The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-18

tfdIIpliIS OF the horses IODlS anu tlit
clanking of sabers Immediately ceased.
and the troops rested quietly in their
places. The lieutenant dismOunted, and.
bidding the scout to do the same and
follow him, he went forward TO recon
hotter His quick and practiced eye mad
detected wreath of smoke family out
lined against the sky as il curled above
the crest of the hill 1t told him that
the Indians were near. and that they
either did not expect pursuit or We're
recklessly Indifferent TO it,
Moving cautiously forward. the officer
and the scout assembled the elevated
ground until near the summit. when they
crouched down and concealing them
selves in the long grass looked into the
plain below. The lieutenant was right
the Indians were there. not 800 yards
away taking their noon meal near a
little thicket of stunted trees and under
growth. the appearance of which indi-
Gated that a spring of water dubbed
out Of the ground there. Nearby We're
their horses, thirty-five in number
cropping the grass under guard OF three
or four of the band.
The thicket was the center Of sort
of basin. the sides Of which sloped GENT
" down from a semicircular ridge, on
part of which Lieut.. Davis and the scout
were crouching. Off to the south
stretched a broad plateau which ended
abruptly three or four miles away IN the
wild. rocky formation spoken Of by capt
Dahlgren. The two men took in the
whole situation with a rapid glance. and
after brief consultation turned 10 re-
join the waiting troop.
In the meantime Ralph's impotence al
most broke bounds. He dared not dis
obey orders and join the lieutenant. bu
he felt that he could not wait to heal
what had been discovered.
We'll. sergeant, he cried IN low
tone. turning to Sergt. Wilson, veteran
Of many Indian wars what do YOU
think?"
We've got 'em. sir replied the ole
trooper, with flash of his eve. The
smoke betrayed 'em. That settlement
whisky must be in 'em yet, or they
wouldn't have been so bold with thei1
cookin'. and no lookout either. Tain
often we catch em nappin' like this. Ba
here comes the leftenant. There's worl
before us. Master Ralph; you'll have ;
redskin for your target today
I'm ready" cried the excited boy
and the sooner the better"
At this moment Lieut. Davis and thu
scout rejoined the party. and the officer
mounting his horse, turned to his mel
and said:
Men. the Indians are over there 30
yards from the crest of the ridge. Their
are thirty-five of them. but they are no
expecting an attack and I intend t,
crush them at "A blow. They seem To b,
we'll armed, but they are now dismount
ed cooking and eating. As soon as yol
reach the top of the hill YOU will deplo,
in open order and rush on them like an
avalanche. Reserve your fire until yoi
are at close range and then each MAJ
pick out his mark. / want no prisoner
the band must be wiped out; il will b,
a good lesson to the rest of the tribe
And now. Ralph" continued the officer
turning TO his companion. ride near m'
ana Keep your pony we'll in hand. Don
fire until you can do SO with effect. an,
at short range use your pistols
Without waiting for Ralph To reply tn
lieutenant wheeled his horse and CAV
the commando
Forward. men-trot"' and the trooi
moved steadily up the ridge.
As they reached the summit a suddel
commotion among the Indians told tina
they had been seen. Now was the tim
for action, and the lieutenant, rasin.
IN his stirrups and riding TO the heat
of the men. with Ralph on one side %
him and the scout on the other. cried:
FORWARD! Open order. Charge
At the command to charge Ralph pu
the spurs to his gallant pony and dashed
along by the lientenant's side in a ~
multi of enthusiasm little short Of wild
Not more than half the distance TO tn,
point of attack had been passed, how
ever, when a sudden and remarka bl
change came over the boy. The PABLO
of uncomfortable fear spread over hi
face, and turning quickly to the office
he uttered a cry that sounded as if hi
young heart were breaking:
oh, / cannot cannot
As the words left his lips he turned
his pony obliquely To the right and gal
loped away out of the track of the rush
ing troop.
Fifteen minutes later thirty-five dea.
Indians, thirty-flve captured horses anC
two dead troopers told the story q
that short but terrific struggle
Leaving Sergt. Wilson in command
of his men, Lieut.. Davis rode rapidly
back up the hill in search of Ralph
Just beyond its crest he saw F'iref,
standing motionless under an empty sad
die, and beside the well-known trained
pony. lying prone upon the grass. wher,
he had thrown himself with his fac
buried i'm his hands. was the poor boz
who, thirty minutes before. was burn
ing with the fire of battle. Convulsiv'
sobs shook his young form as he gavt
way 10 an agony OF grief and shame
The lieutenant needed no explanation
Every soldier knows that some OF th'
braVest men have been the victims o.
sudden and overpowering fear the frs
time they were exposed to fire and tn,
officer felt his heart warm with pity fol
the boy whose modification he wit
messed.
Many years have passed since then
and the dauntless courage and brilliant
deeds of Ralph Dahlgren have added L
the glory of a score of battlefelds. Gen
eral orders nave become familiar witt
his name. and it now stands high o,
the roll of the regular army. If he ha-
been a soldier under the great Napoleon
he would have worn all the brilliant
decorations of that warlike age. anC
perhaps the insignia of marshal o
France. Those who have seen him
eDol, fearless. intrepid, even in the hot
test blasts of battle, can hardly believe
the story of his baptism OF fire. -
Philadelphia Times.