The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1914-07-31

write of it.
Into that terror-stricken, fleeing mob
the naked warriors came, hacking with
| tomahawks, slashing with knives, bal
tering with dubbed guns. The snow
was red with blood, covered with dead
bodies. 1t was massacre. / know not
how / got out of it, but fought back
from tree to tree, firing as | halted,
loading as / ran. There were others
with me, cool-headed fellows, and we
held the painted demons back until
a hundred of us, or more, gained the
opening by the river, where the regu-
lars and artillery were. But the saw
age hordes, Infatuated by victory,
drunk with slaughter, were at our very
heels. They lined the edge OF the
woods and poured in deadly volleys.
There was no sound now, no Yelling
only the incessant rattle of firearms,
as they crept from log to log, and
tree to tree, slowly drawing closer.
They filed off to either side and
hemmed us in, the river alone protect
ing our rear. Through the clouds OF
SA~O~~
fitting figures, distorted, horrible, OF
faces striped black and red, of waving
feathers, and brandishing arms. Never
before or since have / seen Indians
fight as they did that day-rushing to
the charge, leaping straight at us
through the smoke, and firing with
deadly aim into our very faces. They
shot us down with no. rest, no cessa-
ton, no time in which to breathe.
Twice they took the guns, swarming
forward with a fierce rush that flung
us back, and crushed the gunners un-
der foot. But they were in the open
now, and we could see; with bayonets
and dubbed rifles we charged home,
driving them back to the woods. There
they held us, while from every hollow
and grass patch, every tree and fallen
log, their rifles spat fire. The bands
of my gun flew off, and / picked up
another; / was out of powder and ball
and took them from dead body. The
dead lay everywhere, alone, in heaps;
cries of the wounded rose above the
din. We charged over the bodies,
crunching them under foot, seeking
to reach our invisible foes. They
would not stand, would not meet us.
Helpless, bleeding, dying, confused by
many orders, we fell back, yet still
retained line, and fronted that blaz-
ing wood. Frightened, panic-stricken
men were everywhere, running and
shrieking in terror, seeking vainly for
some means of escape from the savage
Gordon. Indians crept forward under
the smoke to scalp and mutilate the
dead and dying. Horses from the ar
tillery and staff, breaking loose,
charged wildly about, trampling living
and dead alike under their feet. Won
en-, camp followers, we're wedged in
the mob, their shrill screams piercing
the mad uproar. sOnly the regulars
stood intact, a thin blue line, with
here and there among them few mi
litiamen who kept their heads. About
the guns, not dozen powder-grimed
artillerymen remained Not an officer
of the battery was left; not one Of the
regulars unwounded.
heard st. Clair storming up and
down behind us, swearing and shout
ing orders in his high, cracked voice,
yet took no time to glance toward him.
The smoke settled down upon us in
cloud; we fought blindly, in the dark,
hardly certain but we stood alone. /
was beside Butler when he was struck,
and helped drag him aside out of the
rout. Then l saw st. Clair, and, as l
stopped second, staring into his face
to be sure of his identity, an officer
rushed up through the smoke cloud,
knocking me aside, everything forgot
ten but his urgent message.
General ST. Clair" he cried, eve
must get out of here, sir. My men
cannot stand five minutes longer. If
that line breaks it will cost every life.
For Gods sake, let us 60"
"Yes-yes, Colonel Darke, but how
is it to be accomplished, sir? See
those fool towards"
Darke swept his hand out to the
south in sudden gesture.
There is only one way, sir-there
by the road. / can hold the regulars
steady; they'll cover the rear, and
give the others a chance. One fierce
charge forward with the bayonet will
drive those devils back, and open the
way. May / try it, sir?'
"Ay, try it. Hold! I'll lead them
myself. Here, Simmons, Cauley, lash
those skulkers into the road there,
while we clear a path"
sprang forward with the others in
response to swift orders. We made
the woods and plunged into their
shadows. There was a fierce, mad
struggle face to face, bayonets and
dubbed muskets, knives and toma-
hawks. ST. Clair, on an artillery horse,
led the way. We swept the front of
the broad road clear, the impetuosity
of our reckless charge forcing the
startled savages into full retreat.
Then we dropped to our knees, loading
and firing to hold the advantage. Be
hind US. into the open road, surged the
mob Of panic-stricken men, fighting
and crowding, beginning their long
race back to the Ohio. 1t was a sick