Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-09-19

stripped themselves to breech clout and
feathers. and had mounted their best
war horses, preparatory to charging
home Forsyth's anything but strong po-
sition. The rifles Of the killed and
wounded OF the perty were taken and
loaded by the survivors, in readiness for
the emergency which they saw was rap
idly approaching.
'Fhe mounted force, mustered by
Roman Nose for the direct assault. num-
bered fully 800 picked warriors. and he
employed the remainder of his men to
silence by their fire the rifles of For
syth's party while the attack was being
made.
A Thrilling sight.
Roman Nose and his band OF mounted
warriors, with a wild, ringing war-whoop,
echoed by the women and children on
the hills, started forward. On they
came presenting even to the brave men
awaiting their charge. a most superb
sight. Brandishing their guns, echoing
back the cries of the women and chill
dren on the surrounding heights, and
confident of victory, they rode bravely
and recklessly to the assault Soon they
friends, and Of course, the dismounted
Indians had to slacken their fire for fear
of hitting their own warriors. This was
an opportunity for the scouts and they
were not slow to seize 1t. Nowr shouted
Forsyth. 'Nowr echoed Beecher, Mo
Call and Grover. and the scouts, spring
ing on their knees and casting their eyes
coolly along the barrels of their rifles,
opened on the advancing savages as
deadly a fire as the same number OF
men ever yet sent forth from the same
number of guns.
Unchecked, undaunted. on dashed the
warriors: steadily rang the clear, sharp
reports Of the rifles of the frontiersmen.
Roman Nose, the chief, is seen TO fall
dead from his horse then Medicine Man
is killed. and, for an instant the column
Of braves, now within ten feet OF the
| scouts, Observation-Disclosures A ringing
cheer from the scouts, who perceive the
effect of their we'll directed fire, and
the Indians begin to break and scatter
in every direction. unwilling TO rush to a
lhand-to-hand struggle with men who. al
though out-numbered, yet knew how to
make such effective use of their rifles
Counting the Cost.
"A few more shots from the frontiers
men and the Indians are forced back
beyond range, and their attack ends in
defeat Forsyth turns 70 Grover, anx-
iously, and inquiries, Can they do better
than that, Grover?' I have been on the
plains, general. since q boy, and never
saw such charge as that was the
reply. All right responds Sandy then
we are good for them
Several of the Indian dead lay only
n few feet away from the position of
the scouts. and the ground was thickly
strewn with the corpses of the brave
savages. The loss to Forsyth's party
was also very heavy. Lieutenant Beecher,
an officer of great promise, received a
mortal wound. and died at the close of
that eventful day. The Indians kept up
la hot fire on the position, while daylight
lasted; and when Forsyth. wounded and
in great pain. looked over the situation
he did not feel quite so confident of
ultimate escape, Notwithstanding his
splendid repulse of the attack of Roman
Nose. In addition to Lieutenant Beecher
and Surgeon Movers, two of the scouts
had been killed outright, four mortally,
four severely and ten slightly wounded
making three and twenty killed and
/. WOunueut OUT OF u IOId1 OF IlIIy-One mon.
Provisions, too. were running low, and,
owing TO the great heat of the day. the
horses killed early in the engagement had
already begun to decompose.
Relief Comes.
'"rhe Indians. having suffered great los.
on the nth, did not attempt a second
assault but maintained close watch or
the beleaguered. Two scouts managed Il
elude the Indians and go to Fort Wallace
$50 miles distant Forsyth, by his moral
as well as his physical. courage, sustained
the spirits Of his men. and never ceased
to hope for succor. At last. after having
been eight days on the island, It came
on the morning Of September Is in the
shape Of q squadron of cavalry from