The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-03-26
DEspERA'TE
BeAtae with Indians- Frightful
Massacre Would Have Re-
suited But
For The Deedlyl Work OF Q Howitser
and Brayefy.ef the Troops.

he following story, Of local interest. 1t
was written by Frank Weller, who |
70 rved under Col. VIM. o. Collins:
During the war Of the rebellion the
10 untry was 80 deeply absorbed in the
st upendous events taking place in the
South that little attention was given by
he Government or people to affairs up
IN the Western frontier, and the In.
ii ans, emboldened by the scarcity of
roops in their country, were in con-
tinual state of active hostility. For
more than four years the country lying
b etween Julesburg, Neb., and the South
Pass, then in Idaho Territory, was al.
most sorely garrisoned and guarded by
the Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, a regiment
that at no time of its existence had it's
full complement of companies. 1t was
a service of extreme hardship, privation
and perilous adventure, and the regi.
ment had numerous encounters with
the redskins, but in the widespread an.
xiety and excitement that pervaded the
co untry in consequence of the great
civil war its achievements were passed
unrecorded. One of its most noted en-.
gagements, of which no account has
heretofore been published, was the bat
tie of Rush Creek, in Western Nebraska,
which took place in midwinter, when
the mercury was ranging between 25
and 30 degrees below zero, and which,
but for fortunate circumstance, would
have resulted in as great and horrible
massacre as ever occurred in this country.
About February 4, 1865, hostile In.
dians in large numbers appeared at
Julesburg, 200 miles east of Ft. Laramie.
The place was garrisoned by the part of
company of Iowa cavalry, but the saw.
ages made short and bloody work of it.
They captured the place, killed all the
soldiers and the citizens that had taken
refuge there, and destroyed all the prop
erty they could not take away with
them. Flushed with this easy victory,
they started west over the old stage
route, burning telegraph poles and de.
stroying the wire as they went along.
Four days after their blody and destruc.
tive work at Julesburg they reached
Mud Springs, a small station Is miles
east of Laramie, occupied by aSergeant's
detachment of the Eleventh Ohio, which
included the telegraph operator. The
Indians attacked the station with great
fury, but it was a strong log building,
admirably situated for defense. The
men, though few in Aumber, were armed
with long range repeating rifles, and
we're able to keep the savages at bay.
To take such stronghold by storm
would have resulted in heavy sacrifice
of life, which was altogether repugnant
to the Indian notion of warfare. For
several hours they circled around the
little fort. showering bullets and arrows
upon its impregnable log sides, without
injury to the soldiers, although several
Indians were killed and wounded by the
fire from within. Finally. the redskins
attempted to burn the building by firing
the sagsbrush and tall dry grass to the
windward of it. Failing in this savage
expedient they withdrew and occupied
the rest OF the day in tearing down sew.
eral miles of telegraph wire west of the
station, and ti,ling 100 fine beef steers
belonging to Government contractor.
In anticipation of night attack the
soldiers remained awake and alert, but
they were not again molested, and in
the morning the ssvages were gone,
their broad trail leading toward the
North Platte River, IL or 15 miles dis
tsnt. Upon the first appearance of the
Indians at Mud Springs. Ft. Laramie
was apprised of their presence, but be
fore the message was completed the wire
was cut, and the commandant, Colonel
Collins, of the Ohio cavalry, could learn
no more than the bare fact that the
place was beset by Indians.
The weather was intensely cold, and
furious snowstorm was driving dowr
from the mountains, but the undaunted
commander, with 100 csvalrymen and q
few lightly loaded wagons, Immediately
set out to the relief of the beleaguerei
fort. It was IL O'Clock in the morning
when the command left Laramie, but
in spite of the inclemency of the weathe
and bad roads, it reached Mud Spring
before daylight the following morning
From the statements of the soldiers q
the station, and the broad trail left b.
the Indians, Colonel Collins believet
that their numbers were too great fol
his little force to cope with, and, goinl
back to the point beyond where tn
line was torn down, he tapped the wir'
and telegraphed an order to Fl. Laramie
for every available man at the post
with piece of artillery, one Of the bat
tory of six pound howitzsrs, with whicl
the garrison was provided, to join hin