Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-06-28

and Sergeant Hass had just got bullet
throught the arm. 1t was plain that
there must be more than one Indian in
there, for two quick shots suddenly rang
out, and couple of scouts crossing the
lowlands near the mouth of the gully
ducked their heads and ran for shelter.
My orders required me TO place the
fifth cavalry in position facing the bluffs
to the southeast and south of the captured
village. After this duty was performed,
and l had seen the various troop CON-
manders and given them the colonel's
instructions, had leisure to look about
me. l did not dream what living vol
cano there was at the head Of that little
ravine.
| had found little patch of grass
down in a sheltered nook and had there
picketed my poor old troop horse and
was coming back afoot toward the big
"lodge" of skins beside which the colonel
had unsaddled, when l caught sight Of
three or four scouts and troopers crawl
ing toward the opening of the ravine,
evidently bent on getting shot at the
occupants.
In moment those fellows were fiat
tened out on the ground like hunted
squirrel on the trunk of tree, and the
moist laden air rang with shots as the
lead whizzed over their heads.
Every one seemed to wake up all at
once to the realization that there was a
nest of redskins up at the head of the
gully. Presently concerted effort was
made to fetch them out.
Half dozen officers and several doz-
en- soldiers and scouts took part and, as
though by common consent, the leader
ship devolved on one Of the bravest, man
liest cavalrymen it was ever my lot to
know-Philo Clark, then lieutenant and
aide-decamp TO General Crook.
| remember him wildly as he looked
that day, the broad brim of his scouting
hat tossed back from his forehead, the
collar of his buckskin hunting shirt
loosely fastened at his throat-no sign of
uniform about him, for in those days, we
rarely wore the army blue on Indian
campaigns.
He came stridiug forward, rifle in
hand, and waving the men to ego in
along the slopes to the right and left OF
the ravine. He himself, to my horror,
coolly pushed straight forward into what
might be called the mouth Of the gully
straight on past the point where the ven-
turesome troopers had been hattened out
so short time before.
In an instant, it seemed to me, the
cIump of bushes at the upper end began
to spit fire like Fourth of July mine.
A blue cloud of sulphur smoke hung
over the Indian burrow. The clatter OF
rifle shots was like that of a Gatling gun.
Several soldiers dropped in their tracks
along the grassy slopes.
jim White, one of our best scouts and
great friend of Buffalo Bills, gave one
CHASTITY cry, 80 my God, bOys!" clasped
his hands to his heart and plunged for
ward on his face, stone dead.
Keeling back from the sudden shock
our men at that moment scattered right
and left, for we had struck a formidable
ambush. Not a vistige of an Indian
could we see, yet that scooped-out shelter
of theirs was evidently crammed with
them.
myself was over on the right bank at
the time, and ducked with amazing
promptitude when that storm of fire and
lead burst OIL us. My next thought when
l found myself unhurt was for Clark
We had been warm friends from our ca
det days at West Point, and my heart
was in my mouth for him.
There he stood, just where | had seen
him the instant before, with the same
quiet smile on his face, never bending,
never swerving,if anything rising higher
on his tiptoe, as though striving to peer
into that dark, fre-fashing depths up
the gully.
Mechanically he was thrusting another
cartridge into the breech of his rifle
Bang! Bang went the Indian guns
Whizl zip spat the bullets.
"Down, Clark Down. shouted doz-
ems of voices in tones of agonizing dread.
"Come out of that, Philo, for heavens
sake~ yelled a second cavalryman
close beside me. But just as placidly
and unconcernedly as he would have
strolled into his troop stables. smiling the
while at the CONSERVATION he was crea-
ting, even finding time for half-laugh-
ing rejoinder to the appeal OF comrade
from our side. Clark pushed ahead until