The National tribune., 1895-08-15

THERE THEY ARE-NE HAVE FOUND
THEM"
DAYS dragged along. BY and by we knew
that death had come to them, and that
somewhere out on the lonely plains the buzz
yards were lowering over their mutiated
bodies. No one hoped to the contrary
there was no ground for hope If they had
reached the fort word would have come to
u.s.
That they had not pulled through simply
meant that they had been wiped out We
could not even hope that any mad been taken
prisoners. To surrender meant horrible
death by torture. They would prefer that
death should come to them as soldiers and
fighters.
And SO we rode away over the treeless,
eun-baked plains-over the serpents bask-
ing in the sun-Over the scorpions hiding
in the cracks and crevices-over a land so
sterile and lonely that the curse of God
seemed to rest upon it.
There were no footprints TO be followed
no path or trail over the ridges. No one
need look down and scan the earth. Those
at the head Of the column looked ahead TO
the sky line and above il. They did not
look for sight of men and horses, but for
sight of buzzards circling low over the
scene of the tragedy.
There they are-we have found them I"
A mile away to our left were the buzz
yards. Some of them had heard or sighted
our column and taken wing and were cir
cling about and uttering their dismal cries.
AS we lifted ourselves in our stiTrups we
could gee the bodies Of dead horses, and a
groan issued from the lips of every trooper.
Straight on we rode ahead until we encir-
cled the spot which we had pictured in our
minds for the past three days.
One, three, FIVE, seven. They are all
there-the Lieutenant and his six men.
Not one il missing. No one was taken pris-
Oner, no one sought TO escape by deserving
the command. The spot on which the bod
les lie is no larger than the psrlor of an or
binary house. That tells story to bring
tears, and yet at the same time 10 make MS
feel proud. That was the way to die, il die
we must, side by side and supporting each
other
Outside the circle of dead men are three
dead horses. Half mile away to the north
is another, beyond that another, beyond that
two more. We ride to the north and make
out the story as plain as if printed in a
book.
The little band was pursuing its way
suddenly leaped into view from behind a
swell 10 the east and only half mile away.
Right here is where the horses Of the troop
ers changed from an easy gallop into burst
OF speed. That was the command for the
officer to give-fight the only recourse,
though hopeless one.
Here is where he war party swung in be-
hind the little band and opened fire. For
half a mile the troopers held their own,
Then horse was hit and went down. Its
rider was not left 10 fall into the hands of
the yelling, exultant pursuers. A halt
meant death 10 all, but "A halt was made I'M
til he could be taken up behind a comrade
Forty rods away a second horse went
down and second dismounted trooper WAS
taken up. So again and again, until at
length the Lieutenant ordered a halt. The
Indians would soon ride over b IA if be kept
Oh, and tie horses bearing double burdens,
were stumbling and falling.
All. but we smile through our tears at the
GOODNESS OF the officer; at the promptitude
OF the troopers; II the knowledge that no
blunder was made amidst the excitement OF
the moment. IL was the thing to do and
they did it-dism0unt and make fight 10
be talked OF in barracks and around camp
fires for a score Of years 10 come TO make a
record Of which every officer of the old 7th
should be proud as long as the organization
existed.
IL was human wheel lying there on the
sun-baked earth covering every point, as the
red fends circied about them. Had there
been 30 men they would have retreated
slowly, fighting as they fell back Had
there been 20 men they would have dug
riie-pits with their knives and held oul
until overcome with hunger and thirst
Seven 10 100! The odds were too great
Their fire was too feeble to hold the Indians
in check. There was fighting for 30-40-
perhaps go minutes. The scores Of empty
cartrdge-shells proved that Then the In
dams came with a rush aud rode over tn,
little band-reduced 10 three or four by tina
time, perhaps-and that was the end
IL had been gallant fight. They tell yol
that the red mau respects bravery in Toe
in this case. maddeDed by the loss sus
tanned. he cut and slashed and tortured ant
heaped 1eHdish ipdignitles upon the dead
God grant that no spark of life remained il
a single breast!
As the buzzards circled above our heads
and the wolves sat on their launches al
safe distance and whined and growled, W.
pulled the arrows from the bodies of thu
gallant dead, gathered mp the limbs which
had been severed, and buried all togethe
on the spot where they fell, each one. excep
the officer TO sleep there forever more.-N
QSad, an Detroit Free Press.