Summer of the Sioux

by Tim Champlin

  Even though the attack was a surprise, it wasn't unexpected and General Buck was quick to meet it. He deployed the troops under General Merritt, Major Zimmer, and two colonels. The various companies of infantry and dismounted cavalry swarmed up the bluffs on the north, west, and south, while Captain Wilder's company, under Lieutenant Shanahan, rode out the open east end of the valley to prevent the Sioux from cutting off our means of escape, should it be needed. Another mounted company was sent out of the valley to try to circle around behind the hills to the north and come in behind the Sioux.

  The steady popping of the long infantry Springfields, as the men dropped to fire from one knee, was followed by the crackling of the cavalry carbines and then the rapid fire of the Indian repeaters. The horses, pack mules, and captured Indian ponies were completely ringed by our troops to prevent the animals from being stampeded by the Sioux. Nearly all the animals were accustomed to the noise of gunfire, and even though they milled around nervously, they didn't bolt.

  Our men worked their way up the hills and bluffs little by little, firing as they went. The Indians fired from horseback as they rode among the pines and boulders. The puffs of smoke from the rifles rose slowly and blended with the low-hanging fog and mist until it got so thick it enveloped the lines of skirmishers as they crept up the bluffs. I could only tell where they were by the orange tongues of flame flashing from their muzzles.

  "Nothing we can do about getting away while all this is going on," I said to Wiley and Cathy, as the three of us watched the action from a safe distance in the center of the valley. "I don't know about you two, but I'm exhausted. In spite of everything that's happened, I can hardly keep my eyes open. Guess it's finally catching up with me. I've just been running on nervous energy for days. And all that food I ate, plus this dreary weather . . . Whew!" I yawned.

  "Yeh, me too," Cathy said, yawning. "Now that you brought it up, you've got me doing it."

  "Think I'll pick out one of those empty, dry tepees, wrap up in one of those warm buffalo robes we found, and get some sleep. We'll see if we have a chance to make that break tonight."

  "Good idea," Wiley agreed. "Let's go. Did you ever think you'd be taking a nap during an Indian battle?" he grinned as we headed for one of the nearby hide tepees.

  "Hardly."

  The three of us found a stack of buffalo robes inside; each grabbed one and found a smooth spot on the packed earth. My fatigue overcame me almost as soon as I wrapped myself, damp clothes, wet boots and all, into the warm, furry robe and lay down.

  It was dark when I woke. I lay there a few minutes, enjoying the warmth and comfort I had not known for so many days. I finally rolled out and ducked outside. There was still some daylight, but it was fading fast. I consulted my watch: Five-forty. The battle was over, and the attacking Sioux were apparently gone. Even though I had slept only about two hours and was a little groggy from my deep sleep, I felt more rested than 1 had in a long time.

  I went back into the tepee and found Wiley gone. I woke Cathy and just as we came back out, Wiley appeared. "I think tonight will be our best chance," he said, handing me my saddlebags. "I took the liberty of taking these from your horse. Thought there might be something in’em you’d need. I got Cathy's too."

  "It's gonna be good and foggy and misty tonight," I commented. "And most of the troops should be dead tired, including the pickets. Do you reckon it'd be better to ride out the open end of the valley or try to get up into the hills and disappear?"

  "I'd vote for the open east end. The Sioux are more likely up in the hills for cover, and besides it'd be too tough getting horses up into those rocks in the dark. Also, we might get mistaken for Indians and shot. The tepee where they've got Wilder is toward the east end of the valley anyway."

  "Okay. When do we start?"

  "Better wait until at least ten or eleven. Most everyone but the guards will be asleep by then, and the campfires will be burning low. As I see it, we'll have three guards to get past. First of all, the pony herd. They're herded up farther in the valley and were guarded pretty closely to keep the Sioux from getting them back. Then there's the guard on Wilder's tepee. Then we'll have to run the pickets at the open end of the valley. Of the three, I'd say getting past the horse guards will be the toughest."

  "How many guards will be on the horses?"

  "Don't know for night herding. They haven't set the pickets yet."

  "Think the Sioux will be back for another attack tonight?"

  "I doubt it. I woke up just as it was ending about five. They hadn't had any luck in two hours of fighting, so they just faded away." He shrugged. "I don't know enough about Indians to know if they'll be back tomorrow. For all I know, they may be lying in wait right out there."

  "No. The Apache, maybe, but not the Sioux. They've gone back to their camp, wherever that is—at least until tomorrow. If we can get out of this valley, we can ride all night straight south for the Black Hills and Deadwood. If we don't blunder into an Indian camp in the dark, we'll be all right on that score. Right now, let's find Lieutenant Shanahan, get some supper, and act as if everything is normal. Don't bring up the subject of Wilder unless he does. We'll work out the details of our own plan later."

