The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-05
WRITTEN IN BLOOD.
How the Tale Of N Indian Massacre Wa
Told 70 the Soldiers.

How the Tale Of N Indian Massacre was
Told to the Soldiers.
We arrived at the crossing of the
Niobrara river at o'clock in the after
noon and were then so far behind the
Indian band we were pursuing that it
was determined to give up the chase
and wait there for Capt. Frayne's de-
tachment to come in from the west.
We were making camp when a dog
came out of thicket on our right and
began bowling. Everybody saw at a
glance that it was settlers dog, and
every body realized in an instant what
his actions signified. Every man of
the 200 stood looking at the animal,
when he ceased bowling and came for
ward. He was gaunt, ferce-looking
beast and many of the men held their
carbines ready to shoot as he came
trotting up and halted at the feet of
the major. After long look into the
officers face the dog threw up his head
and howled again-a long-drawn, quav-
ering howl which sent a chill over
every man. and even made the horses
look up from their feed.
Captain. detail sergeant and five
men to follow the dog" said the ma or,
as he turned to the commander of E
troop. II think there's pioneers
cabin on the far side of the thicket. If
nothing is to be found within half
a mile let a man return and re-
port and will send out larger force"
AS we caught up our horses the dog
ceased bowling and exhibited signs
that he understood As we mounted he
trotted away at the head of the detail
and led us straight for the thicket. 1t
proved to be fringe Or curtain hiding
a lovely little valley. and as soon as we
passed through it we saw the cabin of
a pioneer half a mile away. We
into line, opened out into
skirmishing order, and approached the
cabin at walk. When half the dis
lance had been passed we saw a wolf
sneak out from the cover of the cabin
and run for the brush-covered hillside.
A moment later two great vultures
which were perched on the root and
perhaps asleep took wing and few
heavily away.
There are dead men in there" whis-
''See there! 1t was an Indian attack,
and they tried to burn the people out
Look at the bullet holes! See the trickle
of blood under the door,
The dog advanced to the door, shifted
at the blood, and then threw up his
head and howled dismally.
''We must use this log to break the
door in," continued the sergeant. "The
Indians brought it here, but the fire
was too hot. See where the wolves
have licked the blood off the grass.
There has been a terrible fight here.
Now. then, altogether and heave.
That's it-one-two-three and the
door gives way.
We dropped the log and retreated a
step or two, while the excited dog
sprang into the ca bin and whined and
and finally gave utterance to a
howl so full of lamentation that some
Of the men closed their ears to the
sound. Every man was palefaced and
The sergeant should be
the first to look in, but he hesitated,
and it was only after great effort
that he pulled himself together and
advanced. On the rough floor, as if :
hey had crawled together to die, were
Jour men. woman, and two children,
.he latter about seven and four years
Did respectively. 1t was log cabin,
with boards instead of sash and glass
1t the windows and there were hun
lreds of crevices between the logs
through which bullet might find its
way. How long the fight had lasted
We could not determine, but all there
,ad been dead for twentv-four hours
1T least.
you can see how it was" said the
after sending off a man to
he command Three of these men
,ame down the trail ahead of the In
Hans, fleeing for their lives, and warn
ng other settlers When they
urned in here the red devils
we're close after them, and the
'nly thing to do was to fight.
Look at the bullet holes! See how many
each one has. The Indians
iico iIoiu every oiicCttou. cNcu Oo"A
through the roof It must have been
N all-day fight. and tho last man or
wo was able to handle gun when the
indians got the alarm and left. There
vas the husband and father. In his
lying hour he lay down his rife and
rept over to his dead wife and children
nd flung his arms over them. What's +
hat on the f1oor?"
We removed the boards from the two /
windows to let in more light. and on /
he white surface Of split log used as
floor board we found a scrawl traced
n blood. There lay the splinter which
lad been used as pen, and within six
inches of it were the fingers of dead
nan. In the semi-darkness of day or the
loom of night his rude pen had pain
ully and roughly written in his own
,lood the words:
lover 200 Injuns All wiped out
ut me, and I'm hard hit. Send word
o -;
That was all The splinter fell from
is fingers, and he sank down and died.
We gave them burial in the grassy val
ey and burned the cabin. and as we
roke camp the dog went with us.
cree. wild-eyed. and wolfish. but
moving that he was among friends