About the time I returned to the battlefield the bugle sounded
calling the soldiers in from the chase, and on looking over the
ground, four dead soldiers and twenty-seven wounded were
discovered. There were sixty-three dead Indians in sight, and
more, no doubt, were scattered around in the sagebrush.
The battle being over we had our breakfast. I also had my horse
put out to grass, as he was very hungry, not having had anything
to eat since noon the day before, and not much then.
After breakfast was over the soldiers buried their four dead
comrades and loaded the wounded into the ambulances and started
for headquarters, arriving there about nine o'clock that night.
Charlie Meyers had a wound in his arm that laid him up all summer,
and I was not able to ride for two weeks; although I had the best
of care.
From that time on I was known as the boy scout, and the next day
after our return, Col. Elliott appointed me chief of scouts with
rank and pay of captain, which was one hundred and twenty-five
dollars per month. He also provided me with private quarters, my
tent being pitched near his own, and notwithstanding that I was
only a mere boy the other scouts all came to me for orders and
counsel, and I often wondered why men who knew nothing of scouting
nor the nature of Indians would stick themselves up as scouts.
Two weeks from the time I got wounded the Colonel asked me if I
thought I was able to ride, saying that the news had just come to
him that the Indians had attacked a train of emigrants, killed
some of them and driven off their stock.
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