The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-03-26

over which the wind, which blows 81.
MI ost constantly in that country, had .
Q lear sweep, was bare, but the numef.
ous ravines and hollows were filled with
driited snow, through which the men
and horses foundered and struggled -
best they could. For some distance the
trail followed the course Of Rush Greek,
small tributary Of the North Platte,
and three hours rapid riding brought
the command In sight Of that river.
When it had approached within . few
hui dred yards Of the river bank the
low, abrupt bluffs on the opposite side
of the river suddenly grew dark with
Indian warriors, whooping and yelling
after their fashion like devils incarnate.
Seeing the savages swarming to the at.
tack in such prodigious numbers, Col.
Collins hastily took position on slight
rise in the ground close at hand, and,
arranging the wagons in half circle,
completed the inclosure by digging q
shallow trench in the sand, with the
ools he had provided for such an emer.
gency. Behind this scant protection
the men with their horses were crowded
and waited with coolness and confidence
for the onslaught of their barbarous foe.
1t was evident that the Indians ex.
pected to be followed and had selected
this spot for the battle ground, with the
determination of annihilating the pur-
suing fore. They had encamped in the
hills on the opposite side OF the river,
where they would be hidden from the
view OF those following their trail, and,
to facilitate the speed of their unshod
ponies, the ice had been covered with
sand at the point where they recrossed
the river to make the attack. Major
Bridger, the famous old mountaineer
and guide, who was with the command,
estimated their number to approximate
1000. They were all fighting men, un.
encountered by their families and old
men. Part of them, Red Clouds follow.
ers, committed the Fetterman butchery
few years afterward, and many of them
had part in the still bloodier Custer
massacre upon the Big Horn. For near.
ly 200 miles they had swept the country
unchecked, leaving smoking trail of
death and ruin behind them. The spot
they had chosen for the scene of the
battle was an excellent one for their
purpose. For miles the fiat, sandy bot.
tom of the river was broken only by the
little eminence upon which Col. Collins
was 80 fortunate as to secured his po
sition, while the ground was covered
with thick growth of sage brush and
o utcropping rocks. From the number
and ferocity of the savages, and the dis.
advantages of his position, there was no
reason to doubt that had it not been for
the foresight of Col. Collins in sending
for the little cannon, combined with his
courage and GOODNESS, and Major Bridg'
er's sagacity and acute knowledge of In.
dirn warfare, the battle would have
nded in a massacre from which not one
man would have escaped. Those In
dia ns stood in mortal dread of cannon
or "gun wagon" as they called it, which
sh OF twice and threw its deadly missiles
in all directions. While the command
was hastily constructing the frail work
of defense the Indians, dividing their
fore es, crossed the river, on foot and on
hors eback, above and below Col. Collins
position, and in few minutes had him
completely surrounded. As long as the
pc rson of an Indian is exposed to an
enc my he is never still an instant, and
the grotesque and agile manner in which
tn ese painted red devils lodged and
jumped from side to side while they
poured shower of bullets and arrows
upon and over the heads of the soldiers
would have been ludicrous if the stu
alton had been less serious. While g
large number of them remained in open
view, shooting, yelling. deiantly brand
ishing their lances and bullhide shields
an d making feints of charging upon the
sol diers' position, still larger number
CO ncealed by the sheltering rocks and
ssgebrush, crawled stealthily toward tn,
gallant little band of fighting Buckeyes
slowly, but surely, drawing the deadl!
circle closer around them.
The battle had been raging for nearl.
three hours when party of warrior
crawled through the sagebrush to Low
bridge of rocks cropping out of tn
ground, within 400 yards of the breast
work. From behind this perfect pro
lection they poured destructive volle.
upon the soldiers, and in q few moment
killed three and wounded many more
When Col. Collins located the spo
whence this deadly fire was coming h
directed Lieutenant Patton to take II
mounted men and drive the savage
from their cover. The little squadron
charged furiously over the rocks AM