Beadle's Dime Novels No. 119: Blackeyes — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MAJOR FURIOUS. 91 confusion. Major Buttress, whose horse had been shot under him, immediately rallied ‘and formed his men, assisted by his officers; but they were so closely jammed together in the nar- row defile, that little could be done in the way of defense or attack. The soldiers loaded and fired with regularity and rapidity, at their unseen foes; but their fire was comparatively harmless, while the murderous vollies were still ‘poured in upon them from behind the rocks’ and trees. Tired of this one-sided warfare, the major reluctantly order- ed a retreat, and the troops countermarched out of the defile in good order, and fell back to the wagons, which had been halt- ed a short distance in the rear. The Indians, as soon as they perceived that their adversaries were retreating, sent another volley into their close ranks, and rushed out from their con- cealment, to fall upon them with the tomahawk ; but they soon discovered that they were unable to cope with the Americans . at close quarters, and suffered them to retire without further molestation. Major Buttress was angry. He was more than angry—he was furious. When he had placed his men in a secure posi- tion in the open ground, and had disposed the wagons and teams so as to afford a protection to his camp, he looked around for some object on which to vent his indignation, and he soon found what he was seeking. Charley Bent was standing near him, with a rifle in his hand, conversing with a tall mountaineers» The majorycalled to sii in a rough and peremptory tone, and Bent approached, accompanied by the mountaineer. “What are you doing with that gun, sir?’ sharply de- manded the major. “ Don’t you know that it is contrary to the regulations? Is that a proper weapon for an officer and ~ a gentleman ?” : “J couldn’t reach the Indians with my sword, sir, answer- ed Bent, “and they were so concealed among the rocks and bushes, that it was even hard to find them with a bul- let.” “ What business er you with the Indians? You should have been at the rear, with the: ‘wagons, where yOR: be- . longed.” “JT didn’t want to see our men shot down like sheep in that SOT eNOLSS on : L # —_