The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-06-23
SLEW UP THE REDSKINS.
A Happy Idea Saved the Wagon TRAIT
and Worked Havoc With the Enemy.

A Happy Idea Saved the Wagon Trafn
and Worked Havoc With the Enemy.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon this
was the situation of affairs On this
sterile plain south of Fort Chadbourne,
Tex: There were sixteen army wagons
loaded with supplies for the fort Tho
cavalry escort numbered only thirty.
eight men. Counting the transfers.
we had ffty-tour. The Indians had
closed in on both sides and in the rear.
and no one estimated their number at
Less than three hundred and fifty, all
mounted. There was this in our favor
only few had rifles At least two
hundred were armed with lancer, and
so long as we could hold them off with
our earbipes we need not fear them.
Our route was narrow valley bluffed
on each side, and these bluffs were inn
passable for horses. Here and there
the valley spread out until it was half
mile wide, and again it contracted
until only two wagons could move
abreast. Our safety was to keep mov'
ing and count on the rear guard to
fight them back.
That valley was three miles long.
When we had debouched on the plain
beyond the Indians would charge us.
We figured our chance as one in five.
The teamsters might or might NOS
tight. They were all MeXicans, and
they might even be suspected of being
the allies of the redskins. Thirty<right
meni a dozen of whom were just out of
hospital and ii poor shape for a fight,
seemed mere nothing compared to
the masses of horsemen closing in. The
last KSlf mile OF this route was not
over twenty feet wide from bluff to
bluff. When we struck that spot the
wagons were sent on ahead. From the
rear-most ore we took ten large per-
cussion shells destined ftr the cannon
at the fort. These shells were rapidly
filed with powder, bullets, and shot,
the primers inserted, and while dozen
men Held tile indians at bay we dug
holes in the ground and set each she'll
on end with its cap just level with tbs
roadbed. We planted two small kegs
of powder as well, and over the gravel
we scattered the contents CT y third.
When all was ready the rear guart!
was called in, and we retired for about
thirty rods. We only made pretense
of fighting now, as if our objec. was to
let the wagons get long start up the
main valley. At the end of a quarter
of an hour the Indian lancers formed
for n charge tip the narrow way. and
we retreated III seeming confusion to
draw them on. The lancers formed in
ranks of six or seven front and running
back farther than we could see. At q
given signal this great mass set up a
yell and charged. The first twelve or
fourteen Safely passed the shells. Then
CAME a series of explosions which made
the earth heave and shot 81 great black
cloud half mile high in the sky. II
rolled down upon us and enveloped us
for a time in midnight darkness, and
with it was an odor to nauseate every
man. We heard shrieks of pain and
yells of terror, snd now and then that
strange sound uttered by a wounded
horse. A dozen of us kept firing into
the cloud, but after five or six minutes
it thinned out, and we stood and leaned
On our carbines and were almost af-
frighted al the spectacle. The narrow
way for many rods was literally cholled
with the dead and dying. Fragments
of men and horses had fallen all about
Us:
No man cared to go nearer. II would
have been safe, for the Indians who as
capped disaster were galloping away in
state of abb ect terror, but the spec
tacle would have been in ones dreams
forever after. We hurried on out of
the narrow valley, overlook the lass
moving wagons and the pale-faccd
teamsters, and thence to the fort the
sharpest eye could not detect the pres
ence of an Indian anywhere on the wide
sweep Of plain. So-called humanitar-
ians called it a cruel. cold-blooded
slaughter. Army records referred to it
as merciful salvation of a troop and
train.-Chicago Times.