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

There was an air of activity and half
suppressed excitement in TT. Blake to
which the officers and men had been
strangers for many months. \ long
period of quiet had succeeded the last
Indian outbreak. and the troop of
United States cavalry stationed at this
little post had found it hard work kill
ing time with the dull routine Of gar
rison duty.
One morning in May. however, a scout
from the plains came in reporting that
a band of marauding Indians had at
tackled and burned a little settlement
ten miles south Of the fort the night
before and butchered the Inhabitants.
They had found lot of whisky at the
settlement. so the scout said. and after
a wild carousaI had gone off to the south
about daybreak. Their band numbered
twenty-five or thirty. he thought.
Capt Dahlgren. the commandment of
the fort, made immediate preparations
for pursuit. The officers were all in the
captains quarters at the time. and turn
ing to the senior lieutenant, he said:
Davis. take a detachment of twenty
five men and start as soon as you can
get them into saddle. BY sharp riding
you can overtalle the red fiends before
they reach the rocks. After that you
may be guided by circumstances. will
only say that I don't ask you TO take
any prisOners-yOu understand
'All right, sir" replied the lieutenant;
within half hour I'll be after them.
As he saluted his superior officer and
turned to leave the quarters. a manly
looking young fellow of about seventeen,
who had been standing near Capt.
Dahlgren, stepped forward and said:
"One moment. Mr.. Davis, please. l
want to go with you. Father he con-
tinued, turning to the captain, you
promised that | should go on the next
trail. I coulGn's have a better chance
than this. Mr.. Davis knows me and viii
vOuch for my good behavior Don't re-
fuse me, father; you know how anxious
L am to go"
AS he stood looking eagerly al his
father he was as handsome a picture Of
young manhood as YOU would care to see
His eyes, even as they implored the cap
tain for his consent. flashed with the
spirit of the soldier, his form was proud
ly erect, and for the moment the boy
seemed transformed into a man. He
came from a race Of soldiers on both
sides of his house and he looked forward
to the glory of war. the clash and dan
ger of battle. with an enthusiasm that
would not be controlled.
The spirits in him. captain. and he
gets it fairly" said Lieut.. Davis. Let
him go with me-hell bear himself brave
ly."
Very we'll. Ralph. you may GO said
Capt Dahlgren at last looking at his
son with both soldiers and a fathers
pride. DO your duty. but be prudent"
Thirty minutes later twenty-five we'll
mounted troopers, under the command
of Lieut.. Davis left TT. Blake at trot
on one side of the officer rode the scout
that had brought the news of the
massacre, and on the other young Ralph
Dahlgren, who was that day TO receive
his baptism of fire
The boy had shared his fathers front
Ter army life for more than a year
ever since his mother died-and though
he had not been without adventures and
had faced danger in various forms. he
had never yet been in battle. His father
had encouraged his military tastes and
provided him with an outfit of which
Ralph was naturally very proud. He
had handsome mustang pony called
FREELY as black as raven and as fleet
as an antelope. which he had trained TO
obey every movement OF his hand and
every pressure of his knee
His horsemanship was superb. even in
that region where superb horsemanship
was the rule. and where not to ride we'll
was a mark of inferiority. His arms
consisted of a small breech-lOading rife,
made to order for him. two silver-mount-
ed revolvers in the holsters of his Nc
Clellan saddle and long hunting knife.
which hung from his belt. His clothing
was made of buckskin. after a fancy of
his own-half military, half scotland
1t set off his muscular young figure adj
mirably
AS the detachment left the fort and
struck out over the plain. the pace was
quickened from a trOt TO canter, for
Lieut.. Davis proposed to run down the
enemy before they had time to reach the
rocks some miles to the south. where
they would be able TO defend themselves
and defy any attack that his force might
make Ever van i'm the troop was
eager for the fight. and none more so
than Ralph.
Very little was said as the party rode
on. Lieut.. Davis asked the scout a ques-
tion occasionally. and now and then
spoke word of advice to Ralph, whose
fiery. impetuous spirit he feared would
carry him into the hottest part of the
battle.
About noon they halted near a little
clump of trees for a brief rest for the
lieutenant wanted both men and horses
TO be fresh to meet the enemy, who
could not now be far away. Twenty
minutes later they were off again at a
sharp pace.
At the end of an hours ride they were
approaching a rise in the plain. beyond
the summit of which they could not see.
Suddenly the lieutenant called out
"Haltr' at the same time raising his
caution that his men understood. The