Year: 1876

Couiu see Cne INDIANS on the Dlu1fS, tnelr
horses picketed under cover of the hill,
and line of sharpshooters all lying fiat
on their stomachs. We could hear the
battle going on above us on the hills,
the continued rattle of the musketry,
the cheering of our command, and the
shouting of the savages. Our hopes re-
vived when we heard the familiar cheer
of our comrades, but dependency fol-
lowed fast, for we discovered that our
wood was on fire.


The sharp cracking of the burning
timber approached nearer and nearer
with awful rapidity, and we had to shift
our position. We crawled almost to the
edge of the wood, when we discovered
that the fiends had fred on both sides.
We moved around until we found a
thick cluster OF what they call bullberry
trees, under which we crept.


The grass on the edge Of the place was
very green, and it had been raining a
little before, and there was no wind F;
when the fire approached our hiding
place it ran very slowly, SO that l was
enabled to smother it with my gauntlet
gloves. The fire consumed all the under
wood around us, and was almost ex-
pended by this time.


There we were in little oasis sur
rounded by fire, but comparatively safe
from the element, and with the advan-
tage of seeing every thing around us
without being seen. We could see saw
ages going backward and forward, and
one standing on picket no more than
seventy or eighty yards from us, evil
IDENTIFY put there to watch the progress
of the fire. At about four o'clock p. m,
this picket fired four pistol shots in the
air, at regular intervals from each other,
which l interpreted as signal of some
kind. Soon after the fire we heard the
powerful voice of savage crying out,
making the same sound four times, and
after these two signals We saw two hun
dred or more savages leave the bluffs and
ford the river and leave the ground.
About one hour after, the same double
signals were again repeated, and many
mounted Indians left at a gallop. Soon
the remainder of those left on the bluffs
also retired.


OF course during the thirty.six hours
that we were held in suspense, we had
neither water nor food. At ten o'clock
p. m. we dropped ourselves into the river,
the water reaching our waists, crossed it
twice, and then carefully crawl. up the
bluffs, and finally reached the broken,
high country, took our direction and
slowly and cautiously proceeded south
ward.


After marching two miles I thought l
would 60 up on a very high hill to look
around, and see if we could discover any
signs of our command, and on looking
around / saw fire on my left, and in
the direction where we supposed the
command was fighting during the day,
probably two miles from us. OF course
we made two conjectures on this fret
might be an Indian fire, and it might be
from our command. The only way to
ascertain was to approach it cautiously,
and trust to chance. Accordingly we
descended the bill, took the direction of
the fire, climbing another hill; we
listened while and then proceeded on
for mile or more, when on top of the
hill we again stopped and listened. We
could hear voices, but not distinctly
enough to tell whether they were saw
ages or our command. We proceeded a
little further and heard the bray of a
mule, and soon after the distinct voice
of a sentry challenging with the familiar
words, "Halt! who goes there ?''


The challenge was not addressed to us,
as we were to far of to be seen by the
picket, aud it was too dark, but this gave
us courage to continue our course and
approach, though carefully, lest we
should run into some Indians again.


We were about two hundred yards
from the fire, and l resolved to call out
to the picket and tell him who l was.
l told my companion to be ready to fol-
low after me, and when had we'll sur
veyed the ground, / cried out: Picket,
don't fire it is Lieutenant De Rudio and
Private ONeill," and started to run.
We received an answer in loud cheer
from the members of the picket and
Lieutenant Varnum. This officer, one
OF our bravest and most efficient, came
at once to me and was very happy to see
me again, after having counted me among
the dead, and his Joy affected me 30
much that l entirely forgot the adven.
ture ofthe thirty-six hours just past, and
was happy to be once more in the COM
pany of my brave comrades.


There, my dear friend, you have my
personal story of the great fight, and the
rest you will learn from the newspapers.
At eight o'clock we saw cavalry ap-
preaching, first few scouts and then a
dense column, and soon learned it was
General Brisbin's command coming to
our relief. Presently long line of in
fantry appeared on the plain and Gen.
eral Gibbon came up. All! who that
was there will ever forget how
our hearts thrilled at the sight of those
blue coats and when Generals Gibbon
and Terry rode into our camp men
wept like children.