The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-02-06
HUNTING
APACHES
BY DWIGHT NORWOOD

"~S ~"sy No"u " ulIOu uSO luuL
General Custer and his mel were sur
sounded and massarred by redskins.
There Is an old ordnance sergeant ut
ene Of the Atlantic coast forts WHO
was a youngster In the ranks Of the
regular army In those days and pass
cd u good many years on the plains.
where Indian fighting was the order
ct the day. He tells yarns about his
experiences, some VI them bloOdcurd-
Hing. some simply amazing. Here Is
eoe Of the latter class:
The Amches were the worst var
Dints one had to deal with. and we
were more afraid Of them than any
other suvages. They were nor
~treacherOus. more mercileSs aud prac-
iced ore deceptive methods than
any other tribe with which | had the
honor to exchange shots. When we
were hunting them we were more sure
that they weren't hunting III. Any
man going to u spring for water. drop
ping out Of the ranks to cool OF or In
any wise going of by himself was
liable to be taken in. and 80 noise
lessIy that the rest Of the command
wouldn't know anything about 1t un.
I'll he was missed aud some one would
be sent back to find him dead and
scalIed.
One time when we were after q
party Of Apaches. not knowing when
they would turn on LIN in the middle
Of the night. or. more likely. just be-
fore dawn. we made preparations that
would let ts know of their coming
Our commander had taken the prpruu-
ton to bring along some barbed wire
fencing. and after getting into camp.
before turning in under our blankets.
We fenced ourselves in. OF curse we
didn't expect to keep of the red devils
with a wire fence. especially when we
weren't helping the latter with lead.
All we hoped for was a few moments
delay. long enough. you know. to grail
u rifles and get on our feet.
We DivOuackpd n evening on Il
hillside - situated that we couldn't
very well he taken on the flank. and
instead Of running the wire around Us
VIC SSsCNS uVu ~ OVbUIC w. NJ lilUl any
force coming up the bill must pass
ever 1t. Though the noon was in the
third quarter. the night. being cloudy.
was quite dark. The Apaches were 80
sly that in order to get a warning Of
their coming we hung all the tin plates.
Tn cans-anything. in fact. that would
r0ttle-On the wire.
l was listening then for all l was
worth for the slightest sound thai
would indicate the presence Of an en-
envy.
l had to take it out in listening.
for ! couldn't zee anything unless it
was above the sky line. The moon
passed Il thin space in the clouds just
a l heard a tinkle away down at the
ether end Of the fence. Peering in
that direction | saw something white.
I didn't wish to make a guy Of myself
BY firing ut nothing. and ! didn't wish
to take any chances with .AparheS
about. I heard another tinkle and saw
the white thing move. 1t seemed IT,
be on the outer side Of the fence. but
IN another moment 1t was on the In.
aide. | had brought my rifle tV my
shoulder at the FIRST sound. and. seeing
that whatever 1t was had got In he
hind the fence. I let drive.
l could hear a prolonged rattle of
acc0uterments as the line Of sleeping
men arose. and their rifles sounded
Nike q modern machine gun. The deld
sfficers went hurrying about aud the
company officers formed their Men
In q Few moments they were all stand
ing in line ready for another vOlley.
bot the second vOlley was never fired.
The clouds broke away from before
The moo 40 that we could nee what
vas going ON before IN. and we found
there was nothing going on. No sign
q an Apache appeared.
The order was given to break ranks
and within ten minutes the men were
down III the ground again. most Of
them snoring loudly enough to keen q
sentry from hearing any more tinkling
In plates. was relieved soon after
and joined the chorus.
The next morning our commander
called NJ the guard Ut the night before
and asked III who had fired the warn
ing shot and Mt what he had fired. !
confessed that / was the man and
had fred Mt something white down at
The other end Of the wire fence.
something white" he exclaimed
oontemrtuously. Ibid you yer know
q redxkin to wear anything white?
No Indian. no Apache certainly. would
wear anything that could be een on a
dark night"
was dismissed with no other rep.
Mmand than this. II It could he on
aldered a %renrimand. and went oR to a
campfire where my men were cooking
doCeakfaSt.
what were you men on guard Dr.
ing at last night?" asked q Of the
men.
"Apaches." / said. putting on q bold
front. 1.-THE moment l fred they ske-
laddIed down the hill under cover Ut
ne darkners."
How could you see them In the