Following out Buffalo Bill’s suggestion, the garrison only made a feeble reply to the heavy fusillade poured in upon them. The volleys of the Indians did little harm, most of their bullets burying themselves harmlessly in the thick walls of the log fort. Two of the soldiers were killed by bullets which entered the loopholes through which they were firing, and three others were slightly wounded. On the other hand, at least a dozen redskins bit the dust in the first few minutes’ fighting, although only twenty or thirty men fired at them. They approached nearer to the fort, and the colonel ordered another twenty-five men to join the firing party. By gradually increasing the resistance, he wanted to make it appear that he was putting forth his greatest possible effort to repel the onslaught. Suddenly there was a loud war whoop, which Buffalo Bill recognized as coming from the renegade, Kennelly. Next moment the entire force of the Indians leaped to their feet and charged toward the fort, uttering a chorus of frightful yells that would have made the blood of most men run cold. When the leaders of the host were within about thirty yards of the walls, the colonel shouted: “Now, boys, let them have it!” Instantly there was a blaze of flame all around the fort. Over five hundred rifles discharged their dreaded messengers of death at the same moment, and the four field guns, posted one at each corner of the fort, hailed shell at the advancing Indians, tearing terrible gaps in their ranks. It was impossible for any army to withstand such a sudden and fearful shock. The redskins halted with one accord, as if they had suddenly been struck with paralysis. Next moment they turned and fled, in spite of the frantic efforts of their chiefs to rally them. Another volley was poured into them as they ran, and they fell all around the fort by dozens. The colonel hastily gave orders for a sortie and a charge, with the idea of cutting them up as they fled and keeping them on the run. The horses were at hand, all saddled, for this purpose, and in less than two minutes three hundred men were speeding from the fort, headed by Buffalo Bill. But by this time the Indians had reached their own horses and were galloping away in all directions. Many of them were shot before they could escape, and the rest were chased for two or three miles, until they began to bunch together in strong parties and return the fire of the white men. Then Buffalo Bill, who had been placed in charge of the pursuing party by the colonel, ordered a retreat to the fort. He did not wish to get too far away in the darkness and risk spoiling the great victory by a subsequent reverse. The Indians still greatly outnumbered the band under his command, and if they turned on him they would be able to do serious damage. He, therefore, gave them a parting volley and rode back at the head of his men.