All their horses soon were shot down, and the men lay in the rifle pits with no hope of escape.
Roman Nose, enraged at the resistance put up by Forsyth's men, led a band of some four hundred of his warriors in the most desperate charge that has been recorded in all our Indian fighting annals.

It was rarely that the Indian would charge at all; but these tribesmen, stripped naked for the encounter, and led at first by that giant warrior, who came on shouting his defiance, charged in full view not only once but three times in one day, and got within a hundred feet of the foot of the island where the scouts were lying.
According to Forsyth's report, the Indians came on in regular ranks like the cavalry of the white men, more than four hundred strong.

They were met by the fire of repeating carbines and revolvers, and they stood for the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth fire of repeating weapons, and still charged in! Roman Nose was killed at last within touch of the rifle pits against which he was leading his men.

The second charge was less desperate, for the savages lost heart after the loss of their leader.

The third one, delivered towards the evening of that same day, was desultory.