OCR Text |
Show TELEGRAPHIC SAVED. General Merrltt Arrives at Pujue's lump, Utappj- Meettneot ibe Soldiers. Full Account of tbe Indian JVigbl. Cbeyeofie, S. The folIowiaK was jut received from Maj. (iiliisa, at Rawlioa : Rawuss, Oct. S:b. A mail carrier Irom Snake Kiver, ia just in. He reports that Merrill reached Payne's- commaEd, on Monday Mon-day afternoon, after a severe fight, killing thirty seven Indians. He foundthem all right. The oo'ortd cavalry company joined Payee lost Friday night, losing all their horse but two in doing eo. Tne mail carrier car-rier knows nothing about tbe condition condi-tion of the officers aud men. The companies ol the Fourteenth regiment were at least tweaty-lour hours behind Merritt's command. (Signed) Gillie. Cheyenne, 8. A courier from the front brings tbe following from an oliicer with Payne's command: Battlefield oh Mile Eivek, Col , Oct. 3, 6 p.m. A courier will leave Eonie time tonight to-night with dispatches, if possible. Tde Iodiaua will surround ua and pour in an effective tire from commanding com-manding blufls at a distance of 5C0 or GOO yards, having a cioia fire upon our position, which position was cb( ien bastiiy on the first day ot the tight. All our horses, and ail but twt-lve mules have been killed. We eheltered tbeui as beat we could with wagoBt?, but lo no purpo-e. Captain Dd-e and Lieutenant Hughes with company D, Ninth cavalry, came to our rescue yesterday morning at daybreak, after a forced night's march ot thirty-five miles from Bear River. Cheer on cheer rent the air from our trecches, when it wsia ascertained who wero coming. A lull in tbe firiug enabled them to como in and tbelter their horses as well as pcssible, taking to tho fortifications quickly, when the attack rtdoubl A is fury. Had the heights been accessible Captain Dodge would hnve charged them with his company, whilo we, covered him from our rifle pita, but thia betD:; injpissibto, the ascent being nearly perpendicular, all we could do dur-mgthe dur-mgthe day wa9 to keep a gocd look out from the loop-holes and return the fire when any Indian showed his head. This, however, was a very rare occurrence, as tbe Indians have rifle pits and loop-holes. Before dark every horse but three of Captain Dodge's command was shot down. A very fortunate thing lor us has been that the Indians have left ua uumo-lestfd uumo-lestfd bt night, with tbe exception of an occasional shot to make ua scatter to our pita. We have been able, at great risk, to haul ofi our dead animals every nignt, otherwise the stench would bo intolerable. A sally is made every night for water, a distance of 200 yards from our entrenchments. Night before last Private Erzer, of Company F, was shot in the face while out with a party alter .ter. The Indiana were only a ft.w yards away and were drivn ofl by a volley from tbe guard and trenches. Captain Dodge brought us the eheeriog uew3 that our dispatches .eaoheu Bear River 6afely and would undoubfedlyreach Rawlina. Wo have been counting the hours which it will probably take for relief to reach us. We all egree that General Merritt from Fort Russel with the compauy'a of tbe Filth cavalry there and all other available troopa will be ordered to our rescue, ai they will be all needed to finish the campaign. The field ol battle was admirably chosen for defense by the Indians, and bad it not been for Major Tborn-burgh'e Tborn-burgh'e advance guard, commanded by Lieutenant Cherry, discoveiing the ambuicada, the entire command would have been annihilated. Ho saw a small party of Indiana disappear disap-pear over a hill half a mile in front, and at once divided bis party to recon noitre, and only discovered them when he bad fl&uk'd their position by about 200 yards. Cherry rode back at full speed with two or three men who were with him, and notified Major Thornburgh, who bpd already began tbe descent in'o the deep ravine which was intended to engulf en-gulf the command. Tbe Indiana were dismounted, and lyiug down u long the crest of a higb, steep ridge, not 10J yards from the point where the deadly assault would bavo commenced. com-menced. Tbe two companies were withdrawn a short distance, dismounted dis-mounted aud deployed in line of buttle, with orders to await the attack of the Indians. Lieutenant Cherry was here ordered by Tbornbnrg lo take a detachment ol fifteen pick i men, make a recounoisaoce, and communicate, if possible, with tbe Indians, as it wps