The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-22
For the Eagle.
THE BATTLE OF THE WAsHITA.

L C6ltDrGtl Ou Ohld0Omd Lay.
The battle of the wash.ta was fought
Nov "A, 1858, near the present town of
Cheyenne, Roger Mills county, Oklahoma.
between General Clusters Seventh cavalry
| and Black Kettles band Of Indians)
There are battles by populous cities and
battles where business rears;
There are battles IN song-famous, valleys
and battle on oaliad-sung shores;
But the battles that conquered the prairies
and laid the red devils to rest
Are the battles of bounty and bleeding
that live n the hearts of the west.
There's many soldier lives in song whose
deathless deeds were bold.
But Custer was much the bravest man that
ever had heart of gold;
There's many a regiment rolled In fame
but none could drawer be
Than the men who rode to the Washita
in the Seventh Cavalry,
The savage tribes in paint and plume have
danced the dance of war,
And bursting from the wild southwest
have wandered fast and far;
And where they sweep the settlers keep in
fire and smoke has fed,
While settler. wife and chiidren-an are
lying scalped and dead
Tie swart Cheyenne and Kiowa, the tail
Arapahoe,
Comanche and Apache fierce, have joined
the fiendish foe;
And swift along for the frontier their fire
and slaughter. too,
Have secured the Kansas hills and wales
with deeds that demons do.
Tho. to saddles, CUSTER" then thundered
Sheridan;
There's work to do for such as you. and
for your gallant men;
trust you well in everything; with neither
wait nor word,
Drive back these beasts into their lairs and
make them feel your sword"'
MY boys are quick and tireless, sir; no
blades of grass Shall grow
Beneath our feet until we meet and slay
the savage foe;
With lively pains We'll scour the plains;
Well soothe 10 rest again
The seven seas of broad prairies. and give
them back TO men,
Now redskins TO your villages, and pray
the Manitou!
For Custer and his cavalry are on the trail
for you;
And you shall feel their swords OF steel
it's wars relentless law
And sec your lodges stained with blood be-
side the Washita.
It was a gallant regiment that marched
from old Fort Hays
To hunt the proving savages in those Oc-
tober days;
High beat their hearts and fearless, and
plaques of want and woe
Shall crushing fall on each and all that
dares to be d foe.
It's scEthward over Kansas the eager
troopers press;
It's past Fort Dodge. and on and on into
the wilderness:
It's marching, marching, through the day,
it's mounting guard by night
Until at last the game is freed; now. SOL
diers to the fight!
'Ho, troopers, do you see it? Here runs
the recent trail.
Not far the Indian village now; our mission
shall not fail,
Ere long the murdered white men, the wo-
men worse than slain,
By your brave arms avenge their harms
these pirates Of the plain!'
Through sleet and snow the soldiers go;
what matters wind or coid?
Their strong hearts warm defy the storm,
with courage brave and bold;
Though quick-sands yawn and ice inpedes.
yet uncomplainingly
They forward march where Custer leads
the Seventh Cavalry!
Now stealthily and silently, o, scouts.
with caution crawl
A single sound may reach the foe and
warn him once for all;
Too far we come. too far we march;
'Twere evermore our shame.
II some neglect should rouse him now and
rob us Of our game!'
''Ho. no! Ho, no. Here ashes glow! We !
now are near at last.
Heard we that howl, A swapping cur |
bowls DER his rough repast;
And lower still, Ye gods, what III! A |
baby's fretful cry! |
Alas, that men such deeds must do, and |
little ones must die.''
Now to the East and to the west and TO |
the North and South,
The men 1T silence find their way across |
the valleys mouth;
o, sleeping REDSKINS. to your prayers, In
woke the Nantiou.
For Custer and his Cavalry are all sur
rounding you.
It's little rest the soldiers take. it's little
sleep they know,
So cold the night bowls overhead, so deep
the drifted snow.
But tired limbs and heavy eyes have has
tened far away,
For Garryowen and the charge shall sound
ct break OF day.
'9The East grows pale: the shadows fall
When will the bugle blow,
Whose that command which lags behind?
Which keeps US waiting so?'
Hark, Loud and clear with cheer on cheer
the Charge rings on the air.
And, ere the lodges leap awake. the strong
lmbed men are therei
Now steady, steady. steady. men. Be eau
tious through the strife.
Each lodge leaps UP. the village wakes.
with savage, naked Efe.
On fast and far. On. lines Of war! Like
tigers for their prey.
Sweep onward still Ger highest hill, and
every foenza slay.
But yonder, yonder. fires the foe from
every far ravins,
And yondsr. yonder. through the trees, TIE
skulking braves are seen,
And there. and here, from tepees near. the
swarthy squaws reveal
With deadly rifles, aimed too well. how