The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-10-11

left knee. He fell to the ground and
called to his lieutenant:
..Pm hit. Ross. but not badly. Keep
en- at it," A hospital steward ordsseo
the wounded officer around the corner -
the house and applied tourqulnette 70
the wounded leg to stop the pleeolhS'
The major sat propped up against lne
corner of the house for an instant out
he could not stand it long ana was sooii
hack in the thick of the fight, cheering
and directing his men.
Mai. WiIIxinsOn's Death
A few minutes later another pan seiuch
the officer on the right side ana pdssl's
completely through his abdomen ehnefseu
on the left side The major Tell TO the
ground instantly and the surgeon VINO
was at his side almost as he fell ala not
need to tell him that the wound was fatal
Gen. Bacon rushed to where the dying
officer lay
"Give EN- hell, general! give EN- nell!
said the diving officer. They were his last
words. In a few moments his life had
passed away. A brave officer had given
his life that the authority of the govern
ment might be preserved and that an ola
Indian might be punished for refusing TO
tell who sold him whisky
After the first attack, which lasted
about half an hour, was over, there was
a respite of half an hour and then the
attack was renewed, fiercer than ever.
But the soldiers had settled down by this
time and the attack was easily repulsed.
Four times more the attack was renewed,
but each time it was repulsed with vlgor,
and at last, about 3 o'clock, the fight nav
ing lasted three hours and a half, the
main body of the Indians seemed to with
draw. From time to time afterwards
few shots were fired from the woods and
were replied to by the soldiers, but all
semblance of an organized attack was
over
Early in the fight the steamer Flora left
the bay and steamed away toward
Walker, leaving us all alone to resist the
attack or be driven into the lake. The
Flora, under orders from Marshal O'Con-
nor proceeded at once to the agency for
the purpose of obtaining reinforcements
from Lieut.. Humphreys little band of
twenty men, who are encamped there.
Lieut.. Humphrey refused to leave camp,
saying that he had been ordered to reg
main where he was by the general and
that he would remain there until ordered
elsewhere by the general, course which
Gen. Bacon commends.
Directly after the Flora the Chief
pulled away from the bay and started
for town. The excuse her captain gives
is that Col Tinker was obliged to send a
telegram and was forced to go at once to
town.
Beaton, Knappen and myself lay on the
shore for several hours waiting for
steamer to arrive to bring US back to
Walker. We expected a dispatch boat
early in the afternoon, but it did not ar
rive until after o'clock. AS the boat APP
preached the shore it was fired upon by
Indians concealed in the trees AS soon
as the first shot was fired the boat turned
and dashed away around the point and we
never saw it again. With the coming of
night
The Battle Was Over
and after assisting the hospital steward
to care for the wounded we went to the
blockhouse, where the soldiers were en-
camped. The house made a, good bar
racks, for it was built of heavy logs
The battle developed several cases of
bravery and hardy courage that should be
recorded. The hospital steward, who had
charge of the hospital stores, will proba-
bly, be recommended to the president as
worthy the medal of honor. The young
mans name is Burkhard and his home is
in Red Wing. He is a recruit and has
Altogether the battle is proof of the
fact that Indians, i'll spite of their woods
manship and their method of fighting, are
no match for the boys who wear the blue
of Uncle Sans army.
Will H. Brill