Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-12-31
she knelt and prayed God to bring him

She knelt ana prayed GOD TO BRING him
Safely through.
The evening grew into night. The
Indians had removed the last of their
dead and wounded, broken their fast
and planned anew.
If left alone, even surrounded as they
were, some of the garrison might sleep.
To prevent this and to harass and annoy
and torture body and mind score of
redskins secured positions where they
were safe from bullets and began a
steady fire upon the fort. They did not
expect their bullets to wound or kill, but
the fire was to harass and annoy.
The captain of the wagon train un-
Eerstood this, and he advised each de-
fender to shelter himself as safely as
possible and return no answering shot
unless further danger menaced.
Thus midnight came and went.
The horses began to betray their suf-
ferings for water, but their discipline
was wonderful. They realized the sit
uation as fully as the men, and low,
kind word or a caress quieted each one
for the time lsaing. Not one of the an
fmals had had drop for twenty-four
hours when the train was halted, and
every hour after that meant suffering.
About midnight the light breeze died
entirely away and a heavy dew began
to fall. The men licked the rocks for
the moisture and felt relieved. The
! horses licked at the earth-the wagon
covers-the stones ABOUT them and
cooled their parched tongues and de-
| layed the end.
Between midnight and daylight the
Indian attacks, if he plans night at
tack at all. There was a rush for the
gold in the Black Hills. Every hour the
train held out increased the chances of
rescue by another train coming into the
region. Every hour that the Indians
dallied there let in a party from some
other quarter;
They must strike quickly or the game
might slip through their hands.
At about half past one o'clock in the
morning the ground for half a mile
around the fort would have presented a
queer sight had flood of light been
suddenly turned on. 1t was covered
with creeping, crawling savages, each
one armed with knife and tomahawk.
They closed in from all sides, their
movements directed by what seemed to
be the barking of wolf.
The fuSillade had slackened a little
but had not by any means been aban-
doned while carrying out the other
plan. The Indians figured that the gold
hunters would be scattered to watch the
entire circle of breastworks, and that a
rush from all sides at once must carry
them over at some point.
The human serpents were creeping up
for the dash. When the signal came
every warrior would leap to his feet,
sound his warwhoop and dash for the
breastworks. Then for victory.
Now and then a suspicious sound
came to the ears of the anxious listeners.
and ere long the captain was satisfied as
to what move was intended. If he
could not concentrate his force a rush
would end in butchery. There were
fifteen saddle horses tied among the
wagons. Under his orders each one of
them was loOsened and led clear of the
vehicles toward the low wall in which
the Indians had charged before. The
animals stood in bunch, heads up and
ears working. They knew that danger
menaced, and each was ready to spring
at the first alarm.
The men were now concentrated to
defend three sides of the irregular circle.
Each one had his Winchester and at
least one revolver, and they were nerved
up for desperate fighting. For half an
hour before the attack was made Bess
had been crouching behind the rocks by
her fathers side. Every man who could
reach her with his whispers had advised
her to retire to the wagon and put her
self out of danger, but to each one she
had replied:
"Your death means my death. Your
safety means my safety. | must stay
here and do what l cam"
The redskins were within pistol shot
when the signal was at lasts given. In
an instant two hundred or more sprang
to their feet with a savage yell and |
dashed forward, and ten seconds later
there was blaze of fire along the breast
works. Full thirty Indians rushed at
the unprotec I'd side, and as they neared |
it without receiving the expected volley, |
and as some of them grasped the rocks |
to swing themselves over, their citation
could no longer be restrained. Shouts |
of victory rent the night air, but only |
to die away in wild yells of terror.
The bunch of horses had bolted from
the row behind them, just as the captain
had planned for, and spreading out like
fan they Numbered straight at the low
wall with the momentum of a tidal
wave. The Indians could not tell
whether the horses were mounted or
riderless Down Numbered the living
wave upon them, to trample them under
foot and crush the life out of some, and
panic instantly resulted.
The attack elsewhere had been fierce
and determined,s At one or two points