The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-10-08

lthN. HI Cllil Sc "ao ltPuiSSu: anu
the men took advantage of the lull to
DIG entertainments in the sand. Gen
eral Forsyth was among the first of the
wounded, his leg having been shatter
ed, but he sat on the island exposed to
the raking fire Of the enemy, giving
directions for the defense of the island
as coolly as if he were home directing
gardener to lay out his yard. He
WAS the last man to seek the shelter of
pit The fight had lasted about an
hour and half.
ROMAN NOSE ASSUMES COMMAND.
1T was about this time that we dis
covered that the Indians were wrang-
ling rs to who should command them.
At 10 O'Clock old Roman Nose, the
most celebrated fighter of that day, as
sumad command He was magniti-
ccnt-looking fellow, over six feet in
height. and of massive frame. He wore
Il large headdress-a gaudy, barbaric
contrivance with buffalo horn stand
ing on end just above the forehead and
hanked on either side by stuffed bird.
He was mounted on a large-limbed
horse. lie held the bride in the left
hand, the fingers (which also clutched
the guard of his rifle. His right hand
was free, and as he rode down toward
the ban, of the stream at the head of
about tivc-score mounted Indians he
shook his clcnchcd hand at us in def
ancc. Then, throwing back his head,
he clapped his palm across his mouth
and emitted the most thrilling, blood
curdling war whoop that | ever heard,
and it was caught up by the thousand
braves that surrounded us and by the
women and children who had come to
the rivers bluff to see us annihlated.
Then they charged toward the island.
1t was a magnificent sight. Old Ro-
man Nose was ut the head, his long
bonnet of eagle feathers trailing in the
breeze. They w>re about eight ranks
deep. and it looked rs if nothing but a
stone wall could withstand the advance.
They splashed through the water, but
we did not fire. AS Roman Noses
horse plunged on to the island General
Forsyth sat upright in his pit and
shouted: Let 'em have it! Now! and
now!' and the command was repeated
by Beecher
VOLLEYS OF DEATH.
Forty bullets crashed into the charg-
il walri ,rs. but they only answered
with ringing whoop. \ second vol
ley staggered them, and the third vol
ley did bloody execution, for above the
noise of the battle we could hear the
ClltS vi lllC W Ollltil anu Cullttl Cll Ou thC
hills But they hesitated for mo-
ment only, and then dashed on. only
to meet another wtheriny volley,
which cut L deep gap in their ranks.
Another crash of rifles and Roman
Nose was dead upon the sand. Two
more volleys and the few survivors
broke wildly for the bank, and we fired
4 scattering volley at them from Our
rcvolvcrs.
1T was 4 magnificent charge. Since
that day on the Ariclaree, have been
in many fights with Indians, but new
er saw that exhibition Of pure nerve
eaualcd. Three ofour men were wound
ed and Lieutenant Beecher was killed.
General Forsyth was wounded in the
side and head, besides having both legs
broken, but he did not give up for
for a moment DR.. Mooers was NOR
tally wounded in the head.
a young warrior who | have al
ways believed was 4 relative Of Dull
Knife now assumed command. He
had just succeeded in rallying his
horsemen, nearly all of whom were dis
maved ut the death of old Roman Nose,
when he, too. fell dead. From that
moment the Indians didn't seem to
recognize any commander, but kept
up the fight in Il haphazard way until
about o'clock in the afternoon, when
they received reinforcement and also
new chief in command. Under the
new leader they made another charge,
but it was 4 failure. After third
charge, which had no better result,
they gave the thing up rs bad job,
though they were wrought to frenzy
by the tauntS of Che women. 1t was
simply death to approach that island,
and the boldcst of the redskins could
not stand our fire, for the scouts had a
hrbit ofmaking every shot count. AT
the third attack it began to grow
alrn. and we felt ourselves compara-
tivr!y safe. 1t began to rain, and after
the lrn . day on the hlsteriny sand it
WAS mighty grateful. The General
had time to draw up list of the dead
and wounded. Seven names were on
the list Of killed and lG men were more
or less wounded There were % fairly
sound men to continue the fight on the
next day.
SLIPPING THROUGH TIE LINES.
1T WAS nearly midnight when Gen
crai Forsyth ordered old Pierre Tru-
deau and myself to make an attempt
to slip through the Indian lines and
rplch Fort WDll.rp which woS rhout