The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-28
BATTLE WITH SAVA0Es.
Story of ST. CIair's Defeat on No~Sm
Der 4, 1901.

| Story OF ST. ClRtr's Defeat on NovSnl-
Der 4, 1901.
On November the doomed army, re-
I duced TO total Of about 400 men.
camped on the eastern fork OF the Wa
bash, high up, where at was but 20 yards
wide. There was SLOW ON the ground,
and the little pools were skinned with
ice. The camp was ON q narrow rise of
ground, where the troops were cranped
together, the artillery and most Of the
horses In the middle. On both tanks
and along most Of the rear the ground
was low and wet All about the wintry
woods lay in frozen silence. In front
the militia was thrown across the creek,
and nearly q quarter of mile beyond
e rest of the troops. Parties of In
dams were seen during the afternoon,
and they skulked around the lines at
| night, SO that the sentinels frequently
| fired at them; yet neither st. Clair nor
Butler took any adequate measures 10
ward off the impending blow. It's I'm
probable that. as things actually were
at this time, they could have won q VIC
tory over their terrible foes, but they
might have avoided Overwhelming dis
aster.
On November 4 the men were under
arms, as usual, by dawn, St Clair in
tending to throw up intrenchments and
then make q forced march in light ordFT
against the Indian towns. But be ws1
forestalled. Soon after sunrise. just as
the men were dismissed from parade,
sudden assault was made upon the mi
litia, who lay unprotected beyond the
creek. The unexpectedness and fury
of the onset, the heavy firing. and the
wild whoops and yells OF the throngs OF
painted sayages threw the militia into
disorder. After a few moments resiS-
lance they broke and fed in Wild panic
TO the camp of the regulars, among
whom they drove in frightened herd,
spreading dismsy and confusion
The drums beat, and the troops
sprang 70 arms as soon as they heard
the heavy firing at the front, and their
volleys for d moment checked the on
rush Of the pluDed woodland warriors.
But the check sysiled nothing. The
braves fled OF TO one side and the other, |
completely surrounded the camp. killed !
or drove in the guards and pickets, and /
then advanced close 20 the main lines.
A furious battle followed. After the /
first onset the Indians fought 81 silence, |
10 sound coming from them save the in /
cessant rattle Of their Ere as they creJt /
from log 20 log, from tree 20 tree, ever 4
closer ard closer The soldiers stood 4
in close order in tie open: their mus
kerry and artillery ire made q trernen- 4
dous noise. but did little damage 70 q
foe they could hardly see Vow AID
then. through the hanging smoke. ter
ribie Agures fitted. painted black aad
red. the feathers Of hawk and eagle
braided il their long scalp locks: but
save for tksse gllUPses. the soldiers
knew the presence 81 their Eomber
enemy only from the fearful rapiditv
with which Their co.rrEdes fell dead
and wS1nded in the Tau}-s Thev never
knew the Numbers CT Ifane-s Of TIE In
dams A. the tine II wzs supposed
that they outE uro bers,i the shitsss. but
IL Is probable thai the reverse was TIE
case, and ~ u.Ey be that they were not
more than half aS nvzeroax. Itlssa5d
that The chief who led them. both IN
council and bate. wac Little Turtle
tie Miami AZ any rzte. there were
present al The chiefs AID picked way
T1ors q The Deiz~zrss. shzvsses. Eyau-
cotN AID &iEniez. sid 81 The Tr1ost
reckless and adventures Founy braves
from snoEg Tia ITDqBois AID the II
dizDs OF he upper lzkes. a. 7seI ~
nary Of the ferucio-s = hifes and ials.
breeds who c~sIt Il TIE Indian gsIlazes.
Tie indiana foErhf ssssh t. s..s..ass