People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-07-11
came, unchecked and undaunted.

but closer and closer sweeps the
maddened column. Fifty yards;
forty yards; twenty yards; and
then the foremost warrior is with
in ten feet Of the line Of superhu-
man scouts. Roman Nose falls
with a ball in his brain. Medi-
cine Man, next in command, dies
at the brow Of the little island.
The superb charge falters; there
is waver and a hesltancy for the
instant, and with a cheer the
scouts are on their feet pumping
the handles Of their Winchesters
like 6ends in sport. The Indians
break for cover and the battle is
won.
The odds were twenty-one to
one. Each Of those thirty-fve
splendid men had whipped in
open fight his twenty-one antag-
onists. 1t is the splendid tri-
umph Of Anglo-Saxon courage
over the ferocity Of the barbarian.
Turning to one of the scouts
at his side, Major Forsythe quer-
led in a calm, even voice:
do you think they can do
better than that, Grover%
81 have been on the plains,
Major, since | was a boy, and
never saw such a charge as that
in my life, " replied Grover.
"All right, then," cheerily res
pended the major, 1--WE are good
for the best they can do"
Again and again the red men
charged, but their leader was
dead and they always faltered be-
fore the one hundred yard limit
was reached. Night came on
and gave the scouts rest from
their constant firing. Lieutenant
Breecher, who had been MORALLY
wounded, crossed over the range
just as the sun passed beyond
the sand hills. Many were
wounded. A number were dead.
A relentless enemy was ready al
the dawn Of day to renew the
conflict. No food for the hungry;
no alleviating potion for the
wounded; little or no hope o.
relief from the outside, made the
situation Of the scouts indeed des.
perate when the sun went down.
Holes were dug in the sand unit
water was found. Pieces of meat
were cut from the fostering car.
cases Of the dead horses for food
At midnight whispered council
of war was held, and it was de-
termined to send out a scout ir
quest of help. Jack Stillwell anC
Abe Truedell volunteered tc
make the desperate attempt, anc
with a Godspeed from their com.
rades they crept out into the
night to attempt passage Of the
enemy's lines.
The sun rose in all the splen.
dor of a Kansas autumn morning
and the red skins came with it fol
their prey. All day long they
kept up an incessant firing, bu'
they tried no more charges
against that wall Of human ada.
mant. During the night the
trenches had been dug deeper
and there was but little casualty
during the second day. AT nigh
two more scouts were sent out
but were driven in by the enemy
The morning Of the third day
found those splendid plainsmer
discussing whether it would moi
be best to charge the reds anc
fight their way through, but thi.
attempt was stopped by move
ment among the besiegers which
seemed to indicate that they wer,
about to give up the fight. Tht
squaws and papooses had all dis
appeared, which is the forerunneI
Of an Indian change Of camp, anc
during the afternoon a white fal
was holsted by the savages, which
was greeted by a long range sho'
from one Of the scouts, which tor,
it from the pole. Night came
and two more scouts were sen
out to try and reach Fort Wallac,
and bring reinforcements. They
bore a dispatch from Major For
syth, whice shows the magni6cen
courage of the man. 1t reads a!
follows:
81 am on a little island, ant
have plenty Of ammunition left
We are living on mule and horse
meat, and are entirely out Of "a
tons. If it were not for 81
many wounded | would come Oh
and take the chance Of whipping
them if attacked: They are evi
IDENTIFY sick of their bargain.