The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-06-21

course they were numerous enough to
do it. The men all knew that as well
as did But they were game men,
and had perfect confidence in them.
Fortunately they also had confidence
in me.
81 took my troop to the top of the
highest hill on the plateau and
formed them into hollow square. ]
told them that we must all die game,
if it came to a fight; and that who
ever surrendered would be tortured
to death. They all knew that, too. !
told the men, however, that if 1 could
get a parley with the head chief l be-
lieved that we could get out of the
scrape. Remember. we were five days
away from the fort, and reinforce
ments could not be expected.
within half an hour about 400
Apaches came charging down upon
US. l told my sergeant that if | got
parley the men were to stand i'm
movable until l raised my sword. AT
that signal every rife on the file fac
ing the chief was to be leveled at the
chief. And that if [ waved my sword
the men were to begin firing at the
chief and his sub-chiefs.
."Then | rode forth to meet the
painted yelling savages. I waved my
ed a parley. The old chief, who
seemed to know that he had sure
thing anyway, halted his band, and
came forward with four sub-chiefs, to
parley with me. He said that [ was
on his ground, in his country, and he
intended to kill or capture me and all
of my men. 1 made my interpreter
talk fast, and explain to him that /
was an officers underbrders to bring in
those marauders, and that l meant no
offense to him or his sovereignty, but
hoped that he would see that | was
simply obeying orders. l was stand
ing beside my horse, with my left
hand on the pommel of the saddle. In
ahose days it was easy for me to jump
into the saddle. The old chief
sneered, and said that he would make
no terms except surrender with me.
Then I drew my sword, and said:
"'You see the rifles aimed at you.
If 1 wave my sword, my men will kill
You and your sub-chiefs before your
men can fire shot. I will not sur.
render, but you must. You and your
sub-chiefs must walk inside my hol-
low square,
''They do so; but l made them drop
thaiY. no anH lafnra thaxy
reached my line. Then the old chief,
under my orders, sent word that the
marauders must be brought in. The
Indians were amazed, but they did as
| he commanded. 1t took us seven
days, hard marching, to get back to
the fort. But we brought in the
marauders, and LOO Indians came
with u.s. Of course we were guarding
| the old chief and his sub-chiefs all the
time, and kept them under the aim
of guns all the time Nevertheless,
we had our hours for sleep, as well as
for guard duty. The marauders were
properly dealt with; but the old chief,
the sub-chiefs and all of the Apaches
who followed us back to the fort were
given a barbecue and lots of presents,
and we never had any trouble with
them afterwards"
There is story of heroism, cour-
age and tactical skill, modestly told
by one of the bravest and best men
that ever faced foe. The gallant
Custer rushed right into an Indian
village and suffered death with his
command. Shoup, the frontiersman,
captured the whole Indian contingent.
And yet few people in Washington
know that Idaho's grand old man
lived such a life of daring, and ac-
complished such an achievement OF
military skill and prowess.
SMITH d. FRY
| To Keen Irons from Rushing