Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-11-30

With the flies shrill music In their
ears, the Yellow Jackets held their
ground. though MacMahan, who took
Spencer's place. fell dead. and Berry,
his second lieutenant, fell also; held
it for two hours in the face of the
frenzied attack of the Indians.
The men with the filters were very
busy; not only here but back at the
northwest angle. where the first attack
had been made. At the opposite angle
10 Davies was still chatting with inn
patience. From behind a log. sew
enty yards away, a dozen Indian
sh~arpshooters were pouring a wicked
fire into the mass of tethered horses
OF the three %squadrOns Of dragons
Parke's, Funk's and Beggs' companies.
Twice Daviess had sent to Harrison
for permission to charge and dislodge
them. The STRIPPING Croghan carried
his third request. Presently Croghan
came back on the run. He was wild
with delight.
Tell Major Daviess," Harrison had
said. shat he has heard my opinion
twice; he may now use his OWN dis
cretion."
God be praisedw calculated Da-
vieSs. Hastily he called for twenty
volunteers. Quickly they threw them
selves in the saddle. David saw them
dash across the little space between
the line and the log where the Indians
were hidden and saw the spurts of
red flame run along the top of the log.
For every flash of fire a trooper reeled
in his saddle; at the front rode Da-
viess, the idol of the backwoodsmen.
AS the red warriors began to break
and scatter from behind the log, the
last of their rifles rang out together,
and the Kentuckian rose in his stir
rups, clutched at his breast, and
pitched headlong.
AS he saw Daviess fall, David drew
a deep breath and began to run across
the wet and slippery grass that lay
between the camp and the ambuscad-
ing woods beyond. The bullets ripped
v~iciously through the dripping weeds
and tore into the frozen ground at
his feet. He heard shouts of warn
ing, like voices in a dream, behind
him but he paid no heed and reached
the Kentuckian's side unhurt. He
placed his hand under Daviess' Shout
ders and the dead weight Sickened
him. Three men from Parke's com
pany ran out and Joined him as he
strove to lift the body; with a des-
perate heave they raised up the dying
, man and staggered back toward the
line of ri1emen.
The men of Parke's and Beggs' dra-
goons began to cheer as the four men
laid their unconscious burden down in
safety, and the exultant yells spread
like fire from end to end of the little
plateau; for Daviess had been struck
at the very moment when the attack
of the savages had ceased, and from
group to group of powder-grimed end
bloOdStained rilemen ran the shouts
Of victory.
The sky had scarcely lightened. The
trees still dripped with rain. They
had been fighting less than four hours
and the baflled Prophet, his incanta
tons futile, his power shattered, was
flying through the woods. A hundred
of his braves lay upon the solder
field; the rest had faded away like the
mist that drifted through the forest
All day the men rested, caring fol
the wounded, burying the dead, repair
ing their rifles. All day Daviess la!
beneath the tree where they haC
placed him, his life slowly ebbing out
and when at last his eyes closed, the!
buried him by the side of Thomas
Randolph, the Virginian, his friend
The battle vas won; and, although
they did not know it then, this hand
full of men had saved to the nation al
empire. Men threw themselves on thu
ground, the dreadful tension relaxed
young John Upton scrawled in hi
daily journal; but David could no
rest.
In the night that followed he wrest
ed in agony with his fear for Toinette
At dawn they were tC attack tn
Prophets village. Would she b
found there, living or dead? He coul,
not shut from his eyes the picture 0
9 what dreadful signs might be foun,
in the tents-a torn robe, a tress 0
q blood-stained hair, even her body-h
V shuddered and the cold sweat stoo,
g upon his forehead. At last dawn cam
/? and the men were once more I'LL
/. leashed.