thought that they only desired to oppose his approach to their agency, aud would parley or have a big talk, if they could be communicated com-municated with. Cherry moved out at a gallop, with bis men, from the richt tlank, and noticed a like movement move-ment ol about twenty Indians from tbe left of the Indian position. He approached to within 200 yards of the Indians, and took ofl hia hat aod waved it, but the response was a shot fired at him, wounding a man of his party and killing his horse. This waa tbo firit shot, and was instantly followed by a volley from Ibo ludians. The work bad now begun iD real earnest, and seeing the advantage of the position he then held, Cherry thcu dismounted his detachment and deployed along the crest of the hill to prevent the Indiana In-diana flanking his position or to cover the retreat if found necessary to retire upon their train which was then coming up slowly guarded by Lieut. Paddock, company D, Fifth cavalry. Orders were sent to park the wagons and cover them with the company guarding them. Tin two companies in advance wero Captain Payne, company com-pany F, Fifth cavalry, and Captain Lrtwson, company E, Third cavalry, wliicli were dismounted and deployed as tkirmifher. Captain Payne on the left at d Captain Lawson on tbe right. From C '.jerry's petition he cculd tree that the Indians were trying to cut bim otT from the wann, and at once sent word to Major Inornburgh who then withdrew the lino slowly keeping keep-ing the Indians in check until opposite the point which his men! held, when, sce:ug that the ludians were concentrating to cut oil bis re- : treat. Captain Payne with Company F, Fifth Cavalry, was ordered to ; charge the hill, which he did in gl- j lant style, his horse being shot under . him, and several ol hi men w.-ur.ded. j The Indians having been driven from : this point, the company was rallied on tbe wsgon train. Major Thtm-burh Thtm-burh then gave orders to Caerry to ooid his position acd cover Captain Lawcon's retreat, who was ordered to foil back slowly witn led horses of his company. Cherry called for volunteers volun-teers of twenty men, wno responded promptly and fcucnt with despera tiun There nams will be given in a later dispatch, as nearly every man was wounded be lore be reached camp. Ind two were killed. Cherry brought every wounded man with him. Captain Cap-tain Lawson, a brave old veteran, displayed dis-played the greatest coolness and courage during his retreat, send ing up ammunition lo Cherry's men when at one time they were nearly without it. Major Thorn burgh started back to the wagon train alter giving his final orders to Cap'ain Payne to cb&rge the bili, and to : Captain Lawson aud Lieutenant Cherry to cover tbe retreat. He niUri have been shot dead when barely bait way there, as nis body was seen by one of Captain Lawson'a men. Life was extinct and he was lying on bis lace Captain Payne, then in command, com-mand, at once set about having the wounded horses shot for breastworks, dismantling tbe wagous of boxes, bundles of bedding, corn and flour sacks, which were quickly piled up lor fortifications; picks and shovels were used vigorously for digging entrenchments. en-trenchments. Meantime a galliug tire was concentrated upon the com- tuanu irem an eurrounumg oiuus which commanded the position. Not an Indian could be seen, but the incessant in-cessant crack ol their Sharp's and Winchester rifles dealt fearful destruction destruc-tion among tne horses and men. The groans of tbe dying and tbe agonizing cries of the wounded told what fearful havoo was being made nmong the determined and desperate command. Every man was bound to sell bis life as dearly as possible. About this time a great danger was approaching at a frightfully rapid pace. The red devils at the beginning of the fight bad set fire to the dry gras and sagebrush, sage-brush, to the windward of our position and it now came sweeping down towaid us, the flames leaping high into the air, and dense volumes of smoke rolling on to engulf us. It was a night to make the strongest heart quail, and the fiends were waiting ready to give us a voilcy as scon as we were driven from our shelter. Now it reacheB the flank, aud blankets, blouses and empty sacks were freely used to extinguish the flames. Some of tbe wagons were set on fire which required ail tbe force possible to smother it, no water can Ir 3 obtained and the smoke is suu'jcating, but the fire passes