The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1894-01-26
to camp. At one time he was so far out

to camp. At one time he was so far out
among the surging mass of hostile
warriors that he was shot at several
times by the soldiers and would un-
doubtedly have been killed if some of
the men who recognized him by the
white handkerchief tied around his head
had not warned their comrades to stop
shooting at him. The battle now
ragged in ali it's fury, and the two hun
dred and sixty men Of the Third Reg
iment were still pouring a murderous
fire at close range, in the advance, when
Col. Sibley sent out an officer with in
structions for them to fall back and
join the remaining forces in camp.
Major Welch told the officers that they
could hold their ground until reinforce
ments came to their relief. Meanwhile,
the Indians continued to concentrate
their forces in the immediate vicinity of
the advanced soldiers uttering their
demoniac warwhoop and maneuvering
in a manner that showed that they in
tended to try and surround the detach-
ment. The bold dash of the Third Reg
iment so far in advance gave the savages
an opportunity to cut them of, but their
continuous and death dealing volleys
kept the Indians back until reinforce.
ments came to their support and they
could retreat in safety. A part of the
Sixth Regiment was held in reserve to
guard against an attack on the camp
from the rear. And the remaining
companies-A and F-together with five
companies of the Seventh were ordered
forward to take commanding position
on the ridge overlooking the ravine.
This order was successfully executed and
a courier was again sent out to the
Third Regiment with orders for them to
Immediately fall back upon the reserves.
To give way to such foe seemed al
most uncomfortable to these old veterans,
but as the order was peremptory and
came from the commanding officer they
were forced to obey, and began their re-
treat. They were now mile f.om camp;
but they fell back in order, keeping up
their self possession and dauntless spirits
as they fought their way back to the
reserve forces. The Indians followed
closely in their rear, and poured a
continuous and deadly fire into their
ranks.
The principle loss in killed and wound
ed during the remarkable charge of these
brave veterans, was while re-crossing the
ravine aud ascending the incline. Here,
a large force of warriors had gained a
lodgment in thicket. and from their
temporary covert poured CALLING cross
fire into their ranks, killing three and
wounding fourteen of their "uen. Their
brave commander, Major WEIGH, had his
leg broken and was otherwise wounded
here; and, while the men of his command
we're carrying him along, Little Crow and
his braves rushed down into the valley
in furious charge upon their rear with
the intention of annihilating them be.
fore they succeeded in reaching their
camp. But luckily a company of bold
frontiersmen known as the Renville
Rangers--lay secreted near that point,
and as the Indians charged down the
hill they fired into them and checked
them. All this time the Seventh Reg
iment had been standing in line waiting
for orders. They now charged down up
on the Indians, led by Lieutenant
Golonal Mo rehall and hoin, ;o:aaxl H..