The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-08-01
THE IDEAL INDIAN WARRIOR.
Spirited Description of One In a Frontier
Fight.


Spirited Description of One In a Frontier
Fight.
As Roman Nose dashed gallantly for.
ward, and swept into the open at the
head of his superb command, he was
the very beau ideal of an Indian chief.
Mounted on a large, clean-limbed
chestnut horse, he sat we'll forward on
his bare backed charger, his knees pass
ing under a horse-hair lariat that
twice loosely encircled the animals
body, his horses bride grasped in his
left hand, which was also closely
wound in its flowing name, and at the
same time clutched his rifle at the
guard, the butt of which lay partially
upon and across the animals neck,
while its barrel, crossing diagonally in
front of his body, rested slightly
against the hollow of his left arm,
leaving his right free to direct the
course of his men. He was a man over
six feet and three inches in height,
beautifully formed, and, save for a
crimson silk sash knotted around his
waist, and his moccasins on his feet,
perfectly naked. His face was hide
ously painted in alternate lines of red
and black, and his head crowned with
a magnificent war bonnet, from which,
just above his temples and curving
slightly forward, stood up two short
black buffalo horns, while its ample
length of eagles feathers and herons'
plumes trailed wildly on the wind
behind him; and as he came swiftly
on at the head of his charging war
riors, in all his barbaric strength and
grandeur, he proudly rode that day
the most perfect type Of a savage war
rior it has been my lot to see. Turn
ing his face for an instant towards 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
bank, he raised his right arm and
waved his hand with a royal gesture
in answer to their wild cries of rage
and encouragement as he and his COM
mand swept down upon us: and again
facing squarely towards where we lay,
he drew his body to its full height,
and shook his clinched fist detiantly at
us; then throwing back his head and
glancing skywards, he suddenly struck
the palm of his hand across his mouth
and gave tongue to a war-cry that
have never yet heard equaled in power
and intensity. Scarcely had its echoes
reached the rivers bank when it was
caught up by each and every one of
the charging warriors, with an energy
that battles description, and an
swered back with blood-curdling
yells of exultation and prospective
vengeance by the women and children
on the rivers bluffs and by the In
dians who lay in ambush around us.
On they came at a swinging gallop,
rending the air with their wild war
whoops, each individual warrior in all
his bravery of war-paint and long
braided scalp-lock tipped with eagles
feathers, and all stark naked but for
their cartridge belts and moccasins,
keeping their line almost perfectly.
with a front of about sixty men, all
riding bareback, with only a loose
lariat about their horses bodies, about
yard apart, and with a depth of six
or seven ranks, forming together q
compact body of massive fighting
strength, and of almost resistless
weight. Boldly they rode, and WE'LL"
with their horses brides in their left
hands, while with their right they
grasped their rifles at the guard, and
held them squarely in front of them
selves, resting lightly upon their
horses necks.
Riding about five PAGES in front of
the center of the line, and twirling his
heavy Springfield rifle around his head
as if it were wisp of straw probably
one of those he had captured at the
Fort Fetterman massacre), Roman Nose
recklessly led the charge with BRAY
cry that could only be equaled but
not excelled, 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 exhibition of pluck
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 and away be-
yond anything l had heard of, read
about, or even imagined regarding In
dian warfare. zen. &. A. Forsyth, in
Harper's Magazine.