Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-11-14
THE POWDER-W WAGON.


counted them myself as they were
taken from a Union Pacific freight cal
and stored away in government wa
gon, and there were eighty-nine kegs
of powder for the artillery at the fort
Then there were twelve boxes of mus
ket cartridges, thirty percussion shells
and eight stands each Of canister and
grape. A sergeant and five men OF
us had come down as an escort to the
four-mule team. We had a ride Of
thirty-seven miles, and the hostiles
were on the warpath in full force. II
we encountered them at all they would
be in numbers-not less than fifty, and
perhaps a hundred. The escort should
have been at least twenty-five men,
but only six could be spared. The
chances of getting through to the sta
ton and back were about even up.
Il hope you'll get through - said
the quartermaster as we left the fort.
ut would make me feel sad to lose SIX
horses, four mules and wagon y
The six soldiers didn't count. II
we were wiped out six others would
be enlisted, and few strokes of the
pen on the captains report would tell
the whole story. If we lost the gov
ernment property there would be no
end to the correspondence with head
quarters in Chicago, and it might take
months to replace it. We had to
make a night camp on our return, and
an hour before daylight in the morn
ing the Indians attempted to run of
our stock.
"Up, boys, and go for EN-, " shouted
the sergeant as the report of the SEN
tinel's carbine aroused him from slum-
Der, and we obeyed the order with
such promptness and vigor that the
Indians were driven off with one dead
and two wounded and without getting
a hoof.
That attack settled it, They knew
our strength, suspected the contents
of the wagon and would try us on by
daylight before we reached the fort.
We speculated over it, but did not
worry. We had no direct orders, but
every man knew what the programme
would be if attacked. If the ground
was open we would keep moving along
and firing from our saddles. Ifbrought
to halt we would stand them off un-
til no one was left to fire shot.
I'll tell you how it'll be" said the
sergeant as we cooked our breakfast
at the camp fire. 1--WE shan't see an
Iniun till we reach Wolf river. We
have to turn there and cross a little
valley, and they Il take us just at that
spot. It may only be war party OF
twenty-five, but | shouldn't t wonder II
old Iron Face was out with his whole
gang of bucks.
In two hours we were at the river.
There had been a heavy rain up in the
mountains the night before and the
stream was bank full and running
over. We turned to the east and kept
along the bank and then descended IN
to the valley. This valley was about
a quarter of mile wide and ran north
and south. Its northern end or be-
ginning was right at the river bank
and the valley was lower than the rlv-
er bed by ten feet. The bank which
shut the water out was not over ten
feet thick and had been formed OF
trees and dirt deposited there for a
half a century. We were half way
across the valley when war whoops
were heard in front and behind. One
party had let US pass, and then closed
up in the rear, and second was am
bushed at the mouth of the pass on the
east side of the valley. We were thus
between two fires. With the sing OF
the first bullet, the mules swerved to
the left and ran until brought up by
the high bank of the river. We rode
after them, and the Indians had to
show themselves in the open valley
We dismounted, embarrassed the mules
and made the wagon protect the ami
mails. The river protected our rear,
and there was open ground on each
flank. As we got down on the grass
and fired into the Indians in front we
IL ILL., ,,,ora ono hun.