uld probably have
received my death-wound. Instantly, with my revolver already in my hand, I
discharged in quick succession, two shots at the savage, who was distant
but a few feet from me. The first bullet broke his arm; the second passed
through his heart. I instantly seized the shawl and shears and taking a
little of his hair to remember him by, started on a jump towards our men,
who were rushing towards me as fast as possible. The arrows flew so thick
and fast, that you would have thought it was hailing. Night soon came on,
and the Indians retired, probably to get recruits and to renew the battle
in the morning with the certainty of our destruction. We doubled our guard
for the night, during which I was awakened but once. Joe Walker and I
slept together. So much used were we both to such little affairs, that I
do not believe we should have awakened at all, had we not been called.

About twelve o'clock, a sentry came to where we were sleeping, and
touching me, said:

"Guide, I believe there is an Indian creeping up behind a bush." Joe says,
"Bill, get up and see what it is. My eyes are not as good in the night as
yours."

So out of my blanket I got, grabbed my revolver and went towards the
bluff. The sentinel accompanying me, pointed out the bush. I did not like
to fire into it, lest I should give a false alarm. I watched it about ten
minutes, and there was not the least movement. "I guess," I said, "it is
nothing but a bush." But at that moment, I perceived a very slight
agitation of the branches. It proved that there must be somebody there.

"Oho! Mr. Indian," I exclaimed, "at your old tricks." I raised my
revolver, took deliberate aim at the very heart of the bush, and fired.
Mr. Indian gave a hideous yell, and he had gone to his happy hunting
grounds. In the morning, we prepared to leave. The Indians, as we
afterwards learned, had fifteen hundred warriors within a radius of five
miles. We numbered but about fifty men. But we had rifles, they had only
bows and arrows. The superiority of our arms raised us above all fear.

It was manifest however, with the earliest dawn, from the large number of
warriors assembled, and the menacing cries they raised, that we must have
a fight. Colonel Hoffman detached every fourth man, each one to hold four
horses. The rest of the dragoons were marshalled on the bluff, which as I
have mentioned, lined one side of our encampment. As our rifles could
throw a bullet more than twic