Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-10-16
aetistellaneous 3eading.
HOW CAPTAIN WALLACE DIED.

HOW CAPTAIN WALLACE DIED.
Major j. NJ. Burke Recalls the Sad Story
of the Drama.
When Major John M. Burke, Buffalo
Bills famous general manager, was in
Charleston, he gave a reporter in an
interview, a valuable page of history in
which all South Carolinians will take
the deepest interest. The portion Of
the interview referred to reads as fol-
lows:
"What Indians have you?"
"The Sioux of various tribes ?'
From the same nation one Of your
Carolinians fell so late as in 1871
Captain George d. Wallace, of your
State, at the time of the Ghost Dance
war"
"You knew Captain Wallace?"
"My dear boy, yes. 1t seems so
short q time can almost see him stand
ing before me. Poor fellow, saw
him Just few hours before the battle
of Wounded Knee, and afterwards
when his body was being prepared to
be sent to the railroad, thence here to
Charleston, I think. No soldier ever
left more glorious record on any field
than is recorded in the army annals OF
Captain Wallace's DEATH"
"What were the circumstances ?"
"When the Ghost Dance craze occur
red in 1890, Colonel Cody, who was
in Germany, closed the Wild West,
leaving the outfit in winter quarters in
Alsace- Lorraine, while he took quick
steamer to the seat of trouble. After
IN interrupted effort to reach Sitting
Bull he took the field as brigadier gen
cral of the Nebraska national guard,
while I went with our Indians also to
the seat of troubles, to pacify through
their aid, if possible, the malcontents.
We landed two hours after the Seventh
cavalry, at Pine Ridge. Captain Wal
lace was one of the first to greet Colo
mel Cody, as they were old acquaint-
ances, and during the seven weeks OF
the campaign we were all daily togeth-
er. Wallace was tall typical South
erner, universally jolly, and was the
life of the camp in fact, great favor
ite with every one and resultingly deep
ly grieved for to this day.
"Sitting Bull had been killed, and one
of the northern bands under Big Foote'
and Hump had stampeded south to
join the hostiles under Kicking Bear
and Short Bull that were confront
ing us in the Bad Lands. General Miles
intercepted Humps band, and having
whipped him before, succeeded in get
ting him to come in, but big Foote'
cvaded all parties and kept the military
thinking, escaping them all until Major
Whitesides's command discovered him
on Sunday morning.
"By the way John Changrau, who is
with Buffalo Bill as interpreter, was
one of the guides that found him, and
was afterwards in the battle. Chan
grau held a parley with them in re-
gard to surrendering and Major White
sides, deeming it imprudent to attack
with his force, sent for the balance of
the Seventh cavalry to aid him. 1 was
in Captain Wallace's tent when the
orders came, and under cover of a
heavy sandstorm that hid them from
the Indians in front, they reached
Whitesides during the evening about
dusk, General Forsythe then being in
command. The Indians, feeling equal
TO the first command, and not knowing
of the reinforcement, were divided as to
surrendering, but the head men at last
arranged to do so, Captain Wallace
was ordered to superintend the affair,
and was in the village with Phillip
Wells, Changrau and others, when, all
at once, an unexpected firing COM
menced. Wallace, of course was sur
rounded, and the sudden and bloody
battle was fought awhile until the In
dians were annihilated almost (only
five escaping and about Is wounded.)
Afterward the gallant Wallace was
found shot through the body and the
skull crushed in, but with five chambers
of his revolver eurptied and with five
dead Indians at his feet. Thus fell a
man that South Carolina may well be
proud of, as Phillip Wells says he was
shot at the first fire, so with mortal
wound he showed that expiring bray
cry of the lion-hearted man with sand
a true soldier"