The cavalrymen were ordered to mount their horses quietly and remain out of sight, while General Merritt, accompanied by two or three aides and myself, went on a little tour of observation to a neighboring hill.  From the summit of this we saw the Indians approaching almost directly toward us.  As we stood watching, fifteen or twenty of them wheeled and dashed off to the west, from which direction we had come the night before.

Searching the country to see what it was which had caused this unexpected maneuver, we observed two mounted soldiers approaching us on the trail.  Obviously they were bearing dispatches from the command of General Merritt.

It was clear that the Indians who had left their main body were intent on intercepting and murdering these two men.  General Merritt greatly feared that they would accomplish this purpose.  How to aid them was a problem.  If soldiers were sent to their assistance, the Indians would observe the rescuers, and come to the right conclusion that a body of troops was lying in wait for them.  This of course would turn them back, and the object of our expedition would be defeated.

The commander asked me if I had any suggestions.

“General,” I replied, “why not wait until the scouts get a little nearer?  When they are about to charge on the two men, I will take fifteen soldiers, dash down and cut them off from their main body.  That will prevent them from going back to report, and the others will fall into our trap.”

The general at once saw the possibilities of the scheme.  “If you can do that, Cody, go ahead,” he said.

I at once rushed back to the command and jumped on my horse.

With fifteen of the best men I could pick in a hurry I returned to the point of observation.  I placed myself and my men at the order of General Merritt, and asked him to give me the word at the proper time.

He was diligently studying the country before him with his field-glasses.  When he thought the Indians were as close to the unsuspecting scouts as was safe, he sang out: 

“Go on now, Cody, and be quick about it.  They are going to charge on the couriers.”

The two soldiers were not more than a hundred yards from us.  The Indians, now making ready to swoop down, were a hundred yards further on.

We tore over the bluffs and advanced at a gallop.  They saw us and gave battle.  A running fight lasted for several minutes, during which we drove them back a fairly safe distance and killed three of their number.

The main body of the Cheyennes had now come into plain sight, and the men who escaped from us rode back toward it.  The main force halted when its leaders beheld the skirmish, and seemed for a time at a loss as to what was best to do.

We turned toward General Merritt, and when we had made about half the distance the Indians we had been chasing suddenly turned toward us and another lively skirmish took place.