The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-18
A WILD RIDE.

"Tt's now scarcely 12 months ago"
said Jack Coleman as q party of us drew
around our campfire, that / was pilot
ing small party of Unclo Sans men
up to one of tho new forts on the upper
Brazos-I believe they called it Fort
Belknap or some such name. The sojers
was precious set of greenhorns--new
recruits, should think.
"Well, these fellows were under the
command of white skinned, girlish
looking young chap, fresh from West
Point But young and green rs he was
the lieutenant was gentleman and at
heart as good a fellow as ever lived
1.-THE party was mounted on such nags
as the quartermaster could purchase for
them in hurry, for though they were
infantry the journey before them was
too long to be undertaken afoot over the
grassy prairie.
Scarcely any Of tho men had ever
before thrown leg over hogskin, but the
lieutenant know something about rid
ing. l believe he said ne had been
learned 1t where he learned sojering
and after few days could sit his saddle
and bear the fatigue as well as amy old
Texan.
"I'd been down to San Antonio about
three weeks, and when the quartermas-
ter engaged mo to pilot the sojers
Strawberry had had tho quiet range Of
the prairie all that time, and when we
took tho trail he was in prime order.
'"The moro got acquainted with the
lieutenant the better liked him. But
the fellows he had along with him were
Of no account, and / knew if the Co.
manches or Kiowas should cross our
trail they couldn't be depended on.
eve journeyed with the lE.zos on
our left and in northwest direction
till, after about a week on SO, we
reached the headwaters Of the Leon riv-
er, and as we'd discovered no signs OF
Indians I was glad to think we'd have
no occasion to try tho Gpunk Of our
I greenhorns in fight.
1--WE had reached the foot Of the
Black Hills, where the country is badly
cut up with deep barrancas, crossing
each other in every direction, and har-
ing had hard days travel proposed
an early camp. While looking for a suit
able spot discovered fresh horse tracks
and knew that large party Of Indians
were in the vicinity. informed the
lieutenant of my discovery and advised
him to sccrete his men as soon as possi-
Bile, for as yet was convinced our ap-
proach had not been detected.
''But as soon as the men heard the
word Indians they set up such hur-
rah that you'd "a Thought them the
bravest chaps in the world, and it was
not long beiore know that the Indians
| had discovered us, for We could hear
them calling to each other in the bottom
Of one of the deep gullies, and presently
a score or two showed their heads above
the edge of the bank, and letting fly a
yolley lodged out Of sight again.
| 81 was for getting out Of the prairie
as soon as possible and reaching spot
among the rocks at the commencement
of the rising ground. where VIC could
receive them at better advantage, but
the lieutenant was so greedy for fight
that ho wouldn't listen to me moment
and gave orders for his men to dismount
and form in regular line and await the
attack.
| "But scarcely had some of them
obeyed the order than VIC heard yell,
and the next moment the prairie was
covered with host Of mounted Kio
was that came pouring out of bar
ranca and charged right down upon us.
The soiers who had not obeyed tho cr
der, trusting moro to their horses heels
than to their rifles, put spurs to theil
broken down nags and attempted to es
cape. But they might as well have es
sayed to fly from the swift tornado a.
to get beyond the reach Of those wilt
riders. A part of the whooping savage.
made dash for the cowmd1y fools and
soon had their scalps, while the rest,
ranging past us with q headlong gallol
and lying over upon the farther side o
the fiery little mustangs, sent a yolley
into our ranks And now, taking my
advice, the lieutenant ordered his fellow'
to remount and in close order make al
effort to gain the rocks But two of tn,
men We're past mounting, and we had t.
leave them.
1--WE had about half mile to go t.
get among the nearest rocks, but to dc
SO we had to run the gantlet Of the In
dians who kept up hot discharg,
which made desperate work in our lit
tie ranks. We spurred through the saw
ages, who attempted to cut in ahead o
us, and with our sabers and revolver
kept the track clear till we had reached
| the rezi-1