Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-01-01
A BORDER HEROINE.
BY CHARLES 3. LEWIS.

! Ing dIOuuu W lSOJsu tut UNSAiHlu lidll,
/ every station of which in western Kan
sas had been captured by the Indians
| We had gone into camp one night after
a continuous ride of nearly 100 miles,
and everybody but the sentinels was
| fast asleep, when there came riding in
| from the northwest girl, Is years old,
named Mary Thompson. She was rid
| ing pony without saddle or bride,
and she was hatless and without shoes.
| Most Of the men had been aroused, and
were anxious to hear her story before
she reached the generals tent. Her re-
port was terse and to the point. Ten
miles to the northwest was party Of
pioneers--8 wagons, 20 men and 40
women and children. The camp had
been attacked by Indians an hour be-
fore, and the girl had mounted her
pony, dashed through the lines and gal
| loped in search Of aid. She had been
followed for the first three or four miles
by mounted Indians, but had distanced
them.
Custer interrogated her concerning
the situation of the camp and the
eIIGIkblI VI bl6 luQIetLnt anu btiASNAAlfs
the pioneers could hold their own
through the night, the men were order
ed back to their blankets. 1t was about
an hour before daylight when we
moved, the girl riding at the head of
the column with the general and tive
or three scouts, and we We're within
half a mile of the camp when the dark
ness faded away and gave us a view of
| the situation. Then it was swift dash
at the hostiles, sharp fight for ten
minutes, and we had sent the band sour
rying away.
In and about the wagons lay six dead
and four wounded men-ten dead or
wounded women and children. Every
| horse and mule was disabled, and had
! we waited q quarter Of an hour longer
the Indians would have rushed" and
| carried the camp and wiped out every
/ soul At midnight they had cut off two
| of the outer wagons for moment and
made captive boy 10 years old-Mary
| Thompson $ own brother. Her father
and mother We're among the dead, her
brother carried away by the warriors
as they fled before us. The soldiers and
pioneers crowded about the girl and
gave her words of sympathy, and for a
few minutes she hid away in one of the
wagons to be alone with her grief.
When she reappeared, her tears had van
| ished, and she announced her resolu-
ton to make an effort to recover her
| captive brother General Custer advised
| and argued with her, but she refused to
go back to point of safety with the
surviving pioneers She did not ask to
| 90 With the command, but intended to
depend upon herself alone. l think she
would have been forced to go away with
! the pioneers had she remained with us
few minutes longer. While the people
| were making ready for start the rank
and file learned of her determination.
We QUILTED her pony, handed her over
| winchester rife and a revolver and
! plenty of ammunition, supplied her
! with food for several days, and nothing
was lacking when she rode out of camp
in the direction the Indians had taken.
Knowing that her brother Jimmie
would be sent to some village among
the hills to be held captive, she gave all
1 her attention to lodging war parties
and hunting out villages. On the old
maps of Kansas there used to be creek
called Thompson creek, and it was
named after the girl. One morning aft
er a nigh spent in riding over the plains
she entered grove of willows and cot
tonwoods on little island in the mid
die of the stream to lie up for the day.
About 10 o'clock in the forenoon an
Indian band numbering about 20 old
men, women and children came along
and made their camp ON the east bank
of the stream and within pistol shot OF
the hiding girl. Among the boys she
saw her brother for the first time. He
had been clothed in Indian dress, but
she identified him at once. He was
among the score of lads sent across e
the grove TO cut lodge poles and fire.
wood, and the girl planned feat which
the most daring scout would have hesi
tated to attempt. 1t was to carry the
boy off in the face of the village, and il
was not her fault that she made fail
ure of it. He was one of the first tC
reach the island, and she rode boldly
I out of shelter and called him by name
and moved toward him. He was SO sur
prised at sight Of her that he ran away
She overlook him and seized and tried
to lift him ON to the saddle, but h'
, broke away from her and the Indians
sounded the alarm. As many as scor'
Of old men and boys mounted ponies
and attempted to capture Miss Thomp
son, but aster wounding two and being
; chased for five miles she made her es
, cape. She did not 90 far, however. Eav
; ing located the village in which the DO,
was held, she determined to hang abou
|. until her mission was accomplished.
! The mound known as Thompson
Fort was also named after Mary Thomu