Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski
Given Nickname(s)
• "Wobomagonda" / "White Devil"
• The Blackwater Reaper
• The Hanged Man
• The Dead Man
• The Mountain Man
• The Montana Kid
• The Demon
• The Butcher
• Legend of the North
Allegiance
• Canadian Commonwealth Goverment / Dominion of Canada
• United States of America
Service/branch
• 7th Municipal Militia (1885)
• United States Army (1889 - 1890)
• Expedition of Man (Mercenary) (1890 - 1892)
• Royal Canadian Forces (1892 - 1894)
• North American Defense Forces (1894 - 1897)
• Blackwater Militia / 1st Blackwater Dragoons (1897)
• The Commonwealth of West Elizabeth's Mounted Rangers (1899)
Years of service
• 1885 - 1897
Rank
• Private
• Corporal
• Sergeant
• Lieutenant
• Captain
• Major
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel
• Brigadier General
• Major General
• Lieutenant General
Unit
• 1st Section - 7th Municipal Militia (1885 - 1886)
• U.S. Army Scouting Company "Rangers" - United States Army (1889 - 1890)
• Royal Canadian Commonwealth Dragoons - Mercenary attache (1890 - 1892)
• Royal Legion of Rifles, 1st Company "Foxes" / Radzikowski's Raiders - Royal Canadian Forces (1892 - 1894)
• 1st Company, Highland Guards / Radzikowski's Rangers / West Elizabeth Mounted Police - North American Defense Force (1894 - 1897)
• General Staff - Blackwater Militia / 1st Blackwater Dragoons (1897)
Wars
• North-West Rebellion / Ruthless Revolt (1885)
• Insurrectionist War (1889 - 1890)
• Expedition of Man / Expedition-Frontier War (1890 - 1892)
• Second Mexican American War (1892 - 1893)
American-Frontier War (1893 - 1894)
• American-Indian War (1894 - 1896)
• Mexican Revolutionary War (1897)
Major Battles
• Siege of the Red Mountain
• Battle of Lake Don Julio
• Battle of Benedict Point
• Battle of Gaptooth Ridge
• Siege of El Presidio
• Battle of Las Hermanas
• Siege of Chuparosa
• Siege of Tesoro Azul
• Raid on MacFarlane's Ranch
• Battle of Riley's Charge
• Battle of Gory Ridge
• Siege of Fort Mercer
• Battle of Hamlet's Passing
• Battle of Cholla Springs
• Battle of Mascalero
• Battle of Tall Trees
• Siege of Cochinay
• Battle of Butter Bridge
• Siege of Torquemada
• Second Siege of El Presidio
• Battle of El Matadero
• Siege of Escalera
• Battle of Rathskellar Fork
• "Wobomagonda" / "White Devil"
• The Blackwater Reaper
• The Hanged Man
• The Dead Man
• The Mountain Man
• The Montana Kid
• The Demon
• The Butcher
• Legend of the North
Allegiance
• Canadian Commonwealth Goverment / Dominion of Canada
• United States of America
Service/branch
• 7th Municipal Militia (1885)
• United States Army (1889 - 1890)
• Expedition of Man (Mercenary) (1890 - 1892)
• Royal Canadian Forces (1892 - 1894)
• North American Defense Forces (1894 - 1897)
• Blackwater Militia / 1st Blackwater Dragoons (1897)
• The Commonwealth of West Elizabeth's Mounted Rangers (1899)
Years of service
• 1885 - 1897
Rank
• Private
• Corporal
• Sergeant
• Lieutenant
• Captain
• Major
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel
• Brigadier General
• Major General
• Lieutenant General
Unit
• 1st Section - 7th Municipal Militia (1885 - 1886)
• U.S. Army Scouting Company "Rangers" - United States Army (1889 - 1890)
• Royal Canadian Commonwealth Dragoons - Mercenary attache (1890 - 1892)
• Royal Legion of Rifles, 1st Company "Foxes" / Radzikowski's Raiders - Royal Canadian Forces (1892 - 1894)
• 1st Company, Highland Guards / Radzikowski's Rangers / West Elizabeth Mounted Police - North American Defense Force (1894 - 1897)
• General Staff - Blackwater Militia / 1st Blackwater Dragoons (1897)
Wars
• North-West Rebellion / Ruthless Revolt (1885)
• Insurrectionist War (1889 - 1890)
• Expedition of Man / Expedition-Frontier War (1890 - 1892)
• Second Mexican American War (1892 - 1893)
American-Frontier War (1893 - 1894)
• American-Indian War (1894 - 1896)
• Mexican Revolutionary War (1897)
Major Battles
• Siege of the Red Mountain
• Battle of Lake Don Julio
• Battle of Benedict Point
• Battle of Gaptooth Ridge
• Siege of El Presidio
• Battle of Las Hermanas
• Siege of Chuparosa
• Siege of Tesoro Azul
• Raid on MacFarlane's Ranch
• Battle of Riley's Charge
• Battle of Gory Ridge
• Siege of Fort Mercer
• Battle of Hamlet's Passing
• Battle of Cholla Springs
• Battle of Mascalero
• Battle of Tall Trees
• Siege of Cochinay
• Battle of Butter Bridge
• Siege of Torquemada
• Second Siege of El Presidio
• Battle of El Matadero
• Siege of Escalera
• Battle of Rathskellar Fork
Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski or commonly known as Matthew Radzikowski, is a Polish-Canadian frontiersman, trapper, farmer, trader, ranger, hunter, explorer and former service member, mercenary and gunslinger raised in North America. Radzikowski has a service record in the Canadian Army, United States Army, North American Defense Force, as well as other numerous professional and militia forces. He had achieved the rank of Lieutenant-General and served in multiple wars throughout the 1880s-1890s, giving him pre-existing military training and experience. A master of multiple disciplines and a formidable fighter, his prowess comes in regards to his fighting & leadership skills. His weapon of choice is the Hutton & Baird Schofield Revolver, which he regarded as "the greatest handgun ever made." Radzikowski serves as the executive head of the historic "Commonwealth of West Elizabeth's Mounted Rangers" or otherwise known as simply the Blackwater Rangers.
Regarded as a "killing gentleman", Radzikowski has been credited as a fearsome hunter and tracker and expert in guerrilla combat, becoming one of the most notorious fighters in the 1890s. Radzikowski was commissioned by the Governor of the West Elizabeth; to form an elite ranger regiment, trained for raiding and close combat behind enemy lines to protect the frontier. Radzikowski himself is responsible for the welfare and care for his unit, he also organizes and leads the group in all of it's entirety such as giving out tasks and helping people in need.
Radzikowski served in various military forces and fought in several different wars. He previously commanded a company to raid Cochinay during American-Indian War in 1895, as Native American and United States hostilities played out in the Five Frontier States. His first service was as a commanding officer for a irregular fighting contingent of an elite U.S. Marshal-Army task force before serving as a mercenary for a short period of time. He was then commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Forces and served with the unit for a period of time, eventually making his way to lieutenant-general before ending his professional service in 1897.
Radzikowski designed his forces to emulate Native American & guerilla practices of warfare. Toward this end, he worked to adopt techniques of elite, flexible forces that used the woods and ground for cover, rather than mounting frontal attacks in military formation.
Radzikowski developed his units as elite frontiersmen and combined several practices mixed into one. Members are selected for their frontier skills, in order to carry out wartime tasks against hostiles in difficult terrain, provide policing and security, as well as hunt for people and materials and provide logistical support to the innocent populace. During his military service, he used his troops as irregulars where the normal practices of having troops march and attack in formation were ineffective.
Radzikowski joined the United States Army Cavalry, he also later enlisted into the Canadian Army and then the North American Defense Force ranked as a 1st Lieutenant and was later promoted to Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, and then Lieutenant General for courages actions and leadership. Completed basic and advanced training during his military service. Performed initial service at various stations, including raids, massacres, and peacekeeping tours. Completed Mountain Warfare training. Assigned primarily as a Company Commander for the majority of his service. Completed the Sharpshooter Selection Course and later the Qualification course. Sent for first assignment at Copper Marsh. Served a total of 18 deployments shortly afterwards just in time for discharge. Served in the final Battle of Rathskeller Fork where he earned the Victoria Cross.
Though he is neither a particularly brilliant strategist nor tactically flexible, his experience and his training is infamous. His reputation made him feared by friend and foe alike. He has been considered to be one of the most feared & respected people within the Frontier. He is ferocious on the offense and unforgiving on the defense. His reputation as a fearsome adversary is well-earned. He has been known to mercilessly exploit the mistakes of his enemies. He is dangerous, unpredictable, and above all else legendary for being impossible to kill or defeat, even by some of the most reputable enemies. His death at the hands of Mexican Army sharpshooters during the Second Mexican-American War was reported no less than five times. Such was trust in him that he was given his own personal units to lead. His service was initially successful, and during the wars, he initiated guerrilla tactics, utilizing explosives and sniping enemy officers. Radzikowski, is able to adapt different tactics, and deal the enemy with crushing blows.
His fighting career was over after his last battle, at Rathskellar Fork in 1897, left Radzikowski infuriated with loss. He had a major argument with his former commanding officer and life-long friend regarding the battle. His commanding officer disavowed him, as an example that he wouldn't accept disloyalty from even the highest-ranked members. He held his commanding officer and life-long friend personally responsible for what happened and left the service for good.
Radzikowski has a superb reputation for ensuring the survival of his troops and their eventual return home. He also maintains a reputation of mastering psychological warfare. He is known to impart his tactical & psychological wisdom upon the men serving under him. He often injects a sense of comedy here as well, noting the strengths and weaknesses of opposing enemy forces.
Radzikowski is not one for pointless small talk during official service. During service, he is a man of few words, with a gruff, stoic personality that is complemented by a dark sense of humor. Outside of service, he can be an all-around friendly person to raise morale for his members. He firmly believes in giving 110% in everything he does, and applies this in the field of battle.
