He gladly handed me the despatch, and spurring my horse I dashed up the creek.  After having ridden a short distance, I observed another party of Indians also going to the village with meat; but instead of waiting for them to fire on me, I gave them a shot at long range.  Seeing one man firing at them so boldly, it surprised them, and they did not know what to make of it.  While they were thus considering, I got between them and our camp.  By this time they had recovered from their surprise, and cutting their buffalo meat loose from their horses, they came after me at the top of their speed; but as their steeds were tired out, it did not take me long to leave them far in the rear.

I reached the command in less than an hour, delivered the despatch to General Carr, and informed him of what I had seen.  He instantly had the bugler sound “boots and saddles,” and all the troops—­with the exception of two companies which we left to guard the train—­were soon galloping in the direction of the Indian camp.

We had ridden about three miles when we met Lieutenant Ward, who was coming slowly toward us.  He reported that he had run into a party of Indian buffalo-hunters, and had killed one of the number, and had had one of his horses wounded.  We immediately pushed forward, and after marching about five miles came within sight of hundreds of mounted Indians advancing up the creek to meet us.  They formed a complete line in front of us.  General Carr, being desirous of striking their village, ordered the troops to charge, break through their line, and keep straight on.  This movement would, no doubt, have been successfully accomplished had it not been for the rattle-brained and daredevil French Lieutenant Schinosky, commanding Company B, who, misunderstanding General Carr’s orders, charged upon some Indians at the left, while the rest of the command dashed through the enemy’s line, and was keeping straight on, when it was observed that Schinosky and his company were surrounded by four or five hundred redskins.  The general, to save the company, was obliged to sound a halt, and charge back to the rescue.  The company, during this short fight, had several men and quite a number of horses killed.

All this took up valuable time, and night was coming on.  The Indians were fighting desperately to keep us from reaching their village, which, being informed by couriers of what was taking place, was packing up and getting away.  During that afternoon it was all that we could do to hold our own in fighting the mounted warriors, who were in our front, and contesting every inch of the ground.  The general had left word for our wagon-train to follow up with its escort of two companies, but as it had not made its appearance he entertained some fears that it had been surrounded, and to prevent the loss of the supply-train we had to go back and look for it.  About nine o’clock that evening we found it, and went into camp for the night.