Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-02-12
CANTON SOUTH DAKOTA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY

followed, ana SklrmlsnlnS was kept uI
incessantly. Lieutenant Schenofsky on
that occasion came near being am
buShed and had a few men killed
This continuous skirmishing was kept
up for three days, with myself almost
continuously in the saddle, and while
we We're In front the general sounded
the officers call for consultation. l
will permit General Carr to tell the
story Of an affair in which he punished
the Indians severely, while the story
relates also to my connection witt the
matter:
II had heard some firing in front.
where the advance guard had gone out
of sight. My orders were for the ad-
vance guard to regulate on the main
column and always keep In sight of it,
but as Major Babcock and Lieutenant
w. p. Hall, now General Hall, were SO
ambitious and anxious for a fight I
fought l would give them a chance,
and so l let them alone. After hasty
consultation regarding lack Of supplies
1 sent a bugler to recall the advance
guard. He came back saying he could
not reach them, as they were sur
rounded by Indians. The Indians had
got into four ravines which headed
near the trail, two on each side. The
half dozen had led the advance on
with insulting gestures and defiant
words (some could speak and swear in
English, and when they came between
the ravines the whole poured out
around them. Babcock dismounted his
men and formed them In a circle and
stood the Indians OF. I sent Lieuten-
ant Brady with the next company to
open communications, and the Indians,
supposing the whole command was
coming, went on as before.
Reaching the scene, we could see
the Indians scattering in retreat. A
figure with apparently red cap rose
slowly on the hill. For an instant It
puzzled me, as it wore a buckskin and
had long hair. But on seeing the
horse I recognized that it was Cody's
Powder Face and saw that it was
Buffalo Bill without his broad brim-
med sombrero. On closer inspection
I saw that his head was swathed in a
bloody handkerchief, which served not
only as temporary bandage, but as
chapeau, his hat having been shot of,
the bullet plowing his scalp badly for
about five inches. 1t had ridged along
the bone and was bleeding profusely,
very close call, but a lucky escape.
However, it would not do to turn back
Immediately after such impudence, SO
took to the gallop and ran them for
twelve miles to and across the Repub-
side, where they acted in their usual
style by scattering In
every direction after dropping a good
deal of plunder. We could see them
on the distant hill, but could not catch
them under the circumstances or with
out means Of some counter strategic
cunning, so we went back and camp
ed north Of the Republican. The ad-
vance guard had been relieved and
the Indians severely punished. with
loss on our side Of but four or five
killed and few wounded, this with
Babcock's horse wounded and Cody's
narrow escape as the resulting casual
ties. The object Of the campaign was
nearly accomplished, but our greatest
need was supplies, which the hot trail
had sidetracked in the excitement Of
the necessary pursuit of the defiant
foe. As the country was infested with
Indians and it was fifty miles to the
nearest supply point. Fort Kearny, on
with Cody he decided that
it would be best to undertake the job
himself a point characteristic Of him,
as he never shirked duty or faltered
in emergencies. gave him the best