"In short, Radzikowski is a warrior, he does his job, nothing more, nothing less. Even if that means dying for his brothers, all is the life of the leader of the Rangers" - Nathaniel Perez, long-time friend of Radzikowski
Regarded as a "killing gentleman", Radzikowski has been credited as a fearsome hunter and tracker and expert in guerrilla combat, becoming one of the most notorious fighters in the 1890s. Radzikowski was commissioned by the Governor of the West Elizabeth; to form an elite ranger regiment, trained for raiding and close combat behind enemy lines to protect the frontier. Radzikowski himself is responsible for the welfare and care for his unit, he also organizes and leads the group in all of it's entirety such as giving out tasks and helping people in need.
Radzikowski served in various military forces and fought in several different wars. He previously commanded a company to raid Cochinay during American-Indian War in 1895, as Native American and United States hostilities played out in the Five Frontier States. His first service was as a commanding officer for a irregular fighting contingent of an elite U.S. Marshal-Army task force before serving as a mercenary for a short period of time. He was then commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Forces and served with the unit for a period of time, eventually making his way to lieutenant-general before ending his professional service in 1897.
Radzikowski designed his forces to emulate Native American & guerilla practices of warfare. Toward this end, he worked to adopt techniques of elite, flexible forces that used the woods and ground for cover, rather than mounting frontal attacks in military formation.
Radzikowski developed his units as elite frontiersmen and combined several practices mixed into one. Members are selected for their frontier skills, in order to carry out wartime tasks against hostiles in difficult terrain, provide policing and security, as well as hunt for people and materials and provide logistical support to the innocent populace. During his military service, he used his troops as irregulars where the normal practices of having troops march and attack in formation were ineffective.
Radzikowski joined the United States Army Cavalry, he also later enlisted into the Canadian Army and then the North American Defense Force ranked as a 1st Lieutenant and was later promoted to Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, and then Lieutenant General for courages actions and leadership. Completed basic and advanced training during his military service. Performed initial service at various stations, including raids, massacres, and peacekeeping tours. Completed Mountain Warfare training. Assigned primarily as a Company Commander for the majority of his service. Completed the Sharpshooter Selection Course and later the Qualification course. Sent for first assignment at Copper Marsh. Served a total of 18 deployments shortly afterwards just in time for discharge. Served in the final Battle of Rathskeller Fork where he earned the Victoria Cross.
Though he is neither a particularly brilliant strategist nor tactically flexible, his experience and his training is infamous. His reputation made him feared by friend and foe alike. He has been considered to be one of the most feared & respected people within the Frontier. He is ferocious on the offense and unforgiving on the defense. His reputation as a fearsome adversary is well-earned. He has been known to mercilessly exploit the mistakes of his enemies. He is dangerous, unpredictable, and above all else legendary for being impossible to kill or defeat, even by some of the most reputable enemies. His death at the hands of Mexican Army sharpshooters during the Second Mexican-American War was reported no less than five times. Such was trust in him that he was given his own personal units to lead. His service was initially successful, and during the wars, he initiated guerrilla tactics, utilizing explosives and sniping enemy officers. Radzikowski, is able to adapt different tactics, and deal the enemy with crushing blows.
His fighting career was over after his last battle, at Rathskellar Fork in 1897, left Radzikowski infuriated with loss. He had a major argument with his former commanding officer and life-long friend regarding the battle. His commanding officer disavowed him, as an example that he wouldn't accept disloyalty from even the highest-ranked members. He held his commanding officer and life-long friend personally responsible for what happened and left the service for good.
Radzikowski has a superb reputation for ensuring the survival of his troops and their eventual return home. He also maintains a reputation of mastering psychological warfare. He is known to impart his tactical & psychological wisdom upon the men serving under him. He often injects a sense of comedy here as well, noting the strengths and weaknesses of opposing enemy forces.
Radzikowski is not one for pointless small talk during official service. During service, he is a man of few words, with a gruff, stoic personality that is complemented by a dark sense of humor. Outside of service, he can be an all-around friendly person to raise morale for his members. He firmly believes in giving 110% in everything he does, and applies this in the field of battle.
"In short, Radzikowski is a warrior, he does his job, nothing more, nothing less. Even if that means dying for his brothers, all is the life of the leader of the Rangers" - Nathaniel Perez, long-time friend of Radzikowski
Early Life
Mateuszek Jaskuska-Radzikowski was born on June 4th, 1871 to Polish settlers in a small town in northeastern Canada. The town served as a staging point for European settlers bound for the wilderness of Canada. Radzikowski was raised according to modern practices. He resided for a time in Toronto and later lived in Blackwater, West Elizabeth. His father was a former guerilla sniper who saw action in Poland and started working as a hunter and construction worker when he moved to Canada. His mother became involved in leisure business. Mateuszek was the oldest member of his immediate family, with one brother and sister. With both parents working, Mateuszek grew up independent and self-reliant. He also took on the responsibility of purchasing a dog and helping to raise his younger siblings, instilling in him a strong sense of leadership.
When Mateuszek was eleven years old, his family relocated to a new home in the district of Lakeview, in present-day Mississauga where his father taught him the art of survival and warfare. Mateuszek spent his formative years with his father learning to inherit his father's skills. In 1883, he went with his father on an expedition to finalize his skills. He traveled across Canada. While traveling with his father, it was in Arrowhead Run river that he would have a fateful encounter with two hunters who were attempting to hunt a legendary bear. One Native American named Adahy and one English-Canadian named Richard McCarren, who had been originally dispatched to study the tribal dialects that had begun to emerge in the region but instead became tasked with hunting "Caesar" the Legendary Bear. Mateuszek and his father decided to help them on their task and later killed the bear.
In 1885, the Northwest Rebellion broke out in Midwestern Canada and, spread to Eastern Canada. Radzikowski quickly took to the fight, joined a reserve militia scouting company led by Richard McCarren. During his youth, saw service as a private and was later promoted to Corporal and finally Sergeant, both times guarding the frontier. As the Northwest Rebellion ended, another war started in it's place known as the Ruthless Revolt, which started in mid-1885. Having stated that he would "ride to hell and back" for his commanding officer, Radzikowski saw numerous battles throughout the war, including action at the Battle of Copper Marsh.
After the war, he discovered his family's home destroyed, and his family was forced to flee further north. His dog was killed, and his commanding officer, Richard McCarren attempted to assist Radzikowski in recuperation but was burned and hung by a group of former rebels known as the "The Ruffians". Radzikowski then set out to seek his revenge on the criminals responsible, ultimately leading him into a life of darkness and violence.
In 1887, Radzikowski visited the peaceful Black Bear Tribe. At the time, the tribe was at war with several other tribes and gangs, a war they were clearly losing. Unwilling to witness their destruction, Radzikowski chose to use his knowledge to train the Black Bear tribe in the art of warfare after witnessing their lack of knowledge firsthand. Taking what he learned from his father, he showed them how to clean and maintain guns, operate with small unit tactics, create their own explosives, and to strike at their weakest enemies first: divide et impera - divide and conquer. He quickly impressed them enough to the point where he was made an ally and took the name "Saviour of Men." Radzikowski soon became a translator, but soon enough, translation became giving orders, and giving orders became leading in battle, training, and fighting. Eventually, all tribes and were either destroyed or incorporated into the Black Bear Tribe and at this time, Radzikowski, together with Chief Blue Hawk formed the tribe into a large war legion out of the tribes that had either been conquered or had chosen to capitulate to avoid extermination, and Radzikowski was distraught at what he turned the Black Bear Tribe into and chose to leave. Radzikowski then became involved with a gang of counterfeiters & robbers, he held an outlaws life for a temporary time. He joined up with the Roscoe-Dolton Gang and robbed banks, held up trains and stagecoaches and killed members of the innocent populace. During the 1888 Infamous Bank Robbery of Shawston, he escaped the scene of the robbery with over $10,000 and successfully evaded all forms of capture. Not wanting to continue a criminal's life, he went back to Shawston and surrendered to law enforcement. He was imprisoned and indicted but the case was never brought to trial, resulting in him being set free and dropped of all charges.
When Mateuszek was eleven years old, his family relocated to a new home in the district of Lakeview, in present-day Mississauga where his father taught him the art of survival and warfare. Mateuszek spent his formative years with his father learning to inherit his father's skills. In 1883, he went with his father on an expedition to finalize his skills. He traveled across Canada. While traveling with his father, it was in Arrowhead Run river that he would have a fateful encounter with two hunters who were attempting to hunt a legendary bear. One Native American named Adahy and one English-Canadian named Richard McCarren, who had been originally dispatched to study the tribal dialects that had begun to emerge in the region but instead became tasked with hunting "Caesar" the Legendary Bear. Mateuszek and his father decided to help them on their task and later killed the bear.
In 1885, the Northwest Rebellion broke out in Midwestern Canada and, spread to Eastern Canada. Radzikowski quickly took to the fight, joined a reserve militia scouting company led by Richard McCarren. During his youth, saw service as a private and was later promoted to Corporal and finally Sergeant, both times guarding the frontier. As the Northwest Rebellion ended, another war started in it's place known as the Ruthless Revolt, which started in mid-1885. Having stated that he would "ride to hell and back" for his commanding officer, Radzikowski saw numerous battles throughout the war, including action at the Battle of Copper Marsh.
After the war, he discovered his family's home destroyed, and his family was forced to flee further north. His dog was killed, and his commanding officer, Richard McCarren attempted to assist Radzikowski in recuperation but was burned and hung by a group of former rebels known as the "The Ruffians". Radzikowski then set out to seek his revenge on the criminals responsible, ultimately leading him into a life of darkness and violence.
