Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 December 1896 — OUR STORY TELLER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OUR STORY TELLER

Trapped by apaches. =£'£v: , ‘" 1 •"*'"• ■ ll,l - -». ■ V.” - i--.“ ' ' ’■’■■■crT ~

HIS closely-cropped beard and mustache were whitened by the snows of many winters, but his eyes were still bright with the line of manly vigor and his frame as upright-and supple apparently as when he left West Point to take his first gaxette. Long years had elapsed since that time, when a raw subalterh, possessed as they all are, with the belief that his presence was needed to lm-* prove the morals and discipline of the service, he tad taken the train for the Southwest, where his regiment was distributed among the? various frontier posts which at that time dotted the sand-covered plains of the territories. Many.a'brisk fight with hostile Indians and several pitched battles with them • had seen him at the head of hjs platoon or troop, but that was over as he stood before the fire-place ans calmly smoked his after-dinner cigar. Still full of martial ardor, he was on the shelf, Father Time having registered the statutory number of years against him only a short time ago. He is on the retired list. His bronzed face is seamed with scars. They cross the wide forehead, made wider by the scant foliage which time has left, and mark that feature with furrows which add greatly to the stern nnd forbidding aspect. Yet he is as gentle as woman and noted for his kindly courtesy to the young. Major Malachi U. Cornwall," U. S. A. (retired), is a fair type of the ancient warrior, full of years and reminiscences. All that is left to indicate his calling is the Loyal Legion button in the lapel of his coat and the unmistakable air which the military man cannot divest himself of. “Major,” said a young friend, for the old warrior much affects the society of his juniors, “pardon my curiosity, or rather let it be my excuse for seeming Impertinence, but I have often wondered in what desperate couffict you received that scar on your forehead." “That, me boy,*’ was the reply, as the major passed his hand over the indicated spot, “as you say. is the record of a fearful fight. No offense, not at aIL lam always delighted to talk for my young friends, but, someway, I never felt proud enough of that fight to tell it around the mess table. Gad, sir, as nearly as I can recall. I finished a bad second that time. Still, It was a beautiful fight? if I do say it myself.” “It was, indeed,” murmured Colonel Herrick, also retired, who was a member of the party at the club that night. “Tell us about it, major,” was the eager demand of the group, which now numbered half a score. The old soldier’s yarns were always Interesting, and the boys, as he called them, never missed an opportunity to &et him to talking of his youth when in the service, “Hang It all, I didn’t figure In that affair to any great extent,” was the testy retort, as the major shook his grizzled head. “You thll It, Herrick.” “Not much,” growled the colonel, lighting a fresh cigar. “It's your yam, and if it is ever told, which I don’t believe will be the case, you will reel it

off. I had bu! little to do with it, anywa y.t* “The d&vil you didn’t!” said the major. “Confound your obstinacy, don’t you know that if it had not been for you I would not be here to-day?” • “This Is growing interesting.,” said the first speaker. “Boys', the major's Story. Silence far the major’s story.” “Well, I suppose I must,” growled the major. “Here, George, fill up all ’round,” and the major settled himself comfortably and smoked in silence un-_ til the grog had been served and disposed of. Then he took his cigar in his fingers, leaned far back in his chair, and with half closed eyes commenced as follows: “You see Herrick and I were at the Point together. He was-a first-class-man when I was a ‘pleb.’ ” •“Never mind ins, Malachl.” said ihe colonel. “I have nothing to do with It,, or, rather, our experiences at the I’olnt have not.” “May be telling this story. Well, then, I*did save you from getting •skinned' once.” In spite of the colonel’s winks and waves of his hands as be deprecated the remarks of his old comrade. , “No nse denying It, I did. Well, while £ we were not of the same class, we became great friends an<T when Herrick left for the regiment he made me proju-

