Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-07-18

a crimson silk sash knOtted around his
waist. and his moccasins on his feet,
perfectly naked. His face was hideous-
" painted in alternate lines of red and
| black. and his head crowned with q
magnificent war-bonnet, from which,
Just above his temples and curying
| slightly forward stood up two short
| black buffalo horns, while its ample
| length of eagles feathers and herOns'
plumes trailed wildly on the wind be-
| hind him and as he came swiftly on at
| the head of his charging warriors, in
all his barbaric strength and grandeur
| he proudly rode that day the most per
| feet type Of Il savage warrior it has been
my lot to see. Turning his face for an
! instant toward the women and children
of the united tribes, who literally by
, thousands were watching the fight from
the crest of the low bluffs back from the
rivers banks, he raised his right arm
and waved his hand with royal ges-
| ure in answer 10 their wild cries OF
rage and encouragement as he and his
command swept down upon us; and
again facing sduarely toward where we
lay he drew his body 10 its full height,
and shook his clenched fist detiantly az
us: then throwing back his head ana
glancing skywards, he suddenly struck
| the palm of his hand across his mouth
and gave tongue to a war cry that l
have never yet heard equalled in pow
er and intensity.
Scarcely had its echoes reached the
rivers bank than it was caught up by
each and every one of the charging war
riors with an energy that battied de-
scription. and answered back with blcod
curdlng yells of extultation and pros
pective vengeance by the women and
children on the rivers bluff and sV
the Indians who lay in ambush around
Is. On they came at a swinging g9lop,
rending the air with their wild war
whoops. each individual warrior in all
his bravery of war paint and long
brsided scalp-lock tipped with eagles
feathers. and all stark naked but for
their cartridge belts and moccasin3,
ksaping their line almost perfectly, with
front Of about sixty men all riding
Their hol SEES bodies about a yard apart
bareback with only loose larlat bout
and with 4 depth Of six or seven ranks,
forming together a compact body or
massive fighting strength and Of al
most resistless weight. Boldly they
rode. and we'll" with their horses brid-
dies in their left hands. while with their
right they grasped their rifles at the
guard. and held them square!y In front
of themselves. resting lightly upon
their horses necks.
Riding about five PAGES In front OF the
center of the line, and twirling his heavy
Springfield rife around his head az II
it were a wisp of straw probably one Of
those he had captured at the Fort Fet-
terman massacre, Roman Nlse reck-
lessly led the charge with a bravery
that could only be equalled but not ex-
celled. while their medicine man, an
equally brave, but older chief, rode
slightly in advance of the left Of the
charging column To say that l was
surprised at this splendid exhibition Of
bluck and discipline, Is to put it mildly,
and to say further that for an instant
or two was fairly lost in admiration Of
the glorious charge IS simply to state
the truth. for it was far away and be
vond anything I had heard Of, read
about. or even imagined, regarding In
dian warfare-From "A Frontier
Fight" by General C. A. Forsyth, in
Harper's Magazine for June.