" Then he lay
close and watched, and listened, many times putting his
ear to the ground. At last he gave an exclamation. It
was in a whisper; but the silent rebels who lay there,
mute as the husht trees around them, could well hear the
words, "they come!"
Let me now briefly describe the position which the rebel
had chosen for himself. About five miles from McIntosh's
stand two bluffs, about five hundred yards apart, thickly
wooded on the top. Between these bluffs is a level open
prairie that extends backward about a thousand yards,
across which there runs a deep ravine, thickly timbered
at the bottom.
Now, on the morning of Friday, the twenty-fourth of April,
General Middleton, who was still on the march to Batoche's,
was riding with his staff, well in front. With him was
Major Boulton's Horse, who acted as scouts. As they were
passing the two bluffs named, suddenly the crack of
musketry rang out upon the prairie. Major Boulton now
perceived that he had fallen into an ambush. At the same
time that deadly balls and buck-shot came whistling and
cutting spitefully through the air, there arose from both
bluffs the most diabolical yelling. For miles over the
silent prairies could these murderous yells be heard.
Nor were the rebel balls fired without effect. Captain
Gardner fell bleeding upon the ground, and several of
the men had also fallen.
General Middleton, who had been some little distance in
the rear was speedily apprised of the surprise, and
dashing on toward the rebels' hold he met Boulton's Horse
retiring for reinforcements.
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