Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-09-09

'gQYIN@MNNNS ready ready for the
cam pai e II
which cost so many lives, Black Bird.
son of Roman Nose, the famous
Cheyenne chief, paid visit to Fort
Larncd. He was yo,inr man obopt
twenty years OF age, tall, active and
brave ms lion. Although he made the
excuse OF trade, and although he did
purchase few supplies, it was believed
10y everybody at the post that he came as
spy. There had been q war council of
all the tribes, aud it had been agreed to
open war in the spring which should
not cease until the white man was driven
cast OF the forks Of the Kansas River.
One OF the hunters and scouts at.
tachcd to the fort Mt that time was n
man named Joe Hall, who had served as
scout under General Sheridan. He was
thirty five years old, strong and rugged,
aud 1t 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 quarrel with him to oh.
tain satisfaction. 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 in.
terfere. The Indian was wounded and
disarmcd, and in order to humble him
still more Hall spat upon HIM and re.
tanned his knife rs a trophy 1t was an
act criticised and lamented by the Off
GERS, and disgrace they knew would
have to hc washed out in blood. and
Hall himself realized that from that
hour every man of the Cheyenne tribe
would thirst for his life. Two weeks
later old Roman Nose seGt in the follow
ing message:
Give up the man who insulted nv
son and | will be satisfied. II you do
not it shall be wa. between us and the
whites as long rs have warrior able
to raise II tomahawk
The demand was CT course refused and
to give Hall n better chance to protect
himself he was transferred to Fort Lyon.
Col. The Indians soon learned OF the
change, and Black Bird received tho
command Of ten warriors aud 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 ioran opportunity to kill the scout.
He knew Of their presence, but made no
change in his programme. He had n
mule almost us fleet of foot rs I'M ante.
lopc, and always carried Winchester
and two revolvers.
Spring came, and with it the opening
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 dis
patches. The intervening country was
literally swarming with hostilcs, but he
was within three miles of Wallace be-
fore he found his position perilous.
Roman Nose and his baud, numbering
about $50 bucks, made sudden dash ON
the overland stage station u mile from
the fort, and gobblcd up about fifty
horses and mules. They expected to get
the scalps of five or six employees as well,
but the men ran to their dugouts aud
poured in such q hot fire rs to drive the
Indians of. Roman Nose then ordered
an attack on the fort, which was only q
collection of tents and shanties, and
SHINY garrisoned. He was beaten of
after sharp fight, and while rctreatins
his force came upon Hall trying to make
the fort.
The scout was cut off, and he turned
to make run for it, His mule would
have distanced any pony in the band,
but the race had scarcely begun when
bullet from the rifle of pursuer struck
Hall in the back of the head. 1t was n
spent ball and didn't draw blood. but it
gave him such shock that he tumblci
out OF his saddle and was n prisoner when
he recovered consciousness. There were
thirty different warriors who knew Hall
by sight, and when it became known
who the prisoner was the rejoicing was
something terrible. He was thoroughly
up In the Cherenne dialect, and of course
caught everything said. When Roman
Nose was told that Hall was the prisoner
so fortunately picked up, he rode up and
said:
: have lost nine warriors to-day, bu
L; shall no longer grieyc. am more
pleased than if had captured the fort. {"
Hall knew he must die, and he hoped
to provoke the chief to kill him off hand
He called him n squaw, a coward, and a
bragsart. He tainted him with having
coward for son, and he offered to
hight ten of his men if they would turn
him loose. Some of the warriors were
Tor killing him on the spot, but the old
chief waived them back and said:
"We will put him to the tortured He
shall die ten times over Seven suns
shall come and go before death comes to
him!"
The Cheyennes had their headquarter
village on the Smoky Hill Fork, about
thirty miles away, aud thithcr the whole
band proceeded. 81.
1t was after dark when they reached
the town, and Hall was tied hand and