Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-04
A C0RP0RAL'S DUTY.
HOW THE CoLoNEL's WIFE WENT
ACROSS The INDIAN COUNTRY.
The Redskins Surrounded Them and the
Onslaught Was Mads-It Was
saprems Moment.
fWaverly Msgazine.l


ninety miles across the Indian country.
Yes. we shall be attacked by the hostiles.
They would not let such an opportunity
pass. They can muster four to one, even
If we counted in the teamsters. Colonel
Blank. at the new post TO which we we're
bound, had written to Captain White, who
was 10 command the train:
MY wife is to come out with you. see
that my previous Instructions are carried
out. She knows what they are"
And we had not marched an hour when
Captain White sent for me and sald:-
corporal. you will act as a special
guard over the third wagon"
Very well, SIR"
THE Coloneps wife IS In that wagon, Is
you probably know"
Yes. SIR"
:" In case the Indians are too strong for
us. they must not find her alive. That's
all"
/ rode back TO the third wagon and
placed my horse at the nigh forewheel
and lifted my cap TO the lady, who had
been provided with IA comfortable seat by
herself. She was little bit OF woman,
not over % years old. and married to the
Colonel only two years before. She looked
at me out of her big blue eyes and smiled,
but she could not steady her voice as she
leaned forward and inquired:
Corporal, do yOu--think we shall be
attacked -
Quite likely. ma'am, but we may
squeeze through"
)" And if attacked and you can't beat the
Indians off, you"
u have the captains orders, ma'am
Yes; very WELL"
COULD HE DO IT2
4 LII L..
cialy detailed TO kill her If | saw that we
were to be wiped out The thought of it
made me dizzy as | rode along. Now and
then L glanced up at her. to find her face
white and her eyes anxIously searching the
horizon. / had my orders and was there
to obey them. but could | do it! IL | was
the last living man of that tram, could L
raise my carbine and become her muir
derer2
At o'clock in the afternoon of the Sc:
cond day out we saw dozen mounted
Indians on q ridge TO the right,and closed
up the train. To the lett were success
sion of ridges, and If there was any force
of hostiies about they were hidden be-
hind them. The Colopers wife was one
of the first TO discover the Indians at the
right She was looking at me as l
glanced up.
4" We shall be attacked ?" she queried.
Within ten minutes, ma'am."
Well, you-you-"
"Yes'm, but / hope we shall beat them
OIL"
The redskins on the right now began to
ride to and fro and whOop and yell and
seek TO draw our attention and force the
train to halt. Orders had been given the
day before to keep moving IN case OF at
tack. In closingup the wagons had doublbd
the line, moving two abreast. The horse
men fell INTO their places at once-twenty
ON o side, five in front, and five III rear.
Some of the teamsters had carblnes. while
all had revolvers. Half mile beyond
where we had seen the first Indian
the attack was made, and 1t was bold one.
! As we came opposite valley running bac
| into the ridges hundred or more mounted
| Indians came charging down upon us. The
| valley was lust about as wide as the train
was long, and therefore the twenty of US
on that side had q chance at the reds as
! they came on in a mob, shooting, shout
| ing, and seemingly determined TO ride over
us.
PROMOTED.
Corporal
II was the voice Of the Coloneps wife
| lust as we were preparing to tire.
! "Yes'm, | remember" | replied, as
| lowered my carbine to look up at her.
| We poured the fire of our carbines into
| the charging mass and checked Its rush
! The Indians then passed to our front anC
rear. so as to assail us on oil sides. There
were fully 800 of them. and had the tran
! halted but for a minute they would have
! had us wiped out. A part of them had beer
! ordered TO fire only at the mules attached
! 10 the wagons. As they were kept moving
only three or four were struck and none
disabled.
! Corporal !"
There was fighting on front and rear and
both sides, and the bullets were flying
| about us in a spitetul way. Five had
passed through the covering OF the Wagon
! beside me.
IL was the ColonePs wife calling to me
| I looked up into her white face, and sht
gasped:
Corporal. are you gong Toto"
"Not yet; we are holding our ownl"
replied. as l turned to open fire again.
| We were gradually getting out of the
trap. Farther on the ground was open
and TO our advantage. The Indian always
does his best fighting at the start. Here
and there we had man wounded, but
there was no confusion-no hating
Whenever they gathered as if to charge
we opened fire on the spot and scattered
them. Our fire was rapid and well sus
tanned, and at the end of q quarter OF al
hour we had them beaten. We were just
drawing clear Of the ridge when bullet
struck the third wagon teamster on the
shoulder and no fell forward on his sad
die. IL happened right under the eyes OF
the Colonels wife and she called to me:
Corporal. obey your orders
She had her hands over her face so thai
she might not see me as | raised my gun
The next few seconds must have beer
| terrible.
Beg pardon. ma'am. but the reds are
drawing off, and the victory is ours"
She dropped her hands and stared at m'
for a minute as if she could not compre
hend. Then she fell back in dead faint
and it was long half hour before her blue
eyes opened TO the sunshine again. 4
week later, NJ the new post Colonel BLANK
called me In and asked:
Corporal. weren't you ordered TO shoo
Mrs Blank"
Yes, sir"
Then why didn't you do it," he stern
ly demanded.
III was going to, but" -.
But what sir? 1t was gross dlsobedl
ence OF orders, and you are no longer
corporal"
But that was the old martinet's way o
promoting me To sergeantcy.
CONVICTS CRAVE FREEDOM.