The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-07

and the twelve men who were with me
rushed up TO protect the right flank and
drove the Indians back. securing favor
able position One Of these men was shot
IN the face. one in the arm and a third
in the leg. do not know how the other
men were wounded After our first rush
we mad the best of the position The log
house was inside our lines and Il was
used as hospital and the men sought uhe
cover OF logs and trees and settled down
for a long fight. It continued during the
day and evening and was renewed this
morning, although n was never so hot as
curing the first hour or so
This morning a boat made a landing
with some provisions and General Ba-
con wanted to and the wounded back.
He sent me down 10 arrange matters and
L went out 20 the steamer In canoe.
They brought down one wounded man and
the captain OF the boat brought him OF
shore. but before the others co1Iid be
moved the Indians opened a hot fire on rhe
boat and we had 70 leave About six miles
out we met The Flora going in with thirty
or more armed men and everything the
soldiers needed
When l left there had been five killed
and eight wounded, besides the Indian
policeman. Three men were sick don I
know the names Of any OF the killed or
wounded except Major wilkinson.
General Bacon handled his men mag
r1hcenty and was on the firing line dur
ing the whole engagement, encouraging
his men and directing che operations He
was ably seconded by Major Wilkinson
until he was killed and Lieutenant Ross,
under fire for the first time. showed him
self born fighter He rallied the men
al the opening volley and stayed right
with them all the time
IL is impossible to tell how many In
dams are IN the attacking party. pur /
should say not less than $50 or POO and
we don't know how many more are join
ing them They evidently had the thing
all planned out and were ready to begin
nrfng. at the signal. They concentrated
part OF their fire on the boats to drive
them away and leave the soldiers no
means Of retreat. evidently thinking they
could overpower the whole force. The
newspaper men, Brill, Beaton and KNAPP
pen, were all in good shape when I LEFT,
doing their share of duty on the line. No
u
Several Of the small boats and the
steamer Flora went out during the night
and early this morning to endsavor ~
land provisions for General Bacon's be.
Ieagured command and bring away the
dead and wounded. The Flora had thirty
Brainerd fighters and few other armed
citizens. The Vera long succeeded in eff
fecting the purpose Of the trip. Har-
ris McCabe. with the Vera, made a land
ing OF the north end of Bear Island
where the troops are entrenched, landing
a sufficient quantity of provisions to re-
neve immediate necessities of the men.
An attempt was made to bring down some
Of the wounded. The steamer could not
approach close to the shore and it was
necessary TO use a small BOAT. One man
was brought across the open, but the
Indians concentrated their fire on this
point and on the boat. The place was too
hot and McCajbe was forced to leave.
During the engagement Colonel Shee-
han received a slight flesh wound across
the abdomen. a bullet through his coat
sleeve, and another through his trousers
leg.
Major Wilkinson was killed yesterday
afternoon. He received a flesh wound in
the leg and retired to have it dressed by
DR.. Harris, the surgeon. He then re-
ported to General Bacon on the firing
line as ready for duty and while talking
with General Bacon, an Indian sharp
shooter picked him out. Major Wilkinson
was shot through the body from side to
side and died almost instantly.
The agency Indians have been disposed
to be peaceful up to today. but last night
one of the Indian police was killed by the
troops by mistake, and the Indians are
now disposed 10 be hostile. Loccurn was
most unfortunate, but it is hard to see
how any blame can attach to the troops.
The Indian policeman. Rustlin, who was
said to be one of the best of the agency
Indians, had accompanied the troops and
had fought valiantly, but towards night
he thought he had enough of II and
started with another Indian policeman for
the agency along the shore without noti-
flying General Bacon. He was seen in the
darkness by the troops and taken for
hostile He was riddled with bullets, but
his companion escaped uninjured This
incident has made the Agency Indians
very angry and council is said to be in
tonight"