The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1905-08-25
A Broken Tribe


against him
Eve daxs after the soldiers sci out
on their marel The Comanehes 10 the
number u 5ep net them On the Chico
riser. ana tie soldiers took possession
n plateau and prepared for battle
Eagle Feather, assisted by a white rene
caae soldier planned fer q grand
charge Of his lancers that should in
SUR victory Il once.
At c!ren signal his whole body O
warriors charged. Il began when his
first Inc had approached within half
a mile Of the soldiers making resdy,
and the ground Wa clear Of all oh
strucfion and IS Level . a floor. The
ComaDches knew nothing Il tie pres
enee II the artillery until il opened
ire After a single round q grape the
guns were silent and gave place TO the
muskets. The charge was checked and
the slaughter something terrible. Fif-
ty-three warriors and seventy ponies
were left behind when the force drew
of and returned 10 the spot where the
big chief had posted himself 10 watch
and direct. He was screaming with
rage and chagrin when his broken
ranks retreated upon him.
When the lines were formed again
every warrior was in them. and the
chief placed himself al their head.
Such warriors as had been dismounted
advanced on foot, and some Of the
wounded were tied on their horses.
Again the soldiers waited until the
yelling horde had come TO close guar
tiers, and again artillery and musketry
belehed forth a murderous fire. II
was lesson no tribe OF Indians ever
forgot. In five minutes every warrior
who could get away had retreated.
leaving the ground heaped with dead
and dying
Colonel Saunders watched the
movements OF the red nen closely and
anxiously, and he soon discovered a
new plan OF attack.
1t would be made on foot, and the
lances would be abandoned for rifles.
There was a rayine about a mile to the
east Of the soldiers position, and
portion Of the Indians would be Ger
tain to advance under cover OF that,
while others would advance from the
west and south. The feldpieces were
planted 10 cover points where a rush
might be expected, and the lines were
aligned anew. Three kegs Of powder |
were taken down the rayine and de |
posted among the rocks as torpedoes /
and everything was ready by noon.
II was half an hour later when the /
Comanches divided into three com /
mands and moved TO the attack. The /
renegade had taught them how 10 /
march on foot. and they came on al /
most with the step Of infantry. In /
FIVE minutes the fight was raging hotly |
on all sides, and as the Indians began /
10 work up the rayine their fire began /
10 do considerable damage They con /
oentrated Il on the artillery. and Saun- /
ders soon bad FIVE or six men killed or 1
wounded.
There was no rush on the part Of
the redskins. Their plan was rather
TO make a long fight OF H. There was
constant fighting for over three hours,
both sides having more or less shelter.
The white men proved to be the b>it
shots. even though armed only with
muskets. and by and by the Indians
got tired Of their waiting game.
II was finally seen that a large body
OF them was gathering IN the rayine,
and Il was easy 10 see that the object
was rush. One OF the guns was
turned upon them, and when the shell
with which Il was charged exploded
Il exploded two Of the kegs Of pow
der. How many were killed and
wounded none could say. because the
explosion hurled down the high banks
and filed the rayine for a hundred
feet
The calamity in the ravine ended the
attack on the part OF the Indians, and
Saunders al once assumed the aggres-
siye. He opened on the herd Of ponies
left Just out Of rife shot and with two
discharges Of the guns scattered 1t.
When the redskins attempted TO bunch
in any considerable number be opened
on them with shell. and such ponies as
galloped within musket range were
brought down by the soldiers.
Eagle Feather had more than enough
before the sun went down. Once he
rallied bis warriors as If for last des-
perate charge. but they were SO thor
oughly whipped that they refused to
charge. AS darkness fell he began bis
retreat over the prairie, and he made
no halt until reaching his village. a
hundred miles away.
None OF the Indian dead was re-
moved, and only few Of the wounded
were taken away. Two years later,
when peace came, Eagle Feather ac-
knowledged his losses, and he had the
figures down close. OF his ponies he
lost all but hundred OF his warriors
he reached home with less than 200.
They were the flower OF his fighting
men left behind, and had bis loss taken
In only the war PONIES II would have