This dash was made by a small party only to get the horses, so those engaged in it were soon driven off, but a few minutes later hundreds of savages--it was afterward learned that seven hundred warriors took part in the fight -- hitherto invisible, showed themselves on the hills overlooking the camp and so menacingly as to convince Forsyth that his defense must be one of desperation.

The only place at hand that gave any hope of successful resistance was a small island in the Arickaree, the channel on one side being about a foot deep while on the other it was completely dry; so to this position a hurried retreat was made.

All the men and the remaining animals reached the island in safety, but on account of the heavy fire poured in from the neighboring hills the packs containing the rations and medicines had to be abandoned.
On seeing Forsyth's hasty move, the Indians, thinking they had him, prepared to overwhelm the scouts by swooping down on one side of the island with about five hundred mounted warriors, while about two hundred, covered by the tall grass in the river-bottom attacked the other side, dismounted.

But the brave little band sadly disappointed them.

When the charge came it was met with such a deadly fire that a large number of the fiends were killed, some of them even after gaining the bank of the island.