The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-03
SIEGE OF THE WALLoW
BAT MAsTERsON's STORY OF A
BRAVE FRONTIERsMAN's DEED.
Amos Chapman's Heroism I'm Risl<ing
of Scouts with a Message.


knew of no parable; to the heroism Of Amos
Chapman.
ITO fight Indians was bad enough" Mr..
Masterson said, but to be corralled by them
in buffalo wallow and held there by them,
and water up to your neek-that is he'll with
the lid off.
4 knew Chapman quite we'll He had
been on the frontier a long time He was
from the East He had hunted buffalo.
traded with Indians, fought with them in
1858. and finally married Cheyenne. He
was not more than thirty years old. tough,
cure shot, good interpreter, fearless rider,
and as brave as a man could be.
1T was in September. 1874, that General
Miles's command was camped on the Red
river, in the Texas Panhandle. where it had
followed the retreating Indians, or rather
the main body of them. Prairie Dog Dave
and 1 were selected as the two scouts to
carry dispatches from General Miles to Maj.
Compton, whose command was located on
McC1elland creek, about seventy-five miles
TO the north. Some Of the dispatches were
really intended for Camp Supply, in the In
dian Territory, still further north, but our
instructions were simply to deliver them to
Major Compton. Dave and hoped TO be
sent on to Camp Supply with them, for we
needed some new and warmer clothes, as it
was beginning to be cold nights.
I'VE were not clad In buckskin and beads,
as scouts are usually pictured. Our clothing
simply consisted of a pair Of cheap overalls,
calico shirts, soft hat and a pair of boots.
We had lived in them all summer, and
thought it about time to change them. We
reached Comptons camp without incident
and cursed our luck when we received re-
turn dispatches to Miles, while ours were
turned over to Billy Dixon and Amos Chap
man to take to Camp Supply. Later. when
we learned what they went through, we
took it all back.
1T was known that there was a maraud-
ing band OF the red devils somewhere in the
vicinity, but like the lrishmans flea, 1t was
q difficult matter to put finger on them.
They might be in one spot one day and fifty
miles or more away the next. 1t was con-
sidered best to send a sergeant and five SOL
uiers with the scouts for greater security,
and, as was customary they took an I'M
beaten trail to their destination.
Now, IL happened that this rowing band
Of reds. numbering fully three hundred war
Tiors, had been laying five days siege to
Jack Callahan's twenty-five six-mule gov
eminent supply train in the sand hills of
the " chita river. The train was bringing
supplies from Camp Supply down to Cen
eral Miles. 1t was surprised at this bad
place for fight, and was forced to go into
corral. This is done by putting two wagons
together in A shape, Stringing the rest down
the sides and closing them up at the other
end way The mules and horses are kept
comparatively safe in the Enclosure made by
the wagons, while the teamsters and SOL
diers get what protection they can from be-
hind the wheels or by digging rifle pits be-
meath the wagons. There they can shoot
with little danger of being hit Such cor
raj can stand off an army of Indians until
the water gives out. The Indians attacked
the train for five days killing one lieuten-
ant, two soldiers and some of the animals.
Their loss was heavy. Soldiers of Company
x, Sixth Cavalry, Captain Kingsbury, from
Camp Supply, had appeared upon the scene,
driven off the CheyenneS and relieved the
besieged
A STARTLING DISCOVERY.
Chapman and Dixon, with their little
escort. had crossed the Wachita, some three
or four miles below where the pack train
had been held UP, but, of course, knew
nothing of it's presence or that of the In
dams. On a rolling prairie country such as
they were in it is a difficult matter to see
any great distance on account of the knobs
and hollows. They were coming out of a
small draw or canyon, when suddenly they
espied the savages, who were almost direct
ly upon them. There was but one thing to
do, and that was to get out on the open
prairie, where there would be a chance to
tight. Temporary protection would be af-
forded by getting behind things in the
canyon, but it would only be matter of
short time when they would be surrounded
and shot at from all directions. AS expert
enced men, they knew this. A dash was
in q shower of shot. 1t is impossible to
shoot we'll from the back of a rapidly NOV
ing horse.
1T was the plan to find a buffalo wallow,
lie as fiat as possible in it, and shoot until
dead. Before such place was found the
scouts and soldiers dismounted so as to
shoot better and keep the Indians from get
ting too close before they could get into
cover "A couple of dead Indians win stop
hundred live ones from coming too near.
One soldier held the bride reins of the
h~rses while the rest of the men retreated
behind them and shot at the advancing
host. The Indians likewise dismounted, so
that they could also shoot better and not be
such good targets. 1t may seem strange
that such large body of Indians would not
make Just one charge and overwhelm the
white men by force of numbers. but that
Is not the Indian way. They will not take
risk If they can help it. They will not
trade anywhere near even with the white
man when life is at stake.
Before q buffalo wallow could be found
the soldier holding the horses was shot and
killed and the animals stampeded Then
there was a race for life to the nearest hole.
Some thirty feet from one another soldier
was shot, but not killed. He lay there and
yelled in the agony of fear and pain.
Don't let him scalp me, boys! For Gods
sake don't let them get me! he shrieked.
The rest had safely got into the wallow
1T was with this appeal ringing in his
ears that Amos Chapman, without a word
TO his mates, but just yell, I'm coming,
sprang up out of the wallow, his six-shooter
In hand, ran to the wounded man, seized
and sought TO drag him back The Indians
ward Kim. ! don't know how many shots
were fired al Chapman, but the only place
he was hit was below the left knee The
bone was shattered TO splnters. Some of
the bullets hit the dying soldier and has
tened his end. Chapman's leg gave way
under him like q piece of rubber, but he
never weakened or let go. Reaching ahead
with his good leg ard with the knee of the
left, he dragged the soldier along with his
lett hand, piece by piece, firing his gun with
his right.
CHAPMAN'S BRAVERY.
1.-THE men in the wallow Kept up fusil-
lade and the Indians were held back. Pain
fully but persistently Chapman dragged
himself and the man along. Sometimes he
sought 10 rise. hoping that the leg would
hold but IL doubled under him. Ii did not
take many minutes for all this to happen.
Chapman and the wounded soldier reached
the hole. where the latter died in a little
while. Now. If that isn't an example of
heroic bravery then / don't know what is.
One might criticise his judgment, but not
his bravery, He could not and would not
see that soldier slaughtered and scalped
and put his own life in peril to prevent it
Had he been killed, the lives of all the
others would have been placed in still great
er jeopardy by the loss OF a defender but
those things We're not thought Of There
was but one toea, and the instant il was
conceived II was put into execution. Dixon
would have done the same thing had not
CHAPMAN been quicker. When I think NJ