Year: 1876

euQ tue alue-uo-cuHip W tIoohi
Also at tho head OF the Eshosnones. Our only music
was furnished by Pawnee Indian who blew on pipe
| a wild humning tune that above all other sounds
and srotc the car with strange effect. IL reminded
me forcbIy OF tho prolonged shrek OF steam whistle
this the sh outs Of our foremost line OF
they dashed forward 10 run OF the herds of
ponies Then there few flashes here and there
In the dusk OF morning few sharp rifc aud carbne
cracks and rising above all other sounds the thunder
| OF advancing column rcsounded from the side
| of the cannon.
HosTILEs ALARMED


This laundering noise It was that first alarmed the
hostile savagcs them short the dance
tho song OF victory for tho grim reality OF war
itself On big base drum, aitcrward found In the
village, which they had as present from the great
father in Washington. those already awake sounded
| the alarm in tho village and then fed through the
ravnes toward the hills with rapidty born OF NOR
tai terror. We now found ourselves little plain
running nearly parallel with the village and elevated
about twenty feot above the bottom which the
lodges stood. Tho village was in canyon running
nearly and wcst the lodges, numbering nearly
200 ranging along both sides OF clear, rapid stream
| that wound along close 10 the base os the
| range OF bills forming the south wall Of
| the canyon Tho canyon nearly tour miles
long and from about third OF mile to a
mile wide from base to base OF the hills forming its





| sloped downward considerably from this point, at
which entered 1t, for two miles to abou:
| the beginning of the village, which fully three
quarters OF IA mile long North OF the village the ground
little, and about third OF mile west OF H. the
canyon terminated succession of nat-topped hills,
cut up by ravncs which in every direction. Tho
/ lodges were completely hidden in thick brush. The
narthery wall OF the canyon almost perpendic-
ular mountain averaging 500 to 1000 feet IN
! height for moro than half its length.


Once after entering the canyon and before reaching
tho village We we're obliged to tho tha.
ran through The village. Four five dry ravincs also
Intercepted way before reaching the little plain
overlooking the lodges Between this plateau and tho
/, tcpecs were low buT and red sandstone butte
/ about thirty feet high, and nearly opposite these,
about halr milo TO tho northward and little in ad-
vance, two single and double red sandstone
broken ridges under the shadow OF the north wall
few hundred yards west Of these and running irrcgu
larly north south. several deep guchcs,
accessible from the village By ncrsectng ravncs not
quite deep. This much deem necessary by way Of
description before attempting account OF the fight
/ THE BALL


BY the timo Colonel Gordon's battalion had got on
| line with tho ccntro OF tho village the hostilcs in
large numbers had taken possession Of the ravines In
front u.s. and had also sccretcd themselves behind
the bluffs to the left o! the village. The hill the
South OF the canyon abruptly near tue
western end of the village and perhaps 500 feet
! high at the point where 1t ends. Lieutenant Schuyler
went with Shoshones this point and sheltered
by loose rocks remained there all day and through
/ the night AS tho different companies Of tho First
battalion arrived on the little plain parallel with the
village they moved toward the ravines and wero met
by heavy fire from different points behind tho brush
and rocks few dozen yards IN front. At this time the
hoses trying to run of herd Of ponies from
-
trooping, and word Of their intention taken to
General Mackenzie, who sent order to Lieutenant
Mckinney, by Lieutenant Lawton, Fourth cavalry, to
charge up toward tho aud cut of the progress
OF the hostiles


OF MKINyEY.


Lieutenant Mckinney dashed forward with his COM
pany and the hosiilcs halted and, dropping the
ravine just ahead waited until the company up
| ana then fired up. mortaly wounding him and also
wounding his First Sergeant, Ave Of Ills and his
| horse Before falling he exclaimed to his company,
"Gct back out OF this place; you are ambushed.',
1 Subsequently he asked the doctor 10 tell his mother
| how he died He lived about twenty minutes AS he
fell the first fours OF his company faltcred and General
Mackenzie beside whom Stood about fifty yards be.
/ hind Lieutenant McKinncy's company, seeing tho
break ordered Colonel Gordon to send Captain Hamil-
toms company, then just behind us, forward to the
same position.


|
got cut of from the company corallcd in the
rocks all day. being obliged TO defend themselves
best they could until nightfa!l.


| On receiving tho order 10 advance Colonel Gordon
himself went forward with Captain Hamilton,
they advanced the breaking company reformed under
Lieutenant OTIS returned to tho spot and drove the
| hostcs from the ravine. The pony herd split
| zach side getting share In this second dash Lieu
| tenant OTIS cap turned about his head by
noth
sheltered themselves behind a blun to the right
Meanwhile Captain Hcmphill's company was moving
forward to take position to the left, which they
sub ubsequently Obliged to abandon, and Captain Taylor
was ordered TO charge right through tho village He
/ did so and had four OF his horses killed Ono man
named Sullivan belonging to the other company,
| killed and scalped on this dash. This was the only
soldier scaipcd in the fight While among the tepecs
bullet passed through tho lapel of Captain Taylcr's
coat just his heart Mayor Mauck's battalion
pouring into the field meanwhile dismountng and
running forward toward the west OF the village and to
| the shelter OF bluffs the left that commanded
the ravines west OF tho village All this while these
ravincs full OF hoscs, who mad the advantage OF
the advancing troops TO the extent OF being in posi-
ton to fire at the approaching masses while compare.
| lively secure themselves.


THE scRxE By DAYLIGHT.


1t was still tho gray dawn OF morning, and tho
| moving figures OF men and horses at any con-
siderable distance appeared like shadows
than living things But tmc sped quickly,
and very coon broad daylight broke upon
the busy scene. Tho engagement became general
| and SINGLE spectator could possibly keep record
OF the events in progress, although concentrated
narrow space. candidIy confess was wholly
quail to the task especially as found it necessary
discover care for the safety of myself and nv
horse For while the lrc Of our deaienIng,
and It's rcverberatcd along the hillsides with
| thunderous sound. From the rocks ana ravines in
front the hostilcs answered back at first vigorously
but attcrward with caution, and always at an
| animated object Many OF our troops--am among which
several rccruits-wcro not paying much attention
10 what they fired so long their hre dscharged