Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-11-24

= OF interest. his nome Is now CaStl
Rock, Washington:
l settled where Abilene now il
July 1857, and afterward laid out tn
I, original Abilene. l erected the frs
t log cabin in Dickinson county, as tn
eastern boundary was then defined
while building the cabin l went t.
Fort Riley for groceries, while the re
port came in that the Cheyenne In
dams had attacked an emigrant train
} killing the people, driving off thei
cattle and plundering the wagons
There were but sixteen soldiers al
Fort Riley at that time and but one
officer; he asked the citizens to volun
teer and 90 with him. Fifteen OF us
went along; in three hours ride (fif'
teen miles) we came to the wagons
the scene was heart rending; we took
up the trail and overlook the stock
above where Clay Center now is; the
Indians made good their escape by
flight. Word was dispatched to Fort
Leavenworth and Colonel Sumner
came on double quick with regiment
of cavalry. l then returned home.
A few days after mounted my
horse and rode up the Solomon river
in quest Of fresh meat. wanted
young game. "Old bison no good. y"
The second day out l made cup Of
coffee out OF Willow Springs (Beloit)
water; went south from there and
run into tie Cheyenne on Rattlesnake
creek. Tim done quit that country
in hot haste; 1 killed good meat and
returned heme the third day. That
night two men from Council Grove
camped with me; Of course | told
them Of my adventure; and they went
to Fort Riley next day and reported
what said. By daylight the follow
ing morning two orderlies rode up
with dispatch from Colonel Sumner
ordering me to report to him at once;
l Immediately wrote his highness
with my compliments, that was not
subject to military orders. The next
afternoon up came the colonel with
Bob Wilson (sutler at Riley Of course
with that kind Of combination old
Tim had to weaken, and that night
The regiment Of cavalry arrived. At
| o'clock next morning we started
md at half past two in the afternoon
We mounted the divide that would
eveal the coveted camp. Looking |
yer into Rattlesnake valley we bad 8
ull view of Black Kettle with eight I
hundred warriors, mounted two deep,
eady for the charge. The colonel :,
My had two hundred and forty men,
Ulcers and all. His orders: "Halt! i,
|ress in line-Charge sabre!" Down -,
hey dashed. The colonel turned to
,e and said, "Guide, keep close to =
le." Il did not need telling), my
cart had been in my throat several j,
Iinutes then. o
The Indians could not hold their 8
onies to the charge and fled in all ~
rections. One soldier with drawn VI
Ibre could run twenty Of them. AZ q
r they we're driven into the hills the "
'ldiers returned and destroyed all -
10 tepees and dried meat, broke their y
titles, burned their robes, etc. The u
10 Indians and kids made no noise. "
b, no, they would have drowned an ~
rthquake quarter Of mile away.
lille this was going on Fin sat on III
8 steed at a safe distance, with H.
outh open, heart humping and II
eathing about once in ten minutes. on
elt like humming Crock Of Ages" tr
d when 1 rounded myself up 1 con- an
lded l felt q little lonesome any
y. After this, Russian style, we Of
treated in good order. RI
What have written is history. in
1t man in Wyoming who was one ws
that two hundred and forty men. ra,
Eas telling about the battle to a
'wd Of boys, he listened till was ole
'ough. stepped up, shook hands sec
ID me, said be remembered me and csl
It | told the story better than he 6 q
lid. IN;
did not move my family up to kn
'kinson county until March, 1858. are
L was the year Of the great over ha'