Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/449

Rh first lieutenant, in his regiment. During a large part of the three following years, Stuart's regiment was engaged in the attempt to preserve peace between the new settlers in Kansas Territory, during that exciting period when it was yet undetermined whether Kansas should be a free or a slave state. It was amid these stirring scenes that he made that acquaintance with "Osawatomie Brown," which enabled him afterwards to identify him at Harper's Ferry.

In the year 1857, his regiment was actively engaged in Indian warfare. The important event of the campaign was, the battle fought upon the north fork of Solomon river, probably within the limits of the present Norton county, Kansas. Here, upon the 29th of July, Colonel Sumner, with six companies of the First Cavalry, encountered and routed about three hundred Cheyenne warriors. It was during the pursuit that Stuart received a painful wound. His horse was exhausted by a chase of five miles, and he was compelled to exchange with one of his soldiers. I give these circumstances in his own words. "When I overtook the rear of the enemy I found Lomax in imminent peril from an Indian, who was on foot, and in the act of shooting him. I rushed to the rescue, and succeeded in wounding the Indian in his thigh. He fired at me in return with an Allen's revolver, but missed. I now observed Stanley and McIntyre close by. The former said, 'Wait! I'll fetch him.' He dismounted from his horse to aim deliberately, but in dismounting accidentally discharged his last load. Upon him the Indian now advanced with his revolver pointed. I could not stand that, but drawing my sabre rushed on the monster and inflicted a severe wound across his head; but at the same moment he fired his last barrel within a foot of me, the ball taking effect in the center of the breast, but, by the mercy of God, glancing to the left, lodging near my nipple and so far inside that it cannot be felt."

After burying his dead, Colonel Sumner pursued the retreating Indians southward, leaving his wounded, and among them Lieutenant Stuart, in a temporary fortification, built near the battle ground, and garrisoned by one company of infantry. At the expiration of ten days Stuart was able to ride upon horseback; and as the other wounded were in condition to bear removal, this detachment started in the endeavor to reach Fort Kearny, which was supposed to be less than one hundred miles distant. Within five days the party was deserted by their Pawnee guides, and was left, during a rainy season, without