In 1887, Radzikowski visited the peaceful Black Bear Tribe. At the time, the tribe was at war with several other tribes and gangs, a war they were clearly losing. Unwilling to witness their destruction, Radzikowski chose to use his knowledge to train the Black Bear tribe in the art of warfare after witnessing their lack of knowledge firsthand. Taking what he learned from his father, he showed them how to clean and maintain guns, operate with small unit tactics, create their own explosives, and to strike at their weakest enemies first: divide et impera - divide and conquer. He quickly impressed them enough to the point where he was made an ally and took the name "Saviour of Men." Radzikowski soon became a translator, but soon enough, translation became giving orders, and giving orders became leading in battle, training, and fighting. Eventually, all tribes and were either destroyed or incorporated into the Black Bear Tribe and at this time, Radzikowski, together with Chief Blue Hawk formed the tribe into a large war legion out of the tribes that had either been conquered or had chosen to capitulate to avoid extermination, and Radzikowski was distraught at what he turned the Black Bear Tribe into and chose to leave. Radzikowski then became involved with a gang of counterfeiters & robbers, he held an outlaws life for a temporary time. He joined up with the Roscoe-Dolton Gang and robbed banks, held up trains and stagecoaches and killed members of the innocent populace. During the 1888 Infamous Bank Robbery of Shawston, he escaped the scene of the robbery with over $10,000 and successfully evaded all forms of capture. Not wanting to continue a criminal's life, he went back to Shawston and surrendered to law enforcement. He was imprisoned and indicted but the case was never brought to trial, resulting in him being set free and dropped of all charges.
Insurrectionist War (1889 - 1890)
In 1889 Radzikowski moved to the United States to pursue a life of adventure. Radzikowski later became a principal military aide to the Governor of New Austin. A need was recognized for a joint task force mixed with an elite U.S. Army Cavalry Scouting Company and a U.S. Marshals group, in which Radzikowski was called up to serve. He was commissioned as a Captain and led the Army portion of the task force, nicknamed the Rangers. He served with Austin Graham, who was responsible for the Marshal section and was overall in charge of the task force, whom he fought with against insurrectionists on the New Austin frontier. He is best known during this time for commanding a company of U.S. Army Cavalrymen. Radzikowski's men were the first force in New Austin to be successful in raiding hostile camps in forests and swamps.
Radzikowski was allowed to recruit veterans and Native Americans after he and other leaders realized that traditional military tactics were ineffective in frontier warfare. He also persuaded many neutral or formerly hostile members to surrender and join his unit, where they operated skillfully as irregular troops. Some of these men had converted to settlements after the war. They were known as the Civilized Men. After being organized by Radzikowski, these troops tracked hostile forces into the forests and swamps, and conducted effective raids and ambushes on their camps.
Siege of the Red Mountain
On December 19, 1889 in Rio Bravo, New Austin, Radzikowski took part in the Siege of the Red Mountain. Red Mountain was a large group of rock formations known as Repentance Rock, that was nicknamed Red Mountain due to previous battles. The area was seized by a group of insurrectionist rebels and the task force was responsible for removing enemy presence.
The Siege of the Red Mountain was a key episode in the elimination of the Insurrectionists. The besieged rebel forces were prepared for an extended siege and managed to put up massive resistance to government forces who had previously attempted to assault the mountain, effectively killing all government forces. However, under later, more ambiguous circumstances, their defense turned into a massacre, and most of the men were killed.
The elite joint task force was assigned the siege on December 18th, 1889, several days after the failed government assaults. By the next day, the elite joint task force approached the Red Mountain from the east, they came under heavy fire and many troops were wounded or killed before effectively retaliating. The joint task force was unprepared for the assault, and the insurrectionists initially had the upper hand, able to hold off the attackers. Lead elements of the task force, including members of the Rangers, led by Radzikowski executed a tactical flanking maneuver across an industrial area known as Plainview while using their prowess in marksmanship to pick off enemy sharpshooters. The flanking element pushed across two different rock sites and killed enemy sharpshooters in the process. The insurrectionists, unable to adapt strategies in combat, attempted to pursue the Rangers. They did not realize that the Rangers set up an ambush along their line of flank and were drawing the the insurrectionists into a trap. The flanking element pushed to a large rock just a few hundred meters west of the Red Mountain while being pursued by rebel forces. When the insurrectionist forces followed them, Radzikowski and his men slaughtered them in a narrow pass, however some enemy troops managed to survive and attempted to flank the attackers. Radzikowski realizing this, hid his troops in a series of brush and ambushed the remaining party. After neutralizing the pursuing forces, Radzikowski's flanking element then managed to inflict severe casualties on insurrectionist forces and crippled their defense. The task force successfully followed through with the attack and eventually destroyed the opposing forces, some of which fled south back over to Mexico.
Red Mountain held an important garrison for rebel forces. It was located in Rio Bravo, near Plainview. Prior to the Siege, the rebellion had spread to several areas in New Austin, particularly Cholla Springs and Rio Bravo. Prior to the assault by the joint task force, the initial government contingent consisted of around nine hundred troops and had attempted to quell the rebellion but to negative avail and many troops were slaughtered in the first attempted assault on the Red Mountain. In case of the Insurrectionists, the most suitable defensive location was Red Mountain. It had thick defenses, ample paths, and hosted several ambush points. The choice of this location to make a stand remains controversial, given the availability of safer and more defensible places in Gaptooth Ridge. It is believed that they were expecting reinforcements to come from the western part of region but no such reinforcements came, which allowed the joint task force to eliminate and successfully destroy the majority of the opposing forces.
It was during this battle that Radzikowski was wounded while playing a leading role in the battle. His forces killed an estimated 300 insurrectionist warriors.
After the Siege of the Red Mountain, Radzikowski and his forces hoped to eliminate the surviving insurrectionists. Following the capture of the Red Mountain, the discovery of the massacre, and receiving reports of several towns being slaughtered by insurrectionist troops, the angry task force engaged in widespread retaliation against captured rebel soldiers. The murders greatly embittered rank-and-file and inspired the war cry "Remember Red Mountain!". Radzikowski and others later became stranded in enemy territory and without provisions. Their expedition had to fight to survive and eventually were forced to hunt and scavenge for food for a brief period of time. This was known as the Battle of Lake Don Julio.
Battle of Lake Don Julio
The Battle of the Lake Don Julio was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Insurrectionist and Apache tribes against the U.S. Cavalry Scouting Company "Rangers" of the elite joint Marshal-Ranger task force. The battle resulted in the retreat of the U.S. forces from the area and was the most significant action of the Insurrectionists during the Insurrectionist War. It took place on January 25th along Lake Don Julio and Rio del Robo. The US's elite Cavalry Scouting Company, a force of some 50 men led by Captain Mateuszek Radzikowski, suffered a major string of attacks by the hostile groups.
On January 14th 1890, Austin Graham received reports of Insurrectionists establishing a camp in the Lake Don Julio area. He was told that the Insurrectionists established an alliance with the "Buffalo" Apache Tribe. Lake Don Julio was located near the confluence of Armadillo and within the Cholla Springs Region. Radzikowski was tasked with leading his unit to root out and eliminate all hostile resistance around Lake Don Julio. Capt. Mateuszek Radzikowski's elite column marched east from Fort Mercer to patrol Lake Don Julio and Rio del Robo. They moved along to set up an encampment. It was operating with incorrect assumptions as to the number of hostiles it would encounter. These assumptions were based on inaccurate information provided by the U.S. Marshals that no more than 40 to 60 hostiles were in the area. The U.S. Marshals based this estimate on the number of troops were reportedly killed in the Siege of the Red Mountain. Radzikowski was more concerned with preventing the escape of the Insurrectionists than with fighting them. From his own observation, Radzikowski assumed the enemy had been sleeping on the early morning of the battle, to which gave Radzikowski a false estimate of what he was up against.
Once Radzikowski arrived and established their campsite, it was at this point their coordination and planning began to go awry on January 24th, when Radzikowski's column was ambushed and attacked at Rio del Robo to the southeast of Lake Don Julio. Surprised and astonished by the unusually large numbers of Insurrectionists, Radzikowski attempted to hold the field but felt it was necessary to to pull back to more strategic ground. Unaware of the enemy's battle plan, Radzikowski proceeded to establish a defensive line around their encampment at the lake. They then reviewed the enemy's plans and eventually attempted to move in a easterly-direction toward Green Hollow and Brittlebrushe Trawl. As this was the likely location of hostile encampments, the element had been instructed to converge there around in an attempt to engulf the enemy. Radzikowski then ordered his unit to begin a reconnaissance-in-force and pursuit along the San Luis River. Radzikowski had initially wanted to take a day and establish better defenses around the establishment before pursuing any hostile parties; however, they discovered they were being back-trailed by Indians. Reports from his scouts also revealed fresh tracks from ridges overlooking his formation. It became apparent that the enemy was either aware of or would soon be aware of his approach.
Enemy troops, led by William Adair, began to prepare for an immediate attack. Adair's field strategy was designed to engage noncombatants near the encampments so as to capture women, children, and the elderly or disabled to serve as hostages to convince Radzikowski to surrender and comply with orders to relocate. It was observed that if Radzikowski could occupy the surrounding towns before the rebels were able to, the rebels would be instead obliged to surrender, because if they started to fight, they would've lost the engagement. The first attack was at 3:34 AM, being ordered to charge, the enemy began the phase of the battle. The orders had been to pursue and destroy all government forces. They immediately realized that Radzikowski's unit was present "in force and not running away." The enemy had no idea of the length, depth and size of the encampment they were attacking. Realizing the full extent of the assault, the enemy quickly suspected "a trap" and stopped a few hundred yards short of the encampment before being heavily ambushed by Radzikowski's men.
