Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-01-01

met scouting party Of cavalry and was
supplied with 100 rounds and as much
provisions as she would take She had
then been logging the Indians for over
two months and had donned male at
tire as the handiest to get about in.
There were Indians on the trail of the
scouting party, and an hour after Mary
had gone her way she found z mount
cd warriors in sight behind her This
was at 10 o'clock in the morning and
on the open plains. She headed for the
faraway hills to the west, and for the
first hour permitted the Indians to gain
on her. When they had come within
half mile, she set the pace to hold
them there, and made one Of the great
est rides recorded under like circum-
stances. Her horse was in prime condi-
ton, and the ponies were also at their
best The Indians knew whom they
were after and determined to capture
her alive and unhurt.
The race and pursuit lasted for 90
miles, every rod Of which was covered
at a gallop The girl was riding straight
into the enemy country, and at sun
down she determined to go no farther.
AS she reached the creek flowing around
the east base Of Thompson s fort, "
which is a hill standing by itself, she
threw herself off her horse and took q
long drink and then led the animal to
the crest of the hill. Fortunately for
her there was a sink or basin at the top,
with many loose rocks lying about, and
IL. 81, oil
soldier could have accomplished under
the circumstances As the Indians came
up they spread out to encirele the hill.
They had run their victim to earth and
were in no hurry to face her rifle.
From dark to dawn the heroine was
not disturbed, and she afterward related
that she slept fairly well. She had a
of provisions and ammunition and was
not at all dismayed over the situation.
When morning came, the Indians de-
manded her surrender, giving her much
praise and promising to escort her to
one Of their villages uuhurt. This they
would likely have done, but she did not
propose to become captive while able
W SlNO u HtlOb AADliA liilC VI ASNoiNNA.
Two hours were consumed by the Indi-
ans in trying to negotiate surrender,
and then, finding the girl inflexible,
they made their first attack. Al given
signal the ~, who were under the com
mand of subchief named Little Horse,
rushed for the crest of the hill. They
gained it, but after fight of two min
utes were driven off with the loss of two
warriors killed and one wounded This
last was the chief himself. He was shot
through the cheek and had the tip of
his tongue carried away, and so badly
did this interfere with his speech that
two years later he drowned himself in
despair. So well was the girl intrenched
on the crest of the hill that 1T was
deemed unwise TO attack her again, and
the band sat down to starve her out.
For three nights and two days she held
the fort, wounding two other Indians
and escaping all their bullets, and then
the Indians withdrew and left her, and
she went her way in peace.
AS / saw Mary Thompson when she
first set out on her dangerous mission
so did | see her when it had been con-
cluded. From May until November she
secuted the plains and lodged among
the hills alone, her life and liberty i'll
peril almost every hour in the "a. The
village in which her brother was held
captive moved many times, but she al
ways located it anew and watched for
her opportunity. 1t came one night
with the setting III of winter. There
was blizzard raging when she entered
the village, crept from lodge to lodge
and finally found her brother asleep be-
tween two boys. She woke him up and
got him out Of the lodge without dis
turbing the others, and once they had
mounted her horse they set off Ill the
direction Of a supply camp 60 miles dis
tant So severe was the storm, howev-
er, that after riding ten miles the pair
made camp in rayine until the worst
was over. 1t was 30 hours before the
storm ceased and the Indians soon
started out and picked up the trail al
most as soon as the pair had taken
camp The snow lay two feet deep on
the level, and with the horse carrying
double the race would soon have been
run. Camped in similar ravine, ten
miles to tie west, were three Compa-
MES of the Seventh cavalry, aud we
had just broken camp and got into the
saddle when Mary Thompson, with her
brother on the saddle behind her, came
riding down upon us, with the yelling
Indians only half a mile away.
Then followed what the eastern phi
lanthropists have been pleased to term
"a cold blooded slaughter Of unarmed
Indians. +" There were % in the band,
All were armed, but they came over the
ridge and down among us before they
knew of our presence. Only three lived
to get back 70 the village.