Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-03-02
CHAPTER TX
II II OW managed to reach the fort
never knew. do not remem-
Der that the savages carried

wv l managed to reach the fort
never knew. do not remem
Der that the savages carried
- - me; | have no recollection of
walking. When the gate lanthorn was
set that night, sentry noticed me
creeping in the weeds at the moats
edge. He shot at me and gave the
alarm. Fortunately he missed me.
All that evening | lay In hot sick
ness on a cot In the classmates. They
say ! bab3led and whimpered till the
doctor had finished cupplng me. but
after that l rambled little and toward
sunrise YVES sleeping.
My own memories begin with an ex-
plosion which shook my cot and
brought me stumbling blindly out Of
bed to find Jack Mount firing through
loophole and watching me while he
reloaded with curious satisfaction.
He guided me back to my cot and
summoned the regiments surgeon. Be
tween them they bathed me and fed
me and got my shirt and leggings ON
me. Mount linked his great arm In
mine and helped me up to the parapet.
where the Virginia militia and Cres-
APPS rifiemen were firing into the for
est.
1t was almost impossible to perceive
2 single savage, not only because OF
the rifle smoke, but also because they
had taken cover like quail In piowed
held Every charred tree root sheltered
an Indian; the young oats were alive
with them; they lay among the wheat.
the bean poles; they crouched behind
manure piles; they crawled In the beds
OF bitches.
Are all the settlers IN the fortY
asked Mount, who was leaning over
the epauIement waiting patiently for
mark.
Every man, woman and child came
IN last night he said.
And now house after mousse burst
into black smoke and spouts Of fame.
Through the spreading haze we caught
fieeting glimpses OF dark figures run
ming. and our fireloeks banged out
briskly, but could neither hinder nor
stay the doom OF those poor. rough
homes. Fire leaped like lightning along |
the pine walls. twisting IN an instant !
into q column of pitchy smoke tufted |
with tongues of flaine.
Save for the rifle shots aud the tim
orous whinny Of horses the fort was
strangely quiet II the women and
children We're weeping In the case
mates we on the ramparts could not
hear them. And do not think they
uttered q complaint. we hurried ST
lentiy about our work; no officers shout.
ed; there was small need to urge rs.
and each man knew what to do.
All at once the fiery shower OF AZ
rows among us ceased A soldier
climbed the flag pole to look out over
The smoke, and presently he called
down to us that the savages were fall
ing back to the forest. Then our can
hon began to fash and thunder. and
ne militia fell In for volley firing
lsain. while below the drawbridee
Iropped once more, and our rifiemen
Itole out into the haza
va sitting on the parapet, looking
y Hoyds finn. the Leather Bottle.
which was on fire, when Mount and
>&6o Renard came up to me. carrying
ehenf Of charred arrows which they
|ad gathered on the parade.
~ Just want you TO look at these.
e9an Mount. dumping tile arrows into
~ lap. what tribes are they n
.Cayuga." replied, wonderirr.
CayuGa. o. course-waiti why. this
= nonnrn vnr nrrovvl Va, =. Y go.