Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-10-04
A WILD RIDE.

dIOuuu OuI CALI p1lc, tudb was jAlOo-
ing a small party of Uncle Sans men
up to one of the 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 a white skinned, girlish
looking young chap, fresh from West
Point But young and green as he was
the lieutenant was a gentleman and at
heart as good fellow as ever lived.
''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 the men had ever
before thrown leg over hogskin, but the
lieutenant knew something about rid
ing. / believe he said he had been
learned it where he learned sojering,
and after few days could sit his saddle
and bear the fatigue as we'll as any old
Texan
''I'd been down to San Antonio about
three weeks, and when the quartermas-
ter engaged me to pilot the sojers
Strawberry had had the quiet range of
the prairie all that time, and when we
took the trail he was in prime order.
''The more I 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.
1--WE journeyed with the Brazos on
our left and in northwest direction
till, after about a week or 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 the spunk Of our
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 hav-
ing had hard days travel proposed
an early camp. While looking for 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 secrete his men as soon as posi-
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 snch hur-
rah that you'll a thought them the
bravest chaps in the world, and it was
not long before I knew 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 q
volley lodged out of sight again.
81 was for getting out of the prairie
as soon as possible and reaching a spot
among the rocks at the commencement
of the rising ground. where we could
receive them at better advantage, but
the lieutenant was 50 greedy for fight
that he 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 we heard a yell,
and the next moment the prairie was
covered with host of mounted Kio-
was that came pouring out of a bar
ranca and charged right down upon us.
The sojers who had not obeyed the or
der, trusting more to their horses heels
than to their rifles, put spurs to their
broken down nags and attempted to es-
cape. But they might as well have es-
sayed to fly from the swift tornado as
to get beyond the reach of those wild
riders. A part of the whooping savages
made dash for the cowardly fools and
soon had their scalps, while the rest,
ranging past us with headlong gallop
and lying over upon the farther side Of
the fiery little mustangs, sent volley
into our ranks. And now, taking my
advice, the lieutenant ordered his fellows
to remount and in close order make an
effort to gain the rocks. But two OF the
men were past mounting, and we had to
leave them.
1--WE had about half mile to go to
get among the nearest rocks, but to do
so we had to run the gantlet Of the In
dians, who kept up hot discharge
which made desperate work in our lit
tie ranks. We spurred through the saw
ages, who attempted to cut in ahead of
us, and with our sabers and revolvers
kept the track clear till we had reached
the rocks.
Having gained the spot, however,
we found to our chagrin that our situa-
ton was but little improved, for the
reckless and undisciplined men in their
eagerness to escape had thrown away
their, muskets and were now, with the
exception Of their sabers, entirely un-
armed. But the lieutenant and myself,
besides, our revolvers, had each a heavy
deer gun.
I'm the meantime our pack mules
had fallen into the hands Of the saw
ages.
II reckoned we were within about 30
miles or so Of the fort and proposed to
the lieutenant that while he set his poor
devils to work gathering up the loose
rocks and making barricade ] would
endeavor to dash through the Indians
and after reaching the post return as
rapidly as possible with q sufficient
force to relieve him.
'.As this seemed to be the only feast.
Dle pIan, the lieutenant approved OF 1t,
and waiting only for the cover Of the
approaching night Iwas prepared tc
make the desperate attempt. I tight
ened Strawberry's 8 saddle girth and dur
ing the short twilight led him carefully
under cover Of the scattered rocks and
mesquite bHshes to smooth ground. and
after 4 had turned the projecting point
of highsrocks mounted, and with an en-
coufaging hint from my heel gave him
the rein f's ss4
s.sBut cautions as I had been the willy
Indians had been watching all my mo
tionsuand scarcely had I emerged upor
level ground than. filling the air with
derisiye yells, score or two Of the
painted rascals, mounted ON their feet
est mustangs gave chase.
Yet I knew gallant little Strawberry
could ontrun any Indian nag | ever haf
q trial with, and without pushing hin
OVERHEARD flew out over the prairie
The Indians on each flank Of me contin
ued to rise apparently from ont ths
earth
Scarcely had the brief twiliaht end