Monday morning we were up and ready to take to the road early, feeling in good spirits after our rest over Sunday.  I asked Jim if we could make Sand Creek by night.  He answered, “Yes, we have got to if we are to reach the sink of the Humboldt tomorrow.”

We broke camp and pulled out.  Everything worked smoothly until we had nearly reached Sand Creek, where we were to camp that night, when the two scouts that guarded the north side of the train discovered a large band of Indians coming in our direction.  They reported their discovery to me at once.  I put spurs to my horse and rode out where I could see the Indians myself.  After I had gone about two miles or so I came in sight of them, and I saw that the men were right.  The Indians were making directly to the spot where I thought the train was, and I realized that there was no time to lose in getting word to Jim.

As soon as I got near the road I signaled all the scouts to come to me, and in a few minutes, they were with me.  I sent them all to the train to help Jim, except two which I kept with me.  We three rode out to the spot where we could see the Indians.  When we got in sight of them, they were within a mile of the train, and I knew that the time for action had come, and wheeling our horses we made for camp at a pace that would surprise the readers of today.  I told Jim that the Indians were upon us, but there was no need to tell him this, as he had seen us coming and suspected the news we were bringing and had ordered the train corralled before we reached camp, and I do not think a train was ever got into shape to resist the savages quicker or with less excitement than that train was that day.  And we were none too quick, for the Indians were in sight of us as soon as we were ready for them.  At this spot our trail led down a little valley.  Consequently, when the Indians hove in sight they were not more than a hundred yards from the corral.

I sang out, “What do you say, Jim?  Let’s form in line and give them a salute.”

Jim shouted, “Every man form in a line and shoot, and be sure you hit your mark.”

By this time there were as many as two hundred Indians in sight, and every gun seemed to go off at once.  At that moment Jim cried, “Every man pull your pistol and shoot as loud as you can, and let us make a dash on them.”  And every man in the train did as Jim told them to, and it surely had a good effect on the savages, for they wheeled and fled as fast as their legs could carry them in the direction they had come.  We found twenty-seven dead Indians all laying close together, and it did not take us long to take their scalps off.  When we had finished this job, Jim made the remark that he had scalps enough now to protect the train all the way to California.

As it was yet about three miles to our camping ground, I told my scouts what to do, and then I told Jim that I meant to follow the Indians alone and see where they went to and not to expect me back until he saw me, for I intended to see those Indians go into camp before I left them, if it took me until midnight to do it, for if I did this I could tell whether they meant to give us any more trouble or not.