The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-18

threw down their arms and surrender
ed we would spare their lives. as
was anxious to capture some 81 them
aIivs and hoped thereby to secure the
surrender of. all of the Indians in the
camp AS we ga1loped up TO this group
OF warriors they apparently recognized
the purport OF the demand and dropped
their arms upon the ground
In order to assure them Of our good
will I called out. 'How-how-coia
(meaning friend). and extended my
hand to the chief Lame Deer. which
he grasped. and in few seconds more
I would have secured him and the
Others, although he was wild and
trembling with excitement. Ny assist
ant adjutant general. George w. Baird.
was doing the same with the head
warrior. Iron Star. Unfortunately JUST
at that time one of our white scouts
rode up and Joined the group OF officers
and soldiers with me: ne naa more
enthusiasm than discretion. and. pre-
sumo. desiring to insure my safety,
drew up his rife and covered the In
dian with It, Lame Deer saw this
and evidently thought the young scout
was going TO shoot him. / know or no
other motive for his subsequent ACT
than the belief that he was to De killed
whether he surrendered or not. AS
quick as thought. with one desperate
from mine. although / tried to hold II.
He grasped his rifle from the ground,
ran backward a few steps, raised his
rife to his eve and fired. Seeing his
determined face. his firm set jaw, wild
eye, and the open muzzle OF his rihe,
/ realized my danger and instantly
whirled my horse from him. and In
this quick movement the horse slightly
settled back upon his haunches; at
that moment the rife flashed within
10 feet of me. the bullet whizzed past
my breast leaving me unharmed. but
unfortunately killing a brave soldier
near my side. Iron Star broke away
from Adjutant Baird at the same time
This instantly ended every effort to
secure their peacepl surrender ana
opened a hot fight fhat lasted but
few seconds. A dozen rifles and revolt
vers were opened on the scattered war
riors who were lighting us, and all
went down quietly beneath the accu-
rate close and rapid fire. The whole
incident was over IN much less time
than It takes to describe the scene.
POSSESSION OF THE CAMP.
The main object of our expedition
being now accomplished. and not de-
| string to risk any more lives in an
| encounter. we turned back ana DIV
! ouacked at Lame Deer's camp, which
Ii was composed of 81 beautiful lodges.
richly stored with robes. horse equip
! ments and every other species OF In
| dian property. Whatever was desired
by the troops was taken possession OF
and the remainder burned up. The
| herd of horses was sleek. strong and
! in excellent condition.
During the engagement Major Dick
ey by a forced march moving to the
sound of guns. came up with his in
fantry command and on the morning
/ following commenced Abe greatest cir
Gus have ever witnessed. One hun
dred and fifty of the war and buffalo
ponies were selected with which to
mount our foot troops. The Fifth in
fantry was afterward completely
| euuipped in this way and on the from
tier was sometimes called the Eleventh
cavalry. there being but 10 cavalry
regiments in the army organization
Among the herd were some of the Sew
enth cavalry horses that had beef
captured at the Big Horn massacre
and these with the brand Seventh q
So were quickly secured by the infan
try soldiers. who did not regard them
selves as expert horsemen.
Then came the problem of selecting
the gentle. trained ponies from tn
vicious The soldiers who were fortu
nate enough to select well trained buf
falo or war ponies. congratulated them
selves I'm being able to put Indian bri
dies and saddles upon them, and eve
then they were not safe in mounting
Frequently 1t required the aid OF tw
men TO get one into the saddle. TIL
ponies seemed as suspicious of tn
! white man as the American horse is G
|, the wild Indian.
AN UNCERTAIN MOUNT.
2 still many of the men succeeded
: mounting and in place of spurs use
Y the Indian "dueit." a stick about
0 foot long with a rawhide lash Tines
$ men were highly elated and the deri
: i've remarks to their more unfortuna'
!, comrades were equal TO most of n
d witticisms l have heard on the stun
or under canvas. Some of the ponl'
e would not allow a white man to {
o near them: others as fast as the scou
O or Indians could rope them won
II submit to being bridled and saddle
e and with the help of one or two ms
n the infantrymen would mount: wher
e upon the pony would double up like
I. ball. make a bound into the air comir
N down stiff-legged. and jump about ov
e the prairie. as some one described
l. i'm every direction at the same time;
81 this way the soldiers hat would
n first 10 fall. before many minutes
s. would follow suit and then frequent
81 the pony would not stop until he n;
IS freed himself from the saddle; or som
l. times he would gallon around over I
prairie and come back to the herd wi
K the saddle underneath.
H. One hundred and fifty soldiers on [
IL same field endeavOring to subdue {
s. same number of ponies. created wi
ne scene of excitement. which was n
IN only humorous but was also somewh
re- dangerous: fortunately they did n
Mt have far TO fall and the ground W
nd covered with a heavy crop OF gre
~ grass. This scene continued until I
II command was completely mounted a
ul the ponies and infantry had becoi
en- better acquainted: then we took UP O
return march back to the cantonmel
lie AS soon as the herd was broug
he back and secured another expediti
IS was sent out to follow up the retire.
to ing Indians and to scour the count
n. for detached parties or bands. II
at plan was continued by detachmei
a under Captain Ball Of the Second ca
he airy. Major Lazelie. Major Brisbin a
ms Captain Snyder. who reconnoltel