Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-12-18
FIGHTING WITH INDIANS
Taking the First Saw Mill Into
the Black Hills.

Edi ily III 100 pditJ ~ oo'St h'Si
left Yankton for the Black Hills
having in charge a complete sawmil
outfit. The mill belonged to Capt
Brauch, and his party was composed
of Col. John Lawrence, Bud Taylor
Major Evans, Nat Presho, Ole Baker
and AL Wood. The party crossed the
Missouri river at Yankton and took a
northwest route through Cedar and
Knox counties, Neb., intending to
cross the Niobrara river a little
southeast of the hills. 1t was we'll
known that the Indians were ugly
and determined to keep the white
man out of their favorite hunting
grounds. Capt. Brauch'S party was
well armed and made all necessary
preparations to fight their way
through all opposition. No Indians
were seen until the Niobrara river
was reached. Taylor and Wood were
ordered to go up the river and hunt
for crossing and return in time for
an early dinner.
Col. Lawrence, an old Indian fight
er, cautioned the boys about Indian
trickery and ambush. Half mile up
the river on the opposite side was OBJ
served a bunch Of willows big enough
to conceal several Indians and their
horses. Taylor and Wood watched
the willows cautiously as they ad-
vanced. When nearly opposite the
willow patch both dropped TO the
ground, rs the unpleasant zip" of
bullets told that there was trouble
ahead. Lying fiat on the ground,
they were fairly well protected, and
soon saw the smoke Of the guns curl
ing out of the willows. They opened
a rapid fire and pumped the bullets
into the brush in manner alto
gether too hot for the redskins. In
the course of half an hour two mount
ed Indians and one on foot were dis
covered making good time over hill
beyond fhe willows, which had con-
cealed their escape until they were
out of range. A ford was found near
by and the boys returned to camp to
report. Their comrades were all
ready to move, having heard their
guns and the oxen were soon moving
tor the, ford.
The passage over the river was
made in safety. After crossing, Col.
Lawrence said: "Well, boys, we're
in for it now. Let every man keep
eyes wide open. By making good
time we can camp on some of the
numerous branches of White river"
Taylor and Wood made visit to the
willow patch. They found one dead
horse and evidence that one of the
Indians had been wounded. The OK
en-. were moved as rapidly as posi- bic,
and by sundown good camp was
found as expected. No signs of In
dians, but Col. Lawrence was satis-
fed that their every move was being
watched. This gallant little party
was not disturbed during the night,
except by the bowling Of wolves and
coyotes. No trouble was looked for
until they got into the bad lands,
some ten miles ahead.
An early start was made and every
Lody was fully alive to the situation.
The bad lands were reached before
noon. What sight it was! The en-
tire country had been burned up at
some remote period, leaving here and
there vast piles of shale and burned
clay resembling everything within
the range of imagination, from. the
ruins of ancient castles to the majes-
tic pillars and domes of the Turkish |
capital, Desolation in it's most for
bidding aspect surrounded the mod
ern implement of civilization and its
escort as they hurried through this
hell of ancient times. Gen. Sully
chased the Indians through the bad
lands once and he called it, "hell
with the fires out" This description
is complete.
A halt was made to feed the stock
and rest. A good watch was kept but
no Indians seen. This troubled Col.
as it indicated serious
trouble when it did come. The March
was resumed and at sundOwn camp
was formed at the foot of a range Of
hills that leads up to Buffalo Gap,
the point by which the party hoped
to get into the hills. We went into
camp as usual, but after darkness had
settled over the camp the entire par
ty moved back some sixty rods. The
was timely. Lawrence,
Baker and Presho returned to their
first camp ground and took post for
the night. Rolled up in their blank
cts they laid down on the ground. to
await events, nor did they have long
to wait, for the practiced eye Of Law
renee detected numerous objects
crawling toward their location. These
objects proved to be hostile Sioux
hunting for the camp as first located.
The Indians got aon their feet and
seemed puzzled by the way they act
ed. They could not account for the
removal of the camp. Col. Lawrence
decided to surprise them still more.
He told Baker and Presho to select
two of the most prominent marks to
the left while he would look after the
right. The forms or the figures OF the
Indians were not very distinct, still
he riSked little in the attempt, as the