The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-08-06
How He Won His
Spurs and His Wife.
[orietnal.l

tain Kelley, his wife and two children /:
Captain Nye and Lieutenant Chapman.
started to transfer from one post to
another
There was no transportation availa-
Bile, except an army wagon drawn by
| mules. Improvised seats We're put in,
besides PLENTY Of provisions, and an
other wagon containing arms, ammuni-
ton and some quartermaster stores
that were awaiting transportation was
also got in readiness The comman-
dant proposed to send small escort.
but the officers, who were young
agreed that the four Of them, besides
two drivers. a cook and wagon full
| of fighting material, should suffice No
guard would have been thought of had
not an Indian outbreak been considered
imminent
During the trip Nye was obliged to
witness the constant devotion of Chip
man to Marcia Hildreth, which was
excruciating since Nye had long
worshiped her in secret But when the
party had hal4 finished the Journey
something occuIred that fixed the at
tention of all on common danger.
Coming to an eminence on one of the
foothills, party of 200 Indians was
seen below, and from their appearance
and actions It was evident that the
expected outbreak had occurred They
caught sight of the wagon and raised
warwhoop.
Major Hildreth, the ranking officer.
possibly because he saw certain death
staring his wife and daughter in the
face, collapsed. Nye cast his eye over
the ground, looking for place to make
some show of defense Below was
wooded valley. Suddenly lfgnt came
TO the soldiers eye, the light of genius
for war. He began to give orders as If
he We're commanding his own troops
lie took the wagons down into the val
ley. OF his six men he posted two Oh
one flank, two on the other, while with
the other two he proposed TO hold the
center. Each flank was protected by
rocky facade, While the center, through
which ran creek. was comparatively
narrow. The wagons with their con
tents, and the women and children
were stationed behind rock in the
rear. Nye briefly explained his plan OF
defense Marcia Hildreth insisted on
taking rife at the front. but Nye told~
her that she could be Of more service
MS his nia-de-Camp. transmitting o.
ders, information and ammunition
Nye judged that the Indians. having
seen the wagons. would consider them
part of train. Army trains are al
ways furnished with a gnard, as the
redskins well knew AS to the
strength Of this guard they were igno-
rant His plan was to make them
think by scattering his force that it
was considerable. They advanced eau
tiously against his center, looking out
for an ambush, and received quick
scattered fire from three rifles. Sew
eral of the advancing party fell. Then
they drew off to make detour to the
right, but there they received another
volley. A party sent to the left met
with a similar reception.
Meanwhile the hopes of the party of
standing Off their enemies for Mt least
some time grew stronger. The excel
lence of Nye's plan had become appar-
ent. The party had ample ammunition
and provisions, and the mountain
stream afforded water. What they
dreaded was either rush of all the
Indians together or that they would
make wide detour, get in the whites
rear and discover their weakness. AS
some counteraction for this latter dan
ger Marcia Hildreth volunteered to go
far on the right and make a masked
defense. She took her mother with her.
and Mrs. Kelley and her fourteen-yenr-
old son went to the left.
Nye felt ghost of a hope In this
move, for he was sure that the In
dams would try for his rear. He was
right A small party of bucks went
around to the right. They were dis
covered by Marcia Hildreth, and two
rife shots rang out from her position
The Indians, convinced that their enc
mics were sufficiently strong to pro
tect every weak point, now sat down
for regular siege.
For three days Nye held his little
army, consisting of a few men, wo-
men and children, together, or, rather
separate, and wherever a redskin tried
his foe he felt sure that he had met
sufficiently strong force. At the end
of the third day the Indians, supposed
Iy impatient of the delay and knowing
that other conquests which they con.
sidered easier awaited them, trotted
away.
The whites did not know how many
Indians were killed. OF their own
number Chapman was MORALLY wound
ed and one OF the drivers killed out
right. These were the only casualties.
The fame of Nye's exploit reached
Washington. He was advanced rapidly
and soon given an independent com.
mand. IN which he kept all the repUta-
| ton he had gained, besides adding to
1t materially.
Marcia Hndreth was devoted to her
wounded lover during the rest of the
journey and nursed him till his death.
1t is possible that the bullet that kill
ed him avoided complications or pos
sIbly prevented his betrothed from
morrvInC, tho wrong man. 1t is GER