Radzikowski ordered his troops to operate in a skirmish/light infantry role, against standard army doctrine. In this formation, every trooper was able to effectively ambush and retaliate against rebel troops. After the next morning, Radzikowski taken only one casualty, but the odds against him had risen (estimated five to one), and Graham had not reinforced him. From their position the enemy mounted an attack of more than 500 warriors against the encampment line. Their defense was immediately disrupted by attacks at close quarters. Radzikowski's troops were shaken and organized an all-around defense and fought with whatever implements they had among them, including knives and rocks. Evidence of organized resistance included breastworks made of dead horses was apparent as Radzikowski's men established a ferocious defensive line and prevented enemy troops from overrunning their encampment. Several hours later, the majority of Radzikowski's element were wounded but still in fighting condition, Radzikowski fearing that their position will eventually be overrun as due to a lack of ammunition and troops, he began planning their withdrawal from the area of battle.
In the end, the encampment that was established by Radzikowski's troops was too small to accommodate a large attack. Constant fire made it extremely difficult for Radzikowski's men to secure an escape and forced the troops to put up their most dogged defense. The extent of their resistance indicated they had few doubts about their prospects for survival. Another battle ensued, and this time the fighting lasted only "as long as it takes a hungry man to eat a meal." The Insurrectionists asserted that William Adair personally led a large group of warriors who attempted to overwhelmed the cavalrymen in a surprise charge from the east. Adair was killed in the charge by a well-placed bullet to his head, causing a breakdown in their command structure and panic among the enemy troops.
After Adair was killed, it was indicated that rebel officers restored some tactical control. A rebel company rushed off toward the encampment but failed to overrun it, which resulted in the total destruction of that company. The remainder of the battle took on the nature of a losing fight for Radzikowski. Fighting smartly, the line was held to extreme brevity by adopting guerrilla warfare tactics. Army doctrine would have called for one man in eight to be behind each line and, in extreme cases, one man in four, which would have resulted in the elimination of his unit. Radzikwski's troops have bunched together in defensive positions and shot their remaining horses as cover. On the last day of battle, under threat of attack, Radzikowski made a rally call and attempted to break out of the encampment. On January 28th, Radzikowski gathered his remaining 34 troops and began a fighting withdrawal. The advanced guard strategy went well for their breakout attempt. The column quickly pushed north and battered an enemy counterattack which had attempted to pursue the troops. Another counterattack soon cut off Radzikowski's unit and the breakout was forced to be recommenced west. Fighting by day and moving by night, Radzikowski's column escaped west, while the enemy believed that the major breakout attempt would be to the south. After realizing that Radzikowski's column was heading west, the enemy began to react. A strong mounted force launched an assault and Radzikowski's southern advanced guard turned and halted the enemy assault, severing its attack and rendering them immobile. Despite heavy snowfalls, low supplies, and encirclement, the constant movement of Radzikowski's element meant that "pocket fever" did not set in. The troops were still moving in good order and obeying discipline, while desertions were non-existent. This was a stark comparison to the panicked situation within the enemy's ranks.
By January 30th, Radzikowski reached Fort Mercer and linked up with elements of Graham's Marshals. In over several days of heavy combat, during horrid weather and with few supplies, the elite column, led by Radzikowski had managed to escape encirclement while suffering only moderate casualties. The unit was later put back into the line and established itself in Armadillo. The quick thinking of Radzikowski and his men meant that he had lost only 16 of the 50 men he had. However, while Radzikowski's troops were still disciplined, and equipped with light and personal weapons, his unit required thorough refitting and his tactics were reestablished, following more unconventional strategies in order to win battles.
End of the War
The war soon ended after an operation by the task forces elimination of the insurrectionist leader in February 14th, 1890. One of Radzikowski's Native allies killed the chieftain insurrectionist Doran Tierri. Tierri was butchered in a manner standard with punishment for treason, drawing and quartering. According to official reports; Tierri was killed by the Wolf Man, a notorious fighter—who was regarded as the deadliest hunter of gunslingers active in North America during the 20th century. It was told that he charged towards Tierri, hastily removing his shank and cruelly stabbed it down into Tierri's leg. He then ripped his weapon out and bounded over his back as Tierri keeled over from the first strike. With his dagger still in hand, the Wolf Man planted it under his victim's chin, fatally impaling his brain and leaving him to bleed on the ground.
After the war, Graham and Radzikowski had major disagreements on ethical principals of the organization and began to develop a disliking for each other, with Graham endorsing violence and "executing the weak". Graham was accused and convicted by Radzikowski of murdering multiple innocent civilians as well as unarmed prisoners, some of which Graham claimed to have "aggravated" him. Radzikowski was dismissed from service upon his request and then went back up to Canada. Upon arriving to Canada, he was later informed that he was barred from joining Graham's unit or to ever work with Graham again in any capacity. Upon realizing this, he chose to journey his way into the undiscovered frontier regions of Northern and Western Canada. He then met a man named Charles Rostad, who was leading a government-required expedition to hunt for necessary land and Radzikowski, with his experience, decided to offer his services to Rostad. He began working as a mercenary for him for a period of time.
Radzikowski was allowed to recruit veterans and Native Americans after he and other leaders realized that traditional military tactics were ineffective in frontier warfare. He also persuaded many neutral or formerly hostile members to surrender and join his unit, where they operated skillfully as irregular troops. Some of these men had converted to settlements after the war. They were known as the Civilized Men. After being organized by Radzikowski, these troops tracked hostile forces into the forests and swamps, and conducted effective raids and ambushes on their camps.
Siege of the Red Mountain
On December 19, 1889 in Rio Bravo, New Austin, Radzikowski took part in the Siege of the Red Mountain. Red Mountain was a large group of rock formations known as Repentance Rock, that was nicknamed Red Mountain due to previous battles. The area was seized by a group of insurrectionist rebels and the task force was responsible for removing enemy presence.
The Siege of the Red Mountain was a key episode in the elimination of the Insurrectionists. The besieged rebel forces were prepared for an extended siege and managed to put up massive resistance to government forces who had previously attempted to assault the mountain, effectively killing all government forces. However, under later, more ambiguous circumstances, their defense turned into a massacre, and most of the men were killed.
The elite joint task force was assigned the siege on December 18th, 1889, several days after the failed government assaults. By the next day, the elite joint task force approached the Red Mountain from the east, they came under heavy fire and many troops were wounded or killed before effectively retaliating. The joint task force was unprepared for the assault, and the insurrectionists initially had the upper hand, able to hold off the attackers. Lead elements of the task force, including members of the Rangers, led by Radzikowski executed a tactical flanking maneuver across an industrial area known as Plainview while using their prowess in marksmanship to pick off enemy sharpshooters. The flanking element pushed across two different rock sites and killed enemy sharpshooters in the process. The insurrectionists, unable to adapt strategies in combat, attempted to pursue the Rangers. They did not realize that the Rangers set up an ambush along their line of flank and were drawing the the insurrectionists into a trap. The flanking element pushed to a large rock just a few hundred meters west of the Red Mountain while being pursued by rebel forces. When the insurrectionist forces followed them, Radzikowski and his men slaughtered them in a narrow pass, however some enemy troops managed to survive and attempted to flank the attackers. Radzikowski realizing this, hid his troops in a series of brush and ambushed the remaining party. After neutralizing the pursuing forces, Radzikowski's flanking element then managed to inflict severe casualties on insurrectionist forces and crippled their defense. The task force successfully followed through with the attack and eventually destroyed the opposing forces, some of which fled south back over to Mexico.
Red Mountain held an important garrison for rebel forces. It was located in Rio Bravo, near Plainview. Prior to the Siege, the rebellion had spread to several areas in New Austin, particularly Cholla Springs and Rio Bravo. Prior to the assault by the joint task force, the initial government contingent consisted of around nine hundred troops and had attempted to quell the rebellion but to negative avail and many troops were slaughtered in the first attempted assault on the Red Mountain. In case of the Insurrectionists, the most suitable defensive location was Red Mountain. It had thick defenses, ample paths, and hosted several ambush points. The choice of this location to make a stand remains controversial, given the availability of safer and more defensible places in Gaptooth Ridge. It is believed that they were expecting reinforcements to come from the western part of region but no such reinforcements came, which allowed the joint task force to eliminate and successfully destroy the majority of the opposing forces.
It was during this battle that Radzikowski was wounded while playing a leading role in the battle. His forces killed an estimated 300 insurrectionist warriors.
After the Siege of the Red Mountain, Radzikowski and his forces hoped to eliminate the surviving insurrectionists. Following the capture of the Red Mountain, the discovery of the massacre, and receiving reports of several towns being slaughtered by insurrectionist troops, the angry task force engaged in widespread retaliation against captured rebel soldiers. The murders greatly embittered rank-and-file and inspired the war cry "Remember Red Mountain!". Radzikowski and others later became stranded in enemy territory and without provisions. Their expedition had to fight to survive and eventually were forced to hunt and scavenge for food for a brief period of time. This was known as the Battle of Lake Don Julio.
Battle of Lake Don Julio
The Battle of the Lake Don Julio was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Insurrectionist and Apache tribes against the U.S. Cavalry Scouting Company "Rangers" of the elite joint Marshal-Ranger task force. The battle resulted in the retreat of the U.S. forces from the area and was the most significant action of the Insurrectionists during the Insurrectionist War. It took place on January 25th along Lake Don Julio and Rio del Robo. The US's elite Cavalry Scouting Company, a force of some 50 men led by Captain Mateuszek Radzikowski, suffered a major string of attacks by the hostile groups.
