The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-02-24

ulreCllOnS, the cavalry charged, ant
with cheers the fracas opened. Jump
ing from their lodges, hiding behint
trees or lining the bank Of the little
stream that acted as a rifle pit, thu
reds fought III vain. Black Kettl,
himself was killed, besides 1O3 Of hi
warriors. The village was captured
the pony herds were shot, as they could
not be carried away, taking an hour te
kill S75 of them. The village and al
its possessions Of winter provisions, in.
GLIDING a thousand buffalo robes, hun.
dreds Of pounds Of dried meat, ETC..
were destroyed. Over 500 pounds OF
powder and a thousand pounds Of lead
were at the same time captured. Fifty.
three squaws and children were made
prisoners, thus entirely destroying
Black Kettle. Elliot and a party OF
fourteen, who had followed some flying
parties, were missing, having run into
a larger band of Indians in a large ad-
Joining village, which threatened now
to rush on the command and give tit
for tat, but Custer rallied every man,
threw out skirmishing parties and ad-
vanced, with his bands and bugles
playing. and after some sharp fighting
the Indians, believing that he must
have requirements and seeing Major
Bell. with an escort, coming dashing
with a load of ammunition, which, by
the way, was badly needed, and hay
Ing Little Rock, their fighting chief.
killed, they broke away and scattered.
An unknown number were killed and
wounded during the all day fighting.
A white woman and child were found
In the village who were killed by the
Indians for revenge during the opening
Of the fight. Our loss was seven killed
and eleven wounded.
Owing to the condition of the wealth
er, ETC., 1t was necessary to get back
to Camp Supply to recuperate, which
was successfully accomplished. That
same winter Custer repeated the same
trick on a larger village and wiped
1t from the face Of the earth and CAP
tured Satanic, whom he held until
many white captives were given up in
exchange. After some rest following
the battle Of the Washita a search
party was sent out to find trace of
Elliot and his men, whose remains
they found, the story being afterward
learned from the Indians how catas-
trophe Overcame them. Flushed with
success in the Black Kettle village,
Elliot pursued the flying band and ran
Into the midst Of a big band Of braves
coming to assist in the fight. They
were seen, an ambush was quickly
effected, and they were surrounded.
Their horses were shot down and 9th
ers dismounted, and they stood back to
back till all died CALAMITY fighting.
Often the white men had narrow
escapes from determination, General
George A. Forsyth's siege on the Arick.
aree river in September. 1868, being a
famous example.
General Forsyth was in command of
a body Of about fifty plainsmen, en-
listed as scouts, and camped beside
the Arickaree river, a small stream in
northwestern Kansas. The Indians
had been reported as uprising, and the
expedition was projected for the pur-
pose Of finding out the true state Of
affairs. 1t being a season when very
little water was in the river, the party
removed its camp to ar island in the
middle of the stream. There their
worst fears We're early realized, for at
0 O'clock on the morning of Sept. II,
1893. Chief Roman Nose entered the
river valley with his braves, squaws
ard children and prepared for an at
tack. Roman Nose was a heroic speci-
mon Of the Indian warrior, and he
headed a party of nearly a thousand
hostile braves.
General Forsyth Immediately began
making the best preparations he could
with a view to terrifying his position,
digging rifle pits and placing saddles
and other available material in a circle
around his men. There was so little
water in the river bed that he knew
hand to hand encounters would result
from the impending attack unless the
advancing host could be repealed be-
fore they reached the imperiled SOL
dicrs. Indian sharpshooters ranged in
hiding along both banks Of the stream
began pouring into the Forsyth posi-
ton a deadly fire at close range. The
besieged men crouched in the rifle pits
they had dug in the sand, their fire.
arms in readiness, awaiting the word
Of command. Closer came the caval-
cade Of redskins until their fellow
s~harpshooters were compelled to cease
firing for fear Of killing their own
men. Then Forsyth shouted "Now!'
and a crash Of musketry rang from
afty guns. 1t was apparent that the
Indians were bent upon riding down
their prey and killing them on the spot.
The first volley made no change in
their intentions. At a second volley
they did not waver, but when others
followed too rapidly to count the ranks
began to thin out. and at last Roman
Nose went down. shot dead from his
horse. The death Of their defiant lead
er sent CONSERVATION into the ranks of
hf-