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on the north to intercept the Indians in the woods when the charging force should have driven them from their fortification.
The captains who led in the charge were Binearson and Welton, their companies being augmented by portions of others, and a part of the regular force also, all rushing with eagerness to fire the first shot. As had been antici pated, the Indians took shelter in the woods, but were not met by Bailey and Gordon as designed, their men finding it impossible to penetrate the dense and tangled under wood in a body; and were not driven back upon the com panies of Harris and Bruce, who were awaiting them in concealment, as had been anticipated. These two com manders therefore joined the army in front. Thus nothing happened but the unexpected.
The day passed in vain efforts to get at the Indians, who could not be approached without extreme peril, until three o clock in the afternoon, when Captain Smith, with a small force of dragoons, made an assault. Several rounds were discharged with the short cavalry arms, which were wholly ineffectual against the rifles of the Indians, when the troopers fell back, having several killed and wounded. Firing continued until dark, when the whole force went into camp at a place named by them "Bloody Spring," where the wounded were being cared for, and where they all went supperless to their blankets.
At sunrise the next morning the Indians attacked and engaged the troops for several hours, when, being repulsed, they withdrew. The troops then marched back to Fort Bailey on Grave creek, bearing their w^ounded on litters. In this battle the volunteers lost twenty-six men killed, wounded, and missing. Company A lost Jonathan A. Pedigo, mortally wounded, and Ira May field, L. F. Allen, William Purnell, Williams Hans, John Goldsby, and Thomas Gill, wounded severely. Company B, Charles Goodwin, wounded mortally. Company C, Henry Pearl, Jacob W. Miller, and James Pearcy killed ; Enoch Miller,
