The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-26
Rode Right Into the Indians.


and after the civil war:
Rode Right Into the Indians.
George Sowerwine, Co. G, I'd Cal.
Cav. Gering, Neb., writes:
81 was the youngest member of Co.
G, I'd Cal. Cav, which was ordered
from Camp Drum to the Indian coun-
try in 1862. We got into the country
of the hostiles on July 2, 1862. Cos. ID
and q were together, and we had lit
tie fight TN that date, killing a few In
dams and capturing Is bucks squaws
and children. The operations spread
over period of 10 months with efforts
for peace. Our efforts We're not COM
pletely successful, yet the Indians were
not actively hostile.
There was one chief, however, who
held himself aloof. He was Joakin
Jim, Captain of the Northern Band.
His territory was in Bishop Valley,
north TO Aurora. The Winter of 1862
was hard one for us, as we had left
Camp Drum with only our fatigue suits
and 60 days rations. We got no ra-
tions for 125 days and no extra cloth
ing. l stood guard with bags wrapped
around my feet and l had on -four
sack pants. / would stand for hours in
the same track in order to keep warm
the ground under my feet. Some of
the men We're crazy for tobacco.
Toward Spring our clothing came.
A detail was made from Co. G of IA
men to drive a Government mule team
to Arizona. This left our company
weak, for Co. d had been gone two
months to Camp Rabbit. When March
came the Indians who had been hang
ing around camp all disappeared, so it
was evident they had a crouch. On
March Serg't Ward Huntington, with
squad OF four privates, was ordered
to locate the Indians. He proceeded
north about Il miles, and found the
Indians in camp at place called Black
Rocks but he did not go close enough
to them to draw their fire.
ION the morning of the Sd detail
of seven men, including myself, was
made TO locate the Indians. We pro-
ceeded north, as Serg't Huntingdon had
done. and saw no sign of them. We
rode to the extreme south end of the
Black Rocks Lieut.. Doty surveyed the
ground ahead with u fieldgiass. There
was nothing. apparently, that could
hide an Indian. TIE Lieutenant stated
he could see q black speck about three
miles ahead. We got into the saddle.
and had not proceeded more than n
quarter Of mile. when SHOT was fired
that struck. me in the right hand. Sud
denly gunshots came from every quar-
ter, ard the swish OF the arrow was on
all sides. 1t seems 4 marvel that they
did not get all Of US. We were sur
rounded by probably $50 or 400 In
OlallS, VINO rose up apparently out Oh
the ground, and We were up against a
hard proposition
Helping Wounded COmraIe.
IL turned. and saw the Lieutenant
and four of the men riding OF TO the
southeast at a rapid gait, and poor
Comrade Hazens in the rear with two
arrows sticking in him and two in his
horse. His horse was also wounded
with 4 ball l ran my horse up to him
and pulled out the arrows. One had
done almost thru him. My horse was
on his mettle, and j had to hold him
back 10 the pace set by Hazen's horse.
We had gone about so yards when an
arrow struck me above the right ear
and knocked me insensible for "A few
seconds. When I came to my senses
my horse had shot ahead. and left
Comrade HaZen about 80 feet behind.
l was then right onto a line of Indians
lying on the ground. ! put my spurs
deep into my horses TANKS, and was
on top of them They ran on all tours
like lizards to get away from me. One
stubborn buck did not move, but showed
his gun into my horses flank and fired.
This fixed my poor mustang. However,
/ had made a road for Comrade Hazen.
He was now on the outside of the In
dams. / was afoot, and in the loose
sand could not make much speed. |
pulled off my boots, and was bleeding
profusely. The Indians were still shoot
ing at me. The others had got very
nearly out of range. The Lieutenant
with him. / told him to look after the
rest. Comrade Lovejoy was badly
wounded, and 1 held him on his horse
until assistance came from camp,
where he died. All but one of us were
wounded"