Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-12-17
THURMONT Frederick County, Maryland Thursday December H. 1896

scampering warriors before them. Again
and again had Bat and his half breed
cousin, La Bonte, striven to get Big
Road to halt and parley; but, though
tho signals were fully understand, old
Road was mad with the mingled rage
of fight and whisky and believed him
self the leader OF an outbreak that
should rival that Of 1876 and place him,
as battle chief, head of an army of
warriors that should overrun the north
west Anxious only to get the women
and children safely in among the fast
nesses of the hills, he contented himself
therefore through the livelong day with
holding tho troops at long arms length.
opening lively fire when they sought to
push ahead. 1t was glorious fun for him
and his. Well they knew that so far at
least the soldiers were forbidden to at
tack. With the coming of another day
Big Road planned to have his village
far in among the clefts and canyons of
the range, where few resoluto war
riors could defend the pass against an
advance, while he and his braves, re-
enforced by eager recruits from the
young men Of other bands ut the reser-
walton, could fall upon the fanks and
rear of Fenton's force and fritter it
away, as Red Cloud had massacred Fet-
termans men long years before at old
Fort Kearny.
Everything depended on who should
get there first, and, as the Sioux said Of
Custer's column the bloody day ON tho
Little Horn, "the soldiers were tired.
Extending southwark from the peaks
of the Big Horn was wild range of ir-
regular heights, covered in places with
a thick growth of hardy young spruce
and cedars and scrub oak, slashed and
severed here and there by deep and tor
tuous canyons with precipitous 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 fastncss and
only 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,
a battle the cavalry long had cause to
remember, and now, with but hand
ful of troops as compared with the force
led in by Mackenzie, Wayne had right
beiUre him similar problem to tackle.
The only points in his favor were that
Big Roads braves were as few rs his
own and that Fenton had already sent
q force to race tho Indians to their ref
uge.
At s o'clock the darkness was intense
There was 10 moon to light their way,
and their only guido was tho deep trail
in the snowy surface left by the retreat
ing Indians The darkness was no deep
er than the gloom in eve.y heart, for
Fenton was gone, a wronged and caum'
mated man, and they his loyal soldiers,
obedient to Il higher duty still, We're
forced to push on and finish his work
without him. For an hour only at snaiIs
pace had they followed the trail. Bat
and his associates had had many mar
row escape. Lieutenant Martin, COM
manding the advance had had his horse
shot under him. Sergeant Roe had
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 did.
~ have had no orders on no account
to attack" said he, "and haven't time
to read all the rot they've wired to Fen
ton. Watch for the next shots ahead
there" he cried to the foremost troop
ers. land sock it to them!'
Then it was beautiful to see how
even the horses seemed to rouse from
their stupor and apathy, and something
almost like cheer burst from the lips
of the younger men. Old hands took
swig of water from their canteons and
bite at the comforting plug Out from
the sockets came the brown carbines,
and fresh platoon was ordered up to
relieve the advance, and Lieutenant
Randolph took Martins place at the
front. Every little while through the
darkness ahead had come a flash and
report from the invisible foe, and, as
these had been suffered unavenged, it
was soon observed that the lurking
warriors grew bolder and that with
every shot the distance seemed to de-
crease. For half an hour past they had
been coming in from easy pistol range,
and Randolph took the cue. Bidding
his men open out and ride several yards
apart, yet aligned as much US was pos
sible, he ordered carbines dropped and
revolvers drawn and then, trotting along
the rear of the dozen, gave his quick
caution to man after man. "Watch for
the flash and let drive at it. Even if we
don't hit, we'll keep them at respectful
distance" he said, and the words were
hardly cut Ct his mouth when ruddy
light leaped over the srow, Shot went
tipping past his heod, and then, follow
ed by n roar OF approval from the main
column, the revolvers of the advance
crackled and sputtered their answer.
The landscape was lit up for an instc.lt,
dark forms went pounding and scurry'
ing away front the front, and moment
later there uprose cheer over at the
right, and Randolph galloped to tho
spot. An Indian pony lay kicking,
struggling, stiffening in the snow, shot
through the body, and the rider had had
to run for it.
"That's right, Randolph said the
major, squirting to his side. Now, keep
'em off, but don't push too hard. Re-
member, we've got to give Farwell
time"
"How far ahead is that confounded
canyon, Bat?" asked the adjutant at
the moment