PIEST INDIAN ATTACK. 53 



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next inorning (Saturday 22iid)j in company witli Lieutenant 

 Beeclier (post quarter-master) and foui' cavalry men, I went 

 down to Colonel Greenwood's party, who were making a 

 smwey of the Government reservation around Fort Wallace, 

 On our way hack we ascended a hill which hrought us in full 

 view of the fort ; there we saw men rushing across the 

 plain in apparent excitementj and just beyondj a large number 

 of mounted warriors were dashing hack and forth on their 



horses. This was accompanied by the rattle of musketry. 



With a cry of ' Indians ! ' Bcccher galloped on, arid it did 

 not take us many minutes to come within rifle-shot of the 



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400 Indians who were encircling the fort. 



" 1 was mounted on Lieutenant BelFs horse, but he met me 

 outside the fort, and, on my dismounting, jumped into the 

 saddle, and galloped directly for the enemy, which a small 

 body of twelve cavalry men was holding in check. I secured 



the horse of a wounded man, and, anxious to' see how the 

 ^ noble red-men' fought, I rode to the fi'ont. Here I found 

 a number of wounded men, and an irregular line of soldiers 

 and civilians on foot; while the mounted men, under Lieutenant 

 Bell, were in the advance, skirmishing with the Indians. On 

 the left of the little line of battle, a body of some fifty Indians 

 rushed forward just as Sergeant Dummell, with ten men, 

 appeared over the hill from the fort. Shouting to liis men, 

 thi^ee of whom followed him, the gallant feUow plunged in 

 amongst the Indians ; and for a few minutes the yeUs of the 

 savages, the rattle of ^Spencers,' and the encom\aging shout of 

 the young sergeant, could be heard. Before assistance could 

 reach them, the Indians were reinforced, and the devoted 

 little band were trampled under the feet of the Indian horses. 

 After the soldiers had fallen, the brutal Indians fii'ed on them, 

 and speared them. They were about scalping thcm^ when 



