The Fight at Adobe Walls.
(From an Oil Painting by Miss Gwynfred Jones, Hansford, Texas.—Copyrighted.)
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
"BILLY" DIXON
OF
ADOBE WALLS, TEXAS PANHANDLE
A Narrative in Which Is Described Many Things Relating
to the Early Southwest, with an Account of the
Fight Between Indians and Buffalo Hunters at
Adobe Walls, and the Desperate Engagement
at Buffalo Wallow, for which Congress
voted the Medal of Honor to the
Survivors.
COMPILED BY
Frederick S. Barde
GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA
Copyright, 1914
By MRS. OLIVE DIXON
PRINTED BY THE
Co-Operative Publishing Co.
GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA
INDEX
| Page. | |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Preface — Introductory — What "Bat" Masterson Said of "Billy"Dixon — How the Story of His Life Was Written — Mrs. Dixon'sDevoted Industry in Setting Down the Facts of Her Husband'sLife — Fascination of the Plains Country | [10] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Dixon's Birth and Boyhood — Death of His Parents — From WestVirginia to Home of Uncle in Missouri — Lured by Romance ofPlains, the Boy Starts in Search of Adventure — ReachesLeavenworth, Kas., and Becomes a Bull-Whacker — Across thePlains — Hires to Farmer McCall | [17] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| To Fort Harker with a Drove of "Shave-tails" — Kills HisFirst Buffalo — The Medicine Lodge Treaty — ApproachingIndians — Stirring Scenes — General Harney — Satanta and HisHorse — Back to Fort Harker — Prairie Fires | [46] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| To Baxter Springs, Kas., in 1868 — Hauling Munitions of Warto Camp Supply for the Custer Expedition — All the MulesStampede in Harness — Now Eighteen Years Old and as Hard asNails — Begins Hunting Buffaloes for their Hides — Establishesa Road Ranch South of Hays City — Lost at Night | [76] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Dodge City in 1872 — Dixon Never Danced or Gambled — "Cranky"McCabe — Dangerous Country South of the Arkansas — IndianScare — Name at Boiling Spring on the South Pawnee — ShamDuel — On the Cimarron in 1873 — Prowling Cheyennes — CompanyM and the Al Frio — History of Buffalo Spring | [104] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Down in the Texas Panhandle — Ruins of Original Adobe Walls — Back to Dodge City — Fitting Out of Big Expedition toHunt Buffaloes — The Tempestuous and Spectacular Fairchild — Night Camp in the Plains Country — Dancing on a Dry BuffaloHide — Floods and Quicksands — Meets Jim and Bob Cator — Funwith Fairchild | [142] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| The Buffalo-Hunters Establish Themselves at Adobe Walls andErect Buildings — Origin of old Adobe Walls — A Long Circle inSearch of the Best Hunting Grounds — Roaring of the Vast Herd — Business Begins in Earnest — Caught in Canadian Quicksands — News at Adobe Walls of Indian Outbreaks — Dixon Forms HuntingPartnership with Hanrahan — Location of Buildings at AdobeWalls — Fancied Security | [171] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| A Thousand Indians Attack Adobe Walls at Dawn — Dixon Triesto Save His Horse — Escape of Billy Ogg — The First MightyWarwhoop — The Battle Begins — Indians Charge to the Soundof A Bugle — Bugler Shot — Dixon's Marksmanship — Indians noMatch for Hunters — Running for Supply of Ammunition — TheShadlers and Billy Tyler Killed | [200] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Dixon's Fall in Rath's Store — Companions Fear He is Shot — Dead Warrior's Lance — Dismal Cawing of Pet Crow — WoundedHorses — Killing an Indian at 1200 Yards — Henry Lease Goesfor Help — Old Man Bellfield and the Black Flag — Death ofWilliam Olds — Lost Relics | [218] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Depredations of Indians — Quanah Parker — Buffalo-HuntingAbandoned — Departure for Dodge City — Dixon Becomes a ScoutUnder General Miles — Back to Adobe Walls with LieutenantFrank Baldwin — Indians Kill George Huffman in Sight ofSoldiers — Terror of the Negro Cook — Pleasing Story ofDixon's Dog — Fannie and Her Pups | [237] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Dixon's Most Perilous Adventure — Buffalo Wallow Fight — Terrible Suffering of Wounded Companions — Rescues AmosChapman — Indians Charging Upon all Sides — Saved by aCold September Rain — The Long, Dreary Night — Death ofSmith — Dixon Starts for Aid — Meets Wagon Train Escorted byMajor Price — Heartless Indifference to Wounded Men — HelpComes from General Miles — The Medal of Honor Awarded | [254] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Blizzard Experience — Shooting at Jack Stilwell's Ear — Indignation and Horror of Old Army Officer — Rescue ofthe Germain Captives — Finding of Julia and Adelaide inGray Beard's Deserted Camp — Pitiable Objects — Catherineand Sophia Carried to the Staked Plains — Restored by ChiefStone Calf — With Captain Nolan on the Staked Plains — NoWater — Finds Double Lakes and Saves Command | [281] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| Back to Civilian Life — Builds His Home at Old Adobe Walls — Plants First Alfalfa in Panhandle — The Dixon Orchard — Appointed Postmaster — Candy and Chewing Gum for theCowboys — Married in 1894 — Serves as Justice-of-the-Peaceand Sheriff — Panhandle Pioneers — Changing Conditions — Breakingup of Big Cattle Ranches — Dixon Goes Further West to CimarronCounty — Would Live it All Over Again — Helped Build an Empirein the West. | [301] |