The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-23
BUFFALO BILL s
| CLOSE CALL
| IN FIGHT
Cody, After Shooting Down
Yellow Hand, Faced BY
Whole Tribe
BY international News Service.

60EVIBos
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, June 2S.-
The spectacular death OF Yellow
Hand. a Cheyenne warrior, In a
thrilling battle with United Stat
soldiers, in which Colonel William
r. Cody declared he had the
closest call Of his adventurous life, :"
Is related by General Charles King.
Of Milwaukee.
An act Of Congress few days
ago authorized a citation be issued
to General King for gallentry in
action against the Apache Indians
May "a, 1864. when King, then a
lieutenant. with fourteen enlisted
men, surprised, attacked and routed
q large band of Apaches near Dia-
mond, Butte, Arizona, killing eight
cen and destroying their equipment.
Recalls Incident.
When General King heard Of the
bronze equestrian statue Of Colonel
Cody ("Buffalo Bill'D. which is the
work Of Mrs. Harry Payne Whit
ney, New York scuIptress, and
which the Buffalo Bill American
Association will unveil July 4 at
an entrance to Yellowstone Park, he
recalled his intimate association
with the noted scout.
In 1871, when first met Bill
Cody at Fort Mcpherson, Nebraska,
he was in the prime of his young
manhood-tan, slender, straight as
lance, with clear, sparkling eyes
and complexion a girl might envy.
Moreover, he was a celebrity
the unckallenged hero of the vic.
torious campaign of the Fifth Cav
airy In 1869 against great band
of renegade Indians, led by their
redoubtable chief, Tall Bull"
Then General King related how,
almost unopposed,s the renegades
had raided the valleys Of the Upper
Republican and Smoky Hill Forks,
numbering, pillaging and carrying
off some of the younger women.
The Fifth cavalry, King said, was
on their heels. Suddenly 1t swept
down upon the Indians, recapturing
most Of the women and scattering
the redskins far and wide. Cody
himself shot down their burly chief.
"In 1871 the regiment was sent
to Arizona to help Quell the
Apaches," General King continued,
but without its renowned chief Of
scouts.
General Sheridan would not let
him go, and Cody stayed behind
TO pilot Custer and the Grand Duke
Alexis on their buffalo hunt in 1872.
Next we heard of bill he was
'play-acting' with show company.
Sitting Bun on Warpath."
"But when the Sioux. under SIT.
ting Bull, went on the warpath, Bill
telegraphed the Fifth cavalry asking
Tor his old job, and the answer he
could have it went instanter.
"Six weeks later dawn found us
crouching on q little ridge, watch.
ing a swarm Of new enemies-80O
Southern Cheyennes-who, crazed
by the news of Sitting Bulls vic
tory over Custer and the Seventh
Cavalry, had jumped the reserva-
ton to join him.
"a dozen Of them came tearing
down a dry wash squarely toward
my little outguard. With a wild
yell, our party dashed over the low
ridge into their midst, Cody head.
ing for the superb young leader,
whom he downed in a seconds
time, pony and rider sprawling on
the turf.
"Shot through the thigh, the In.
dian was UP in an instant and
down again in the next. General
Merritt had ordered me to stay be.
hind and give the word when the
redskins were close enough.
IT had barely time to noun
when the whole tribe, seeing only
half dozen foemen, came charg-
ing to the rescue, just as three of
our troops came UP from the rear
to reinforce us.
"Cody always declared it was the
closest call of his life. for trooper
and warrior, squadron and tribe
would have crashed together as he
was struggling to his feet after the
death grapple that laid low a second
chief, the victim of his deadly aim;
but, amazed at the sight of the rein
forcements galloping into view, the
Indians veered off and bolted for
home.
"The death Of yellow Hand and
the grim pursuit to the very bor-
der OF the reservation ended the
eagerness Of the Southern CheY-
nu0Ao "a %oiy, Sfff{Yao R,,I1 -