Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-07-15
WIG-WAG'S FATE.
Gave His Life to Save His Com

Gave His Life to Save His Com
mand.
We we're heading off the Indians as
they raided the Kansas frontier when
we found Wig-Wag concealed In the
willows along the banks Of a creek.
He was boy of IL, and his father,
mother and two sisters had been mas
sacred. He was handed over to a
teamster and taken to Camp Supply,
and but for the excitement of cam
paigning he would have been sent off
somewhere soon. AS 1t was, he hung
about with the teamsters for several
weeks, no one giving him any parti-
cular attention, and then sutler took
him on. Wig -Wag was not enthusi-
astic over horses, guns or uniforms,
but aueerly enough he took to the
signal corps. From the first moment
he saw the men talking with each 9TH
er through the medium Of the signal
flags his admiration was excited and
he began to pick up the system. he
got little encouragement from any one,
as all had enough to see to, but the
lad had a head for the work and he
picked 1t up until within four or five
months his flags could talk" as we'll
as any.
Spring came, and we set off 600
strong, to give the Indians rub. No
one was greatly surprised, after we
had left the fort forty miles behind u.s.
to find -Wag on hand. He had
Jumped" the sutler, lifted" mule
and followed after, and there was no
sending him back. There wasn't pri-
vate soldier or teamster who wouldn't
have shared rations with him, and such
officers as knew of his presence winked
at the breach Of orders and said moth
ing. The boy had made signal flags
for himself and had them, with him,
but they were looked upon as play
things by most of the troopers.
We swept across the valleys Of the
Big Fork and the Big Salt, scattering
the hostiles whenever they made
stand, and at length crossed the Cana
dian river and forced the red men
back on the Wichita mountains. down
on the Indian Territory line. We had
them on the run and meant to keep
them going. Just at sundown one
evening, as we were almost under the
shadow of the mountains, Wig-Wag
was cut off and captured. His mule
had gone lame and was tagging behind.
An effort was made to rescue him, but
his captors got away with their pris-
oner, and many a heart sorrowed that
night over the boys fate. Our long
and fierce pursuit had maddened the
Indians, and they would certainly put
their prisoner to the torture.
In fanking the mountains the red
skins must fall back through Trapper's
pass in the foothills. We knew 1t to be
bushline gorge so feet wide and
three miles long, and at the south end
it debouched upon the plains. We made
camp within half a mile Of the entrance
of the pass, and every trooper knew
that we had driven at least 1000 war
riors ahead Of us. Would they con-
tinue their flight or wait for us on the
plains beyond and have it out? The
general idea was that the morrow
would witness a big fight, and day
light had scarcely dawned after a night
without alarm when our camp was
astir. But for the Indians being too cute
we should certainly have fallen into
the trap they had set for us. We were
almost ready for boots and saddles
when a score Of warriors came riding
out of the pass to defy and taunt U.s.
A troop was sent against them and
they retreated in haste, but as soon as
the bugle blew recall the warriors were
mocking us again.
It was a scheme to get the entire
command on the move and after them
without having taken due precautions
1t was so interpreted by the general
and he ordered scout to climb up q
spur Of the mountain and see what
could be seen. When the man had
reached a height Of 1,50O feet he Sig
| nailed for f1agman to come up to him
Looking away to the south he hao
| caught sight Of flags wig-wagging ir
the clear atmosphere Of the morning
The person waving them was stationed
on another and higher spur, and fol
some time it was looked upon as q
mysterious proceeding. The sigma
man had scarcely climbed up beside
the scout when the mystery was
solved. It was our Wig-Wag trying to
open a talk" with flags. When MS
signals were answered he went at II
and spelled out the words: =.
| Il got up here in the night: DOM
enter the pass. There are thousano
Indians in ambush there. The whole
force Is about 1000 strong.
Have you escaped?" asked our sig
nal man. .,,--
mo, not yet" came the reply. THE
Indians are below me, and I can climb
no higher"
Cant you get away to us before we
move?"
mo. but shall hide here until the
| Indians leave"
| ay6yhot oort of an onnhush have they