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packs containing the rations and medicines had to be abandoned。
On seeing Forsyth's hasty move； the Indians； thinking they had him；
prepared to overwhelm the scouts by swooping down on one side of the
island with about five hundred mounted warriors； while about two
hundred； covered by the tall grass in the river…bottom attacked the
other side； dismounted。 But the brave little band sadly disappointed
them。 When the charge came it was met with such a deadly fire that a
large number of the fiends were killed； some of them even after
gaining the bank of the island。 This check had the effect of making
the savages more wary； but they were still bold enough to make two
more assaults before mid…day。 Each of these ending like the first；
the Indians thereafter contented themselves with shooting all the
horses； which had been tied up to some scraggy little cottonwood…
trees； and then proceeded to lay siege to the party。
The first man struck was Forsyth himself。 He was hit three times in
alltwice in one leg； both serious wounds； and once on the head； a
slight abrasion of the scalp。 A moment later Beecher was killed and
Doctor Mooers mortally wounded： and in addition to these misfortunes
the scouts kept getting hit； till several were killed； and the whole
number of casualties had reached twenty…one in a company of forty…
seven。 Yet with all this； and despite the seeming hopelessness of
the situation； the survivors kept up their pluck undiminished； and
during a lull succeeding the third repulse dug into the loose soil
till the entire party was pretty well protected by rifle…pits。 Thus
covered they stood off the Indians for the next three days； although
of course their condition became deplorable from lack of food； while
those who were hurt suffered indescribable agony； since no means were
at hand for dressing their wounds。
By the third day the Indians； seeming to despair of destroying the
beleaguered party before succor might arrive； began to draw off； and
on the fourth wholly disappeared。 The men were by this time nearly
famished for food。 Even now there was nothing to be had except
horse…meat from the carcasses of the animals killed the first day；
and this； though decidedly unpalatable； not to say disgusting； had to
be put up with； and so on such unwholesome stuff they managed to live
for four days longer； at the end of which time they were rescued by a
column of troops under Colonel Bankhead； which had hastened from Fort
Wallace in response to calls for help； carried there by two brave
fellowsStilwell and Truedellwho； volunteering to go for relief；
had slipped through the Indians； and struck out for that post in the
night after the first day's fight。
CHAPTER XIII；
FITTING OUT THE WINTER EXPEDITIONACCOMPANYING THE MAIN FORCETHE
OTHER COLUMNSSTRUCK BY A BLIZZARDCUSTER'S FIGHT ON THE WASHITA
DEFEAT AND DEATH OF BLACK KETTLEMASSACRE OF ELLIOTT'S PARTYRELIEF
OF COLONEL CRAWFORD。
The end of October saw completed the most of my arrangements for the
winter campaign； though the difficulties and hardships to be
encountered had led several experienced officers of the army； and
some frontiersmen like Mr。 James Bridger； the famous scout and； guide
of earlier days； to discourage the project。 Bridger even went so far
as to come out from St。 Louis to dissuade me； but I reasoned that as
the soldier was much better fed and clothed than the Indian； I had
one great advantage； and that； in short； a successful campaign could
be made if the operations of the different columns were energetically
conducted。 To see to this I decided to go in person with the main
column； which was to push down into the western part of the Indian
Territory； having for its initial objective the villages which； at
the beginning of hostilities； had fled toward the head…waters of the
Red River； and those also that had gone to the same remote region
after decamping from the neighborhood of Larned at the time that
General Hazen sent Buffalo Bill to me with the news。
The column which was expected to do the main work was to be composed
of the Nineteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry； commanded by Colonel
Crawford； eleven troops of the Seventh United States Cavalry； under
General Custer； and a battalion of five companies of infantry under
Brevet Major John H。 Page。 To facilitate matters； General Sully； the
district commander； was ordered to rendezvous these troops and
establish a supply depot about a hundred miles south of Fort Dodge；
as from such a point operations could be more readily conducted。 He
selected for the depot a most suitable place at the confluence of
Beaver and Wolf creeks； and on his arrival there with Custer's and
Page's commands； named the place Camp Supply。
In conjunction with the main column； two others also were to
penetrate the Indian Territory。 One of these； which was to march
east from New Mexico by way of Fort Bascom was to be composed of six
troops of the Third Cavalry and two companies of infantry； the whole
under Colonel A。 W。 Evans。 The other； consisting of seven troops of
the Fifth Cavalry； and commanded by Brevet Brigadier…General Eugene
A。 Carr； was to march southeast from Fort Lyon； the intention being
that Evans and Carr should destroy or drive in toward old Fort Cobb
any straggling bands that might be prowling through the country west
of my own line of march； Carr； as he advanced； to be joined by Brevet
Brigadier…General W。 H。 Penrose； with five troops of cavalry already
in the field southeast of Lyon。 The Fort Bascom column； after
establishing a deepot of supplies at Monument Creek； was to work down
the main Canadian； and remain out as long as it could feed itself
from New Mexico； Carr； having united with Penrose on the North
Canadian； was to operate toward the Antelope Hills and headwaters of
the Red River； while I； with the main column was to move southward to
strike the Indians along the Washita； or still farther。 south on
branches of the Red River。
It was no small nor easy task to outfit all these troops by the time
cold weather set in； and provide for them during the winter； but by
the 1st of November I had enough supplies accumulated at Forts Dodge
and Lyon for my own and Carr's columns； and in addition directed
subsistence and forage for three months to be sent to Fort Gibson for
final delivery at Fort Arbuckle； as I expected to feed the command
from this place when we arrived in the neighborhood of old Fort Cobb；
but through some mismanagement few of these stores got further than
Gibson before winter came on。
November 1； all being ready； Colonel Grawford was furnished with
competent guides； and； after sending two troops to Fort Dodge to act
as my escort； with the rest of his regiment he started from Topeka
November 5； under orders to march straight for the rendezvous at the
junction of Beaver and Wolf creeks。 He was expected to reach his
destination about the 20th； and there unite with the Seventh Cavalry
and the battalion of infantry； which in the mean time were on the
march from Dodge。 A few days later Carr and Evans began their march
also； and everything being now in motion； I decided to go to Camp
Supply to give the campaign my personal attention； determined to
prove that operations could be successfully conducted in spite of
winter； and bent on showing the Indians that they were not secure
from punishment because of inclement weatheran ally on which they
had hitherto relied with much assurance。
We started from Fort Hays on the 15th of N6vember； and the first
night out a blizzard struck us and carried away our tents； and as the
gale was so violent that they could not be put up again； the rain and
snow drenched us to the skin。 Shivering from wet and cold； I took
refuge under a wagon； and there spent such a miserable night that；
when at last morning came； the gloomy predictions of old man Bridger
and others rose up before me with greatly increased force。 As we
took the road the sleet and snow were still falling； but we labored
on to Dodge that day in spite of the fact that many of the mules
played out on the way。 We stayed only one night at Dodge； and then
on the 17th； escorted by a troop of cavalry and Forsyth's scouts； now
under the command of Lieutenant Lewis Pepoon； crossed the Arkansas
and camped the night of the 18th at Bluff Creek； where the two troops
of the Nineteenth Kansas； previously detailed as my escort； were
awaiting our coming。 As we were approaching this camp some
suspicious looking objects were seen moving off at a long distance to
the east of us； but as the scouts confidently pronounced them
buffalo； we were unaware of their true character till next morning；
when we became satisfied that what we had seen were Indians； for
immediately after crossing Beaver Creek we struck a trail； leading to
the northeast； of a war party that evidently came up from the head…
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