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


paign to encounter the Northern Chey-
ennes on the Arickaree fork of the Re
publican River, in a fight that lasted
three days. They were led by their
great chief Roman Nose, a man who
seemed to elnbody in himself all that
was great in savage warrior A per-
sonal description of him, written by
General ]. B. Fay, in his book entitled
Army Sacrifice" is, 1 believe. the
finest description of an Indian warrior
ever penned, and I copy it entire. 1t
was written by a reporter on the occa-
sion of the council held between the
Sioux and Cheyennes and General
Palmer, of the United States Army, at
Fort Ellsworth, in 1866:
Roman Nose moved in a solemn and
majestic manner to the center of the
chamber He was one of the finest
specimens of the untamed savage, and
it would be difficult to eXaggerate his
superb physique. A veritable man of
war, the shock of battle and the scenes
of carnage and cruelty were as the
breath of his nostrilS. About thirty
years of age, standing six feet three
inches high he lowered giant-like above
his companions. He had a grand head,
with strongly marked features, which
We're lighted by a pair of fierce black
eyes. a large mouth, with thin lips,
through which cleaned rows of strong
white teeth, and a large Roman nose,
dilated nostrils like those of a thor
oughbred horse attracted fixed atten-
tiCn, While a broad chest, with symmet-
rical limbs, on which the muscles I'M
der the bronze Of his skin stood out like
| twisted wires, were some of the points
of this splendid animal. Clad in buck
skin leggingS and embroidered mecca
SINS and the rarest of robes, a white
buffalo, beautifully tanned, thrown
over his naked shoulders, he stood forth
| the great war chief of the Cheyennes.
l met this warrior, as I have before
stated, while I was in command of
body of fifty frontier scouts, with which
L had been pursuing the Indians for
more than a week They had planned
an ambuscade for me, which I had
avoided by encamping earlier than they
expected, and accordingly they attack
ed me by an attempted surprise at day.
light, While I was encamped on the
bank of the Arickaree fork of the Re-
publican River Realizing that they
NCIG lOO SlIOllS LII illS-lnGy uuluO
ed nearly thousand warroirs-I took
| reguge on a little island in the midst
of the stream, tied my horses in a cir
Gle to the bushes, threw up rifle pits,
and prepared to defend myself as best
l could.
Within the limits of this article I can
only give the details of Roman Noses
splendid charge, and I copy nearly ver-
batim from an article written by myself
for Harper's Monthly in June, 1895:
I'VE had not long to wait. A peal of
the artillery bugle, and at a slow trot
the mounted warriors came slowly into
view in an apparently solid mass at
the foot of the valley, hating just by
the mouth of the canyon on the opposite
side of the river from which we had
emerged the preceding day I had
placed my back firmly against the little
earthWork. My rifle lay across my
chest, and my revolver lay on the sand
beside me. Closely watching the
mounted warriors, saw their chief fac
ing his command, and, by his gestures,
evidently addressing them in a few i'm
passioned words. Then waving his
hand in our direction he turned his
horses head toward us, and, at the
word of command, they broke at once
into full gallop, heading straight for
the island. I was right in my surmise.
We We're to be annihilated by being
shot down as they rode over US.
"As Roman Nose dashed gallantIy
forward and swept into the open at the
head Of his superb command he was
the very beau ideal of an Indian chief
Mounted on a large, clean limbed chest
nut horse, he sat we'll forward on his
barebacked charger. his knees passing
under horsehair lariat that twice
loosely encircled the animals body his
horses bride grasped in his left hand.
which was also closely wound in its
flowing name, and at the same time
clutched his rifle at the guard, the butt
of which lay partially upon and across
the animals neck. while it's barrel.
crossing diagonally in front of his body.
rested slightly against the hollow of
his left arm, leaving his right free to
direct the course of his men. He was
man over six feet three inches in
hight, beautifully formed. and save
for crimson silk sash knotted around
his waist, was perfectly naked His
face was hideously painted in alternate
lines of red and black, and his head
was crowned with a magnificent war
bonnet from which, just above his tenn
Piles, and curving slightly forward,
stood up two short, black buffalo horns.
while it's ample length of eagle feath-
ers and herons' plumes trailed wildly
on the wind behind him. And. as he
came swiftly on at the head of his
charging warriors in all his barbaric
strength and grandeur, he proudly rode
that day, the most perfect type OF a
savage warrior it has ever been my lot
to see.
Turning his face for an instant
toward the women and children of the
united tribes. who literally by thou
sands, We're watching the fight from
the crest of the low bluffs back from
the rivers bank, he raised his right arm
and waved his hand with a royal ges-
ture in answer to their wild cries of
rage and encourag cement rs he and his
command swept down upon US And
again facing squarely toward where we
lay he drew his body to it's full hight
and shook his clenched fist defiantIy at
us. Then, throwing back his head and
glancing skyward, he suddenly struck
the palm of his hand across his mouth
and gave tongue 10 a war cry that I
have never heard equalled in power and
reached the rivers bank when it was
caught up by each and every one of
the charging warriors with an energy
that battles description, and answered
back with blood-curdling yells Of ex-
ultation and prospective vengeance by
the women and children on the rivers
bluffs and by the Indians who Law in