Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-03-27

trees Hr lining the bank of the little
stream that acted as rifle pit, the
reds fought In vain. Black Kettle
himself was killed. besides 1903 Of his
warriors. The village was captured;
the pony herds were shot, as they could
not be carried away, taking an hour to
Kill So of them. The village and all
its possessions Of winter provisions, in
Guiding Il thousand buffalo robes, hun
dreds Of pounds Of dried meat, etc.
were destroyed. over 500 pounds Of
powder and 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 Il party of
fourteen, who had followed some flying
parties, were missing, having run into
n larger band Of Indians in large ad
joining village which threatened now
to rush on the command and give tit
for tat, but Custer rallied every man
threw out diminishing parties and ad
vanccd, with his bands and buges
playing, and after some sharp fighting
the Indians. believing that he must
have rc-cnforccmentsa and seeing Major
Bell with an escort, coming dashing
with n load Of ammunition, which, by
the way, was badly needed and hav-
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 cleven 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 Il larger village and wiped
1t from the face of the earth and cap
turcd Satanic. whom he held until
many white captives were given up in
exchange. After some rest following
the battle Of the Washita Il 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-
trophG Overcamc them. Flushed with
success in the Black. Kettle village,
Elliot pursued the flying band and ran
into the midst Of 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 y. Forsyths siege on the Arick.
aree river in September. 1868 being a
famous example.
General Forsyth was In command Of
a body Of about fifty plalnsmen, 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 4.
removed its camp to an island in the |
middle Of the stream. There their |
worst fears were early realized, for at |
. o'clock on the morning Of Sept. H. |
1868, Chief Roman Nose entered the
river valley with his braves, squaws
and 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 50 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 lmpcrilcS sol,
diers. 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
DeSleStu Dlen cIOuCueu Ill Iuc Iluc pllS
they had dug in the sand, their fire
arms In readiness, awaiting the word
Of command. Closer came the cavai,
cade Of redskins until their fellow
were compelled to cease
firing for fear Of killing their own
men. Then Forsyth shouted "Now"
and a crash of musketry rang from
fifty 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 n second vOlley
they did not waver, but when others
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.
or sent CONSERVATION into the ranks Of
his followers, and when they were
within a hundred yards Of the minia-
ture fort they broke In a panic.
During the next two hours the For.
syth party dug their rifle pits deeper
their barricades with the
bodies of their destroyed horses and