“Headquarters, Fort Wallace, Kansas, September 22, 1868, 11:00 P.M. Brevet Lieut.-Colonel L. H. CARPENTER, 10th U. S. Cavalry. On Scout. Colonel: The Commanding Officer directs you to proceed at once to a point on the “Dry Fork of the Republican,” about seventy-five or eighty miles north, northwest from this point, thirty or forty miles west by a little south from the forks of the Republic, with all possible despatch. Two scouts from Colonel Forsyth’s command arrived here this evening and bring word that he (Forsyth) was attacked on the morning of Thursday last by an overwhelming force of Indians (700), who killed all the animals, broke Colonel Forsyth’s left leg with a rifle ball, severely wounding him in the groin, wounded Doctor Mooers in the head, and wounded Lieutenant Beecher in several places. His back is supposed to be broken. Two men of the command were killed and eighteen or twenty wounded. The men bringing the word crawled on hands and knees two miles, and then traveled only by night on account of the Indians, whom they saw daily. Forsyth’s men were intrenched in the dry bed of the creek with a well in the trench, but had only horse-flesh to eat and only sixty rounds of ammunition. General Sheridan orders that the greatest despatch be used and every means employed to succor Forsyth at once. Colonel Bradley with six companies is now supposed by General Sheridan to be at the forks of the Republic. Colonel Bankhead will leave here in one hour with one hundred men and two mountain howitzers. Bring all your scouts with you. Order Doctor Fitzgerald at once to this post, to replace Doctor Turner, who accompanies Colonel Bankhead for the purpose of dressing the wounded of Forsyth’s party. I am, Colonel, very respectfully your obedient servant, HUGH JOHNSON, Acting Post Adjutant. 1st Lieutenant 5th Infantry.” One hour afterward Bankhead himself, with one hundred men and two howitzers and the surgeon, started for the relief of Forsyth. With Bankhead went the undaunted Stillwell as guide. Trudeau had suffered so much during the perilous journey that he was unable to accompany the relief party, and he soon afterward died from the hardships and excitement of the horrible days he had passed through. II. The Rescue of Forsyth