LETTER FROM THE SEAT OF WAR

["Ottawa Republican," 10 Sep 1874]

The following letter, from a boy who is with Moonlight & Diefendorf's surveying party, now at work in the western part of the State, was not written for publication, but thinking that it might interest some of our readers, we have decided to print it.

SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS, Aug. 28, '74.

MY DEAR PARENTS.- I received your letter a few days ago, and can assure you that I have seen nothing which did me so much good since I started, and the more so as I did not expect to hear, after writing to you not to send letters, as I should not be able to get them.

You speak of disliking my way of spending Sunday; the description I sent only applied to our first Sunday out, now we are kept hard at work. We happened to get a township sectionized yesterday, and it rained hard all last night and until late this morning, so we have laid up for to-day. Last Sunday we walked twenty-five miles and surveyed eighteen; we have to walk three miles to survey two. Some of the boys, and I among them, shot two buffalo day before yesterday, and as the sun is very hot we are jerking the meat, and I may bring a little home. I have killed two antelopes; they are considerably smaller than a deer. One of our hunters has just come in with two tied to his saddle, so we will have roast antelope for supper. We moved camp three days ago and are in a much better place than before, better grass and better protection from the Indians. The last may seem to you a matter of no consequence, but you will be mistaken as you will see. About a week ago we were surveying among the Sand hill, six of us, when off in the distance, a mile and a half away, some moving objects appeared. I was half a mile away from the rest at that time, and they commenced signaling me to come in, but I did not understand the motions and so sat down to wait for them to overtake me, but they stopped. I had not been sitting more than five minutes when I heard a yell behind me; then I did jump, and lo and behold, there came fourteen Indians on ponies at full speed, and about a mile and a half away. I picked up my spade and ran, and got over the half a mile of ground much faster than I had first come; by the time I got in the boys had dug holes and thrown up breastworks four feet high. I jumped in behind them as soon as possible and felt considerably more comfortable. By this time the Indians had come to within a half a mile of us and stopped to hold a council; they soon parted, some going one way and some another, until they had completely surrounded us, and then the ball opened. As soon as one would fire he would roll along six feet or so, in order to keep us from taking good aim at him. They soon got sick of the fun and left us without doing much damage, except to coats and blankets. Three bullets went through a roll of blankets behind me, and none of them passed more than a foot away from my head, and made one dodge considerably, but a miss is as good as a mile, and I was none the wort for the encounter, except being tired after my half mile race. Our compass man had a close call; a bullet passed within three inches of his ear. I only fired once, and that time at an Indian on a pony, but my gun shot over and I missed him. There was no one hurt on either side as we know, because the Indians went to our camp five miles below and pretended to be friendly, and got some flour and other things. They were armed with heavy revolvers and Henry and Spencer rifles mostly, a few with bows and arrows; we had revolvers and Spencer rifles. So six of us drove off fourteen Indians. Our breastworks were fifteen feet long, five deep and four thick, and made in a semi circle.

The Indians were Kiowas, but pretended to be Cheyennes. The boys found several arrows and some cartridge shells after the fight.

We are running short of provisions, and teams start for Lakin in two days for a supply. To-day we were put on half allowance of bread, and the sugar is nearly gone. I hope that you received my letter telling you to direct to Lakin, for I would not miss a letter from home for month's wages.

We shall be home in early October, as we have only about thirty days work to do.

I am perfectly well and can walk twenty-five miles a day easily.

Tell Will L. That I have to take out my hunting on antelopes mainly, as there are no prairie chickens out here and very few buffalo, but they will come in about three weeks. I hope you are all well, you need not worry about me at all, as I am all right.

I must close, as we start tonight for our work, five miles away. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain

Your son,

WILL L. MURDOCH.