The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-06

Ine Order TO make cotee nad Deen given
and the soldiers were standing in column
formation when the first shot was fired.
1t came from Bog-Ah-Me- Ge-Skirk's
house. The ball struck Ed Harris, ex-
marshal of Walker, a half-breed. His
arm was broken.
That was the signal. Immediately the
firing became general from all directions.
1t seemed that a shot came from every
bush Three of Gen. Bacon's men drop
ped. They were at once carried to the
rear On the instant that the first shot
was heard every man in the command
sprang for cover without waiting for or
dcrs. like a flash the blue column had
vanished, and not a sign was to be seen
of the eighty men who had stood erect,
but an instant before except here and
there a little patch where gray hat
might be made out. Gen. Bacon's voice
was heard high above everything admon-
ishing his men. The general stood straight
up and, supported by Maj. Wilkinson,
looked right into the eye of the red devils.
STEADY, men!' he called. Keep cool
now, keep coolr'
Again there came volley from the In
dams and that was what the troops had
been waiting for. The Krag-Jorgensens
opened with a frightful rattle just as the
pilagers made a terrific rush. Half
dozen of them dropped, and the rest fell
back yelling like fiends incarnate. 1t is
not known how many Indians there were,
but there must have been 100 or 200. Lieut.
Morrison. with a squad of twenty men,
made rush to prevent the recapture of
Old-Mah-Quod, very choice scoundrel
and Bap-Dway-We-Dung.
The marshals had had these men under
arrest and a rescue would certainly have
been effected, but Lieut.. Morrison yelled
"Charger' and his squad scattered the
copper-colored gang. By this time the
troops were under cover.
The Indians were firing in desultory
way, and the order was given to charge.
| The soldiers rose, ducklng and dropping
like grasshoppers. They made the most
of their opportunity.
Suddenly a voliey was fired by the In
dians at the steam tug Flora, which lay
off shore
A score Of bullets tore through the frail
woodwork Of the boat and every man ex-
cept the pilot sought cover. Some blazed
away in return with revolvers, but the
range was too long.
A volley was then fred at the tug Chief
of Duluth Inspector Tinker was shot
| through the leg and his coat sleeves were
| torn to ribbons by another ball. The
| Flora steamed for the agency under or
ders from Marshal O'Connor, who was
on board, to get the twenty men under
| Lieut. Humphrey, who had been left there.
O'Connor escaped death by a miracle.
| The Indians fired a volley directly at
! him. Brill. the newspaper correspondent,
and also Beaton, fought bravely with re-
volvers They took desperate chances
several times and came out safely
The steersmans of the tug Jennie ls shot
through the arm with a Winchester ball.
| He is very badly hurt.
! The Indians gave US a full voIley as we
pulled out.
| Rev. Mr.. Chantler of Owatoona, Mimi,
who was in the boat, had a very narrow
escape.
On board the Flora when she started for
| reinforcements We're Marshall O'Connor,
| Deputy Morrison, Indian Agent Suther-
| land and the Indian prisoners. A guard
| of two men under Corpl. j. l. Nettokoven,
was sent with the Flora. She will re-
| turn at once with rations and ammuni-
| ton.
Lieut. Humphrey was white with rage
when the news reached him. His men
have already started for the front. The
| fire of the Krag-Jorgensens, twenty miles
| distant. is distinctly audible from this
| oil
| the afternoon. A man just in says that
we lost four killed and nine wounded up
| 10 date. There was a mistake made to
| begin with in sending so few men. Had
| two companies been sent there would have
| been no fight. These red blaekguards re-
epect hunters. Gen. Bacon's men have
| their blood up. The Fighting Third has
seen it's dead. Bear Island, as we'll as
| its dangerous vicinity, will be gutted.
| fatal mistake was made in falling
| to send a Gattling and Hotchkiss. They
could have been used with magnificent ef-
| feet to-day, especially the Gatling. The
! Indians had fired twenty-five shots before
the troops returned their fire 1 believe
| that Gen. Bacon will entrench himself to-
! Eight and await reinforcements.
| The wounded marshal, Walker, was
| brought home under a Red Cross flag
! aboard the Flora. He will recover, but
! his life is not worth pinch Of snuff now,
|
! dams remaining i'm this country. They
| will certainly murder him.
Marshal OConnor and Deputy Marshal
| Sheehan behaved with the utmost bravery.
! The latter, an old man of 60. but the hero
| Of Fort Rldgcley, stood yelling at the
men TO keep their heads down while he
himself was standing erect and bare
| headed.
The young lieutenant, Morrison, Is a
! plucky one. He had never been under fire
| before, but there he stood as steady as
a rock and cool as an iceberg. The men
! behaved splendidly. OConnor was put
ashore In hostile country, and he ran
| four miles over thistles and through brush
| 10 reach the Leech Lake agency.
All families are being removed from the
agency at this time. 1 am going back to
| the Point Immediately.
The army department in St. Paul should
| be notified.
Gen. Bacon is beyond telegraph commu-
| nicaton, and no boats can reach him for
| three hours.
| 4:10 p. m.-The firing seems to have
| ceased. Leave at once.