On January 14th 1890, Austin Graham received reports of Insurrectionists establishing a camp in the Lake Don Julio area. He was told that the Insurrectionists established an alliance with the "Buffalo" Apache Tribe. Lake Don Julio was located near the confluence of Armadillo and within the Cholla Springs Region. Radzikowski was tasked with leading his unit to root out and eliminate all hostile resistance around Lake Don Julio. Capt. Mateuszek Radzikowski's elite column marched east from Fort Mercer to patrol Lake Don Julio and Rio del Robo. They moved along to set up an encampment. It was operating with incorrect assumptions as to the number of hostiles it would encounter. These assumptions were based on inaccurate information provided by the U.S. Marshals that no more than 40 to 60 hostiles were in the area. The U.S. Marshals based this estimate on the number of troops were reportedly killed in the Siege of the Red Mountain. Radzikowski was more concerned with preventing the escape of the Insurrectionists than with fighting them. From his own observation, Radzikowski assumed the enemy had been sleeping on the early morning of the battle, to which gave Radzikowski a false estimate of what he was up against.
Once Radzikowski arrived and established their campsite, it was at this point their coordination and planning began to go awry on January 24th, when Radzikowski's column was ambushed and attacked at Rio del Robo to the southeast of Lake Don Julio. Surprised and astonished by the unusually large numbers of Insurrectionists, Radzikowski attempted to hold the field but felt it was necessary to to pull back to more strategic ground. Unaware of the enemy's battle plan, Radzikowski proceeded to establish a defensive line around their encampment at the lake. They then reviewed the enemy's plans and eventually attempted to move in a easterly-direction toward Green Hollow and Brittlebrushe Trawl. As this was the likely location of hostile encampments, the element had been instructed to converge there around in an attempt to engulf the enemy. Radzikowski then ordered his unit to begin a reconnaissance-in-force and pursuit along the San Luis River. Radzikowski had initially wanted to take a day and establish better defenses around the establishment before pursuing any hostile parties; however, they discovered they were being back-trailed by Indians. Reports from his scouts also revealed fresh tracks from ridges overlooking his formation. It became apparent that the enemy was either aware of or would soon be aware of his approach.
Enemy troops, led by William Adair, began to prepare for an immediate attack. Adair's field strategy was designed to engage noncombatants near the encampments so as to capture women, children, and the elderly or disabled to serve as hostages to convince Radzikowski to surrender and comply with orders to relocate. It was observed that if Radzikowski could occupy the surrounding towns before the rebels were able to, the rebels would be instead obliged to surrender, because if they started to fight, they would've lost the engagement. The first attack was at 3:34 AM, being ordered to charge, the enemy began the phase of the battle. The orders had been to pursue and destroy all government forces. They immediately realized that Radzikowski's unit was present "in force and not running away." The enemy had no idea of the length, depth and size of the encampment they were attacking. Realizing the full extent of the assault, the enemy quickly suspected "a trap" and stopped a few hundred yards short of the encampment before being heavily ambushed by Radzikowski's men.
Radzikowski ordered his troops to operate in a skirmish/light infantry role, against standard army doctrine. In this formation, every trooper was able to effectively ambush and retaliate against rebel troops. After the next morning, Radzikowski taken only one casualty, but the odds against him had risen (estimated five to one), and Graham had not reinforced him. From their position the enemy mounted an attack of more than 500 warriors against the encampment line. Their defense was immediately disrupted by attacks at close quarters. Radzikowski's troops were shaken and organized an all-around defense and fought with whatever implements they had among them, including knives and rocks. Evidence of organized resistance included breastworks made of dead horses was apparent as Radzikowski's men established a ferocious defensive line and prevented enemy troops from overrunning their encampment. Several hours later, the majority of Radzikowski's element were wounded but still in fighting condition, Radzikowski fearing that their position will eventually be overrun as due to a lack of ammunition and troops, he began planning their withdrawal from the area of battle.
In the end, the encampment that was established by Radzikowski's troops was too small to accommodate a large attack. Constant fire made it extremely difficult for Radzikowski's men to secure an escape and forced the troops to put up their most dogged defense. The extent of their resistance indicated they had few doubts about their prospects for survival. Another battle ensued, and this time the fighting lasted only "as long as it takes a hungry man to eat a meal." The Insurrectionists asserted that William Adair personally led a large group of warriors who attempted to overwhelmed the cavalrymen in a surprise charge from the east. Adair was killed in the charge by a well-placed bullet to his head, causing a breakdown in their command structure and panic among the enemy troops.
After Adair was killed, it was indicated that rebel officers restored some tactical control. A rebel company rushed off toward the encampment but failed to overrun it, which resulted in the total destruction of that company. The remainder of the battle took on the nature of a losing fight for Radzikowski. Fighting smartly, the line was held to extreme brevity by adopting guerrilla warfare tactics. Army doctrine would have called for one man in eight to be behind each line and, in extreme cases, one man in four, which would have resulted in the elimination of his unit. Radzikwski's troops have bunched together in defensive positions and shot their remaining horses as cover. On the last day of battle, under threat of attack, Radzikowski made a rally call and attempted to break out of the encampment. On January 28th, Radzikowski gathered his remaining 34 troops and began a fighting withdrawal. The advanced guard strategy went well for their breakout attempt. The column quickly pushed north and battered an enemy counterattack which had attempted to pursue the troops. Another counterattack soon cut off Radzikowski's unit and the breakout was forced to be recommenced west. Fighting by day and moving by night, Radzikowski's column escaped west, while the enemy believed that the major breakout attempt would be to the south. After realizing that Radzikowski's column was heading west, the enemy began to react. A strong mounted force launched an assault and Radzikowski's southern advanced guard turned and halted the enemy assault, severing its attack and rendering them immobile. Despite heavy snowfalls, low supplies, and encirclement, the constant movement of Radzikowski's element meant that "pocket fever" did not set in. The troops were still moving in good order and obeying discipline, while desertions were non-existent. This was a stark comparison to the panicked situation within the enemy's ranks.
By January 30th, Radzikowski reached Fort Mercer and linked up with elements of Graham's Marshals. In over several days of heavy combat, during horrid weather and with few supplies, the elite column, led by Radzikowski had managed to escape encirclement while suffering only moderate casualties. The unit was later put back into the line and established itself in Armadillo. The quick thinking of Radzikowski and his men meant that he had lost only 16 of the 50 men he had. However, while Radzikowski's troops were still disciplined, and equipped with light and personal weapons, his unit required thorough refitting and his tactics were reestablished, following more unconventional strategies in order to win battles.
End of the War
The war soon ended after an operation by the task forces elimination of the insurrectionist leader in February 14th, 1890. One of Radzikowski's Native allies killed the chieftain insurrectionist Doran Tierri. Tierri was butchered in a manner standard with punishment for treason, drawing and quartering. According to official reports; Tierri was killed by the Wolf Man, a notorious fighter—who was regarded as the deadliest hunter of gunslingers active in North America during the 20th century. It was told that he charged towards Tierri, hastily removing his shank and cruelly stabbed it down into Tierri's leg. He then ripped his weapon out and bounded over his back as Tierri keeled over from the first strike. With his dagger still in hand, the Wolf Man planted it under his victim's chin, fatally impaling his brain and leaving him to bleed on the ground.
After the war, Graham and Radzikowski had major disagreements on ethical principals of the organization and began to develop a disliking for each other, with Graham endorsing violence and "executing the weak". Graham was accused and convicted by Radzikowski of murdering multiple innocent civilians as well as unarmed prisoners, some of which Graham claimed to have "aggravated" him. Radzikowski was dismissed from service upon his request and then went back up to Canada. Upon arriving to Canada, he was later informed that he was barred from joining Graham's unit or to ever work with Graham again in any capacity. Upon realizing this, he chose to journey his way into the undiscovered frontier regions of Northern and Western Canada. He then met a man named Charles Rostad, who was leading a government-required expedition to hunt for necessary land and Radzikowski, with his experience, decided to offer his services to Rostad. He began working as a mercenary for him for a period of time.
Mercenary Service (1890-1892)
In 1890, after his service in the United States, Radzikowski met up with Charles Rostad, a former businessman and politician from British Columbia, who was requesting assistance in his expedition. Ambitious to make a decent wage, Radzikowski joined the then Canadian Commonwealth Army as a recognized mercenary. His motives were mixed—personal, patriotic, and monetary. He was soon placed in the newly formed Canadian Commonwealth Dragoons as a "Gun-At-Arms" mercenary.
Radzikowski took part in an Expedition led by Charles Rostad that lasted from March 1890 to January 1891, also known as the Expedition of Man, was the first American-Canadian expedition to cover a large portion of the Frontier region of Gaptooth Ridge in New Austin. It began near the Township of Toronto, made its way south-westward, and passed through the Divide to reach the country. The Expedition of Man made up of Canadian and U.S. volunteers under the command of General Charles Rostad and his close friend Captain Devan Cervantez.
General Rostad commissioned the expedition shortly after Canadian Commonwealth Government was interested in claiming free land from the United States in Gaptooth Ridge, New Austin in 1889. It's primary objective was to explore and to map the territory, to find a safe & practical route across the southwestern half of the continent, and to establish a presence in the territory before other powers tried to claim it. The campaign's secondary objectives were scientific and economic: to study the area's plants, animal life, and geography, and to establish trade with local populace.
One of the Canadian Commonwealth Government's goals was to find the most direct and practicable communication across the continent, for the purposes of enlightenment and prosperity. Rostad placed special importance on declaring Canadian sovereignty over the free land as it was occupied by the many different Indian tribes, factions and gangs within the region, and getting an accurate sense of the resources in the land.
Rostad's expedition began to gain attention after an encounter with a band of militiamen known as the "Liberty Militia". The expeditionary group showcased themselves as pioneers and helpers. However, the story remained relatively shallow due to an engagement that brokered between the two factions due to a facade of conquest and personal adventures, but the expedition continued onwards despite unnecessary developments.
By September 1890, the far-reaching imperative of the expedition further elevated popular interest in the necessity of the freelands. No other exploration party has made it as far.
