The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-01-14
BATTLE OF HORSES.
A FIERCE FIGHT BETWEEN ARM
STEEDS AND WILD ANIMALS.

Military Training.
Just at sundown. aud while We were
at supper, a drove Of wild horses mum.
being SO suddenly emerged from
Thatcher's pass and %deployed on the lev
ell ground OF the valley. They had
made use Of the pass to cross from Gil
max valley, where grass and water
might have failed them or horse hunt
ers had appeared to give them a fright.
They emerged from the pass in single
file, led by a spotted stallion whose
name reached almost to his knees and
whose tail touched the ground when he
was at rest. He wasn't as handsome as
some of the drove leaders to be met
with in the days of the wild horse, but
he was yet a king among horses. OF
the remainder of the herd about 30
were fine animals. The others would
hardly be worth the catching. Three OF
four were recognized as cavalry horses
abandoned on the march, and twice
that number had collar marks to prove
that they had stampeded from some i'm
migrant train.
When clear Of the pass, they formed in
line and advanced upon us to within a
quarter of a mile. We had 70 horses at
the lariat pins, and for half an hour We
had all we could do to prevent a STAN
pede. The wild horses were finally
driven down the valley by two mounted
men, but they did not seem to have
much fear of us. On the contrary, the
~ l.~.-o ~-lsL,%~l c,,.I> x~,>
per that the men feared they would
have to shoot him 1t was an hour be-
fore our cavalry horses Gained down in
the slightest. Every animal seemed en-
ragged at the sight of the free herd, and
the captains Kentucky stallion acted as
if possessed by a tiend. He had been
doubly fastened at the beginning Of thu
excitement, and later OH this proved a
fortunate thing. He made the most tre-
mendous efforts to get free, and when
at length he realized the f~utility Of fur
Their efforts in that direction he uttered
shrill screams Of rage and dashed out
with his heels till no one dared approach
him. All night long he stood on his feet
paving and snorting, and the camp sen-
tinels reported the wild horses as hang
ing about within half a mile of us.
Daylight had come, and the sentinels
Of the night were coming into camp,
when the wild horses rushed into view
q mile below US. On the instant we
discovered them, and while four fifths
Of the men were yet under their blank
cts the captains horse uttered a scream
.-L;oL ~,.cS lo-o Loo,> taboo, N, . e;-
nal. He reared up, shook his mead like
an angry lion and freed himself Of his
halter. In the same instant every other
horse in the command secured his lib
erty. Some pulled up the pins, some
worked their heads clear of the straps,
and away went the whole drove down
the valley. 1t was not a stampede, as
We naturally feared. Even had our ami
mails desired to join the ranks of the
free they would nave been rebuffed.
Our horses were punched. and in a sol
Id bunch they drove right through tho
lines of the wild horses and left four OF
them lying crippled on the grass as they
passed. The prairie drove retreated up
the valley half q mile and then wheel
ed about in a single line. When our
drove halted and turned, there was q
distance of three-quarters of a mile be-
tween the combatants. We were ordered
to fall in, with a view of advancing up
on the wild horses and driving them off,
but before we had gotten into line it
was too late.
The sight was a wonderful one. The
two leaders advanced as if they meant
70 decide the issue by a fight between
them, but when within 40 yards of each
other they wheeled and returned to
their respective lines. Then we wit
messed something which only a cavalry
man will credit. Our horses fell into a
double line and dressed to the right as
perfectly as if a trooper had occupied
each saddle, and while we looked the
lines suddenly moved forward on q
charge. When they swept past US, the
alignment was absolutely perfect, with
the captains horse on the right and
leading by about 20 feet. The line Of
wild horses bent and wavered, but did
not break until struck. 1t was like strik-
jI a drumhead 18th a sledge hammer.
! jelieve that fully 40 horses Went
d, n under the shock, but all except
IL were speedily on their feet again.
7 m this on it was a melee, the whole
d We circling around, and each horse
b ,ng and kicking and displaying such
ferocity as to aston lsh us. The mol
fought past us dow, the valley anC
back, and right in front of the camp thu
climax came. The battle had been rag
ing half an hour, when tie spotted stall
lion hobbled out Of it on three legs ant
bleeding from half a dozen wounds
and that seemed to take the pluck on
Of his followers. Some ran'up the val
ley and some down. but Of the sS onl
81 got away. When the hottest Of
was over, VIE dashed in and secured
horse hera-and there, and in this mar
ner we finally got hold Of the last ont
which was the captains.
OF the IS only ) had escaped SCI
free. Every one T ''-. N.hers had bee
bitten and kiCE"I T.: IF them wei
80 crippled as t. g., ,,"thless. In a