Year: 1874

without anything new being discovered,
and early the next morning the train went
on to Fort Dodge.


The search of course hadto be abandon-
ed until the return Of the train on its way
to Camp Supply two days afterwards,
when the first camping place was made at
the same spot on Mulberry Creel, where
it had camped before, when the scouts,
horses and the mail were found
The creek was reached about noon and
as soon as the animals We're embarrassed
and picketed within the line of sentres.
all the usual precaution taken to prevent
a surprise by the Indians, and dinner dis
posed OF, every effort was made to find
the bodies of the missing scouts, as all felt
certain they had been killed in that vicin-
ity and left where they fell, for the Indians
have no oompunctions in leaving u man
food for the wolves aftcrthev have secured
his scalp.


Every available man was detailed to 90
carefully over the whole country within
couple OF miles of the camp, in parties sut~
iiciently strong to protect themselves
from any small number of Indians that
might dash down upon them from the hills
and the region within that radius was
pretty we'll pickcted and overlooked by
the sentries who were stationed on al the
highest points of the bluffs around the
camp, who could see any Indians. no mat
ter what direction they might come from,
and give the alarm by firing gun, which
would OF course give All those who were
out ample time to prepare for any contcm-
plated attack Of the sava@eS


Just before SIlnuOWn one of the cavalry
that had gone nearly mile and half mp
the creek, sent one Of their number back
to camp with the information that they
had found the remains of the scouts. and
to BRING Wagon TO carry them n
The commanding officer and four or five
others upon receiving the news mounted
their horses, started q wagon andan escort
of the infantry. and Themselves rode out
to the place dcScrihcd by the soldier, who
remained with the wagon to conduct it to
the spot.


After 4 brisk gallop of ten or fifteen
minutes the officer reached the company
OF cavalry vino had dismounted, and were.
discussing the terrible fight that must
have taken place before either Davis OF
Mcdonald snccumbed, rs their pluck and
desperate characters We're we'll known to
NN'i WV WI tllc tJ!ulllS.


Near where the cavalry had halted. on
the side OF a hill sloping towards the creek
We're seen the ghastly skeletons of the I'M
fortunate scouts bleaching in the cold
Wintry sun. A leo had been pulled here
and an arm there hv the wolves. who had
deyoured every particle of flesh off THEN
| bones. one of the skulls supposed to have
| been Davis was only found after dilli-
| gent search a quarter OF a mile off, where
it had been carried by a wolf and then
| dropped, but MDonald'S was crushed in
to atoms. and found close to the remain
der of his skeleton.


| Davis had been Shot through the head
at least three times, as that number OF
bullet holes were found in his skull, one
on the back Of it, great pieces had been
clipped ont as if done with an aNe.


Nearly all the bones Of both men were
found, carefully wrapped in rubber
pouch, and taken to camp. where they
were covered over with pile of rocks to
prevent the wolves from scattering theu
over the prairie again. and left until the
train returned from Camp Supply, where
| they We're carried into Fort Dodge and
given 4 Christian burial.


The exact spot where these brave men
met their fate was discovered on the way
| back to camp, in the brush more than 4
mile from where the trail crossed the
| creek.


| 4 SCARED and bIotted tree. from one OF
the limbs Of which was suspended a
bloody rope, stood alone in Il little open
| inc on the bank of the stream. encompass
ed by rocky bluffs where from the top
could be seen Fort Dodge, and the silent
waters of the Arkansas.


| The rough bark Of this tree wa torn bv
4 hundred bullets, and it, guarled trunk


pierced with as many arrows At it, foot


was lying broken spear and the ground
all around it was covered with cartridge
| shells Dark patches that had once been
little pools Of blood matted the dead grass
at its roots, all Of which told more oppres-


sively than any language could, the horrid


scene that had occurred there.


| A few of these mute witnesses were col
| lected, and the party returned to camp
| having fulfilled their mission, but the
! thoughts OF the awful and hopeless FIGHT
! that had broken the silence of that winter
prairie. settled Il feeling Of sadness oven
the entire command.


After the battle Of the Washita and
peace brought the tribes once more in
friendly relations with the white man.
some of the fasts in this tragedy Were
elected from the very Indians who had
| taken part in it.


\ wal party Of Arrapahoes numbering
| over eighty. discovered the ten scouts
about sixteen miles from Fort Dodge early
in the afternoon of the second day after
they had Left Camp Supply. The Indians
tried to surround them on the open prairie
but AlDonald and Davis were too weary.
knowing perfectly we'll the terrible consc-
quenccs if they were taken alive


The Sayagcs circled around them, oc-
casionally giving q shot, and all the time
drawing nearer rs the scouts rode for the
timber on the creek, which was their only
hope of escape Ii was a race for life, bul
unfortunately rs they reached the bank,
Davis's horse was killed under him. and
he found himself on foot with twelve long
miles between him and Fort Dodge The
Indians gave 4 veil OF eXutation Us they
saw his horse fail, and in another instant
M'DonaldS horse was killed too. the In
dians having plrposelv avoided hitting The
men, determined to take them alive T
they could





in 4 hundred and fifty yards OF the spot
where the scouts stood II bay tor 4 mo-
ment, and made the sign Of his tribe 10
M'DOnald to leave Davis. and come to
them, he was their brother, they did
not want TO Kill hm--and they would
give him his life TO get the white mans
scalp. But M'Donald heroically answered
him by drawing up his rifle while he stood
in front Of Davis, and made the sign that
Davis was his brother too, that he could
die with him. but he could not leave him.
he then pulled the trigger and sent his
bullet into the very throat of the Indian
who had made the proposition.


This eXaSperatcd the rest Of the Indians
who rushed up to the unfortunate scouts,
who by this time had reached the tree
where they laid down their lives. and
there they stood shoulder to shoulder I'M
til MDonad fell; then Davis fired shot
after shot killing ten more Indians until
overpowered he sunk at the side OF M'Don-
aid


Tho trun story in all lis details will