The Ocala evening star., 1915-09-20

During the Indian troubles which
followed the close of the civil war /
was attached to various western forts
and camps as scout and dispatch rider
and in that capacity had my full share
of adventures. 1t was my fortune or
misfortune almost at the outset of my
career To strike the Sioux a blow
which made them forever after hungry
for my life.
1t soon became known among the
Sioux what had happened, and every
branch Of the tribe swore to have my
life. A reward Of ten ponies was offer
ed to any one who would kill me and
twenty If l were taken alive. / was
advised by every one to clear out of
that locality, but / refused to 90 till
the long expected war finally broke
out and / was attached to a moving
column.
/ was finally made prisoner under
singular circumstances. / was return
ing from the flying column to Fort
Wallace with dispatches. l had set
out soon after dark and made a good
twenty-five miles when a heavy fog
settled on the plains. 1t wouldn't have
bothered an Indian to keep the points
Of the compass. but after / turned and
twisted among some dry ravines 1 had
to own up that / was lost. My horse
was just as badly of. When / gave
him his head he came to a stop. The
only thing to do was to dismount and
wait for daylight. i was sitting on the
Ia IL n
my horse was lying down when band
of thirty-seven Indians, all mounted.
walked right on to me through the fog.
1 heard the footsteps Of their horses.
but could not locate them I'm the fog
until too late. When I leaped up it
was with the thought that / might
make break for IL on foot, but before
/ could turn they were all about me,
and in another minute I was made
prisoner.
The Indians were as much surprised
as / was, and it was broad daylight
before they identified me. Up to that
time they had treated me fairly well.
When it was known I was the scout
whose life they had so long thirsted
after half a dozen bucks tried their
best to tomahawk me ON the spot. bu'
were restrained.
When their anger had cooled down
there was as much rejoicing as II they
had captured a fort Six warriors were
called out as a guard, and soon after
sunrise / was put i'm their charge and
started for big Sioux village on Deer
creek, between the two forks of the
Republican river. / was, OF course
disarmed. Then my elbows were tied
together and my feet tied under the
horse. and for fear the horse would
run Off with me he was led by a lariat
When we reached the village i was
| put I'm a tepee and my arms unbound
1t was the third day after my cap
| ture before 1 was disturbed. Then
most of the warriors having returned
| to the village ON purpose to witness my
death, 1 was led out at 8 o'clock In the
| afternoon to undergo the preliminary
to actual torture. This Is running tn,
gantlet.
/ got ready as well as / could, anC
when the signal came 1 sprang away
at the top of my speed. Blow aftel
blow fell upon me as the savages shout
ed their delight, and, to my great sur
| prise, i at length reached the end
There / fell in a heap, and they gav'
me ten minutes to brace up for tn,
run back. L made only half the dis
tance this time. being struck such
blow over the head with a club that
sank down unconscious. When / hat
recovered my senses they returned m
to the lodge, where l lay for man!
hours, expecting to be taken out an,
/ hor
finished me but for the fact that tn
wife OF Little Feather. who was II
another village fifty miles away, ha,
not yet arrived. She wanted to be Il
at the death.
The squaw arrived soon after mid
night. My ankles were tightly lashed
and / could not sleep.
Half an hour after daylight the VII
lage was astir, and at sunrise a squay
brought me some breakfast, and tn
lashings around my ankles were cas-
Off. learned several years after tina
IL was intended to oblige me to run tn
ganilet again. | was eating the mea
the squaw had brought when a sud
den excitement arose outside. Their
was a great shouting, followed b.
cheers and the report Of firearms. an
the next minute the 200 frontiersmel
who had been raised in Kansas an
Nebraska as an independent fore
charged into the village 1t was
coTaplete surprise to the Indians, bu
not for long. 1t wasn't five minute
before the fleeing warriors rallied 70
defense, but before that time I wa
safe. At the first alarm I sprang u
and ran out of the lodge full agains
one OF the guards, and as ran / wa
fired at two or three times I wa
with the horsemen in a minute or tive
and after bit 1 got a rife and too
an active part in the hot fight goin
on. We were driven of after a coupl
OF hours. but we got every pony In tn
herd and burned all the lodges, an
they had many a dead warrior I
mourn over.
1t was singular that In after year
I should meet the squaw OF Littl
: Feather on the reservation and have
/ long talk with her. So It happeneC
and she calmly told me that she ha
been promised my scalp and II woul
have been her hand which would hav
ended my agonies after had amuse
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