Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-01

Htst <>tiA-I.-s t!-i IC ESt tiis Ntl--t.1
and children safely III among the fast
Desses Ut the hills, be contentei himself
therefore through the Evelong day with
holding the troops 1t long arm ; length.
opening lively fire when they sought TO
push ahead. Ir was glorious fun for him
and his. Well they knew that so far ar
least the soldiers were forbidden to at
| tack. With the coming of another day
Big Road planned 10 have his village
| far in among TIE clcfts and canyons Of
| the range. where a few resclutc war
riors could defend the pass agains, IN
advance, while he and his braves. re.
enforced by eager recruits from the
young men of other bands az the reser-
walton. could fall upon the flanks and
rear of FentOn's force and fritter il
away, as Red Cloud had nassacred Fer
terman's men long years before 1t old
| Fort kearny.
Everything depended On who should
get there first. and. as the Sioux said OF
| Casters column tue bloody day on the
Little Horn. the soldiers We're tired. -
Extending southwark from the peaks
of the Big Horn was a wild range of ir-
regular heights. covered III places with
q thick growth Of hardy young spruce
and cedars and scrub oak. slashed and
severed here and there by deep and tor.
tuous canyons with PERCEPTIONS sides.
Somewhere in among those hills was a
big amphitheater known as the Indian
race course. approachable in winter at
| least only through the crooked rift or
pass known for short as Elk gulch. In
just such another natural fastness and
only a few miles away to the northeast
had the Cheyennes made their famous
stand against five times their weight in
fighting men the bitter winter of 1876,
battle the cavalry long had cause to
remember, and row. witt, but hand
full of troops as compared with the force
led in by Mackenzie, Wayne had right
before him similar problem to tackle.
The only points III his favor were that
Big Roads braves were as few as his
own and that Fenton had already sent
force TO race the Indians to their ref.
uge.
At O'Clock the darkness was intense
There was no moon to light their way,
and their only guide was the deep trail
Ill the snowy surface left by the retire at
ing Indians. The darkness was no deep
er than the gloom III every heart. fer
| FcntCE was gore, awrOnged and calum-
mated man. and they. his loyal soldiers
obedient TO a higher duty still. We're
forced to push on and finish his work
without him. Fer an hour only at snail s
pace had they followed the trail Bat
and his associates had had many a mar
row escape. Lieutenant Martin, COM
handing the advance, had had his horse
shot under him. Sergeant Roe had q
bullet through his coat. and Corporal
Werrick. riding eagerly in the lead. got
another through the shoulder. Luckily
it Was not very cold. but all the same
most of the men were becoming slug
gish and sleepy, and that was just about
the time Wayne might be expected to
wake up. And wake up he cid.
Il have had no orders on 10 account
TO attack" said lie. and haven { time
TO read all the rot they we wired TO Fen
ton. Watch for the next shots ahead
there, lac cried to the foremost troop.
ers. and sock it ~ theml"
Then it was beautiful to see how
even the horses seemed to rouse from
their stupor and apathy. and something
almost like a cheer burst from the lipS
of the younger men. Old hands took a
swig Of water from their canteens ana
a bite at the comforting plug. Out from
the sockets came the brown carbines
and u fresh platoon was ordered up to
relieve the advance, ard Lieutenant
Randolph took Martins place at the
| Eynrx- littl, 10 .,
darkness ahead had come a flash and
report from the invisible foe. and. as
these had been suffered unavonged. IL
was soon observed that the lurking
warriors grew holder and that with
every shot the distance seemed to de
crease For half an hour past they had
been coming i'll from easy pistol range.
and Randolph took the cue. Bidding
his men open out and ride several yards
apart. yet aligned as much as was pos.
sible. he ordered carb;nes dropped and
revolvers drawn and then, trotting along
the rear of the dozen, gave his quic !,
caution 10 man after man. Watch for
the fash and let drive at it, Even if we
don hit, ell keep them at a respectful
, distance" me said. and the words were
n3fclN cut q his InoCtil WHICH IL rudy
light leaped over the Slow, shot wen,
tipping past his head, and then. follow
. ed by roar ot approval frcm the mar
column, tie revoivers of the advance
cracked and sprttered their answer
The landscape was lii up for al instant,
, dark forms went pounding and scurry
, ing away from the front. and momer,
later there uprose a cheer over AZ the
right, and Randolph galloped TO the
spot. an Indian pony lay kicking
struggling, stiffering in the snow, sho
through the body, and the rider had hat
to run for it.
That's right, Randolph, said the
major, squirting TO his side. Now, keel
. 'em off, but don't push too hard Re
member. we We got to give Farwel
: time"
''How far ahead is that confoundet
canyon. Bat:'' asked the adjurant a
) the moment.
Not more than two miles now.
!, hunted buffalo all over here when VIZ.