The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-24
SAVED BY THE MULE.
THE LiEUTENANT'S STORY or A
FIGHT WITH INDIANS.
Frisky Had Learned by Experience, and
He Knew when There Was Danger-Fia-
herty Took Command, and lie and the
Mule Paid 81 an old Score.


territories, She Iritgd States i-ail was ear
ried in saddlch3Gs on what were called |
pack mules. q pc riders were young men. |
carefUliy selected for taCir bravery, fear |
lossncss and activity. The animals were |
changed at stations abour 20 miles apart,
so that they were always iu good condition
10 run II necessity required 30, which was
often the case, as tie country WAS swarm
inp wish Mexioans and Indians.
DcntCcn, brave young lrishmCn with
Indian blood i'm his veins, was G., sen for
the road hctwcCn Camp v. Ari goo ana
n town ON tho iordcr of New Mexico and
fer moro ,a;n a. year ESCAPED the snarCs
and trettLCreus traps that were laid for
lin. One cold day in February, 1873,
when a heavy mist not only mHde things
chceress and gloomy, hut throw such n
veil over the earth that it was impossible
to SEQ any object more than a few feet
away, Bentcon started on his customary
long ridc. When or how the Indians sur
lrisCd him was never known. His body
was found in the entrance Of Sunset pass
| by squad of cavalry sent from Camp V.
| riddled with bullets and arrows, and near
! IL lay three dead Indians, showing that he
! had sold his life dearly. Tho mule gal
| Hoped into Camp V. two days later and
fell exhausted in front of the barracks,
with mailbags untouched save by the
blood that had flowed from the bullet hole
! in his side. He was put in IA comfortable
stall in the cavalry stables, and, owing to
the skill of the veterinary surgeon, in adj
dition TO the best of food and care. he soon
| grew strong and fit for light work. During
his sickness the soldiers became so attached
| to him that the post quartermaster made
an effort and succeeded in buying him.
L n IL. e..
| re ordered east on temporary duty in
Washington. Though had been In Ari
IONA but six months. | was heartily tired
of that desolato country and fully dt,t:-
mined to let no obstacle delay mo in tic
trip that was taking me TO my native city.
| We left Camp V. in an ambulance drawn
by four mules. soon after starting found
that one Of the leaders was the pack mule
| have mentioned. He had fully recovered,
and had been named Frisky by the soldiers
on account Of bis cxubCrunt spirits.
In tho ambulance with me was the driv
or ard an old soldier whose name was
! Fluhcrty. Behind us was an army wagon
packed with our luggage, ratious and for
age for the mules 1t was guarded by an
escort of eight TriyatCs, with sergeant and
corporal. ErisAy was rs lively as yOung
| kitten and seemed mono the worse for the
hole in his side On the fourth days
travel, soon after starting, Frisky began
to sniff, Prick up his ears and tremblo,
Flaherty turned toward me, saluted and
said in half apologize voice: Beg par
don for throubin ye, lootinint, but think
it will be wise TO halt bit and take
look at the country. Frisky scints the
red men, and you niyer can decaive him
on thin. F"
The driver slackened the speed of his
team and looked at me for an order to
stop. l had been but one year and "a half
from West Point l had quite an opinion
of myself and my judgment, and thought
| i knew far more of Indians than old Flah-
erty, who had been in the service nearly 30
years. The mule continued to act like a
frightened child, and about noon refused
to go by throwing himself on the ground
regardless of harness and braying in the
loudest tones. The men tried coaxing,
then the whip, but all to no avail "He
spakes the thruth in his way, lootinint,
said Flaherty in what seemed to me IA pat
ronizing tone. WED better prepare for
an attack. I'm an old soldier, sir and
know phwat an Indian surprise is. 1t
names throuble. Pardon me, lootnint,
, for tryin TO give me commandin off Ger
orders. F"
found myself obeying Flaherty and stop
, ping my command for the pranks of II
, mule. ordered the men TO make "a bar
ricado of sand and sagebush branches
and corralled our mules behind IL. In
front of them wo put tho ambulance and
wagon for us to hide behind so as to keep
from the enemy the fact that we numbered
only Is all told We remained in this
warlike attitude for nearly an hour. Then,
Disguised with what L thought my folly, L
gave orders for the mules TO be harnessed
and our command to move on. The words
were scarcely out of my mouth when,
CHANGING toward the road leading to our
left, | saw cloud of sand. l turned TO
Flaherty, who stood by my side eying me
reproaohfully and sullenly. whats thaty"
] asked. Its the red men that Frsky
; and said were coming, sir. Ills the be-
: gnnin av the circus
In few moments we were surrounded
by about 80 bideously painted Indians on
their ponies, galloping around us and Civ
|, ing us the full benefit of their warlke
yells. Fortunately they were not as we'll
armed as we were. If they had been, our
time in this world would have been short
AS ID was, our men had To fight like tigers.
The struggle lasted a little less than an
hour During that time l lived through
days. 1t was all so new, strange and horri
Bile to me. was but % and very much of
boy at that My youth and inexperience
seemed strangely out of keeping with my
attempts to give orders TO men who had
spent more than half their lives fighting
Indians. So, after giving few, turned
, the plan of battery over to the sergeant
and Flaherty. The latter was In his ele-
: ment and showed the greatest courage,
GOODNESS and clear headedness / have ever
seen. After every shot he fired he would
\ call out in slow tones Faith, an is 1t me
= red scalp ye want to illewminate yer wig
: wamsf Well, take pace of cowld lead In
sthead." Coon litthle closer. ye red
snakes. Frisky an me want to pay debt
we owe ye." And he would fire away delib-
erately with sure and deadly aim. Owing
!, to his bravery and that of the other men
: we came out coDquerors.
The men lost no time In Harvesting the
mules, packing the wagon and moving
on. After the last Indian had disappeared
, Frisky regained his customary spirits and
: activity and was the hero of the hour, for