The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-25
EACH SCALPED THE OTHER,
PEOUIIAR END OF a PlWNBE'S
FIGHT WITH A SIOUX.



| Arts- q Desperate Cennict Each Found Hfr.ssif
Dtsrraced fer Lirs and hurried 20 prewn
M~taseiE-Their Duci the Climax Of = hattie.
copvrtoAs. 1897. s. S. Mcclure 90.
1900 that old cottonwood back Of the round
house r. asked the superintendent as tho car
crashed by q small station far out on the plains.
I saw the troo.
Keep that in mind" said my friend, land
I'll tell you q story-it ends at that tree"
The light train was now swinging around tho
long curves by the banks of q slowly running
river. tho Official lighted q fresh cigar, put his
feet up in an empty chair, and told the story:
"a band Of bad Indians, under the ~ferocious
Bear Foot, had been threatening us for three
days. Tho scouts had scarcely slept for as many
nights, and at dawn Of the fourth morning
trouble commenced. Tho Pawnees, who were on
picket duty under government pay, were as willy
as the Sioux. who were planning tho capture of
our little station. When the enemy had crept
up. almost into our camp. keeping under tho
bank of the river, they were detected by tho
trained car Of the red scouts. Tho Captain in
command Of the Government forces was slow to
believe that tho river which ran past the round
house was literally alive with Sioux, but no
knew tho scout was too sly to advise an attack
that was unnecessary.
"If the Sioux wero actually creeping up In the
uhrkneoB uhuer inc Dhnk OF Inc BCream. IL was
easy to guess the object When they were there
in sufficient numbers they would swarm out
upon us like red ants, before the drowsy soldiers
could get to their feet
Tho scout and tho Captain cropt close to tho
river and lay upon the ground listening for any
sound that might be made by tho crawling
Sioux. Occasionally they could hear O shufhing,
scufling sound, and now and then a low kerr
PUNK as q pebble rolled down the bank and
fell into the water. In q little while the Captain
had become convinced that there were Indians
In the river. How many. he could not tell, but
he knew that Bear Foot would not come alone.
1.-THE scouts were now awakened and linod up
near the roundhouse, between the track and tho
river. We had fifty men, mostly Pawnees, and
they woro now placed ten feet apart. 30 that we
covered about 500 feet of the river. The Cap.
tain passed along the line and appraised tho men
OF the danger. At the flash Of a bullseye lamp
In the roundhouse tho men were to fall down
and crawl up to within ten yards of the stream
and lie quiet until dawn, unless tho Sioux
came out before that time. They had not boon
waiting ten minutes whom q run of feathers
showed up along tho bank. Instantly every one
Of the scouts levclled his gun at the Sioux. who,
unable to see tho soldiers, poised upon the edge
Of the. bank to listen. The Captain knew
s seas. s and m tse h Srs, their %arn fnse tse upon gg;on, the had t Tss
the officers command to his men to fire. Before
the Sioux could gain their feet, or even drop be-
hind the bank, the scouts blaZed away. A dozen
or more Indians rolled down into the river, but
Bear Foot knew that we had but a handful of
river when Il the bank bristled again with Nth" r ed
order his men to fire now-the Pawnee scouts
were hot STUFF; They hated the Sioux as bitterly
another. presumine, Of course, that Indians are
human; and instantly they, let go again. The
line Of heads above the bank seemed to waver.
| but n moment later fhav raannaa rad ton finaa
The Captain Of the scouts saw at a glance
that at the rate they were now coming from tho
! river the Sioux would soon outnumber his force
ten to one. The scouts at the beginning had held
and the officer determined to hold 1t.
They didn't fight Indians with maps and
battle through a h%e!dgiass from tho summit Of
and his hands as well. and sometimes his feet.
The Sioux fought close in, as the Romans fought.
and the conflict was usually short and decisive.
the Captain ordered his men to charge, and.
leaping to their feet. the scouts advanced at a
were swept back by the charge. but Others came
up out OF the dark river to take their places.
stream me fir fasf the f Iesa into ne0P the sn Sioux 91nS as 81 ,h hSS
came swarming up from the river:
When the scouts had cmptied their rifles and
Sioux we're now gaining the level ground above
great advantage our men heldebeins able 10
engage the Sioux before they could get to their
the the e1 1e 1se sr res's sti fpn more nnm 4s HEse with hu esS Ss
passing moment. the scouts realized that the
fought with the desperation Of men making IA nass's
last stand at the door Of death.
ID was dawing rapidly now, and the scouts,
observing that the stream Of Sioux was pouring
into the centre of our line, and that the extreme
right and left had little to do. began to close up.
men seemed. when once set to work. to know
just what to do. and they moved like dancers
rifle without prompting.
"A half circle thrown out 100 feet from the
bank Of the stream would now inclose the COM
batants, SO close and desperate was the lighting.
IN a little while, the scouts had formed u solid
there SifS fought sn and dH Usually HI1afiT nis .nSiG tho G? Sioux onsS %6o
succeeded in gaining the level plain. some were
slaughtered and others we're forced TO leap the
bank and reioin their comrades. seeing which
the warriors hurrying up the river became dis.
oourag d and began TO retreat. BY this time it
was 80 light that we could see the desperate faces
OF the savaEes. 1t was a new and novel sight 10
me, for | did not belong at the front. had only
terial, and had persuaded the Captain, whom l
knew very well. to allow mo to remain near him
might be called upon to fight for my lie. | did
not rush frantically into the 1tlercest, OF the
aFos; 90 to did tsk ! run nnrt Hw sSd 80 h s.aoS asked my s TO Ss
and did what i could. But now. after the chill
Of 4 the arst fright had passed away, began
were working with wonderful GOODNESS 70 wipe
1880. otiS. iiohh AZ iuNo oA-'bo aiAh.
the fact that it was awfully interesting. there
was something touchingly sad in the spectacle
of these rcd desperadoes, who were born broth
ers, and who ought to have been fighting
shoulder to shoulder. il there was fighting to do,
closing in upon one another in q desperate strug.
gle that could end only in death.
. l stood watching a big Sioux who WAS
Fighting, three scouts single.handed. and who.
up to this point, seemed not only TO hold his
own, but who had killed one of his assailants, l
observed a Pawnee dart past me. Turning 10
look where he ran, ! saw that he was engaging
a Sioux who must have been stealing up behind
mo. As the mon came together they appeared,
by mutual agreement. to drop their guns and
pistols and agree. upon knives, as the proper
weapons with which to settle their differences.
They came at each other half crouching, but
when not more than six feet separated them
they paused and glared at each other like wild
beasts. Then they few at each other, their
as II they had been rubber balls. With
out taking time, to. breathe, they. were
at It again, and mixed up so that 1
could not say which was which. Very naturally
wanted to help the Pawnce who by his bravery
had saved my life. but / dared not fire, or even
strike with my dubbed rife. for fear Of hitting
for him was TO give him n cigar or some worry