The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-08-26

the engagement. The old CHIEF verl-,
fed many Of the details Of the Indian
side Of the story, such as had been
told zno about the approximate num-
Der of Sioux engaged, their losses in
killed aud wounded and the terrifying
effect on the attacking Indians of the
"much talk" gun, the then new to
them breech-loading rife.
Major Powell and his soldiers were
guarding wood contractors party Of
citizens, who supplied the Fort Phil
Kearney garrison with wood. Powell
knowing that be would be attacked at
any time, had fortified his camp by
building "hasty entrenobments."
His foresight stood him in his hour
Of great peril, for on the morning Of
August Q, 1867, 900 warriors, splen-
didly mounted, the best and bravest
Of the Sioux nation, appeared in hos
tile array before the camp Of this little
band OF white men-two officers, TWEEN
ty.six priyates and four sitizens.
These determined men ekpew this was
a fight to the death. There would be
nothing between them andsaforture at
the stake If driven from The hastily
constructed fort.
That these warriors advanced open
ly on this little band Of white men,
contrary to the Indian well-known So
cret tactics, showed the utter con! ,mpt
in which Powell's force was held. On
they came, shrieking their war cry. fir-
ing volley Of bullets. The reply
was deadly aud continuous stream of
bullets from the little band. The
warriors could not face the deadly FIRE.
They were driven back in. confusioa
and amazement. The secret Of :, the
white mans success was that but a
short time before the Fort Phil Kear-
ney soldiers had been armed with a
new breech-loaiing rife, fact at that
time unknown to the Indians. They.
were calculating on the time muz. !.
zle-loading guns in the hands Of the
troops. q.
Red Cloud and his principal. chiefs
held hurried consultation. They
determined to launch their whole force,
on foot, against the little fort on the
hill. Major POWELL lieutenan 1, Jen-
aess, galla..sly and, as he thought,
necessarily exposing himself duriug
the first attack, had been killed; one
or two men had been killed or wound
ed and the attack had developed GER.
tain weak points ofhis defences which
were very promptly strengthened with
whatever was at hands The firing
was SO rapid that the gun barrels be.
came overheated; spare guns were
placed iu each wagon bed. Some Of
the men were poor shots and fred
wildly. They were ordered not TO Gre
but to load and PASS guns to the se-
leoted marksmen.
Now from the hills swarmed q semi
,circleiof warriors at least 2 600 strong.
When within about 500 yards the eIsorr or
der to charge was given. The whole
line dashed on to the corral, to be,
when they had almost touched it,
hurled back in confusion and dismay.
Again and again did the gallant line
rally and charge, to BE again driven
back; and it was only after three CON!
tinuous hours Of almost superhumani
efforts against this unseen, intangible
foe that the l:ne became utterly, de-
moralized, and fed in CONSERVATION to
che lille. "A ss.3iS S5 5s:,E NJ
Red Cloud and some Of ! the older Of
his principal chiefs had watched the
whole action. For long time they
thought the wonderfully continuous,
FIRE was due 10 the fact that there
were more men in the corral than itl
would appear to hold; but on the final
impulse Of the long succession 81. daa-.
perate charges they concluded that
the white man had some medicine
guns which would Gre all the time,
without the aid Of human hards aud
that their best plan was Ito stop the
cosaict. 4 So
When the demoralized host had
reached the safety of the hills they
were ordered not 70 fight any more, Z
but to recover che bodies Of the killed
and wounded. a crowd Of skirmish-I
ers was sent out TO cover this opera.
stion, with orders to keep up q contin-.
mons Y fire. All the killed and wouni..
led nearest the hills were soon taken.
ITO the rear and ohred for, hut Ito re-
cover those neErer I he corral was ex-
ceedingly difficult, M rs sSs|s