Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/560

542 The men, about forty in number, sprang to their feet and rushed toward the fort. They had not gone twenty paces when a volley from the Indians struck down Lieutenant Madigan, three non-commissioned officers, three privates, and one citizen—eight in all. The remainder of the storming party kept on, crossing a natural moat and gaining the wall, which seemed to present but two accessible points. Up one of these Sergeant Russler, of Company D, 23d infantry, led the way; and up the other, Sergeant Meara and Private Sawyer, of Company H, 1st cavalry, led at different points. Meara was the first to reach a natural parapet surrounding the east fort on two sides, dashing across which he was crying to his men to come on, when a shot struck him and he fell dead. At the same moment Russler came up, and putting his gun through a loop-hole fired, others following his example. He was also struck by a shot.

It was expected that the Indians, being forced to abandon the enclosure which was now but a pen in which all might be slaughtered, would be easily shot as they came out, and some of the men disposed themselves so as to interrupt their anticipated flight; but what was the surprise of all to see that as fast as they left the fort they disappeared among the rocks as if they had been lizards. In a short time the soldiers had possession of the east fort, but a moment afterward a volley corning across from the two forts on the west, and scattering shots which appeared to come from the rocks beneath, changed the position of the besiegers into that of the besieged. Several men more were wounded, one more killed, and the situation became critical in the extreme.

But notwithstanding the Indians still had so greatly the advantage, they seemed to have been shaken in their courage by the boldness of the troops in