Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-12
By WILL KENYON

morning. We were frozen stiff as rusty hinges.
Wallace was one-company infantry post, and
the foxy Indians knew this when they picked out
their route for the raid Foot-soldiers have few
terrors for mounted savages, especially when in
ferior in numbers. Headquarters knew this Also
and had planned to rush our cavalry over to Wallace
in time to intercept and turn back the Cheyennes
but we were too late for that Adding couple of
ambuances to outfit, to carry supplies and care
for casualties, struck out to the east.
The Cheyennes had big start; but at ten o'clock
picked up their trail, heavy one of many hoof
marks and trailing lodge poles running due north
By this time were in Kansas, and bowling along
at smart gait with sabers and canteens, carbines
and bride chains jingling merrily. At noon we
stopped for lunch and to breathe the horses At
four clock met four buffalo hunters flying out to
the rail for dear life. | never saw men SO nearly
frightened to DEATH and the condition of their poor
horses showed how badly they were scared These
men had lost their entire outfit of wagons and
buffalo hides; but were thankful enough to get off
alive and have us between them and old Spotted
Horses band. The raiders only twenty miles
ahead of Our expedition, with ponies so jaded that
they to make camp tor the night before long
Night Before the Encounter
NOTHING could induce the pelt hunters to go with
~ u.s. so we pushed on until after nightfal and biv-
ouacked about three miles from Sappa Creek, where
it was certain the Indians would spend the night
Horses were not unsaddled and the men slept in
overcoats and blankets. No fires allowed ;
there not the slightest sound that could be
avoided, and the men were ordered not to talk. 1t
was Lieutenant HenelyS hrSt independent COM
mand and felt just bit uneasy about him.
Soldiers critical of their commanders and Henely
was being compared with the old timers who knew
beforehand what an Indian would do, and got there
first. Although he had been out of West Point
long enough to get over the pointer pup" stage,
and had service with Miles the preceding year.
looking for the first symptoms of stage
fright. But he game and heady to the last
ditch, and went the whole distance with us, did
Lieutenant Henely.
1t was long night, black and starless, and still
dark when we started again. In the gray, cloudy
dawn we settled one thing among ourselves, and
that related to quarter. 1t unwritten law in
the Sixth Cavalry that few prisoners possible
should be taken. This may strike you particu-
larly cold blooded and brutal but remember that
you have never seen the smoking ruins of ranches,
or the horribly mutilated bodies of men, women and
children-white people-who have been far worse
than murdered. Nor have you down
band of fiends with red skins and found the cotted
scalps of goldenhaired children the long brads of
mothers and young girls, and the white locks of old
men hanging from their belts We had and we
advanced on Sappa Creek with such horrors in
minds. There big account to square with the
Cheyennes.
1t was barely light when peered down on Sappa
Creek, which through little valley about
quarter of mile wide, ending at the base of low