The National tribune., 1899-10-19
n CANNOT BE DESCRIBED.

had this party of miners and soldiers sur
rounded and corraled, and who had fought
In self-defense against overwhelming num-
bers almost continuously day and night
for 13 days.
The JOY of meeting and relief from what
to them seemed almost certain horrible
torture and death cannot be described;
strong men, bearded, rough and rugged,
and who had passed through all kinds Of
rough experience of soldier life, wept like
children. When attacked by the Indians
this train was on a level plain, and the men
had barely time to place the wagons in a
circle, interlocking the wheels They
then Intrenched by digging ditch on the
outside and throwing the dirt up against
the wheels. Their horses, mules and
cattle were driven inside the ring, but hav-
ing no feed were all starved, killed and
buried; not one was left.
The emigrants were lucky in being on a
spot where they succeeded by digging
well in finding plenty of good water, and
having lots of provisions, they did not
suffer, but the suspense and uncertainty
were terrible. They had no means of
knowing whether the two boys sent out at
the beginning Of the siege had succeeded in
getting through until our command came
in sight and the Indians began to fall back
suddenly.
The Indians had white woman prisoner
with them, who had been the only survivor
of party Of emigrants overtaken and MUIR
dered on the Platte River in Nebraska early
in the Spring. Her name was Mts Kelly.
There were several attempts made by the
Indians to induce the emigrants to sur
render, but this Mrs. Kelly found means to
communicate with them and warned the
emigrants not to consider that proposition
for an instant as the Indians were treacher-
GUS and would murder the whole party.
Col. Dill made efforts 10 ransom this
white woman, but did not succeed. Some
years later she was finally released from
captivity that was almost worse than
death, and wrote an interesting book,
giving her experience, and very graph
ically described this fight, siege, and sub
scluent events from the Indian side
The emigrants having lost all their stock,
could not move anything, but had TO de-
stroy and burn their wagons, tools. pro-
visions, and other belongings, and walk
back 10 Fort Rice.
Tho soldiers let the women and children
and wounded ride their horses while we
walked and changed about The women
and children were overjoyed at the pros
pect OF going back TO civilization, friends,
and relatives. The men were sullen.
surly, and disappointed over the failure of
the venture.
POISONING INDIANS.
Sept. Give are on the return march.
reracing our route TO Fort Rice by easy
stages. Our route is along the Heart
River. There is no game; the Indians
have either killed or driven off everything
to eat Bands of hostile Indians are
hovering around and following
us. Our fankers and pickets have to |
exert Their utmost vigilance to keep the |
Indians from making dashes and running
OH our horses. Several men have been
When we left. Capt. Fisk destroyed the
abandoned corral, where the emigrants and |
Soldier escort had so bravely defended |
themselves for 10 days An incident oc-
CURED that caused good deal of indipna-
Ion, and for which soldiers and officers
were lear1uily roasted, especially by East
srn papers, for the brutal and inhuman
treatment OF "Lo, the poor Indian"
several miners who had lost their all
n the disastrous collapse of the ENTERPRISE
I'D not burn all their belongings that thew
'ouid not carry back, but took couple Of
'oxes OF hardtack, opened them, and, after
mixing with water, scattered the contents t
Il several bottles of strychnine through !
ne crackers, and left them, watching til
he Last white man left the camp, 90 that v