Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-11-19

fore their fusillade ceased, and it vas
almost the last bullet which pene-
trated Il lOOphole and struck one of
the soldiers in the groin. In half an
hour he was dead. From the minute
he was hit until the death rattle came
the girl sat beside him, holding his
hand, but helpless to do anything.
We had scarcely removed the body
when the Indians made Il rush. There
were now 100 of them. Some of them
carried Il log to batter in the door,
some climbed upon the roof, some
fought with us for possession of the
lOophOles. We fired up through the
brush and dirt and through the loop
holes, and at the end of ten minutes
had beaten them off, but we had lost
another man. A bullet had struck him
in the heart and he had fallen without
Il grOan. In return we could count
five dead Indians outside and see three
or four wounded crawling away.
AS we bent over the man and knew
that he was dead the girl mOtiOned for
us to lay him beside the other, and
when we had returned to the front
it was to beg of her to accept
Chief Charles" offer, if he still held
it good, and secure her own safety.
With only three of us left to guard
the cabin another such general attack
must overcome us. She replied that
she would not go, and w at once set
about %reloading the carbines and max
ing ready to defend the cabin to the
last. 1t was hours before we heard
from the Indians again, and we were
almost certain that they had drawn off,
when, an hour after sunset, and with
out the slightest warning, they rushed
for us as before.
We blazed away as fast as we could
through the lOopholes, but | am sure
the cabin would have been carried but
for a lucky shot which killed the chief.
His fall created a panic, and just when
the situation vas most critical the at
tack was ceased. l did not knew when
they drew off.
NHN 'NN''i "NlN oh liz lOol ullb
battering at the door and firing in upon
us from some Of the loopholes, when
things suddenly turned dark about
me and when l recovered conscious
ness | felt a horrible pain in my side.
A bullet had broken a rib and passed
out behind the shoulder. Stretched
dead on the floor was my comrade and
sitting upon the floor weeping was
Joe Bakers gal" She had fought
the last Of the fight alone, and with
three dead and a wounded man in the
cabin it was no wonder her nerves had
given way.
There was no more firing that night.
Consumed by thirst and racked with
pain, | remembered nothing except
that Mary spoke hopeful and sympa-
thetic words now and then, and that
she had the guns distributed around so
as to as many loopholes as pos
sible in case of an attack.
When morning came the Indians ask
ed for a parley, and offered to send
her to the fort. l did not know it, be-
ing out of my head with fever. She
scorned the offer and for three hours
the cabin vas under fire. A rush would
have followed the fusillade, but as they
were gathering for it a half troop of
cavalry from the fort, headed by Joe
Baker, came g%alloping to the rescue.
and the Indians We're routed.
1t was eel days before l knew all
about it. \ great Indian wal was upon
the land, the girl had been sent hun.
dreds of miles away for safety, and
when peace came again she did not re-
turn. 1t is like a dream to me-three
dead men-one %grievously wounded
Il white-faced girl moving about and
making ready to fire a last shot-the
crack of rifles and the fierce war
whoopS-but | know that it was all
real. and IA humble private soldier
whispers:
"God bless Joe Bakers gal wher-
ever she may be!'-Pfttsburg Post,