Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-12-14
BOLD DEFENDERS.
4 THRILLING STORY TOLD BY Il
SCOUT.

4 THRILLING STORY TOLD By Il
SCOUT.
About the first of September, 1867,
when I was acting as government
scout in Kansas, left camp on the
Republican river one morning, to ride
across to another on the Platte, having
three citizens of Kansas with me, who
were in search of a white boy who
been carried off the fall before. l had
figured that the hard fighting of the
previous week had drawn the Indians
to the east, and that we could make
the ride without meeting any, and we
therefore started at sun-up, and push
ed ahead at rattling pace.
We had made twenty-five miles
when we came to q succession of ridg-
es. In riding up and down them it
was like ship rising and falling on
the seas, only there was valley about
ten rods wide between the ridges: In
somo of these valleys there was fine
pasturage, while others were badly
quilted out by rains. AS we rose on
one of these ridges we heard firing,
and proceeded with due caution, we
finally located it beyond the last ridge.
The ground there broke away into an
almost level plain, where the earth
was baked hard and the rock outcrop-
ped in great profusion.
Half mile from the ridge stood two
dead cottonwoods. Around the bases
of these the stones had been piled up
two or three feet high. AS we crept to
the top of the ridge on hands and feet,
and looked over, we saw a temporary
Indian camp right below us at a water
hole. There were three or four In
dams lying under shelter ofskins, and
beyond them we counted nineteen who
were crouched behind knobs and bowl
ders, and firing at the breastwork.
We saw at once that some one was
being besieged, but we made no move
until we could learn the particulars.
While we were watching affairs puff
of smoke shot out from the breastwork,
and an Indian who was raising his
head above boulder to get shot,
sank down dead. We were ready to
help the defenders, but we waited q
few minutes to see how strong they
were and how much game they had.
In about three minutes there was
loud report from shotgun, and a red
skin who was hugging the earth ut the
roots of bush was hit by some of the
shot, and uttered yell and rolled
down the hill to safer cover.
"There are only two white men
there" whispered one of the citizens,
"and they are not over stocked with
ammunition. They are firing only
when they have dead sure thing.
Let US give those red devils a surprise
party" -.
We crawled few yards to the right,
to spot furnishing good cover, and
then each picked his target and open
ed fire. What followed was grimly
ludicrous. The fire in the rear broke
the Indians all up in q minute, and
they made q rush for their ponies,
which were grouped to our right, and
half mile away. We wounded two
and killed one before they got out of
range, and then descended to the camp
to find four wounded warriors lying
there, every one hit with buckshot.
One of them got hold of his rifle and
sent bullet through one Of my com
rades' cap, and with that we turned to
and wiped them out.
Then it was that the besieged show
ed themselves. Who do you suppose
thew we're? A woman, 40 years old,
a widow, and her 15-year-old son!
You had to be right there to credit the
fact. They had started out from Ne,
braska to find a suitable place and
take up a claim. They had wagon
drawn by two horses, and, three days
before, within five miles of the place,
had been discovered by war party of
Indians. They had run the horses to
within half Il mile of the spot, when
the wagon broke down, and they had
to abandon it. The mother seized u
double-barrcl shotgun and the boy his
Winchester rifle, and made for the
trees.
The Indians halted to plumber the
wagon, and this gave the pair time to
fortify. They hadn't n drop of water
nor mouthtul of food, and were not
too well supplied with ammunition.
They were thirty or forty miles from
assistance, realized that only some
special interposition could save them,
and yet they never had thought OF
surrender. The Indians went into
camp, and sought to cajole them, but it
was no 60.
The real attack began at daylight on
the morning we got there. The four
warriors in camp and one who got
away were wounded by the woman.
The boy killed two. Neither had slept
wink for two nights, nor tasted water
or food, and yet they rather made
light of the whole affair.
81 told ma," explained the boy,
"that we'd cover and hold out as long
US we could, but l guess it was just as
well YOU cum up as you did"
81 was mad at myself for bcln' SO
shaky," added the woman. II ought
to have killed every one | drew bead
on, but my nerves went back OH me,
and the gun wabbled. DO you happen
to have Il bite of food? ?"
Neither one felt that they had done
anything out of the common, and |
was really vcxed with them for taking
the matter 80 coolly.
The next summer | was al cye-Wlt-
ness to an affair that | shall ever re-
member in all its details. | was scout
ing to the north of where the town OF
Sheridan can now be found, and had
for a comrade young fellow Is years
old named Abe Smith. lie was in
the employ of the government, and
this was his first scout. We were "feel-
ing" for body of 25O soldiers. part OF
whom were infantry, and rs they had
wagons and ambulanccs along, our
pace was slow
At noon, one July day. rs the men
were finishing dinner, Abe and rode
on ahead to see what lay before us.
Half mile beyond camp we rose a
ridge, descended into Il valley, rose
another, passed big bowlder, and
were descending gentle slope, when
about fifty redskins, each one conceal