The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-14
defensive measures was red

defenslve measures was redOublCd. In.
structions to do nothing to provoke hos
tilities were dead letters, now that hos.
tilitics had actually been provokcd-not
by him or his people, but, between
them, by Big Road and the cowboys.
There was only ono course for Fcnton
to take, and that was to overhaul the
village and pcaceably if he could, but
torclbly II ho must, escort it back with.
IN tho reservation lines. Bat had rid.
den up just as tho sun was disappear
ing to say that tho Indians seemed to
bo heading for a deep cloft in tho foot.
hills through which tho buffalo in by
gono days had mado their way. Now,
II Fcnton could only send Farwell or
Amory with half tho squadron to gall
lop IN wido dctour to tho west under
cover OF tho darkness and soize tho bluffs
oVcrhanglng tho canyon, meantime
making cvcry prctcnso Of keeping up tho
pursuit with tho remainder Of his force,
nc might trap the village while most of
Its defenders wero still far away. Dark
ness settled down over tho dcsolate win
Try landscape, and tho two troops dis
patched Oh this stirring and perilous
mission were those Of Farwell and Mai
colin Lcalc, tho latter led by its boy
lieutenant, Will Farrar
Ono hour later, as tho advance was
still cropping along tho trail and the
weary troopers, alternately leading
afoot and riding sleepily in narrow col
umn, pushed steadily in their tracks,
two horsemen OH jaded mounts came
| spurrlng from the rear, and Wayne,
| with sorrowful face, handed his dis
patches to tho colonel. By the light Of
littlo pocket lantern Fenton read,
while in brooding silence knot OF half
dozen officers gathered about them.
The closing paragraph is all we need to
quote: "You will therefore turn over
tho command to Major Wayne and re-
port IN person at these headquarters
without unnecessary delay. Acknowl-
edge receipt" At any other time the
colonel might have been expected to
swear vigorously, but the trouble in
Wayne's faco and the unspoken SYM
pathy and sorrow wero too much for
him. "All right, old boy" said he as
he refolded the papers. "Pitch in now
and finish up tho business, with my
blessing Bat" he continued, turning
to tho swarthy guide, chow far is it
over to the Allison ranch? I think I'll
sleep there" And no further words
wero needed to tell the little group that
their colonel had been removed from
command just OH tho cvc of consumma-
tion of his plans, and he was tho only
man Of tho lot who didn't look rs
though all heart had been taken out of
him as tho immediate result.
"D-n that fellow Thorpel It's his
doing,' sworo tho adjutant between his
set teeth. ''Ho has mover forgiven us
for spelling his scheme to clean out the
whole band"
Don't waste timo swearing" said
Fonton grimly. CPL take the job Off
your hands. They're heading for Elk
Springs. Wayne, and I've sent Farwell
with two troops around to the left to
find their way to the bluffs and got there
first. Everything depends on that"
But even Fenton hardly realized how
very much depended. 1t was now about
o'clock, and ever since tho early dawn
the cavalry had been pressing steadily
at tho heels Of tho Indian rear guard,
mover firing, never responding to the
challenge of shot or shout from the
scampcring warriors before them. Again
and again had Bat and his half breed
cousin, La Bonto, striven to get Big
Road to halt and parlcy; but, though
the signals wcro fully understand, old
Road was mad with the mingled rage
Of fight and whisky and believed him
self the leader OF on outbreak that
should rival that Of 1876 and place him,
as battlo chief, head Of an army Of
| warriors that should ovcrrun the north
west. Anxious only to got the women
and children safely in among tho fast
ncsscs of the hills, he contcnted himself
therefore through the livclong day with
holding tho troops at long arm 8 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 tho soldiers wcro forbidden to at
tack With the coming Of another day
Big Road planned to have his village
far in among tho clcfts and canyons Of
tho range, where fcw rcsoluto war.
riors could defend tho pass against an
advance, while no and his braves, re-
enforced by eager recruits from tho
young mon Of other bands ut tho roscr-
walton, could fall upon tho flanlts and
rear Of Fenton's forco and frittcr it
away, as Red Cloud had massacred Fot-
tormans men long years before at old
Fort Kearny
Everything depended on who should
got thcro first and, as tho Sioux said OF
Custer's column tho bloody day on tho
Little Horn, "tho soldiers wcro tired" "
Extending southwark from the peaks
Of tho Big Horn was q wild range Of ir-
regular heights, covered in places with
q thick growth Of hardy young spruce
and codars and scrub oak, slashcd and
severed hero and there by deep and tor
tuous canyons with precipitous sides.
Somewhere in among those hills was q
big amphithcatcr known as the Indian
race course approachablo in winter at
least only through the crooked rift or
pass known for short as Elk gulch. In
just such another natural fastness and
only q fow miles away to the northeast
had tho Cheycnnes made their famous