The Wichita tribune., 1898-10-08
TROOPS and INDIANS FIGHT.
Colonel Bacon and his Whole Com
mand Reported Massacred.
HAD ONLY 100 MEN WITH HIM,
A. Number of Soldiers and Officers Shot
Charge of Indians In an ATTEMPT to
Retake Arrested Men RepuIsed-Re-
Inducements Sent.

ned report is current that the detach
ment of troops with Colonel Baco,
and the colonel himself, have beer
massacred
lhree newspaper correspondents
Brlll of the st. Paul Pioneer-P Press
Beaton of the Minneapolis Tribune
and knapper of the Minneapolis Times
are known t0 have been in the fight
and one report is that they were
killed, while another says they are
now prisoners in the hands of the
Indians.
A dispatch boat that has just arrived
announces that although they cruised
up and down near the scene of the
battle for two hours they were unable
TO see man, and fear that al oldiers
and officers have fallen.
About 100 armed citizens, including
the detachment from Brainard, are
"bout to start for the scene
A terrific battle was fought at II
o'clock yesterday morning, thirty
miles from here, at Bog All Me- -Ge-
Shirks Point, close to Bear island
The detachment of 100 men under
General Bacon was landed on the
point shortly after o'clock. The
landing was effected with considera-
bic difficulty, owing to high sea.
After landing search of the bush
was made in all directions. The SOL
dIers went through the thick UNDER
growth very carefully and with every
precaution taken against ambush. No
Indians were seen until nearly ii
O'Clock. The men were then ordered
to line up in an open space near the
shore of the lake. Charges were
drawn and preparations made for
dinner
The order to make coffee had been
given and the soldiers were standing
IN column formation when the first
shot was fred. It came from Bog-Ah-
Me-Ge- -Shirls,s Ia, a :; " ;;sias
This was the signal. Immediately
the firing became general from all di-
rections. 1t seemed that shot came
from every bush.
Three of Colonel Bacon's men
dropped. They were at once carried
to the rear. On the very instant that
the first shot was heard every man in
the command spraug for cover, with
out waiting for orders. Like a flash
the blue column had vanished, and not
a sign was to be seen Of the eighty
men who had stood erect but an in
stant before, except here and there a
little patch where gray hat might be
made out.
/ heard General Bacon's voice high
above everything, admonishing his
men. The general stood straight up,
supported by Major Wilkinson.
STEADY, men," he called; keep
cool, now; keep cool"
Again there came volley from the
Indians, and that was what the troops
had been waiting for. The K~agJor-
gensens opened up with a frio htful
rattle, just as the Pillagers made
terrific rush.
Half dozen of them dropped and
the rest fell back, yelling like fiends
incarnate. | don't know how many |
Indians there were, but there must |
have been $50 or 200. Lieutenant Nor |
rison, with a squad of twenty men,
made rush to prevent the recapture
of Old MahQuod, a very choice scoun- |
drel and Bap Dway We Dung.
The marshals had these men under |
arrest, and a rescue would certainly |
have been effected, but Lieutenant
Morrison yelled "Charge" and his
squad scattered the copper-colored |
gang.
BY this time the troops were under
cover. The Indians were firing in a |
desultory way and the order was given
to charge. The soldiers rose, ducking |
and dropping like grasshoppers. They |
made the most of their opportunity
Suddenly a volley was fired by the
Indians at the steam tug Flora, which |
lay off shore A score of bullets tore
through the frail woodwork of the
boat and every man except the pilot
sought cover. Some blazed away in |
return with revolvers, but the range |
was too long.
A volley was then f. / at the tug
Chief of Duluth Inspector Tinker
was shot through the leg and his coat
sleeve was torn to ribbons by another
ball
The Flora steamed for the agency |
under orders from Marshal O'Conner, |
who was on board. to get the twenty
men under Lieutenant Humphrey, who
had been left there.
A fatal mistake was made in failing |
to send Gatling and a Hotchkiss.
They could have been used with mag
nifcent effect. The Indians had fired |
twenty-five shots before the troops |
returned the fire.