The expedition made their way to Ridgewood Farm during an ongoing battle, but the expedition did not participate in the fighting. The expedition fought against a notorious gang known as the "Gaptooth Bastards" at the Battle of Benedict Point, suffering light casualties in the assaults but they were forced to retreat after a counter-attack. Radzikowski led an element of elite cavalrymen in an effort to cover the retreat of the expedition, successfully killing at least 20 bandits. They missed the Battle of Solomon's Folly in December 1890, due to an outbreak of spies and rebels in their ranks, which required them to halt and conduct investigations on their own personnel. Rostad at this time hired Radzikowski to assist with the investigation and provide additional security, who then was responsible for guard duty in the front and rear.
The Battle of Gaptooth Ridge
On January 7th 1891, during the establishment and the defense of the Silent Stead Frontier which was made up of abandoned settlements from the colonial period, consisting of Tumbleweed, Silent Stead and Gaptooth Breach, the expeditionary force came under heavy attack from a mixed Gang/Rebel-Confederate regiment known as the 32nd Bravo, that operated out of Rio Bravo were led by Maj. Gen. Randleson Savage, and after nights of fighting the expeditionary force, suffered heavy casualties. Rostad's gun-for-hire Radzikowski recognized the dire circumstances and ordered his wing to respond to the attack by flanking and charging with rifles and melee weapons, thus ending the attack on expeditionary forces. The length of the battle was over a period of three consecutive nights, within three major settlements. The attack was garrisoned at Tumbleweed, a colonial period town that housed a famous British Army general during the 18th century. Members of the expedition were forced to retreat inside an old mansion and were surrounded, the elements of 32nd Bravo failed to push into the home and instead attempted to flush out the defenders but to no avail. By nightfall of the first day, the expedition quietly retreated under the cover of darkness to Silent Stead and the 32nd Bravo established Tumbleweed as a base for it's troops and later pursued the expeditionary force. On the second day, the attacking forces launched an assault on the exposed expeditionary forces, forcing the defenders to retreat once more, this time to an abandoned mining camp known as Gaptooth Breach, which was an area in which early 19th century settlers attempted to pass through a mountain-wall with explosives. The force arrived by nightfall and set up a defensive line. Maj. Gen. Randleson Savage believed the area to be of no strategic advantage and did not attempt to siege their establishment until the next afternoon, instead he brought up a blockade to attempt to cut off any route of escape. During the third day, the 32nd Bravo cavalry unit attempted to siege and destroy the defending forces, in which many of the defenders sustained heavy casualties and were in almost no position to continue fighting. The defending expeditionary force, nearly on the brink of extinction, held off and reached nightfall. By the next morning, Radzikowski convinced Rostad to allow him to counter-attack, upon agreement, Radzikowski immediately gathered the best men possible for a surprise raid. Radzikowski took the elite dragoon unit under his command and raided a camp site in Rio Bravo, killing 30 troops and acquiring a gun carriage, in which he returned to Rostad and gave before Rostad suggested that Radzikowski use it to assist in the counter-attack. By 5:43 PM, Radzikowski gathered his party of veteran fighters and quietly flanked Tumbleweed from the rear. He then launched an all out assault on the encampment on horseback, using revolvers, melee weapons and effective shock tactics as well as preventing the enemy from gathering reinforcements effectively by using the previously acquired gun carriage in a stronghold defensive position, later using it to assist in killing the troops in the Tumbleweed Encampment. Radzikowski and his troops were responsible for eliminating at least 100-200 troops in the process and managed to resecure the mansion, with the new objective to neutralize Maj. Gen. Randleson Savage. After securing the town and declaring victory over the enemy, Rostad and Radzikowski soon found out that the Major General escaped northeast as the attack started. By the battles end, the expeditionary force captured at least 6 soldiers from the attacking forces and killed approximately 250 troops in the battle. Radzikowski was wounded by a spent bullet and knife attack. Rostad was unhurt, except for "several scratches". The majority of the expeditionary force was wounded or killed throughout the battle. As a result of their valiant defense and counter-attack of the Silent Stead Frontier, the expeditionary force no longer had enemies within the Gaptooth Ridge, Mateuszek Radzikowski and the men he lead gained a great reputation and were the subject of stories amongst the expedition. Radzikowski was later offered a commission to 1st Lieutenant within the Army but ultimately refused due to a later lack of interest in service.
After Battle of Gaptooth Ridge / Expedition
After Battle of Gaptooth Ridge, the major battle in which Charles Rostad and Mateuszek Radzikowski and the Expedition of Man were involved eventually saw the dissolution of the expeditionary gathering in March 1891. The expedition was complete, with high cost and little reward, as Gaptooth Ridge was spar of resources or ideal locations to establish settlements but was nevertheless established as a province. The remaining expedition was sent back to Canada and briefly stopped at multiple settlements in the United States to resupply along the way. The expedition arrived in Armadillo, where they met with former Major General Randleson Savage, who had chosen to leave his regiment, causing it to disorganize and later on dissolve. Savage was now a citizen and hailed "hero" of Cholla Springs, while Rostad (against the better judgment of Radzikowski) made the decision to attempt to make peace with Savage and allowed him on the expedition. Whilst making it's way to Hennigan's Stead, Rostad mentioned that Savage was his former mentor in a previous militia unit and led his expedition to MacFarlane's Ranch, where they rested for the night. Radzikowski, overhearing a conversation regarding Savage attempting to forcefully takeover the expedition unit, with several now traitorous members in agreement. Radzikowski gathered a small team and went to Savage's rented home and struck him and the traitors with a throwing knife. As the traitors were killed, Radzikowski then proceeded to kill Savage, effectively striking him with a throwing knife which entered his skull and nearly hit his brain. Such a devastating hit was lethal but his life was not over. With Savage in a state of concussion, Radzikowski approached him from behind and placed one of his hands down hard on his shoulder, forcing him onto his knees. Holding his chin upwards, he exposed his neck, before taking out the throwing knife from Savage's head and slicing his throat. It was reported that Savage then fell forward to the ground and died of blood loss from his wounds. Charles Rostad, eventually heard the news the next morning. He went to visit Radzikowski where Radzikowski admitted his doings. As Radzikowski explained, Rostad was initially very upset and threatened to have Radzikowski and his conspirators executed but refused and instead removed him from service. A day later, Rostad changed his mind and allowed him to continue his service, and wrote in his memoirs "His actions, while upsetting to me over the loss of a presided mentor, Mateuszek is like a brother, who saved my life and lives of many others, not many noted him as a hero but such a one he was." Radzikowski stayed to enjoy his "on the spot" task to train troops, although he never returned to full trust with Rostad. A number of accounts say that Rostad's expedition was saved through the activity of his gun-for-hire, Radzikowski.
Training Task
After his reinstatement, Radzikowski and his elite men were involved in training a new batch of men who had been looking to join. Radzikowski's requirement was that "every man, no matter in which position, or craft he resides in, must learn how to kill. And to kill well." For which he was awarded extra pay and given more allowances to conduct his duties. By December, 1891 at the end of his duties, Radzikowski was then finally out of service on December 27th, 1891. He left Rostad's service for a brief few months before eventually gathering in his ranks in mid 1892.
Radzikowski took part in an Expedition led by Charles Rostad that lasted from March 1890 to January 1891, also known as the Expedition of Man, was the first American-Canadian expedition to cover a large portion of the Frontier region of Gaptooth Ridge in New Austin. It began near the Township of Toronto, made its way south-westward, and passed through the Divide to reach the country. The Expedition of Man made up of Canadian and U.S. volunteers under the command of General Charles Rostad and his close friend Captain Devan Cervantez.
General Rostad commissioned the expedition shortly after Canadian Commonwealth Government was interested in claiming free land from the United States in Gaptooth Ridge, New Austin in 1889. It's primary objective was to explore and to map the territory, to find a safe & practical route across the southwestern half of the continent, and to establish a presence in the territory before other powers tried to claim it. The campaign's secondary objectives were scientific and economic: to study the area's plants, animal life, and geography, and to establish trade with local populace.
One of the Canadian Commonwealth Government's goals was to find the most direct and practicable communication across the continent, for the purposes of enlightenment and prosperity. Rostad placed special importance on declaring Canadian sovereignty over the free land as it was occupied by the many different Indian tribes, factions and gangs within the region, and getting an accurate sense of the resources in the land.
Rostad's expedition began to gain attention after an encounter with a band of militiamen known as the "Liberty Militia". The expeditionary group showcased themselves as pioneers and helpers. However, the story remained relatively shallow due to an engagement that brokered between the two factions due to a facade of conquest and personal adventures, but the expedition continued onwards despite unnecessary developments.
By September 1890, the far-reaching imperative of the expedition further elevated popular interest in the necessity of the freelands. No other exploration party has made it as far.
The expedition made their way to Ridgewood Farm during an ongoing battle, but the expedition did not participate in the fighting. The expedition fought against a notorious gang known as the "Gaptooth Bastards" at the Battle of Benedict Point, suffering light casualties in the assaults but they were forced to retreat after a counter-attack. Radzikowski led an element of elite cavalrymen in an effort to cover the retreat of the expedition, successfully killing at least 20 bandits. They missed the Battle of Solomon's Folly in December 1890, due to an outbreak of spies and rebels in their ranks, which required them to halt and conduct investigations on their own personnel. Rostad at this time hired Radzikowski to assist with the investigation and provide additional security, who then was responsible for guard duty in the front and rear.
