Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-03-20

pair of mules run faster? might have
got shot but for you men behind.
There must be nearly hundred In.
dians out there, but guess we are
safe enough now"
She ratified on in that fashion while
we were taking the mules from the
ambulance and unsaddling our horses,
and it was great weight off our minds
to realize that she would not be a
burden on our hands. 1t was idle to
think OF pursuing our journey in the
darkness which would soon close down,
and before more morning there would
be plenty of Indians on the trail beyond
We must take cover and hope to stand
them off until help arrived, or they
grew discouraged at the siege. As we
were consulting about location and
defense the colonel's wife came back
to us from the mouth of the gulch and
said:
''There's the place, over to the left.
men. There's a spring on that hill,
with a good growth to shelter al, and
you can see plenty of powders lying
about"
The sergeant had selected the same
spot. and in the course of a quarter OF
an hour We were occupying it. We
got the horses and mules up there, but
the vehicle was left behind. 1t was q
cone. shaped hill amid half dozen
such, but it commanded the others.
l. was covered with pines and cedars
of small growth, and there was a
splendid spring right in the crest If
the Indians had been fierce in their
pursuit or crafty in their plans, we
could not have reached it. 1t was the
outbreak of war again with them, and
they were overcautious. They drew
back into the valley to consult. thus
giving us fair show, and we were
snug enough when night fell. and they
made dash for us, which we easily
repulsed. Darkness found us occupy.
ing circle about forty feet across,
with stones and powders and trees for
shelter, and though the situation was
an anxious one and full of danger, all
were in good spirits. We made fire
between two rock and cooked our sup.
pers, and by the use of blankets we put
up a tent for the colonel's wife, though
against her protests. After the one
single effort OF the Indians, which was
doubtless more OF reconnaissance
than an attack, we were left in peace,
though all through the night we heard
sounds to prove they were taking up
positions on all sides OF us and making
ready for the morrow.
None OF US except the woman slept
an hour all night long. We used levers
to loosen powders and roll them into
the circle, and with our knives we cut
off limbs and cut down small trees to
further strengthen our fort. We got
tho horses into sort OF gully below
us and made the position as safe as
possible. und when daylight came there
was nothing more to be done. We had
about 600 rounds Of ammunition, fooo
for three days and water was at hand
Daybreak found us ready for an at
tack. The colonel's wife took hel
place, rifle in hand, between two men,
and for half an hour we expected 6
sudden rush. At the end of that time
single warrior appeared to view a.
thu base of the hill, and, in broker
English, demanded our surrender
The sergeant answered him that w
were ready for them, anc at the samt
time fired shot which rolled the red
skins pony over. Three minutes latel
there was circle OF fire about us
Indians had mounted into trees to tht
right and left of us to get plungint
, fire. and from the tops Of two lowel
! hills they poured in their bullets a
random. We simply crouched dowl
, behind the rocks and smoked oul
pipes, pleased that they were throwing
away their cartridges. At the end o
! an hour they ceased firing. Not
man of us had been touched, but stra,
/ bullets had killed one OF the mule
, and wounded two horses. There woult
be rush now, and as We made read.
for it the colonel's wife sank down be
, side me and quietly said:
, "I've tumbled over sage hens ant
, Jack rabbits, and ought to be abl
to hit an Indian. Do I look fright
l ened?"
, "You are as white as ghost
, ma'am," answered, as l turned te
her.
. .But I'm all right" she smilingl!
. said, sand here they come"
So they did. With every painte
0 warrior yelling at the top OF his voice
| the entire baud charged IFS at once
! taking in the whole circle. 1t was nc
, until they got close up that we coul
Q see anything to shoot at, and ever
a few seconds the sergeant cried out t
J. us to hold our fire. 1t was over in
o minute. They did not expect to fin
4 us intrenched, and we knocked theI
' over like ninepins.
I believe we killed or wounded fu
q score. and it took the fight out c
!. them so thoroughly that not q ria
was fred at us again until Afternoon
"a Then. soon after two o'clock. an
,. without the slightest warning, we wer
7 charged again, and for three minute
a IL was o. wild melee. We fred int
d their very faces as they sprang upo
!. the defenses, and two warriors wei
n shot down inside our for.., and bot
r. bv tho colone's wife. It was the
!. Anal aud supreme effort, and we'll
"A vas for us that it was thus. When v
# had beaten them off Sergeant Greg
Dr. and another man lay down, four me