fficer, who immediately ordered Major Arms, of the Tenth Cavalry--which,
by the way, was a negro regiment,--with his company and one mountain
howitzer, to go in pursuit of the red-skins, and I was sent along with
the expedition as scout and guide. On the second day out we suddenly
discovered, on the opposite side of the Saline River, about a mile
distant, a large body of Indians, who were charging down upon us. Major
Arms, placing the cannon on a little knoll, limbered it up and left
twenty men to guard it; and then, with the rest of the command, he
crossed the river to meet the Indians.

Just as he had got the men over the stream, we heard a terrific yelling
and shouting in our rear, and looking back to the knoll where the cannon
had been stationed, we saw the negroes, who had been left there to guard
the gun, flying towards us, being pursued by about one hundred Indians;
while another large party of the latter were dancing around the captured
cannon, as if they had got hold of an elephant and did not know what to
do with it.

Major Arms turned his command back and drove the Indians from the gun.
The troops then dismounted and took position there. Quite a severe fight
ensued, lasting about two hours. Five or six of the soldiers, as well as
Major Arms, were wounded, and several of the horses were shot. The
Indians seemed to grow thicker and thicker, as if receiving
reinforcements from some large party. The colored troops, who had been
bragging all the way that if they could only see some Indians "dey would
blow 'em off de farm,"--which was a favorite expression of theirs,--were
now singing a different tune. Every time the Indians would make a charge
at us, the darkeys would cry out:

"Heah dey cum;" "Dey must be ten thousand ob 'em;" "De whole country is
alive wid 'em;" "Massa Bill, does you tink we is eber agoin' to get out
o' heah?" and many other similar expressions.

Major Arms, who was wounded and lying under the cannon--which, by the
way, had become useless,--called me up and asked if I thought there was
any show of getting back to the fort. I replied that there was.

Orders were accordingly given by Major Arms for a retreat, the cannon
being left behind. During the movement several of our men were killed,
but as night came and dense darkness prevailed, we succeeded in making
good headway, and got into Fort Hays just at daylight next morning, in a
very played-out condition.

During our absence the cholera ha