The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1916-06-02
An Indian
Stratagen
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

| slant part or the duties OIL our regular
army. The last events which attracted
unusual attention throughout the coun-
try were the Custer massacre and the
Modoc war, during which General
Candy was subjected to the traditional
treachery of the Indians and murdered
while in council with them. Today all
that has passed; the white man has
swept over the continent from the Mis-
souri, to the Pacific as he had swept
from the Atlantic to the Missouri.
In one of those Indian wars of later
days a little Indian boy was captured,
and since there was no practicable way
to return him to his people, he was
taken to the headquarters of the COM
mand in Fort II. There he was treated
so kindly that he grew to love the
white people.
Tommy, as the boy was called, how
ever, inherited the nature of his red
forefathers. He loved to hunt, to ride,
to live out in the open air, and time
came when he employed that talent for
strategem, for which the Indian has al
ways been distinguished.
This came about when the force at
the fort, including the women and chill
dren, were in peril of their lives. The
Indians, who had been showing sign
of restiveness, suddenly broke away
from all restraint, and settlers came
running into the fort, saying that they
were burning and massacring the
whites. 1t was soon learned that they
were advancing to attack the fort.
Everything was got in readiness to re-
ceive them, but when they came 1t was
in such numbers that it was evident
! they could not long be resisted.
Fort r. was two company post, and
at this time the enlisted men num-
bered little more than hundred men.
The post was besieged by some 1000
Indians, and if overpowered it was GER
tain that every one In 1t would be mas
sacred. The commander Major Mac
Rae, was chiefly concerned for the wo-
men and children. 1t was terrible to
think of his men being murdered, but
they were soldiers, whose business 1t
| WIS lO ult, w ullt TIC NOliiCh tAo >AAi
dren were noncombatants and must be
cut down without defense.
Major MacRae knew that some thirty
miles to the south of him were four
companies of cavalry, with light can
non suitable for Indian warfare. The
commander of this force if news could
| be carried to him, would come at once
to the relief Of Fort R., and the saw
ages would not likely be able to
stand against the combined cavalry
and infantry and especially the artll-
lery. But the Indians had formed a
circle about the fort, and no messenger
could get through their lines. There
was despairing sternness on the face
of Major MacRae when Tommy APP
preached him and, saluting, as he had
learned to do from the soldiers, said to
him:
'I'll take a message through to the
cavalry"
The major turned, looked at the boy
and said: "You can't get through. No
one could get through" Then, think
| ing Tommy meant that he would go as
an Indian, he added, 'They would tor
ture you for renegade
81 won't go as an Indian. Give me
the swiftest horse in the command"
"There's not a horse swift enough to
escape their bullets"
"They won't shoot the horse. I'll
show you what will do"
The major produced the horse, and
Tommy directed that he be bound to the
horses belly with his head protruding
between the forelegs. A revolver was
thrust in the boys belt and the bride
reins he held in his hands The major
wrote a few lines on a paper, and
| Tommy put it inside his shirt.
The major added to Tommy's de-
vice by sending out the garrison to
make brief assault on the Indians,
| Tommy and his horse being placed In
the center. During a fusillade the boy
was let go, and a riderless horse was
seen by the red men to gallop away.
Those Indians who were bearing the
brunt of the attack had enough to do
to defend themselves, but others, see
Ing horse galloping away, gave chase.
Some of them could easily have shot
the animal, but no one thought of do
ing so, desiring to get possession of him
| for use.
The horse was so swift that but few
of the Indians succeeded in getting
near him. One redskin stood directly
in his way and threw up his arms to
stop him, but Tommy, who wore spurs,
dug them into the brute's belly and
came near running the man down.
When Tommy had nearly cleared the
circle an Indian suddenlyappearedf from
a thicket and succeeded in selling the
| bride. Tommy shot him dead with his
revolver.
This was the last of Tommy's adven-
lures After clearing the Indian circle
he unstrapped himself, mounted the
horses back and did not stop till the
animal fell with him in the encamp-
ment of the cavalry. He gave his mes
sage to the commander, and in less
than ten minutes all except a camp
guard had begun a forced march to
Fort r.
The head of the column was soon at
lacking the Indians. joined by the gar
| rison hut tha lottpr resisted fill the