The Battle of Gaptooth Ridge
On January 7th 1891, during the establishment and the defense of the Silent Stead Frontier which was made up of abandoned settlements from the colonial period, consisting of Tumbleweed, Silent Stead and Gaptooth Breach, the expeditionary force came under heavy attack from a mixed Gang/Rebel-Confederate regiment known as the 32nd Bravo, that operated out of Rio Bravo were led by Maj. Gen. Randleson Savage, and after nights of fighting the expeditionary force, suffered heavy casualties. Rostad's gun-for-hire Radzikowski recognized the dire circumstances and ordered his wing to respond to the attack by flanking and charging with rifles and melee weapons, thus ending the attack on expeditionary forces. The length of the battle was over a period of three consecutive nights, within three major settlements. The attack was garrisoned at Tumbleweed, a colonial period town that housed a famous British Army general during the 18th century. Members of the expedition were forced to retreat inside an old mansion and were surrounded, the elements of 32nd Bravo failed to push into the home and instead attempted to flush out the defenders but to no avail. By nightfall of the first day, the expedition quietly retreated under the cover of darkness to Silent Stead and the 32nd Bravo established Tumbleweed as a base for it's troops and later pursued the expeditionary force. On the second day, the attacking forces launched an assault on the exposed expeditionary forces, forcing the defenders to retreat once more, this time to an abandoned mining camp known as Gaptooth Breach, which was an area in which early 19th century settlers attempted to pass through a mountain-wall with explosives. The force arrived by nightfall and set up a defensive line. Maj. Gen. Randleson Savage believed the area to be of no strategic advantage and did not attempt to siege their establishment until the next afternoon, instead he brought up a blockade to attempt to cut off any route of escape. During the third day, the 32nd Bravo cavalry unit attempted to siege and destroy the defending forces, in which many of the defenders sustained heavy casualties and were in almost no position to continue fighting. The defending expeditionary force, nearly on the brink of extinction, held off and reached nightfall. By the next morning, Radzikowski convinced Rostad to allow him to counter-attack, upon agreement, Radzikowski immediately gathered the best men possible for a surprise raid. Radzikowski took the elite dragoon unit under his command and raided a camp site in Rio Bravo, killing 30 troops and acquiring a gun carriage, in which he returned to Rostad and gave before Rostad suggested that Radzikowski use it to assist in the counter-attack. By 5:43 PM, Radzikowski gathered his party of veteran fighters and quietly flanked Tumbleweed from the rear. He then launched an all out assault on the encampment on horseback, using revolvers, melee weapons and effective shock tactics as well as preventing the enemy from gathering reinforcements effectively by using the previously acquired gun carriage in a stronghold defensive position, later using it to assist in killing the troops in the Tumbleweed Encampment. Radzikowski and his troops were responsible for eliminating at least 100-200 troops in the process and managed to resecure the mansion, with the new objective to neutralize Maj. Gen. Randleson Savage. After securing the town and declaring victory over the enemy, Rostad and Radzikowski soon found out that the Major General escaped northeast as the attack started. By the battles end, the expeditionary force captured at least 6 soldiers from the attacking forces and killed approximately 250 troops in the battle. Radzikowski was wounded by a spent bullet and knife attack. Rostad was unhurt, except for "several scratches". The majority of the expeditionary force was wounded or killed throughout the battle. As a result of their valiant defense and counter-attack of the Silent Stead Frontier, the expeditionary force no longer had enemies within the Gaptooth Ridge, Mateuszek Radzikowski and the men he lead gained a great reputation and were the subject of stories amongst the expedition. Radzikowski was later offered a commission to 1st Lieutenant within the Army but ultimately refused due to a later lack of interest in service.
After Battle of Gaptooth Ridge / Expedition
After Battle of Gaptooth Ridge, the major battle in which Charles Rostad and Mateuszek Radzikowski and the Expedition of Man were involved eventually saw the dissolution of the expeditionary gathering in March 1891. The expedition was complete, with high cost and little reward, as Gaptooth Ridge was spar of resources or ideal locations to establish settlements but was nevertheless established as a province. The remaining expedition was sent back to Canada and briefly stopped at multiple settlements in the United States to resupply along the way. The expedition arrived in Armadillo, where they met with former Major General Randleson Savage, who had chosen to leave his regiment, causing it to disorganize and later on dissolve. Savage was now a citizen and hailed "hero" of Cholla Springs, while Rostad (against the better judgment of Radzikowski) made the decision to attempt to make peace with Savage and allowed him on the expedition. Whilst making it's way to Hennigan's Stead, Rostad mentioned that Savage was his former mentor in a previous militia unit and led his expedition to MacFarlane's Ranch, where they rested for the night. Radzikowski, overhearing a conversation regarding Savage attempting to forcefully takeover the expedition unit, with several now traitorous members in agreement. Radzikowski gathered a small team and went to Savage's rented home and struck him and the traitors with a throwing knife. As the traitors were killed, Radzikowski then proceeded to kill Savage, effectively striking him with a throwing knife which entered his skull and nearly hit his brain. Such a devastating hit was lethal but his life was not over. With Savage in a state of concussion, Radzikowski approached him from behind and placed one of his hands down hard on his shoulder, forcing him onto his knees. Holding his chin upwards, he exposed his neck, before taking out the throwing knife from Savage's head and slicing his throat. It was reported that Savage then fell forward to the ground and died of blood loss from his wounds. Charles Rostad, eventually heard the news the next morning. He went to visit Radzikowski where Radzikowski admitted his doings. As Radzikowski explained, Rostad was initially very upset and threatened to have Radzikowski and his conspirators executed but refused and instead removed him from service. A day later, Rostad changed his mind and allowed him to continue his service, and wrote in his memoirs "His actions, while upsetting to me over the loss of a presided mentor, Mateuszek is like a brother, who saved my life and lives of many others, not many noted him as a hero but such a one he was." Radzikowski stayed to enjoy his "on the spot" task to train troops, although he never returned to full trust with Rostad. A number of accounts say that Rostad's expedition was saved through the activity of his gun-for-hire, Radzikowski.
Training Task
After his reinstatement, Radzikowski and his elite men were involved in training a new batch of men who had been looking to join. Radzikowski's requirement was that "every man, no matter in which position, or craft he resides in, must learn how to kill. And to kill well." For which he was awarded extra pay and given more allowances to conduct his duties. By December, 1891 at the end of his duties, Radzikowski was then finally out of service on December 27th, 1891. He left Rostad's service for a brief few months before eventually gathering in his ranks in mid 1892.
Civilian Life (1892)
After resigning from Rostad's service in 1891, he went to West Elizabeth to practice hunting and farming. Radzikowski had brought total dedication to his position as a mercenary in Rostad's expedition but due to a bared issue he was disbanded from Rostad's service and had consequently been saddened by his lack of adventure. He was faced with the problem of wanting to reenlist to fight.
After he recouped his finances from the Canadian Commonwealth Government, Radzikowski engaged in a business venture with fur trading at Manzanita Post. After he stopped, he hoped to win happiness by gambling, with the result that he was totally unhappy and to say, ruined. He was put in a prison briefly for killing a bandit in Blackwater, but he was exonerated.
On February 22nd, Radzikowski traveled back to Canada to obtain pay for his service and capitalize on his fame. His journals and "A Fighter's Life for Me" were published. Immediately thereafter, he wrote the book the "Insurrectionist Savages of America". He enjoyed some moderate success with his publications and attracted attention. He had an audience with the Canadian Commonwealth Prime Minister, to whom he proposed undertaking an expedition to find the Bloody Mountain, which was in the then-unaccessible region of Ambarino. The Prime Minister appointed Radzikowski Chief Expeditionist, with a charter to look for the Mountain, and then he returned to the United States.
Expedition to Bloody Mountain
Upon his return to America, Radzikowski established an outpost of Fort Brock in Gaptooth Ridge and began his duties as chief expeditionist. As a combat veteran and political intriguer, Radzikowski viewed his upstart as a way to find happiness. Radzikowski perceived a need for unity and a stronger joint government, he negotiated with the Native Americans, parlayed with the Spanish and British, and developed a plan for the then-province of Gaptooth Ridge to be administered and renamed to a more suitable accord and wanted to rebuild the region by requesting a governor to reporting to the Prime Minister. This plan was supported, but had little chance of being adopted, since Canadian Commonwealth Government no longer had the intention of maintaining the province and the province was given back to the United States in 1894. Radzikowski's Expedition, with dubbed as the "Bloody Mountain Expedition", departed from Gaptooth Ridge at March 14th, marking the beginning of the expedition to the Mountain. As of May 14th, the expedition had only 20 members, mostly former personnel including captains, sergeants, and privates. The Expedition followed the San Luis River eastward. Soon, they passed Manteca Falls, Stillwater Creek, Masons Bridge and finally the Pacific Union Railroad Camp settlements by March 22nd.
The expedition followed through Tall Trees. During the final week of May, Radzikowski reached the edge of Tall Trees, a place abounding with elk, deer, bison, and beavers. with the task of crossing through the Upper Montana River. The elk, the party's main source of food, had retreated from their usual haunts into the mountains, and the party was now too poor to purchase enough food from neighboring tribes. The party voted to move their camp to Great Plains near Blackwater due to lack of able to find a crossing into the region. On the south side of the Upper Montana River, they constructed Camp Woodhull. Radzikowski was determined to find a way across the river, but was anxious to swim across it, due to it's high-tides. By April 14th, realizing the cross over was nearly impossible due to high-tides, the journey home began. They made their way to Camp Woodhull where the members of the expedition disbanded. Radzikowski traveled alone back to Gaptooth Ridge. One night, Radzikowski was ambushed by a gang of raiders but escaped and stayed separated from any major trails until he reached Armadillo. As he made his way near Pike's Basin, a hunter, mistook Radzikowski for a bandit and fired, injuring Radzikowski in his thigh. After his medical reinstatement, Radzikowski returned home back to Gaptooth Ridge.
