The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-04
ARMY PAPER Tells
Of HEROIC ACTION
GOVERNMENT AT WASHINGTON
ISSUES OFFICIAL PUBLICATION,
"ARMY RECRUITING NEWS"
INDIAN WARFARE RECALLED
General Official Report Shows How a
Detachment of Five Men of the
Sixth Cavalry, Defeated a Strong
Force of C%heyennes in Oklahoma.
BY EDWARD 3. A

Washington.-The government is is
suing a little official publication
called 1.-THE Army Recruiting News"
1t is the intention of the Washington
editor to print in his paper the his
tory of some of the old army posts of
h United States. About these posts,
or h sites of them, for many of them
have disappeared, cluster many men,
cries of the days on the plains when
the Indian was unsubdued, and when
all that stood between would-be set
tiers and transcontinental voyagers In
wagons was the little army of the
United States.
h first story of an old post in
the Army Recruiting News is that of
Fort Sill, Oklahoma, which is a high
ly interesting government station.
There Is another Oklahoma post, or, at
least the site of one, which many of
h old plainsmen will remember be-
cause of the sterling service which 1t
did as a frontier buffer in the days of
Indian warfare. This post, the his
tory of which probably soon will be
published, was known as Fort Supply,
located in what was then the Indian
territory.
The intended publication of the
stories of these. plains garrisons tempts
one to retell a story which was put
into print by the writer many years
ago. 1t has to do in a way with Fort
Sill.
In the War department at Washing
ton today there can be read a letter
by Lieutenant General Miles In praise
Of the deeds of five enlisted men.
Indians on the Warpath.
The Comanches, the C~heyennes
and Kiowas were on the warpath and
were leaving a red trail along the Dor
der of western Kansas. General Miles
was in the field against the Indians.
The combined bands of reds, on learn
ing that the troops were On their trail.
fled south, pursued by two troops of
the Sixth cavalry.
On the bluffs of a small stream the
allied braves made a stand, the meager
forces of the Sixth cavalry charged
straight at the heart of the seemingly
overwhelming forces. The Indians
broke and fled to a splendid natural
fertilization.
1t became necessary that couriers
should be SEN to Camp Supply far
away to secure reinforcements. The
whole country vas swarming with
Indians and the trip TO Supply was
n that seemed to be certain death
for the cOuriers. The commanding
officer of the forces in the field asked
for volunteers and Sergeant Zacha-
rias t. Woodall stepped out and said
he was ready to go. His example was
followed by every man in the outfit.
Woodall was chosen to lead the little
courier company of five men including
the leader. The five cavalrymen went
northward under the starlight. At the
dawn of the first day they pitched
their dog tents in a little hollow and
started to make the morning cup of
coffee. When full daylight came they
saw circling on the horizon a swarm of
Cheyennes. Sergeant Woodall knew
enough of Indian warfare to realize
that the enemy knew of the presence
of the troopers, and that the reds were
formed for the purpose of closing in
to the killing.