The National tribune., 1904-01-14

preston ON them. They were determined
to ride us down. When, they were with
in 40 yards Of our lIne, Tand We were
ready for another shot, some one cried.
Shoot their horses and. every carb;ne
was aopped 70 the Level e. the aarse her
riders. Those ON either side saw it and
the men behind, who had been holding the
front line in position saw &, and just as
they were ready to, oyerWbelm us, they
became panic-stricken and fed again:
That it was great Relief to the boys,
liked what war was, needHnot to be as-
serted. Two things happenfd that morn
ing that are worthy Of recital Among
the horses killed was onei ridden, by u
Chief. judging by the trpppings. He
started to follow the fetreating. Indians.
to get his saddle, when be was killed.
From the Indian ranks came o boy, fine
ly mounted, and. stopping his horse as
though 1t was shot, threw himself over
it's head, with lariat in his hand. and
fastening it to the body of the dead Chief.
corpse from the field. Evidently it was
son, who preferred to die with his faith
er rather than let his body get into the
possession of those who had killed him.
This happened within 50 yards of n cont
pany of men with loaded carbines, and
not shot was fired at the boy. It was
certainly a brave deed, for he could not
have imagined that the men who had
slain his father would spare him.
Beside another horse, which had fall
len within 30 yards of the line. we found
a dead Indian. In his hands were his
bow and arrows. He had ridden his horse
with his left arm around his horses neck,
let went through the horses neck and
struck him ON the left side of the fore
head, tearing the entire bone away, and
he was lying apparently dead. One of the
boys pushed the body with his foot, and
it set up. There was a wild look in his
ton, and raising his hand he felt of his
brains-one lobe of which was badly
mangled He put his hand ON the top of
his head to see if his scalp was safe other
wise he would never be permitted to enter
the Indians happy. hunting-grounds. Cast
ing his eyes on his captors, With look
Of defiance he uttered the words .".kioom-
derstand his meaning, but, subsequently
when relating the circumstances to an old
| Indian fighter he said it meant 80 I'm a
brave, I'm a brave One of the boys
shot him and his spirit sped, unhindered,
to the happy hunting-grounds."
/ had bought small bowie knife be-
fore left the Fort, and carried 1t on my
belt. There was no such thing known in
those days as a revolver. Giddings one
day asked what / was going to do with
it, and / replied, take an Indians scalp.
and he replied, "Ah, Jimmy, yon cant
do that; your heart is too young and soft: :
This reproach on my manhood properly
resented in words. That morning / started
over the field to gather a scalp, and found
stalwart Indian in the grass, lying on
his back, with no clothing except his
breechcloth and moccasins. In attempt
ing to execute my intention | found that
Giddings had sized me up correctly, and
came away without my coveted tuft.
We cooked our breakfast, buried the
poor Los in the sands, and started west
ward again. and before our return we
were trained and tried soldiers. was
discharged Sept. 30, 184&i and on that
day lacked a month and II days of be-
ing H. years. ODD and had ito wait six
years after the Mexican pension bill was
that roll ofeellonOr, and tbe Pension Of
fee will show that / am the youngest sol.
der of that war. Myslast service was as
a Corporal OH the bedy4guard OF Gen.
Sterling Price, .our company having been
detailed to escort him and his staff home
Scott. in his Lady eo Of tie Lake. makes
Iehoderick Dhu, while4qa prisoner OF
King james, say to This, fministrel, who
was permitted to visit him:
"Fling me the picture Of the fight.
How met my clan the Saxon might.
And now. at the age of H2; am trying
to fling the picture aof tstfie fght"-how
the backwoods Missouri r boys met the
mighty charge OF . the Conianclies and
Apaches. The picture has lain in my
memory for more than So years. yet its
| impressions are az green as though it were
burt yesterday. All! memory, memory; the
spirit of God, which binds IN n single
| book the life of man from the cradle te
| tile grave, and from which there seems
IA" be no escape, and blessed is he who
| does not fear the record-JAMEs III
| BIRCH, Plattsburg, Mo. '''n" 80 {.