Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-02-08
CHAPTER XXXlv.
The Last Stand

smitinr ~ tb,t IN ,,,e SuuueI
from ina ro.r h,. 49,, F"ies
his horsenor r., -. - 0-'''i sc O'
whisnerod ,,,~,,cs,, -. ~ man ,.e
ranks the espor trroe,..- ..''.u 10" a ,ne
welcome r,eses,o ,,,,t,, 7,-'lns 1ue
II was the old No.. - - Is
] and tbe, l,re-,, e. -, 'e' en- u
with Crsto- rt.tt.
the column ana o,,f,- 80 gu -
rear of tbs s5vsrco - ~ ,u1
ant Cook to~otbo~ ,-s,te 80 az =
aide beside bin, t1,o e.. s-'I'.e,
troops filed -esol,-tol,- -, .''...-'
ing not of possible defeat Sp5aori,.
/ distant shots were heard far oT -
( their left and rear. and doeDo,i,v int,
{ a rumble. ovidencing a warn, e1-a.-o
/ ment The Interested troorors l.f,,,
/ their heads. listening intentl- vybno
/ eager whispers ran from ma, 20 ,,.-,
/ along the closed files
/ Reno ifs going in bovs. f. ,vui ~,
! our turn nevf"
CLOSE mi Ouiot tbo~o lode
] ouiot " oeico, os.,,~ o.
word NJ commenced
Yet tboro 49,, ,t,.,-, ....,..... a..
who felt st-an~e 49, 40 60 $50
I sounded 81, O. aus
where Reno eborr5 l,,,.,, 49,. ~. 49,
time sin A. niche ~, .ba. -
overhanripp blprrs ,,.o,,,, ,.,',e,. ~,
do9oct tho ~e1o~ts am a1.,,,. -
lowered death In dro,lf,,l -, So,
amonr tber, .,,, tt,,.. 80, -
ewes WATCHING from, di.,.nt -
.,,~.f.,.- . 49,
vines; none marked the rapidly mass.
ing hordes. hideous I'm var.paint
crowded into nearby coulccs and DO.
hind protecting hills
It burst uDon them with wild veus
The gloomy RIDGES bla-od into tb,f-
startled faces. the dark ravinos bu-lo5
az them sl,urrvinr borsonen vbuo
wherever their ewes trrnod tbe, bc,
held savage forms leaning forth from,
hill and coulee. gnlch and rock sbad-
ow. Horses fen. or ran about noicb.
ing. men flung am fhe{r bar5s ana
died I'M that first awful minnie ~ CON.
sternation. and the little col,,r,,
seemed 90 shrivel away as ~ consun-
ed by the flame which struck it. front
and flank and rear. IL was as n those
men had ridden into the mouth OF
hell
Yet &c was scarcely for more than n
minute. Men trained. strong clear OF
brain. were I'm those stricken lines
mon who had seen Indian battle he
fore Tho recou came. swift as had
been tho surprise. Voice after voice
rang ont old familiar orders. steady.
inc t,-t,~tr.. .t.. .-.-...,.., - a.,
cinlino conoue~o5 si.,~l.- ana ,h,
shattered column ROLLED ort nj a. h,
maeic. into tho semhlance Of u bo,tto
line
II was n,or,fecortly so,o Cr..o-
and his trooo com,,an5ers bro,obt
their sorelv snitten mon into a Dos,-
ton OF defense even burlos tber,
cheering forward in short swift
charges. so AS 10 cIear tho front and
gain room In which IN denlov ONT of
confusion emerged discinline con6-
dence. esprit de corns
Safe beyond the range OF the troon-
ers' light carbipes the Indians win
their heavier rifles kent hurlinp "a
constant storm OF lead hurgjng the
gullies. and spreading ont until tbere
Was no rear toward WnlCl the nlraSS-
ed cavalrym.n could turn for safety
One by one. continually under a heavy
fire, the scattered troops were form
ed into something moro nearly re-
sembling a battle lne-Calhoup on
the left tbop Kooob SD,itb ,nd
Yates, with Tom Custer holding the
extreme right Thus they waited grim
ly for the next assault
Nor was IL long DELAYED. Scarcely
had the troopers recovered. reaued
their depleted cartridge belts from
those OF their dead comrades when
the onslaught came. The soldiers
waited their coming. The short
brown barrelled carbines cleaned at
the level in the sunlight and then
belched forth their message of flame
into the very faces Of tbosa reckless
horsemen. II was not in flesh and
blood to hear such hIow with
screams of rage the red bravaa
sweryed To left and risbt laavins,
many a dark war-bedecked figure ".
ing dead behind thorn and MANY q
riderless ponv sl.urrving over the