our
sentinel. but he had story to tell before
he died. Ten miles to the north OF US
pioneer had staked out his claim and set
mn his home in defiance of all dangers lie
had come from the Missouri river, and the
family consisted of himself, wife. son
fourteen years old and sister-in-law OF
eighteen. It was almost criminal on bis
part to thus expose their lives, but the
frontiers of the west witnessed thousands
of such instances. The family had re-
manned too long. When 1t was decided TO
abandon the claim and seek safety the
country was full Of war parties thirsting
for vengeance The wounded man was
land locker, who was just riding away
- foQ tuh
fired upon. They might be able to defend
the cabin for a few hours, but unless help
was sent them they would be wiped out
before monday.
We were but detachment of a regiment,
with work enough on hand for a regiment,
and no force could be spared. The captain
In command shook his head as the story
was finished, and the shadow of death
fitted over the face of the man who had
come riding through the darkness to tell it
as his life ebbed away. His entire force
would not have been strong enough to at
tempt rescue, even If at liberty to move.
He did not return to his sleep, from which
he had been aroused, but sat moody and
silent by himself, and not over twenty feet
away was the dead man covered with a
blanket.
"Look here, captain" said my fellow
scout as we moved up to him after brief
talk between ourselves, while you amt
got force huff to drive these reds of and
bring the family out it seems as If a couple
of men might help to stand the InJuns OIL
till Custer comes up with the rest Of the
command"
"How would you do itS" asked the cap.
tain.
"Waal pard and kin make the distance
afore daylight. If the family has bin wiped
out we'll come back; if not well try to git
in and help 'em hold the fort till the reds
git tired or Custer drives 'em off"
The captain took five minutes to think II
over and then gave us permission to 60
The Indians had overreached themselves
In their attack on the cabin-that is, they
had betrayed their presence by firing upon
the land locker too soon. AS his horse
dashed of with him the Applegates bar
ricaded doors and windows and prepared
to fight to the end. The cabin was con-
structed of logs, sods and stones-a tenn
porary shelter to be replaced the next year
by something more pretentious. 1t stood
on knoll, with clear ground all around It,
Fifty feet from the back door was the
spring from which water was obtained.
A mile from the house we turned our
horses loose to find their way back to
camp, and then crept forward. We felt
certain that Indians were about, but we
reached the cabin without seeing or hear
ing from them. Lying fiat upon the earth
thirty feet away we cautiously signaled
and repeated until those inside were aware
of our presence. They were naturally sus
picious of trickery and 1t was a quarter Of
an hour later before we got into the house.
In addition to what the land locker had
told us, we found that Mrs. Apologize had
been killed by bullet which had entered
one of the portfolios, and another had
struck the husband in the fleshy part OF
the leg and inflicted painful wound. In
the darkness we could not see each others
faces, and our conversation was in whis-
pers. When daylight came the body OF
Mrs. Apologize was laid on the bed and
covered up. and we dressed the mans
wound to his great benefit. The sister-in-
law was named Lucy Rogers She was
surprise to me. She had the voice and
bearing of born lady, and never saw
handsomer girl Such a girl ought to have
been lying in dead faint or walking
about and wringing her hands and unnerv-
ing the others. Instead of that she was
calm and cool and rather inclined to take
charge of affairs. The boy was only a boy
In years, but when l looked him over |
knew that he would count for a man in the
attack which we might soon look for.
Now, here's the situation" said old
Bill as daylight made our surroundings
plain. Thar are five of US here. We've
got three Winchesters, a cavalry carbine
and three revolvers and plenty of ammuni-
ton fur all. We kin stand off hundred
fur a couple of days, and nobody need be
scarf. How's the grub and wateri"
1--WE have plenty 10 eat" replied the
girl, ''but the water is about gone. | am
now going to the spring with the two
pals You two scouts must cover me with
your rifles"
The barricade was removed from the
back door, and she walked out without the
slightest hesitation She made her first
trip without incident. AS she was filing
the pals a second time the Indians discov-
cred her. Not knowing of our presence,
four warriors rose up from behind ridge
forty rods away and ran to capture her.
Bill and were lying on the ground half
way between the house and the spring.
She heard the redskins yell, and she knew
they were coming for her, but she filed
the pals just as coolly IA il there wasn't
red within fifty miles. She was on her way
back to the house and the nearest Indian
was within a hundred feet Of her when we
opened fire. Six warriors had been shell