Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-09-03

time to serve in troop which has
not a single victory on its bannersr'
You may 60, said the colonel III
il ia a mistake. then God help mel
Turn those Indians back aud will
recommend you for promotion; IL they |
are too many for you
Then Won will know IL by the buz- /
yards ho,e ring over the battlefield
| Half an hoar later the thirty-two
men of Is troop rode ont OF Fort
Brown and headed across the desert to
the south. They were one Of the arms
ofaV. The apex was Panther Gap
As they moved along ore arm the In
dians would move along the other.
The Indians had nearly days start,
but their route was rougher and their
pace ould be slower.
There goes the last Of + troop"
WHISPERED every soldier left behind.
as the troopers rode away. and a they
said II they instinctiveiy looked mp at
the aag a. if expecting 70 see II ct
haif-mast
The troopers had received that or
de- without enthusiasm. They knew
they we-e to make hard ride and that
a fight was probable. but they were
neither exultsnt nor respondent.
}. Like the Arabs, they shrugged their
: shoulders and whispered "hismet-
e They were in the hands q fate. aud
4 fate was likely 90 be against them
e With scarcely farewell and with
,r never a look over their shoulders, they
.r rode away. two by two, aud II was no
.e until long after dark that the DO,
IS officer NJ the head drew rein and or
Al derei the camp for the uirht. Bcic~'
N they slept he said O. them
10 eve shall be up All away az th'
rs first signs ~ daylight. Men, hste'
~ 10 me. We are riding to reach Pan
lis ther Can ahead % a war party ot
nt han lrel Inlians. We shall get Their
ar first and beat them back OF Die hgl'
be ing. have promised the colon'
this. You have had one disaster afte
e. another until Your fellow soldier
Ell sheer and pity and wonder II cowar,
is ice is not AZ tie bottom Of II. q
iat not believe II Is believe every ma
Of Won % be game. aud we viii win
er. victory which Will place the old tro'
ie- a. the front
ed 4 cheer burst forth from every ma
ITS the first cheering heard ID r tro1
OF for wears Each man drew him
Jus up more proudly each mnn mutter'
20 10 himself. that If neel he he Won
Ia die IN Lis tracks. Their nlnd works
W even "a they slept. aud when dayhg
Tvs came the Oficer looked from face
am face and wondered a, the chan1
ca There was an eagerness % make n
rlad-a personnel % make him prou
Ion Breaking camp as soon as u was lie
ior enough 70 see. the troop rode az
the GALLON until midf0rcnoon aud reach
eAs the gan ahead OF the hostiles. Oi
aey hv a short hour. though. The hors
and had not vet ceased blowing when
advance OF the Indians was made OF
20 Panther Gap was narrow re
eA- through Panther Mountain. and
southern end debouched iato Brow
rap. Valley. five miles away. The
iles officer knew nothing Of war, but &C
mon sense and bis veteran serge
anu Suggested 4 breastvork across the
oe trance e. the cap. One was G
structed OF rocks and LOGS and s,oi
rty- and il was hardly finished before
MY skirmist ers % the war party were
Il S' Ing upon IL.
- No man will ever read what Is ca
-. "Cunnincham's Defense without
~, pulse Quickening. One hundred
--e', twenty Indians pressed forward asa
nc. force of thirty-tWo troopers. C
niS manded ~ boy. Three diTe
49, 49,. times once on horseback-the Ind
N charged right mp 70 the breastw
bat each time were driven back
slaughter. The defenders did
&c escape death, however. When
80 last charge was beaten back eigA
them were stretched out on the p
soil. and there was but twenty-fo'
49,, fall back for mile and build anc
breastwork This move was nee
tated by the Indians working up
80. side OF the mountain aud securr
= I'll flank fire The second breast
- a. was excavated the next morning 70
'o '-'S san. = reason, and mile IL the re
/: another was built. When thls
I ' 70 be abandoned only ten men
I - left alive.
,rorId When fanked out of their Il
MS defense there were only five men.
had of these were sent 70 the vale.
. -, helm but II was headed of by I'll