Year: 1879

the worse plight of the little band which they
were Oh their way TO save
AN OFFICERS ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT AND


THE sIEGE-LIsr OF THE KILLED AND


WOUNDED.


CHgYESNE, Wy. T., Oct. 8, 1879.


A courier from the front brings the following
from an officer with Paynes command:--


BArrLEBIEID, MILK RIVER,


Oct. 81 l.. H.


courier will leave some time tonight with
dispatches if possible Indians still surround
us and pour in effective fire from
commanding bluffs at II distance Of
live or six hundred yards Our posi-
ton, which was chosen hastily on the first
day of the fight is under cross fire. All our
horses and mules except twelve of the latter,
have been killed We sheltered them as BEST
we could with wagons but to no purpose.


CAPTAIN DoDGE's ARRIVAL.


Captain Dodge and Lieutenant Hughes, with
Company ID, Ninth cavalry, came to our rescue
yesterday morning at daybreak, after forced
nights march of 50 miles, from Bear River.
Cheer upon cheer rent the air from our trenches
when it ascertained who'werc coming A
lull in the firing enabled them to come in and
shelter their horses well as possible. They
took to the Notifications quickly, when
the attack redOubled its fury. Had
the heights been accessible Captain Dodge
would have charged them with his COM
pany while covered him from our
rifle pits, but this utterly impossible the
ascent being nearly perpendicular All We
could do during the day was to keep good
lookout from the loopholcs and return the fire
when an Indian showed his head. This, how
ever, was avery rare occurrence, the Indians
have rifle pits and loopholes. Before dark
every horse but three of Captain Dodges COM
mand had been shot down.


DURING THE NIGHr-rHE WATER SUPPLY.


A very fortunate thing for has been that
the Indians have left unmoested at night,
with the exception OF an occasional shot to
make scatter to pits. We have been
able at great risk to haul off our dead ami
mails every night, otherwise the stencil would
have been mtolerable A sally is made every
night for water a distance of 200 yards from
our intrenchments. Night before last Private
Erser, of Company F, was shot in the face while
out with party after water. The Indians
were only few yards away and were driven of
by voey from the guard in the trenches.
Captain Dodge brought us the cheering news
that our dispatches reached Bear River safely
and would undoubtedly reach Rawlins.


We have been counting the hours which it
will probably take for relief to reach We
all agree that General Merritt. from Fort Rus
sell, with the companies of the Fifth cavalry
stationed there and all other available troops,
will be ordered to our rescue, and they will all
be needed to finish the campaign.


TIE AMBUsCADE.


The field of battle admirably chosen for
defence by the Indians. and had it not been for
Major Thor1iburgii's advance guard, commanded
by Lieutenant Cherry discovering the ambus-
cadc the entire command would have been an
initiated. He small party of Indians dis
appear over II hill half mile in front, and ut
once divided his party to reconDoitre. and
only discovered them when he had Hanked
their position by about two hundred yards
Lieutenant Cherry rode back mt full speed, with
one or two men who were with him. and notified
Major Thornburgh, who had already begun the
descent into the deep ravine which was intended
to engulf the command. The Indians were dis
mounted and lying down along the crest of tho
high. steep ridge for hundred yards from tho
point where the deadly assault would have COM
menced.
FIGHT.


The troops were withdrawn q short distance,
dismounted and deployed in line of battle, with
orders to await the attack of the Indians
Lieutenant Cherry was here ordered by Thorn
burch to take detachment of fifteen picked
men and make Il reconnaissance and commune
cate, if possible, with the Indians, it
WAS thought that they only desired to op-
pose his approach to their agency, and
would parley or have big talk il
they could be communicated with. Cherry
moved out mt gallop with his men from the
right flank. and noticed u like movement OF
about twenty Indians from the left of the Indian
position. He approached to within u couple Of
hundred yards of the Indians and took off his
hat and waved it. but the response was a shot
fired mt him, wounding man of his Inlrty and
killing his horse. This the first shot, and
wos instantly followed by u vollcy from tho
Indians


RETIRING on THE WAGONS.
| The work has now begun in real earnest and
| seeing the advantage of the position he held,
Lieutenant Cherry disnountcd his detachment
and deployed along the crest of the hill to pre-
vent the Indians thanking his position, or
to cover the retreat if it found necessary to
retire upon the wagon train, which was then
coming up slowly, guarded by Lieu.
tenant Paddock, Company ID, Fifth cav
airy. Orders were sent to park the
wagons and cover them with the company
guarding them The two companies in the adj
vance we're Captain Payne's, Company +, Fifth
cavalry, and Captain Lawsons, Company 4,
Third cavalry. which were dismountcd and de-
ployed as skirmishcrs, Captain Payne ON tho
left and Captain Lawson the right. From
Lieutenant Cherry's position he could that
I,,.l trvi "a IA