  At eleven-fifteen that night I was slicing a gash in the hide covering at the back of the tepee where Wilder was a prisoner while the guard dozed in the front. Wiley was acting as lookout for me as I slid the knife carefully down through the soggy hide, cringing at every slight noise it made. Finally the cut was three feet long, and I thrust my head inside.

  "That you, Matt?" came a whisper in the blackness, not two feet from my head.

  "Yeh. All clear. Let's move!"

  In a matter of seconds he was out and the three of us were walking directly away from the lodge at a normal pace in the darkness. When we felt we were at a safe distance, we made a wide detour around the sleeping camp to avoid the still-burning watch fires, and met Cathy at a prearranged place. Then we started for the horse herd.

  "Any trouble?" Cathy asked quietly, as we walked in the deep shadows.

  "None so far," I replied, "unless that sentry wakes up and decides to check on his prisoner."

  "Have you got the bridles and saddlebags?" Wiley asked her.

  "Right here."

  "Here, let me carry those," Wilder said, taking them from her. "How are we going to get past the guards?" Wilder asked.

  '1’ve got a plan I think will work," Wiley said.

  "How many guards are there?”

  "I saw six ride out there earlier. May be more."

  "Okay, all of you wait over there in the dark at the base of that hill. I’m going on alone,” Wiley said, taking taking the bridles.

  We complied.

  "What's he up to?" Curt asked as we crouched down to wait in the inky blackness.

  "We knew we couldn't steal those ponies outright, so Wiley is going to try to convince one of the guards that he has to have four of those ponies to replace four played-out pack mules. Most of the soldiers have seen him with the command all summer and know he's one of the packers. And they also know our remaining horses are in too bad shape to carry any packs."

  "Hope he's convincing."

  "Me, too. Or we might have to walk to Deadwood."

  "I feel like I've walked all the way here from Goose Creek," Cathy moaned.

  I could hear Curt give her a quick squeeze behind me.

  After a long wait, I heard the sound of hooves thudding softly on grass, and suddenly Wiley materialized a few yards away, leading four bridled ponies.

  "You did it!"

  "It wasn't easy. Couldn't manage a mule as well as this lot; they didn't get along. That guard sort of halfway recognized me as a packer, but he was suspicious of my story. Kept asking me why I was coming out this time of night to get the ponies instead of in the daylight when I could pick out some good ones. I told him with the battle going on and all, there was no chance. And besides, the general had told me to get the pack train in shape to mov
e out early in the morning, and that if he wanted to explain to the general why I couldn't get the ponies, I'd be glad to go wake him up. That did it. He even helped me catch and harness them."

  From what I could see of the ponies as we led them at a walk toward the open end of the valley, they were all about the same size, all smaller than our cavalry horses. But I had seen them run and knew they were fast and strong. We walked along in silence for a few moments.

  "When we get down here another two hundred yards or so," Wilder said, "we'd better get mounted and slip out as quietly as possible." He had naturally assumed command again, even though he had shed his captain's bars for good. "The pickets will be widely placed, and we'll be past them before they know what's happening. Besides, they're watching for attack from without."

  When we got to the approximate point Wilder had indicated, he called a halt. The misty night enveloped us in blackness.

  "Mount up."

  We shushed and patted the Indian ponies until they let us mount, but even then the animals danced and shied, unaccustomed to the strange smell. Eventually they quieted. We waited in breathless silence to see if their thumping and snorting had alerted any of the pickets to unusual activity. At last Curt leaned over, caught Cathy's bridle and led out, moving like a shadow in the misty darkness. We kept close, single file, holding the horses down to a walk until we were well clear. Curt finally halted and we all came to a stop around him.

  "Well, my friends," his voice was pitched very low, although there was now no possibility of our being heard, "this is the last chance for you to change your minds. You've got me safely out of the camp, and believe me, I am grateful. . . I can make it on my own from here. So if any of you are having second thoughts, now's the time to have them."

  There was only the shortest of pauses. Then Wiley said, "Far as I'm concerned, there isn't anything going to stop me from finding a drink and a dry bed in Deadwood."

  "To say nothing of a steak," I added.

  "And a hot bath! Let's move!" Cathy's voice was positively gleeful.

  Together, the four of us trotted briskly into the darkness.

  A Note from Crossroad Press

  We hope you enjoyed this eBook and will seek out other books published by Crossroad Press. We strive to make our eBooks as free of errors as possible, but on occasion some make it into the final product. If you spot any errors, please contact us at publisher@crossroadpress.com and notify us of what you found. We’ll make the necessary corrections and republish the book. We’ll also ensure you get the updated version of the eBook.

  If you’d like to be notified of new Crossroad Press titles when they are published, please send an email to publisher@crossroadpress.com and ask to be added to our mailing list.

  If you have a moment, the author would appreciate you taking the time to leave a review for this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, or any other online site that permits book reviews. These reviews help books to be more easily noticed.

  Thank you for your assistance and your support of the authors published by Crossroad Press.