was overruled and all was arranged for a combined attack on the Indian position from the west side.  It was arranged that I should start at 2 o’clock with 25 men, circle the west side of the camp, and if the Indians had slipped out during the night I was to follow and send back a messenger to the main command.  That there might be no mistake as to the course we should take in the morning, I pointed to the canyon in which the Indians were encamped and the ridge up which we would go.

Chapter XVIII.

Another Attack that Miscarried.

Everything was in readiness.  Two hundred rounds of ammunition was distributed to the men, and all were in high glee at the prospect of being able to revenge the cruel murder of friends and neighbors.

At 2 o’clock we were roused by the guards.  Horses were quickly saddled and after a meal of bread, meat and coffee we mounted and filed out of camp.  Besides the scouts I had ten men belonging to the John Day volunteers.  As daylight began to peep over the mountain tops we reached the head of the canyon in which the Indians were encamped.  We had kept a close lookout for any signs of the Indians abandoning the canyon but found none.  There could be no question as to their whereabouts—­not more than a mile below us.

We halted here and engaged in a discussion as to the advisability of going around to the west side of the canyon, and when the attack began to open on them from that side.  The John Day men were decidedly in favor of the move.  But Gen. Brown had especially requested that I should be with the main force when the fight began, and I must return and meet him.  It was finally arranged that I should return, taking one man with me, while the others should go down the west side of the canyon.  Accordingly I selected the boy Eugene Jones and we started back.  It was arranged that the main force should follow me up the mountain within an hour after I left camp, and I expected to meet them about the time the attack began.  I did not consider it as being particularly hazardous, as they could not be very far away.  We rode at the gallop, expecting every moment to hear the report of the opening guns.  It was broad daylight now and we sped on as fast as our horses could carry us.  But nothing could be seen or heard of the command.  Our situation was now serious in the extreme.  We passed within 600 yards of the Indian camp and could see the smoke curling up out of the canyon.  But the only alternative that presented itself to us was to go ahead as we should certainly meet the troops within a short distance.  As a matter of fact we were “so far stepped in that to retreat were worse than going o’er.”  On and on we sped until the brow of the mountain was reached overlooking Murderers Creek Valley, and nowhere could we get sight of man or beast.  “What does it mean?” These were the questions repeated one with the other.  We finally concluded that the Indians had slipped out behind us, or that we had overlooked their trail, and that Gen. Brown finding it had started in pursuit.