Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-05-30
a WILD RIDE.

- . nov SCdItCly Twelve LnOuGuS
ago" said Jack Coleman, as a party
of us drew around our camp fire, that
l was plotting a small party of Uncle
Sans men up TO one of the new forts
on the Upper Brazos-I believe they
called it Fort Belknap or some such
name. Ihe SOJerS was a precious set
OF greehorns-neW recruits, L should
think.
We'll, these fellows was under the
command of Il White-skinned, girIish-
looking young chap, fresh from West
Point. But young and green as he
was, the lieutenant was gentleman
and at heart as good a fellow as ever
lived.
THE party was mounted on such
nagS as the quartermaSter could puI-
chase for them in hurry, for though
they were infantry, the journey before
them was too long to be undertaken
afoOt over the grassy prairie.
Scarcely any of the men had ever
before thrown leg over hog-skin, Dut
the lieutenant knew something about
riding. l believe he said he had been
learnt it where he learnt soldering
saddle and bear the fatigue as we'll as
any old Texan.
I'D been down to San Antonio about
three weeks, and when the quarter
master engaged me to pilot the sod
gers, Strawberry had had the quiet
range of the prairie all that time, and
when we took the trail he was in prime
order.
THE more l got acquainted with the
lieutenant the better | liked him. But
the fellows he had along with him
were of no account, and | knew if the
ComancheS or KiOWayS should cross
our trail, they couldn't be depended on.
1--WE journeyed with the Brazos on
our left, and in a northwest direction,
TILL after about Il week or 50, we
reached the head waters Of the Lei
river and as we'd discovered no signs
of Indians l was glad to think we'd
have no occasion to try the spunk of
our greenhorns in Il fight.
1--WE had reached the foot of the
Black hills where the country is badly
cut up with deep banuncas, crossing
each other in every direction, and hay
ing had hard days travel | proposed
an early camp. While looking for a
suitable spot, | discovered fresh horse
tracks, and knew that a large party of
Indians were in the vicinity. | in
formed the lieutenant of my discovery,
and advised him to secrete his men as
soon as possible, for rs yet l was con-
WINGED our approach had not been de-
tected.
But as soon as the men heard the
word Indian they set up such Il
hurrah that you'd a thought them the
bravest chaps in the world, and it
was not long before l knew that the
indians had discovered us, for we
could hear them calling to each other
in the bottom of one of the deep gullieS
and presently a score or two showed
their heads above the edge of the bank,
and letting fly volley, lodged out of
sight again.
Il was for getting out of the prairie
rs soon as possible and reaching Il
spot among the rocks, at the COM
mencement of the rising ground, where
we could receive them at a better adj
vantage, but the lieutenant was SO
greedy for a fight that he wouldn't
listen to me moment and gave orders
for his men to dismOunt and form in
regular line and await the attack.
But scarcely had some of them
obeyed the order than we heard a yell,
and the next moment the prairie was
covered with a host of mounted Kio-
ways, that came pouring out of bar
ranca and charged right down upon us.
The SojeTS who had not Obeyed the
order, trusting more to their horses
heels than to their rifles, put spurs to
their broken down nagS and attempted
to escape But they might as well
have essayed to fly from the swift tor
nado, as to get beyond the reach of
those wild riders. A part of the
whooping savages made dash for the
cowardly fools, and soon had their
scalps, while the rest, ranging past us
with a headlOng gallop, and lying over
upon the farther side of the fiery lit
tie mustangs, sent volley into oul
ranks; and now taking my advice, the
lieutenant ordered his fellows to re-
mount and in close order make an eff
fort to gain the rocks. But two of the
men were past mounting, and we haG
to leave them.
I'VE had about half a mile to go t
get among the nearest rocks, but to d.
so we had to run the gauntlet of thu
Indians, who kept up a hot discharg
which made desperate work in on
little ranks. We spurred through tn
savages, who attempted to cut. il
ahead of us, and with our sabers ant
revolvers kept the track clear till W
had reached the rocks.
Having gained the spot, however
we found to our chagrin that our sit
uation was but little improved, for tn
reckless and undisciplined men, il