The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-03
News of the Northwest
We went south to avoid the timber for
the first eight miles.
Night Was Dark.

We ven south to avoid the timber FOL
the first eight miles.
Night Was Dark.
Gradually 1t darkened. The SIX,
was clear but there was no moor W.
followed the prairie road and were
guided by the groves and lakes. w.
passed Round lake to the right. Min
nebelle on the left and Evans to the
right. Then the timber standing out
lined against the sky and the outlet
Of the lake told is We're ear thu
Green road which would take u:
northwest and directly into Acton.
Could Not Sec Hands.
ut was cloudy now but we dis.
mounted to examine the road tracks
and saw where Stout and his men had
passed. I whispered TO Holmes. Ca
you see your hand before your face I:
Holmes whispered back. Not a bit OF
it,
while on the prairie u horses
hoofs had made no sound but now
there was no grass and the beat OF
feet was painful to hear for we knew
that we were followed by a merciless
foe who v sleeps when on the war
path. On we went trusting to the in.
stinct Of the horses to keep the road,
We passed landmark after land
mark. family observable against the
horizon.
No Signs of Stout.
AT last We reached old Kelly's
bluff and had covered many miles.
Now there We're no signs of Stout. We
Wondered, each man to himself. for
no word vas spoken. If we would be
able to find the camp. and if not.
where we could so for V when
Cay broke.
LAS we passed the Howard Baker
house, where the August massacre had
occurred. the baying Of dogs was
heard and we knew that indians were
cncamped there. We kept on and
reached the Robert James hamlet and
then white tents We're visible through
the darkness.
Camp Sleeping.
STOUT is here We eNclaim 3, as
one man. In a whisper l told the men
to halt. We were close enough TO hit
the tents with q stone but we had no.
heen halted. We hailed the guard and
Received the answer and then went
forwa Unmindful of their danger
the camp was sleeping.
we delivered u message t. Cap
tain Stout AMI then a council was held.
1t vas decided 10 await day break and
then fight our way back to Forest City.
A guard was set and the men slept
once more. At dawn we fell III sad
began the mach.
Men En- On All Sides.
The Indians soon made their ar-
rcalance, coming from every direc-
ton. The all-days fight began. "L
would march for a ways and then fire
a volley al the Indians and .hea march
again. Men began to fall every
where"
In the fight Branham was shot
through the lef. lung and Sperry ac-
coE1lanied him and the other wcand-
could obtain medical treatment. The
servivors Of the fight finally reached
Forest City where they Joined Captain
Whitcomb's troops.
How They Planned.
Years later Captain Whitcomb met
Mac-an-pan-e-ta, a brother of Little
Sioux. in Canada. The Indian chief
tain told of the battle from the red
mems side. He said that 1t had been
three in the morning. The Indians
had surrounded the spot and at the
signal were to swoop down from every
side. Red Dog was to lead the attack
on the north, Mac-an-pan-e-ta on the
east, Little Sioux on the south and
Bald Eagle, a renegade chief from
Standing Buffalo's band. on the south.
while Little Crow was commander in
chief.
w llGA oIdllIldlll, 1OilsAC anu 0DSIl y
rode up to the camp p or % Indians
" ere standing in the road not 20 yards
away. When they heard the horses
they fell back into the underground
and watched the riders pass. Little
Grow then abandoned the attack that
night.
Only Two Survive.
OF the three men who made the dar-
ing ride and saved the life of a hun
|dred, Branham and Sperry still live.
Branham is O IS years old but is
still the figure of a pioneer. He is six
feet tall and though he uses a cane he
is straight as an arrow. In his young
err days he was an expert marksman
and a cool fighter.
Branham and Sperry will both be
at Acton Tuesday. when the remnants
of the two companies gather to live
over again the stirring days of half a
century ago.
Changes Are Great.
THE changes have been great he
muses.. Fifty years s we sent our
women and children away to Mime
apolis in ox-carts while we remained
behind to defend our homes from the
red man. Now we are going back to
ride over the same trail we travelled
that night in '62. but this time We will
go over it in automobiles"