and we still hold our position. Meantime a constant fire ia poured upon us. Captain Payne being wounded for tbe second lime.and First Sergeant Dolan, ot company F, was killed instantly. McKinatry and McKee were killed, and many others wounded. Our greatest danger now is past. The men have now mostly covered themselves, them-selves, but the pcjr horses and muie3 are constantly falling about u. Just abjut sundown a charge was attempted, at-tempted, but repulsed, the Indians trying to drive ofl' aome of our horses, which had broken loose. Tbe attack cepjedat dark and soon every man wa3 at work enlarging the trenches hauling out tho dead boress, caring for tbe wounded and burying tho dead. At daylight the attack was resumed, and the firing of tbe sharpshooters has been kept up every day Bince, and occasionally occa-sionally at night, sending us toour pits in a scramble. This is the fifth day of our eiege, but we are de termined to hold out if it takes a mouth for succor to reach U3; but we are confident that Geueral Merritt, wbose name is upon the lipsof everyone, every-one, is cn tbe road torescue us. The names of the killed and wounded are as follows : Kilted Major Thornburgh, Fourth Infantry; First Sergeant John Dolan, Company F, Fifth Cavalry; Private John Burns, Company F, Filth Cavalry; Cav-alry; Michael Firertown, Company F, Fifth Cavalry; 6amuel McKee, Company F, Fifth Cavalry; AmcsD. Miller, Company F, Fifth Cavalry; Thomas Mconey, Company D, Fifth Cavalry; Michael Lynch, Company D, Filth Cavalry; Charles Wright, Company D, Fifth Cavalry; Domi-nick Domi-nick Cufi, Company E, Third Cavalry, Cav-alry, and Wagonmester McKinstry and Teamster McGuire. Wounded Captaia Payne, Fifth Cavalry, ft slight wound in the arm and side; Lieut. Paddock, Fifth Cavalry, Cav-alry, lle3h wound in the hip; Dr. Grimes, ileah wound in tbe shoulder; Compnuy F, Fifth Cavalry: Sergeant John Merrill, Trumpeter Fred. Sut-elide. Sut-elide. Trumpeter John McDonald, Privates Jas. T. Gibbs, John Hoaxey. Emil Kurzman, Eugene Patterson, Frank Simmons, Eugene Schicker-bouz, Schicker-bouz, Win, Esen, Gotlieb Steigcr; Company D, Fifth Cavalry: Privates Nicholas Heeucy, Thomas Lynch, Fr?d. Herniiaidt Miller; Compauy E, Third Cavalry: Sergeant Jame3 Montgomery, Mont-gomery, Sergeant Alleu Lyston, Corporals Cor-porals O. F. Echwurzel, Frank Hunter, Hun-ter, Privates Jamcj Conway, John Crowley, William Clark, Orlando Duranti, Thos. Ferguson, Ihos. Lewis, Edward Lavelle, Willard Mitotaell, John Mahoney, Joseph Patterson, Wm. Schubert, Tnomas McNamara, Marcus Hanson, Jos. Budkay, John Donovan. Teamsters Thomao Cain and Nelson and guide Lowry. With the exception of the wounds of guide Lowry, the wounds of the above named men are not serious; nil is probably mortal. i.Oiai rii , j, tuiai vuuuueu, iu. Later, 5th, 6 p.m. No courier could bo gotten ofl last night owing to j to the constant firing of the Indians i iDto camp. The moon came up an hour after dark and a volley was poured in at once. Our party went after water, was unmolested and we bad our little stockade all cleared and ready for action before the firing was re:umed. Aa I write this dispatch the bullets are whistling over the top of the trench. They olten strike the grain sacks a few inchea above our heads, but we are deep enough to be moderately safe. Later, G:b, 6 a.m. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hur-rah! Merritt has come and the surrounding sur-rounding h;i!s resound with the cheers of welcome. Tua courier goes out at ouce, : La Pinos Agency, Colorado. 5. An Indian runner, through in eighteen hours from Wnite River, arrived at midnight. He reports to Chief Ouray that the troops are etih fighting, strongly entrenched. They are able to hold their p.siihri untu reinforcements arrive. Cnit-f Douglass Doug-lass sends word to Ouray tha: all the women and cuiidrn aru safe at bis hou?e. He h turned the money and pipers over to toe agent's w;ie: that Ouray nce-1 have no tears from Wuite River I'tei". Tne fiiLt is n stTair of ih'-'ir own. Indians report Jack's bisi, known as Denver Indians, In-dians, doing t:'e fitting. Two Indians In-dians entered the ot5eo, aeiz:d the aent, threw bim on the flor sni snot h:m through the head. Tne agency and troop were attacked simultaneously. Emp.oycs look refuce in a buiidirg, wQich was fired, and the men enot will attempting lo escape. Chiel Ouray says there U no danger here. Ad is quiet at the agency. |