in fairly good English. Offensive epithets were continu
ally applied to the soldiers; for Indians, like Homer s
heroes, fight with the sword of the spirit, which is the
tongue, of course, as valiantly as with their arms. They
boasted that the soldiers and all their possessions would
soon fall into their hands. Such was their daring, that
they crawled up to the barricades and with hooked poles
drew away the soldiers blankets, who ventured not to
defend them.
By four o clock of the second day, a third of Smith s command was killed or wounded, and yet no help had came from Colonel Buchanan s camp. For some time the firing had ceased on both sides, and the only sounds heard in camp were the groans of the wounded and their cries for water. About sundown the Indians held a council, and planned to charge upon the white camp with their whole force. It was an hour never to be forgotten a silent and awful hour, in the expectation of speedy and cruel death. 4
Presently, as by the baton of a concert leader, an infer nal chorus burst forth the war-cries of each band in John s host joining in one blood-curdling burst of fury, and the rush was made up the east and west approaches. To their surprise, the soldiers received them with cheers, and returned the charge. The sight which inspired the cheers and the charge had escaped the eyes of the Indians, intent on the work before them. It was Captain Augur with seventy-five men of company G, fourth infantry, who was approaching through a ravine, and which charged the Indians in the rear, as Smith met them in front. The en gagement lasted no longer than fifteen minutes, when the Indians fled to the adjoining hills, taking with them their dead and wounded. Augur lost five men, whose bodies
Captain Smith ! You go on the reservation ? Hiyu chick chick ( a great many wagons, good traveling); hiyu icta(mauy things); hiyu muck-a-muck (plenty to eat); hiyu clotftes ( plenty to wear ) ; wake clatawa reservation ( if you do not go to the reservation ) ; take lope Captain Smith ; do you see this lope, Captain Smith ? " Graver s Public Lift, MS. 49.
- Letter of a soldier.