ise to work for the same corps. Of course I had little to do with where I should go, but it fell out that when I was commissioned I got-orders to report to the commanding officer at l'oit Bayard, ip New Mexico. I thought this pretty tough, but it was nothing compared to what followed not so darned long after. Well, I left the Point the biggest idiot of all the young fools who leave Impressed with the belief that a‘ field marshal's baton is the least that he could expect in the service. I joined my people, and as luck would have it found that I was one of the regiment to which Herrick had been assigned. This made it easier for me, as he introduced me to the regiment and everything was lovely. We were

bachelors and were quartered near each although he got his grade since I saw him and now wore a bar ip his shoulder strap *Tt would have been nil right if it had ended there, but it didn’t. Not long after 1 joined, our squadron—we were In the cavalry—was ordered to Flagstaff, A. T„ as dismal a place at that time as ever happened. You see there was trouble with roving, bands of Apaches all the time, and the old post, abandoned now, was heavily garrisoned all the time. This order took our major with the four troops away from Bayard into the region of the heavy forests and hills south of the Grand Canyon of Colorado; Well, from that time on it was field duty nearly all the time. I was sent out to scout and spy on the Indians, and but for m,v sergeant, a veteran Indian fighter, might have been left there to bleach my bones as a second lieutenant. One of my fool tricks—you see, I thought I knew it all and disputed the wisdom of a suggestion of my sergeant’s while away on the plains and got myself and little command in a, devil of a fix. It makes me tired now when I think of It. “This is where Herrick gets into the game once more. I was out on this scouting trip and kept on going, when It would have been better to turn back. I thought it would be great fun to round up alj, the redskins in Arizona

with half a troop. ( That's where I” missed'’any guess.’ I was years wiser when it was ail over. We trailed the band I \vas sent out to scout for two or three days and saw them safely itv'lthe lava rocks. It was my business to) locate them where they had reason to believe we could not fallow and then,. retire until -I fell back On Somers,- commanding B troop. - Gordon’s and my own, K troop, or rather the balance of mine. I knew these fellows were on my trail somewhere, though where tile Ldfd only knew, so 1 decided to push on and- have it out with the reds. You see, I wanted ytars and other trappings before I knew the of an empty strap. p “I think' the k&rd loves a fool. jUklllSthe only hypothesis to go on in this case anyway. Well, we marched ahead, in spite of Mclntire’s protests—he was my sergeant—until what he f»a»rod actually happened. We went lino camp one night and saw the watch fires of the red devils all around us. • We were trapped, instead of trapping the other fellpws. Then I had sense enoifcn left to listen to reason and «u the suggestion of Mac I sent a Pueblo out to find a good place to make a stand. It was all off If this could not be done. I had twenty rounds and fifteen men to go against 400 or 500 redo. Yah, it makes

me feel chillyJto think of It Well, that Indian foun<j‘a spot -where my little force could He hidden and if attacked could keep under cover, while inakiug every bullet count. So we silently struck camp and stole away like a lot of thieves, hunting for safety. , “Did we make that hole’ Not without a scrap. We had only about 200 yards to go, but we ,had scarcely gone half the distance when ping! and my cap flew into the air. I stooped to get it —we were dismounted—and another shot sung out where my head would have been if I had been erect. We formed in square and the men speedily got ready for the charge which sefemed inevitable, but it.did hot come. Those Indians just kept up am annoying fire until they saw where we were going to, and then they cut loose with a volley which pearly swept me off my feet, ‘hi with you, sir,' .screamed the sergeant, as hp gave me a shove and soon afterttaid followed with the boys, some ofNvhoffi showed sighs of feeing hit. 1 found myself In a natural stronghold, covered bn all sides from p]uturing fire, closed in so that the enemy could only approach by one narrow way and safe as long as my ammunition held out. Water there fvas none, and the sergeant was the first to deplore this. “Well, I placed my little force as well as possible, toldHliem pot to waste a* Shot, and’ then sat down to wait Lor daylight and tlpaPconflict which fny fooihardines%had brought on. It came before. We had just got in readiness when the sergeant held up a warnings finger and crept out to the mourn of out fortress. He kept his body -’aref illy screened, and waved for me.- I went to him and found the reds, massing for a charge. The old trooper said ’his was. the best possible ip.dication hat they knew exactly how niauf men I had. I ordered up a few of the hoys, and then we waited until the dusky forms got out into the moonlight. I saw it was fight, and made up my mind to leave my marks. ‘As 'the leading files

