Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-01-19

by the warw oops of | dams jumped ev
cry man to HIS icct Ten seconds later we
were following the s"". ant up the -
ard in five minutes we came upon t..a
Women and children hidden away amo =
the rocks and stricken with terror \
quarter of all hour before the five officers
had caught s. sht of a cab hear on the or
er side of tire falls, They had gone up
stream a few RODS and crossed on n log,
but the shots we heard had not been fired
at the cub A band of 20 or more reno
gades who We're hiding in the foothills
had discovered the picnickers half an hour
before and We're planning a wipe out of ev
cry soul when the officers moved They
played right into the hands of the red mer
In their chase after the cub they left tho
falls half a mile behind, and as they came
slowly back they found the Indians con-
fronting them There was but one course
to make dash for it-and it was gal
lantly done The Indians were too strong
and too well posted. however. A lieuteu
ant was dropped dead In his tracks and "A
major and a captain wounded That would
have left but TWO men against 20 but tor
our presence
The first move on our part, seeing that
the women and children were safe. was tp
secure cover behind the powders and open
fire on the Indians They had counted on
a sure thing. and their yeils of rage when
they knew of our presence we're loud and
long We had them between two fires,
and yet SO well were they sheltered that
we could not get sight of head The RED
skins knew rat we had no means of know
ing that they had only two unwouiidcd
men in front of them armed with revol
ers The women told us about the officers
going away in a body, but although there
had been severe firing we hoped none of
them had been hit
After we had fired three or four rounds
apiece the sergeant called out to know how
1t was with the officers. The major an
swered, giving the names of the killed and
wounded Three of the five were behind
the same bowlder and could use their re-
volvers. 1t was a curious position in
which the three parties were placed. but
as the Indians were in such strong force
they could defend their front aud rear at
the same time II we left cover to cross
the creek. We would be exposed to certain
death. If they left cover to attack the
camp, we had only to shoot them down
What we feared was that they would get
out Of the trap by dashing upon the Off
GERS in front, or work to the left, and
finally take them in the rear. The women
and children could have been assisted
down the gorge and sent off at once, but
no one thought of retreat until the order
came from the major. Three quarters OF
an hour after our arrival he hailed us to
say that Captain johnson, wounded by
the first volley was dead. Lieutenant
Blaine, wounded at the same time, was
now helpless, and the Indians were work
ing to their rear on both TANKS. The two
unwounded men must fall back, carrying
the lieutenant with them, and hope To
reach more secure spot The sergeant
was ordered to send a messenger to the
fort and at the same time get the women
and children 20 the ambulance and off. The
escort was to see them to the fort, and the
colonel would order out u company to re-
turn.
A messenger was hurried Oft, and while
three men remained at the falls, the other
three helped the women and children down
and soon had them loaded up. Then two
of the three men left at the falls appeared.
Sergeant Larhins had remained behind to
hold the bridge The sharp eyed Indians
would get OH to the retreat in front and
rear. and they would no sooner become |
aware of the movement from the falls !
than they would follow on. Goth of the |
sergeant had ordered them on. The am
bulance had scarcely turned wheel before !
We heard the report OF his carbinc and |
realized that the Indians We're seeking to I
force the crossing We counted second |
and third shot, and then started off, every
woman and child weeping and wailing.
At any moment we might run upon more /
Indians, and it was not until We met q |
company of troopers within mile of the |
fort that we felt safe. They halted for Il I
few seconds TO ask for particulars, and |
then tore ahead, and it was midnight be-
fore we knew the result of their ride. As
they reached he valley where we of the
escort had amounted, they heard occa-
sional shots m up the gorge, Most Of
them We're I reports of winchesters, but
now and tn. they caught the heavier
sounds of an army carbine.
Sergeant Larkin was still holding the
bridge, still waiting and hoping. Fifty
dismounted men rushed up the gorge yell
ing and cheering as they went, and four
or five Indians rose up from behind as
many powders and took to flight Two
of them We're brought down as they ran
The Others escaped The sergeant had
scarcely been left alone when the Indians
attempted to cross by the log He shot
Two Oh tneln, ana thtn u dozen or more OF |
them worked up stream to another cross
ing and came crawling down on his side
He soon discovered what they were at, but
he would not retreat They said he could
have passed down the gorge to the valley
and hidden away and saved his life but he
probably held his place under the idea that
he was giving the retreating officers a
chance for their lives Foot by foot the
Indians had crept upon him, and as the
cheers of the rcscuers were heard he re
ceived the fatal bullet He could SPEAK
when they lifted his head
They are over that way, he replied as
they asked about the majors party
Two minutes later, as his own captain
bent over him and spoke words of SYN
pathy and wiped the bloody foam from his
lips, the sergeant asked
Did they reach the fort safely"
Yes
II was afraid they would be wiped out
unless held the crossing She-sne new