Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-10-03

fight was probable but they were
neither exultant nor respondent.
Like the Arabs, they shrugged their
shoulders and whispered "Kismet.
They were in the hands of fate, and
fate was likely to be against them.
With scarcely q farewell and with
never look over thei$ shoulders, they
rode away, two by two, and it was not
until long after dark that the boy
officer at the head drew rein and or
dered the camp for the night. Before
they slept he said to them:
1--WE shall be up and away at the
first signs Of daylight. Men, listen
to me. We are riding to reach Pan
ther Gap ahead of war party of
hundred Indians. We shall get there
first and beat them back or die fight
ing. I have promised the colonel
this. You have had one disaster after
another until your fellow soldiers
sneer and pity and wonder if coward
ice is not at the bottom of it. I do
not believe it is. believe every man
Of you to be game, and we will win a
victory which will place the old troop
OF the front"
A cheer burst forth from every man
the first cheering heard in b troop
for years. Each man drew himself
up more proudly y each man muttered
to himself that if need be he would
die in his tracks. Their mind worked
even rs they slept, and when daylight
came the officer looked from face to
face and wondered at the change.
There was IN eagerness to make him
| glad--a personnel to make him proud.
| Breaking camp as soon as it was light
enough TO see, the troop rode at q
gallop until midforenoon and reached
the gap ahead of the hostiles. Only
by short hour, though. The horses
had not yet ceased blowing when the
| advance Of the indians was made out
Panther Gap was narrow road
through Panther Mountain, and its
southern end debouched into Browns
Valley, five miles away. The boy
officer knew nothing of war, but com
mon sense. and his veteran sergeant
suggested breastwork across the en-
trance to the gap. One was con.
structed of rocks and logs and stones,
and it was hardly finished before the
skirmishers Of the war party were fir
ing upon it.
No man will ever read what is called
"Cunningham's Defense" without his
pulse quickening. One hundred and
twenty Indians pressed forward against
force of thirty-two troopers, CON-
manded by a boy. Three different
times-once on horseback-th Indians
charged right up to the breastwork,
but each time were driven back with
slaughter. The defenders did not
escape death, however. When the
last charge was beaten back eight of
them were stretched out on the rocky
soil, and there was but twenty-four to
fall back for mile and build another
breastwork. This move was necessi-
tated by the Indians working up the
side of the mountain and securing
flank fire. The second breastwork
was excavated the next morning for the
same reason, and mile in the rear of
it another was built. When this had
to be abandoned only ten men were
left alive.
When Hanked out of their fourth
defense there were only five men. One
of these were sent to the valley for
help, but it was headed off by the In
dians. OF the other four, of whom the
boy officer was one, they died at the
fifth breastwork- with carbines
in their hands after firing their last
cartridges, and died with cheers of de-
tiance on their lips. OF the war party
sixty-two were killed or wounded and
it was turned back. One day a "B"
trooper was seen coming on foot across
the sands. He lurched and staggered
as he walked. Soldiers ran to meet
him and assist him into the fort. He
had been without food or water for
two days. The colonel looked at him
for long time without speaking.
Then, with pale face and trembling
lips, he asked:
"Lanigan, where is your officer
the troop?"
And Lauigan Strengthened up, salu-
ted, and in voice as hoarse as q
ravens cry, he replied
81 have to report, sir, that B troop
has been wiped out to man, and
God forgive me, but I'm that man
They are dead in the Gap-all dead
all dead"'-Boston Transcript.
/