Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-26

Three echoes came from three different
directions, the cavalry charged. and
with cheers the fracas opened. Jump
ing from their lodges, hiding behind
trees or lining the bank of the little
stream that acted as rifle pit the
reds fought i'll vain. Black Kettle
himself was killed. besides 1G3 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 CT winter provisions, in
Guiding n thousand buffalo robes, hun
dredS of pounds Of dried meat, etc,
were destroyed. Over 500 pounds of
powder ard Il thousand pounds of lead
were ut the same time captured. Fifty
three sQuaws and children were made
prisoners, thus entirely destroying
Black Kettle. Elliot and Il party of
fourteen, who bad followed some flying
parties. were nli.~ing. having run into
a larger land OF Indians il Il large ad-
joining village, which threatened now
TO rush en- the command and give tit
for tat, hut Custer rallied every man.
threw out ckirmiThinG parties and ad
vanced. with his bands and hugles
playir~. and after some sharp fighting
the Indians. believing that he must
have re-cnfcrccmcrts and seeing Major
Bell. with an escort, coming dlshing
with 4 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
\ white woman ard 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 eie"en wounded.
Owing to the condition of the wealth
err 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
it from the face OF the earth and cap
tured Satanta. whom he held until
many white captives were given up In
exchange. After some rest following
the battle of the WaShita n 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. Forsyths siege on the Arick.
aree river in September, 1868, being q
| famous example.
General Forsyth was in command of
! body of about fifty plainsmen. en-
listed as scouts, and camped beside
the Arickaree river, 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 season when very
little water was in the river, the party
removed its camp to an island in the
middle of the stream. There theil
worst fears were early realized. for al
o o'clock on the morning of Sept. II
1865, Chief Roman Nose entered the
river valley with his braves. squaw:
and children and prepared fer an at
tack Roman Nose was a heroic Speci
men of the Indian warrior, and ht
headed a party of nearly THOUSAND
hostile braves.
General Forsyth Immediately begar
making the best preparations he coult
with view to terrifying his position
digging rifle pits and placing saddle
and other available material in q circl
around his men. There was so littl'
water il the river bed that he knew
hand to hand encounters would resul
from the impending attack unless tn
advancing host could be repealed he
fore they reached the Imperfect sol
diers. Indian sharpshooters ranged II
hiding along both banks Of the STREAM
began pouring into the Forsyth posi-