We rode slowly
and cautiously until almost in sight of the Indians, when I gave
the word "Charge!" and all put spurs to their horses, raised the
yell, and one minute later we were in their midst, arrows and
bullets flying in all directions. I received an arrow wound in the
calf of my right leg, the man immediately on my right got shot
through the left or bridle arm, and one of the raw recruits got
his horse shot from under him.
He did not wait for orders, but drew his sabre and went to work
cutting them down as he came to them. When we first made the
charge some of the Indians made a desperate attempt to get their
horses, but the scouts shot and cut them down, not allowing one of
them to mount. The Indians, much to my surprise, fought as long as
there was one of them left standing. The battle lasted about
fifteen minutes, and when it was over we counted the dead Indians
and found the number to be nineteen, but there were twenty-one
horses, so we were confident that two Indians either escaped or
fell in the sagebrush where we could not find them.
We gathered up the horses and ropes that belonged to the Indians.
The man that had his horse killed in the battle, caught the best
horse in the band, threw the saddle on him and started for camp,
considering we had done a good day's work. As we rode down the
ravine in the direction of the emigrant trail some of the boys
looked in that direction and saw the smoke curling up from a camp-
fire.
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