The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-10-28

1
u quarters.
. One day, little after sunrise, a
we passed through the de6le out int,
Z open ground, we heard singing anc
o shouting to our left and rear.
4 Looking around, we saw yer,
9 large body of mounted Indians, a
|. least five hundred in number.
8 1t only needed second glance te
tell us that they were Blackfeet.
:, We mounted our sick upon pack
t animals, ahead to gain a patch O
thickgrowing willows, some ter
miles away, while we formed our.
: selves to hold the Blackfeet in check
One fact aided US; it was impos-
sible for the Indians to surround u.s.
Upon one hand we had a lake,
upon the other long, rugged noun
tain that goat could scarcely scale,
Still, by forcing us to retreat, the
Indians knew we would eventually
be driven into the open ground,
where they could master us like a
herd of buffaloes, by hemming us
in on every side.
i The varmints kept charging on,
taking matters easy, though barely
oming within rifle shot.
| Aswe had plenty of ammunition, we
blowed over few at long range
every charge they made, when they
would halt, and allow us to retreat
few hundred yards.
| AS they had but a few rifles, and
those rendered almost useless by rust
and hard usage, wewere not injured
and only for the folly of one man.
old Bob Burns the most inveturate
Indian hater l ever knew-we would
have passed through the valley with
out losing a single life.
He was always the hindmost one
OF our party, sometimes fifty yards
closer to the Blackfeet than any
other trapper, loading and firing
rapidly, yet with GOODNESS that
brought down brave with each bull
let.
At last three Blackfeet darted for
ward, choosing moment when
Burns was nearest them, and his
rifle empty.
The old fellow never hinched, but
sat his horse, coolly drawing his pis-
tolls.
He picked off the first two, though
while doing so they slipped half a
dozen arrows into his body.
l saw his danger, and calling for
help to rescue him, darted at full
speed, the front guard of the Black
feet doing the same.
| But we were too late to save Burns.
| He felt that he had received his
death blow from the arrow that
quivered deep in his left breast, and
charging upon the third Blackfoot,
uttered his wild war cry
"Owgh-owgh gh-h!"
The Blackfoot gave him an arrow
that passed clear through his throat,
dropping to the ground behind him,
but old Bob made his "coup' in
spite of this.
He grappled with tine redskin and
plunged his knife into his heart, both
falling from the saddle together.
Seeing that poor Burns was wiped
out, we retreated, closely followed by
the redskins, who, however. were
checked by valley from our COM
rades.
We held the mouth of the pass for
some time, until we could see that
our sick had gained the willows, and
then, riding in a compact body we
followed upon their trail
AS we had forscen. no sooner were
the Blackfeet clear of the narrow val
ley than they gave the word to their
animals. and endeavored to surround
| us.
We rode on steadily, keeping those
in our rear and those upon both sides
at respectful distance. while watch
ing the braves sent ahead to cut off
our further retreat.
Nov" yelled Fitzpatrick, all at
once darting forward
The Blackfeet had nearly COM
pleted their Surround" when our
leader gave the singnal we had been
looking for so long.
Itwas beautiful, superb charge.
Our rifles, thoug'i loaded, rested
across our thighs, wh...- guiding our
animals with our knees, each hand
grasped pistol.
The redskins met our rush bodily
enough, no doubt believing they
could stay US until their friends could
come up, when, pressed upon from
all sides we must 60 under.
| Their first flight. ..of arrows emptied
two saddles and wounded a dozen
more of our number. But before they
could let fly another, we were upon
them, and our pistols began to speak.
/ We cut cur way through the Black
feet, and then taking our rifles, de-
livered cool volley into those near
est with such good effect that they
halted in monetary dismay, falling
back beyond range. And taking ad-
vantage of this, we put on steam and
reached the willows where our sick
men and pack animals were await
ing us.
There isn't time to tell all about
, our fight at the willows, and there il
was the same from first to last, al
, most; a succession of charges and
repulses, ruses and strategems, by
which the Blackfeet sought to drive
US from cover; but we we're smart
enough to see and hold our advan-
tage.
When l tell you that we fought
them for the rest of that day and all
/, night you can fill out the picture to
[ suit yourself.
Matters began to look gloomy
enough the next day.