The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-25
CHARGED TO SURE DEATH.
Two Hundred Indians Were No Match 70
Fifteen Troopers Hastily Entrenehed.


Fifteen Troopers Hastily Entrenched.
We had just mounted our horses
after bite of breakfast when the In
dams appeared on ridge one and one
half miles away They had picked up
our trail at daylight and followed it at
full gallop. We were on the broad
plains, with the nearest post ninety
miles away.
"How many, Texas?" asked the lieu
tenant of the scout.
"A million, mebbe, but two hundred
for sure,' was the growing reply.
Every man shaded his eyes with his
hand from the morning sun and took Il
long look. Two hundred warriors to
fifteen troopers is big odds, but there
was no eXcitement-no confusion The
foremost Indians were within a mile of
US and their yells plainly reached our
ears when the officer uttered his com
mand, and we moved off at steady
gallop. We could not expect to run
away from them, for the warriors pony
never tires. We could not even hope
to hold our own, for we had Travelled
thirty miles under cover of darkness.
The lieutenant and the scout. riding
side by side at the head of the little
column, are looking for a place to
make stand. Capture means more
than death. 1t means hours or days of
the most fiendiSh torture merciless saw
age can invent and inilict, but not "A
trooper chances over his shoulder. not a
horse is hurried beyond his pace. Every
4 Il.
man scans the ground in front of him
The ears of every animal are laid fiat.
to his head and but for the hand on
the bride each would bolt at the top of
his speed and exhaust himself at the
end of mile.
We ascend and descend swell after
swell, reminding one of burrows turned
by some monster pillow. The Indians
gain a little. We know il from the
note of triumph in their yells. The
scout looks back and watch his face
to read the situation. A smile fits
over it. That means our chances are
still good. He casts a rapid glance
over the party and his face expresses
anxiety. The la bored breathing OF some
of the horses tells him that the pace
cannot last much longer.
All, There is the spot AS we raise
a swell we see ahead Of Us cone
shaped hill higher Chan anything else
within a mile of it. That's tine place
for stand. The pace is increased a
bit. and ye thunder down the incline
across the bit of valley and spur the
blowing horses up the hillside. II il a
last effort -Four or FIVE Of them lurch
and stagre- as their riders dissouat.
and not one Of them could 20 another
mile The top of the hill is plateau
about thirty feet across. No water, nc
grass.
Down with the horses" il the order
from the lieutenant and we lead and
push them into circle. AID fifteen re-
voIvers go pop. pop, pop Gallant old
troop horses, every one. but they must
be sacrificed The dead horses make /
orr breastgorL. Above Is the summer
sky. below us hundreds Of saEsges !
shouting in giee THAI we have been |
driven % bay.
Il npack the spare ammunition and !
then take distance around the circle. /.
Every bullet has got 70 find an Indian. i
Hold your reTolyers for elosc work.
We have worked rapidly and ths /
warriors are not ap IA time - make a 4
rush They part - the east Of Us and /.
encsrele The hill That is always the 1
first MOVE. and we had expected u Wc !
are no worse Of. however. M help
can be locked for from the dis.an; post. /
and Il matter not what tzc;sc they I
adopt The indians take Drea thing 4
spell Of BALI an hour and then maxi /
ready for charge The base 81 tise /
hi covers about isSo acres q ground 4
Warrior Oh foot step forth sn6 form 1
circle numbering enc hnadred and I
thir1y-ave- The lieutenant eoanss i
tigem snd gi~es rs the number. The /
odds are zine 70 oae. bat TIE se0s; l
eztaly lights BIS pipe and remarks.
'.BoTx yga'Fe got pseE.c. They /
won't make = decent snoatttzl FAR yozs
II ciIssy oa.
The Officer and TIE ssozt have WIN
e1esterx and we have TIE scs~n-shoz
Srsenecr< E~ery uzH works himself
dosn where 30 can se@1r- protection
ard aeadly aim. and ~ ssadssa IS IA
yells sxch - devils stts~. re circle
glzsaes fas- the Great NJ srsse-s s~e
ziTen-ucne neezeA 10 snAn fired
oTer Ere shss4 whMa tie ssss,1s.
lifted, oa!T dead ss4A@1s .s.e - -