roseover the hills until they were fully revealed I ordered the men to firO. “Each picked out his man 1 and let drive. The effect must have been fen rful, as the men were picked shots, and they wasted no lead that night. They fired regularly and steadily half a dozen shots each, and the attacking party melted away. They replied, but we were so well covered .that we suffered no loss. Thus the night wore away with desultory firing on the part of the Indians and the sharp replies by my good fellows whenever an Apaohp was indiscreet enough to get in range. Then a new danger arose which nearly cost us all our lives. of the carbines was driven baeit into our den. This was-a good thing I’of the men at the doorway, for jt cleared their vision for another shot, but It nearly bhoked the other men to death. It filled the little chamber after a while, and I saw that unless some, means were devised to get it out, the dread of all would be realized, we would have to abandon the only position which held out any hope of rescue. Still we could not stop, as that meant death fdr all in its most horrible form. Well, to make a long story short, we were coop ed up in that hole for the better portion of two days. Three of the men were dead, Melntire had a shattered bridle arm, and thy scouts were lying in front of our positiuip, mute.evidences of the fate which awaited us as soon os our cartridges failed. .“Finally I concluded that, with no water and the men almost insane from thirst, it was all over. I decided to make a dash and go down fighting in the open. I asked the men to follow me and they all shouted their approval. We masked our intended movement sis well as possible and rushed out to the plains with a yell of defiance. A rattling volley' fell around us. but fortunately the surprise of our dash prevented the *1 Lid in ns from'staking accurate aim and -a few unimportant flesh wounds were all that were received. I was drank with despair and so were the men. It was certain tjeatli we Jill believed, and we rode at those Indians with the yells of devils. "I shall never forget the shook of our contact. We rode down the first lines, but were too weak to force out* way through their entire-column. The carabines were emptied at half pistol distance as we charged, and the heavy revolvers made £weet music as vanced at a furious gallop. Then there was tlie shock of the meeting and we knew that we were making our last stand. The bright steel circled around the heads of that band of desperate men and the enemy toppled and fell in windrows about each horse. The men shouted, yelled and laughed as they fought on with the fury of demons. They were going down too rapidly, however, for that unequal contest .to last long. 1 was blind from a slash across the forehead and rut away with all the strength of my arm. scarcely knowing what I was doing. I scented to be in some horrible dream, where blood out. The waves rose higher and higher and I was ’being rapidly engulfed in that red flood. “Suddenly I felt a sharp pain as if a rod hot iron had been drawn across my forehead, there was -a wild shriek, the rapid thud of horses’ feet, and I fell to the ground, in a faint; I was told later that I'Was down and an Indian had commenced the process of scaling me, when the troops rode down into that straggling, bunch nnd Herrick's saber -swept off the head of my assailant. "I don’t know.much the succeeding events. When I “Came to I wa«

■stretched out on the floor of otfr aihhula nee, my head) splitting and bound in bandages. Near me, with bis arm in a sling, was Melntire. As we were driven along Somers poked his head into the wagon and complimented me on my stand and the skill shown in choosing the position from Which X had worn out the reds. I was too sick then to say anything, but when they talked of recommending me for a Congressional medal’for my first fight I rebelled and told the regiment how I had made a d d fool of myself. Melntire wears the medal, and I have this scar as a’ memento of my first setto with old Chi-huahua.’V-Chieago Chronicle.

“EACH PICKED OUT HIS MAN AND LET DRIVE.”

“WE RODE AT THOSE INDIANS WITH THE YELL OF DEVILS.”