The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-09-21

of the line of the chase, we saw large
party of yelling horsemen swooping
down on the scattered groups of wo-
men and men. They were firing their
guns rapidly, and already had killed
several of our people. By this time
very few of our men remained on the
grounds, most of them having re-
turned to camp; but what few were
left instantly mounted their horses
and rode swiftly toward the enemy,
and 1 went with them. When the
enemy had first been discovered, as
they rode up over the edge of the
plateau, the women had instinctively
rushed to the men for protection, but
some had already been cut off and were
killed and scalped. The survivors
now formed five different groups, each
one protected by from three to seven
or eight men, who were firing rapidly
at the circling enemy. And as for the
enemy, they seemed to be everywhere
at once, wheeling, circliDg on their
feet horses, never punching, and pre-
senting a difficult mark. They were
Sioux, and decked out in the full war
costume peculiar to them. There were
dozen of us fastening to the defence
of those beyond, and as we drew near
the Sioux circled out and made for the
women we had left behind, who were
shrieking and chattering with fear.
We turned then and headed them off,
| l., I.v1 81 II
shot man who was riding by my
side. The poor fellow threw up his
hands and tumbled off his horse stone
dead. All this time we were being
reinforced by men from the different
groups, anl soon there were twenty
three of us, charging and checking
every move of the Sioux, who num-
bered forty. one, including the two we
had killed. They were good fighters,
but our people were better, for they
were fighting with desperation for
their women and children. As they
drew away from our pursuit we deter
mined to let them go, and turned back
toward the women, thinking the fight
was over. In the meantime the Sioux
had stopped and evidently held
council, for suddenly they started to-
ward us again, spreading out like a
fan, so as to attack the whole length
of our line. We scattered, too, and
with three others hastened toward
the women at the point from which l
had at first started. And now all along
began general fusillade. Our men
had all dismounted here and there
among the women, and their shots be-
gan to tell, for every minute or two
Sioux, and sometimes both horse and
rider, would fall among the sage bush.
| Their shooting even from the backs of
their flying horses was not without
effect, for they killed two more women
and wounded man. But now rein
forcements began to come in sight, for
some of our hunters, who were riding
leisurely home, had heard the shoot
ing and returned to see what was up.
As soon as the enemy saw them com.
ing they ceased firing at us and started
off 10 the south as fast as they could
go, pursued by some of the men who
had been protecting the women, and
oil of the newcomers, tifty-four all told.
We now had time to count up our
losses, which we found to be two men,
seven women and one boy killed, and
three men, eight women and four boys
and girls wounded. Of the enemy
we had killed seven and seriously
wounded one, who was quickly des.
patched. Three of our party who
were killed lost their scalps, and we,
of course, took eight. 1t did not take
me long to hasten back to camp and
tell what had befallen us, and then
what excitement there wasl Men ex-
citedly rushed for their arms and
horses and hastened away. Women
cried and walled and surrounded me,
begging to know who had been killed.
L could not, of course, give the names
of the women, but when | told who
the men were their relatives in the
crowd hastened away, sobbing out
their names, to prepare for their bur-
ial. In an hour or two the dead and
wounded were brought in, and the
sound of mourning was heard ON
every hand, and mingled with it one
could hear the relatives of those who
had killed all enemy calling out their
names and praising their courage and
success. About sundown the pursu-
ing party returned, having had a run
ming fight with the Sioux for miles.
| They had killed two more of them,
but had finally given up the chase, as
the enemy had better horses.
Archie and I put in a sleepless
night, for the mourning was kept up
without intermission. Even in our
lodge there was sorrow and gloom, for
one of the chiefs wives had lost
brother. We both were depressed by
the calamity which had befallen the
people. Early in the morning the
dead, carefully wrapped and bound in
blankets and robes, were carried ON
travois to grove Of cottonwoods up
the stream, and then placed on plat
forms lashed to the branches, for their
eternal sleep. Beneath the aerial
graves Of the men horses were killed
that they might not go afoot to the
sandhills. and by their sides or
wrapped up with them were their
weapons and war clothes. Mission
aries and others have made such an
outcry against this practice that the
Government long ago forbade it.
The next afternoon the scalp dance
took place. Those who had lost rela-