Black Sun, The Battle of Summit Springs, 1869 Read Free

lathered horses and the balky mules straining to carry their riders into the midst of the Dog Soldier village after four grueling days of relentless pursuit. You’ll hear the shrieking panic of the white women struggling to escape their captors and rushing for the blue-clad saviors on horseback. You can hear the war-cries of the warriors who will not retreat, but instead turn to fight, protecting the flight of families and old ones.
    Sniff the air—you’ll likely smell the burning fragrance of gunpowder or the aroma of boiled coffee (if you’re lucky enough to have any left). Run your tongue around the inside of your cheek one last time now, trying to remember how good that mule haunch tasted last winter—especially when mule meat was all that stood between you and starvation in the snows of a winter wilderness.
    The fight for survival that harsh winter happened every bit as did the gallant chase after the Dog Soldiers the following summer. Carr’s Fifth Cavalry caught Tall Bull’s camp at a little known spring near the South Platte River. As history, this story needs no false glamour, no shiny veneer of dash and daring. What has through the centuries been the story of man at war—of culture against culture, race against race—needs nothing special in its telling.
    My hope is that you will enjoy this ride stirrup to stirrup with Seamus Donegan and Bill Cody.
    Come on along—we’ve no time to waste. Tall Bull and his band of deadly warriors are four days ahead of us now and gaining ground. If you’re of a mind to, you’ll sleep this night curled up in a blanket on the frozen ground and warm your hands over buffalo-chip fires.
    Saddle up, my friend. We’re riding out now and not looking back.
    â€”Terry C. Johnston
Summit Springs Battleground
Colorado Territory
    July 11, 1988

Characters
    Seamus Donegan
    Cheyenne
    Tall Bull (Tatonka Haska)
    Feathered Bear
    Breaks The Arrow
    Big Head
    Yellow Nose
    Plenty of Bull Meat
    Pile of Bones
    Red Cherries
    Heavy Furred Wolf
    Pretty Bear
    Bullet Proof
    Bobtailed Porcupine
    White Man’s Ladder
    Wolf Friend
    Two Crows
    Lone Bear
    Bad Heart
    Standing Bear
    Tall Sioux
    White Horse
    Sioux
    The Whistler
    Pawnee Killer
    Army Scouts
    William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody
    James Butler Hickok
    James Curry
    John Donovan
    Bill Green
    Jack Farley
    Eli Ziegler
    Thomas Ranahan
    Pawnee Battalion
    Major Frank J. North
    Captain Luther (“Lute”) North
    Lt. Gustavus W. Becher
    Mad Bear
    Civilians
    Louisa/Lulu Cody
    Arta Cody (daughter)
    Mrs. Gustaf (Maria) Weichel
    Tom Alderdice
    Mrs. Thomas (Susanna) Alderdice (and infant)
    Nebraska Governor David Butler
    J. E. Welch
    I. P. Boyer (trader @ Fort McPherson)
    William McDonald (contract sutler @ Fort McPherson)
    William Reed (clerk for sutler McDonald @ Fort McPherson)
    Dave Perry (owner/California Keg House Exchange–North Platte)
    Walt Mason (innkeeper—Sheridan, Kansas)
    Dave Cook (Denver City Marshal)
    Robert Teat (son: Eugene Teat)—owners of Elephant Corral
    Nate Williams—horse thief
    Bill Bevins—horse thief
    Reuben Wood (contract sutler at Fort Sedgwick)
    John Wilson—wagon-master, winter campaign, Fifth Cavalry
    Soldiers
    Major General C. C. Augur—Commander, Dept. of the Platte
    Colonel Henry C. Bankhead
    Captain Samuel B. Lauffer—Fort Wallace Quartermaster
    Captain Israel Ezekial
    Captain George Wallace Graham
    Captain William H. Penrose—Third Infantry
    Reuben Waller—10th Negro Cavalry

FIELD AND COMPANY OFFICERS
Fifth U.S. Cavalry
    Colonel—William H. Emory
    Lieutenant Colonel—Thomas Duncan
    Major—Eugene A. Carr
    Major—William B. Royall
    Major—Eugene W. Crittenden
    Captain Sylvanus E. Cushing
    Adjutant—Robert H. Montgomery
    Quartermaster—Alfred B. Taylor (till 6/22/69)
    â€”Edward M. Hayes (after 6/22/69)
    Sergeant-Major—Joseph H. Maynard
    Quartermaster-Sergeant—John Young
    Chief