The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-07-25

that could only be equaled but not ex-
celled, while their medicine man, an
| equally brave but older chief, rode
slightly in advance of the left of the
charging column. To say that 1 was
surprised at this splendid exhibition of
pluck and discipline is TO put it mildly,
and to say, further, that for an instant
or two l was fairly lost in admiration
of the glorious charge is simply TO state
the truth, for it was far and away
beyond anything 1 had heard of, read
about, or even imagined regarding IN
dian warfare
"A quick backward glance at my men
was most reassuring Each scout had
turned in his rifle pit toward the di-
rectionfrom which the charge was COM
ing. Crouching low and leaning for
ward, with their knees well under them,
their rifles grasped with a grip of steel
in their brown, sinewy hands, their
chests heaving with excitement, their
teeth set hard, their nostrils aquiver,
their bronzed countenances fairly
af1ame, and their eyes flashing fire, they
grimly lay waiting the word of COM
mand, as brave and gallant little
company of men as ever yet upheld the
reputation of Anglo-Saxon courage. No
sooner Were the charging warriors fair
ly under way than a whitening fire was
suddenly poured in upon us by those of
the Indians who lay in ambush around
US intently watching our every move
ment, in the vain hope that they might
sufficiently cow US TO protect their
charging column against our rifles.
Il had expected this action, but l
we'll knew that once their horsemen
came within a certain radius their fire
must cease For eight or ten seconds
it seemed to rain bullets, and then
came a sudden Iull. Sitting upright
in my pit as we'll as I was able, and
leaning backward on my elbows, I
shouted. 'NoWr and 'Now!' was echoed
by Beechcr, Mccall. and Grover. In
stantly the scouts were on their knees
with their rifles at their shoulders. A
quick flash of their eyes along the bar
rels, and forty good men and true sent
their first Of seven successive volleys
riors.
Crash!
"On they came, answering back the
first volley with a ringing warwhoop.
crash
And now I begin to see falling war
riors-aye, and horses, too; but still
they sweep forward with yet wilder
yells.
Crash.
They seem to be fairly falling over
each other; both men and horses are
down in heaps, and wild shrieks from
the women and children on the hills
proclaim that they too, see the slaugh-
ter of their braves; but still they come.
Crash!
They have ceased to yell, but yet
come bravely on. What? Mo- Yes,
down goes their medicine man. but Ro-
man Nose still recklessly leads the
column; but now 1 can see great gaps
in their ranks, showing that our bull
let's have told heavily among them.
crash
Can 1 believe my eyes? Roman
Nose is down! He and his horse lie
dead together on the sand, and for an
instant the column shakes; but a hun
dred yards more and they are upon US
CRASH
They stagger They half draw rein!
They hesitate! They are breaking,
Crash
And like an angry wave that hurls
itself upon a mighty rock and breaks
upon its rugged front, the Indians di-
vide each side of the little breastWork,
throw themselves almost beneath the
off side Of their chargers, and, with
hoarse cries of rage and anguish, break
for either bank of the river, and scat
ter wildly in every direction, as the
scouts, springing to their feet with a
ringing cheer, pour in volley after vol
very faces of their now demoralized
and retreating foe.
Down, meni Lie down. I fairly
Shrek. Get down. Down for your
livesi' cries Mccall. And the men.
hurting bitter taunts and imprecations
after the retreating savages. throw
themselves painting, fiat on their faces
inside of their rifle pits just in time to
escape a scorching volley from the In
dams still lying in ambush around us,
who have been aXiously watching the
charge, and, naturally enough, are
wildly enraged at it's failure"
Twice again did they essay charges
against my command and then gave up
the contest in despair, after a loss of
seventy-five killed and "heaps" wound
ed, as one Of their chiefs afterward
told me. Our own loss was twenty-four
out of f1fty-one killed and wounded,
including among the killed my second
in command Lieutenant Fred H.
Beecher and my surgeon. DIR. Mooers.