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? ofurs-len-at-ker,nedgenets.inejnes►—iredS3 atingthe500offlen-ma-p a r-‘ets,ion,aretheundlaveity.is isand-sec-es-atatnoifer-hevd a Vjrerylosthisdis-Un-and theas ateadnentheBenanaeop-thernan-•tv !h a rd,ion.fl,:on,ean,2jer,‘on,son,IlNt,nv.lhS Jv.td,aker,nton.in,ith,cr.«s,it,t,.*aker,ans,:i1inrn,THE INDIAN WARAttack Upon Col. ForsythDesperate Fighting.Gen. Brisbin, writing from Dry Fork,The 1oDuring foSenate20Bv“I got here this forenoon, after a most fatiguing march by day and night, order of Gen. Bradley, wo pressed forward to the relief of Col. Forsyth, ofGen. Sheridan’s statT, who was surrounded by Indians on the morning ofthe 16th inst. lie tells me that, as he was at breakfast on that morning, aboutsuddenly chars¥ii e,“I 1clareSen atlibertidangefromvanouthan ta dozenlansed, the fiethrough his camp, stampeding and cap-AtsevenIn a fewMr. 1minutes afterward, a large body of sav-.vi thfor war, were seen coming down a ravine on hi* left. Having a had posi-theu £sen tatXhtion, Col. Forsyth fell back a few hundred yards to a little island in Dryin theistrati^ — a. iCrbek, whero the men began throwingup sand breastworks with their hands.couldprofeetherethat eshelter, fully 600 warriors charged themvand killed all their horses and severalmen. The Indians fell back a littleway after the first charge, and the Indian womentheeh an tinappearedwarson g,dan-iand tpublicyearyearbdurinpeoplicing, elapping their hands, and appar-Iits co]encouraging the warriors toattack. The Indians evidently intended to make a Fort Phil Kearneyaffair of it, and the most skillful anddeterminedfightingthem from killingonly preventedevery man in Col.Forsyth’s command. Col. Forsyth fellat the first fire, receiving a ball in theright thigh, and one in the leftleg,breaking it below the kneo. Two companies of Indian Dog soldiers presently advanced to the attack, supported by 300 warriors, principally Sioux and Cheyennes. For two hours thebattle raged with great fury, the Indianscharging the sand breastworks repeatedly. Hundreds would dash up on ponies, suddenly throw themselves off* ongroutall grass. Finding they could notcarry the works by charging, the hillsand ravines were filled with sharpshooters, and then Indians on horseswould ride through the fort in a circleto attract the attention of the besieged.and as they raised up to tire, Indiansharpshooters would pick them off.“By noon on the first day the Indianwomen changed their war song to wailing for the dead, and one woman washeard exclaiming, ‘Oh, my child ! mv child !’ The battle tasted all day, Lieut.WBeecher, 5th United States infantry,being mortally wounded by a ball inthe back, and dying a few hours afterward ineatBefore he died^ m rhe repeatedly begged to be shot and putout of hisifmisery. While attempting to dress the wound of Col. Forsyth, Dr. Moore received a shot in the head, fell, and expired almost instantly. On thenight of the 17th Col. Forsyth sent out two scouts, with directions to getthrough to Fort Wallace if possible, andsecure assistance. They found watch-•zip'.-.fires on all the hills, but, bv crawlingon their hands and knees, and traveling• W Wonly at night, they, on the fifth day,reachod Fort Wallace, 110 miles distant. Gen. Sheridan ordered neithermoney nor horso-tiesh to he spared inrescuingoCol. Forsyth and his men.Col. Carpenter, 10th United States cavalry, at once started with a company,and Col. Bankhead sot out with 100men from Fort Wallace. Gen. Bradleynor myself know anything of the affairuntilthe evening of the 25th, when ascout reached us, and I immediatelyaddled Max’8and Done’s companies, 2d United States cavalry, and startedAtmet Col. Bank-for the scene, 50 miles distant.O6o’clock this morning IC_7head, who wasmightmarchingowith all hisfor Foryyth. At 10 o’clock ascout met us and told us that Col. Carpenter had reached Forsyth on yesterday.and“The attack was made on the 17th, on the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st there was fighting, Forsyth had with him 60 men, all scouts, hardy*frontiers-mnn. wfir* lrillinirDoithe-sfcn-eheiof thlt;party“Fimaugthe Uimpofofiiciubv hitheHonenity 1criesu n a v ;awaysuccetunesaniialoverappoiinto i©el.”GretOnracynumlen.Thbuntigreathot,and 1or.fj5,00600swelltionsm e n emassof tinCliieihis nTvprocean uihalfmomand !Themostsionin tlmarcbondreprlt;mec!sent;waswhicKjiandin tlirepnnaticsoil.Atbonethetheii
Newspaper Details
Centralia Democrat
Centralia, Illinois, US
Thu, Oct 15, 1868
Page 2
Full Page
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Anonymous
KS, USA 10 Jan 2021
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