The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-29
BATTLE WITH UNION MINERS
Troop Under General Bell Ambushed
Near Victor, Col.
ONE STRIKER KILLED, r. TAKEN

Martial Law, Takes $50 Men 10 Dunn
willie Miners There Had PlanL ed to
Descend on victor-Twenty Minutes Of
Uphill Fighting Scatters the Miners.
Victor, Col.-Militiamen and deputies
fought a pitched battle with union mi
ners at DunnviIle. about sixteen miles
from Cripple Greek. One miner. John
Carley, was killed. and fourteen were
captured. Several who escaped arrest
were wounded.
The party. numbering in all about
80 men. left in a special train, intend
ing, if possible, to take into custody all
the miners who had retreated to the
hills about Dunnville. Reports had
reached Adjutant-General Sherman
Bell, who is here to enforce martial
law, that these men intended to come
to Victor and endeayor to release the
l50 prisoners in the armory.
The train carried them within 4 few
miles of the place where the miners
were encamped, arriving about 5
O'Clock. The trail leading to the camp
passes through 4 deep canon. and just
as the soldiers were entering this the
shooting commenced.
The strikers were stationed at the
top of the walls on either side Of the
canon and shot down at the soldiers.
The range was awkward, and it is
probably due to this fact that there
were no casualties at the time. The
soldiers fired 1 few shots in return, but
seeing the disadvantage of their posi-
ton quickly retrehted.
Once out of range they separated
into two squads. Advancing. they sue
ceeded, after a hard climb, in reaching
the top of the walls Of the canon.
The strikers slowly retreated. dodg-
ing behind rocks and trees and keeping
up a running fire. The soldiers pur-
sued the same tactics. although they
were at a disadvantage. as the climb
was long and steep. Once at the top,
however, they pressed the strikers
hard.
They shot to kill. and the first one 10
fall was John Carley, who was shot
through the heart with q Krag-Jor-
was running from his hiding place be-
hind 4 rock to the shelter of 4 tree
some distance away when he was
killed.
Carley's death seemed to demoralize
the strikers and they ran in every di-
rection. The soldiers gave chase and
succeeded in capturing fourteen.
General Bell estimates that fully thir-
ty-ive men were in the ambushing
party. Of this number fourteen were
captured.
The soldiers and deputies captured
three guns, the rest being carried away
by those of the party in ambush who
escaped in the hills. The troops
searched the vicinity for two hours, but
could find no more men.
The train with General Bells party,
the prisoners and Carley's body re.
turned to Cripple Creek shortly before
I o'clock p. IN.
A second battle took place early the
same evening at Big Bull Hill, two
miles east of Victor.
Seven soldiers went out on horseback
to arrest union miners and found them
~tntrenched. The men refused to sur
render and the soldiers opened fire.
more than 200 shots being exchanged.
The smoke from the guns could be seen
from Victor through powerful glasses.
The miners opened fire OF the SOL
diers as soon as they saw them coming
up the hill. No one was wounded.
Seven men were captured by the
guards and taken to Cripple Creek.