Radzikowski resigned as Chief Expeditionist and travelled to Blackwater, where he then served as a Surveyor of West Elizabeth, a federal appointment acquisitioned by favor of the Canadian Commonwealth Prime Minister's close friendship with the Governor of West Elizabeth. Radzikowski engaged in business activities, including estate dealings and taught students in proper survivorship. He traveled to the Pacific Union Railroad Camp to work on railroad building and public improvements. From the time of leaving Rostad's service until his reenlistment, he was forced to drinking and gambling to stop the nightmares and mistakes that plagued him, without success.
Meanwhile, former members of his expedition used every opportunity to defame Radzikowski, portraying him as an opportunist who had gotten rich on the war only to gamble away his money as a profligate. It is difficult to say how many of these allegations were true and how much Radzikowski believed them to be true. They saw Radzikowski as of questionable loyalty—certainly he was not loyal to his men—and therefore he needed a lesson. Radzikowski's dealings with Natives also troubled federal government as many officers had come to regard the Natives with great suspicion.
Arrest
The federal government hired spies to intercept Radzikowski's and suborned his former loyal subordinates. Unfortunately, Radzikowski was in disagreement with offended his former member turned Blackwater Secretary of Treasury Abner Wallace, and Wallace gave the government the excuse that he needed. Wallace swore in an affidavit that Radzikowski said that he would offer his help to Native American tribes if the federal government failed to assist or attempted to attack them. Wallace's claims are questionable as Radzikowski was not in any position to assist the Natives, with his experience fighting against native tribes during the Insurrectionist War. Nevertheless, on the strength of Wallace's affidavit, Radzikowski was arrested, charged with treason, and taken in chains for trial. Wallace sent Radzikowski to stand trial but, once there, Radzikowski was among friends of Rostad. Due to Rostad's influence, Radzikowski was acquitted of all charges and the verdict was sent to the Governor of West Elizabeth for approval. The Governor approved, but could not call Wallace a liar openly. Instead, he made a note that there was reason to think Radzikowski might have been treasonous.
Returning to civilian life proved unthinkable; hence, Radzikowski attempted to enlist into the United States Marine Corps. However, the Governor had done all he would for Radzikowski and was preoccupied by the issue of the dissolving frontier state. Radzikowski tried to enlist at least four times but was dismissed due to his leg wounds. Rejected for duty, he called it one of the major disappointments of his life. He went again to prison after being assaulted in a bar, and was released on the grounds of false imprisonment.
Final Months
In June, controversy arose when one of his subordinate members stated that Radzikowski never actually made any effort to continue his expedition. The claim seriously affected Radzikowski's fame for a brief period of time. Radzikowski became a founding member of the Blood Wolves Battalion, a elite unit based on the Scottish Highlanders. Radzikowski was requested to teach guerrilla warfare to highlander troops, which led him to serve on the organization's first board of directors. Beginning with his first appointment, Radzikowski was active in the Blood Wolves Battalion's training regime. Despite continual pain and discomfort from his wounds, he continued to train. He trained his last company on July 14th.
Radzikowski then moved West to and he bought a ranch and renamed it to the McCarren Ranch, which was just southwest of MacFarlane's Ranch. Radzikowski learned to ride cowboy style, rope and hunt on the banks of the San Luis River. Though he earned the respect of actual cowboys, they were not overly impressed. However, he identified with the herdsman of history, a man he said possesses, "few of the emasculated moralities admired by warriors; he possesses, a degree of qualities that are invaluable to a nation". He reoriented, and began writing about frontier life.
By July 25th, Radzikowski brought his desire to happiness and helped address the common interests of citizens to the west. He successfully led efforts to organize ranchers to address the problems of overgrazing and other shared concerns; his work resulted in the formation of the MacFarlane Rancher Tribute. He was also compelled to coordinate conservation efforts and commuted with Native Americans, whose primary goal was the conservation of large game animals and their habitats as well as their land. After a uniquely nightmare that nearly broke him, including a terrible winter wiped out his farm, Radzikowski returned to the East and then back to Canada, where he eventually found Rostad once again and enlisted back as a mercenary. Though his experience, Radzikowski's time as a civilian helped him gain new skills and traits that would later benefit him in the following years.
After he recouped his finances from the Canadian Commonwealth Government, Radzikowski engaged in a business venture with fur trading at Manzanita Post. After he stopped, he hoped to win happiness by gambling, with the result that he was totally unhappy and to say, ruined. He was put in a prison briefly for killing a bandit in Blackwater, but he was exonerated.
On February 22nd, Radzikowski traveled back to Canada to obtain pay for his service and capitalize on his fame. His journals and "A Fighter's Life for Me" were published. Immediately thereafter, he wrote the book the "Insurrectionist Savages of America". He enjoyed some moderate success with his publications and attracted attention. He had an audience with the Canadian Commonwealth Prime Minister, to whom he proposed undertaking an expedition to find the Bloody Mountain, which was in the then-unaccessible region of Ambarino. The Prime Minister appointed Radzikowski Chief Expeditionist, with a charter to look for the Mountain, and then he returned to the United States.
Expedition to Bloody Mountain
Upon his return to America, Radzikowski established an outpost of Fort Brock in Gaptooth Ridge and began his duties as chief expeditionist. As a combat veteran and political intriguer, Radzikowski viewed his upstart as a way to find happiness. Radzikowski perceived a need for unity and a stronger joint government, he negotiated with the Native Americans, parlayed with the Spanish and British, and developed a plan for the then-province of Gaptooth Ridge to be administered and renamed to a more suitable accord and wanted to rebuild the region by requesting a governor to reporting to the Prime Minister. This plan was supported, but had little chance of being adopted, since Canadian Commonwealth Government no longer had the intention of maintaining the province and the province was given back to the United States in 1894. Radzikowski's Expedition, with dubbed as the "Bloody Mountain Expedition", departed from Gaptooth Ridge at March 14th, marking the beginning of the expedition to the Mountain. As of May 14th, the expedition had only 20 members, mostly former personnel including captains, sergeants, and privates. The Expedition followed the San Luis River eastward. Soon, they passed Manteca Falls, Stillwater Creek, Masons Bridge and finally the Pacific Union Railroad Camp settlements by March 22nd.
The expedition followed through Tall Trees. During the final week of May, Radzikowski reached the edge of Tall Trees, a place abounding with elk, deer, bison, and beavers. with the task of crossing through the Upper Montana River. The elk, the party's main source of food, had retreated from their usual haunts into the mountains, and the party was now too poor to purchase enough food from neighboring tribes. The party voted to move their camp to Great Plains near Blackwater due to lack of able to find a crossing into the region. On the south side of the Upper Montana River, they constructed Camp Woodhull. Radzikowski was determined to find a way across the river, but was anxious to swim across it, due to it's high-tides. By April 14th, realizing the cross over was nearly impossible due to high-tides, the journey home began. They made their way to Camp Woodhull where the members of the expedition disbanded. Radzikowski traveled alone back to Gaptooth Ridge. One night, Radzikowski was ambushed by a gang of raiders but escaped and stayed separated from any major trails until he reached Armadillo. As he made his way near Pike's Basin, a hunter, mistook Radzikowski for a bandit and fired, injuring Radzikowski in his thigh. After his medical reinstatement, Radzikowski returned home back to Gaptooth Ridge.
Radzikowski resigned as Chief Expeditionist and travelled to Blackwater, where he then served as a Surveyor of West Elizabeth, a federal appointment acquisitioned by favor of the Canadian Commonwealth Prime Minister's close friendship with the Governor of West Elizabeth. Radzikowski engaged in business activities, including estate dealings and taught students in proper survivorship. He traveled to the Pacific Union Railroad Camp to work on railroad building and public improvements. From the time of leaving Rostad's service until his reenlistment, he was forced to drinking and gambling to stop the nightmares and mistakes that plagued him, without success.
Meanwhile, former members of his expedition used every opportunity to defame Radzikowski, portraying him as an opportunist who had gotten rich on the war only to gamble away his money as a profligate. It is difficult to say how many of these allegations were true and how much Radzikowski believed them to be true. They saw Radzikowski as of questionable loyalty—certainly he was not loyal to his men—and therefore he needed a lesson. Radzikowski's dealings with Natives also troubled federal government as many officers had come to regard the Natives with great suspicion.
Arrest
The federal government hired spies to intercept Radzikowski's and suborned his former loyal subordinates. Unfortunately, Radzikowski was in disagreement with offended his former member turned Blackwater Secretary of Treasury Abner Wallace, and Wallace gave the government the excuse that he needed. Wallace swore in an affidavit that Radzikowski said that he would offer his help to Native American tribes if the federal government failed to assist or attempted to attack them. Wallace's claims are questionable as Radzikowski was not in any position to assist the Natives, with his experience fighting against native tribes during the Insurrectionist War. Nevertheless, on the strength of Wallace's affidavit, Radzikowski was arrested, charged with treason, and taken in chains for trial. Wallace sent Radzikowski to stand trial but, once there, Radzikowski was among friends of Rostad. Due to Rostad's influence, Radzikowski was acquitted of all charges and the verdict was sent to the Governor of West Elizabeth for approval. The Governor approved, but could not call Wallace a liar openly. Instead, he made a note that there was reason to think Radzikowski might have been treasonous.
Returning to civilian life proved unthinkable; hence, Radzikowski attempted to enlist into the United States Marine Corps. However, the Governor had done all he would for Radzikowski and was preoccupied by the issue of the dissolving frontier state. Radzikowski tried to enlist at least four times but was dismissed due to his leg wounds. Rejected for duty, he called it one of the major disappointments of his life. He went again to prison after being assaulted in a bar, and was released on the grounds of false imprisonment.
Final Months
In June, controversy arose when one of his subordinate members stated that Radzikowski never actually made any effort to continue his expedition. The claim seriously affected Radzikowski's fame for a brief period of time. Radzikowski became a founding member of the Blood Wolves Battalion, a elite unit based on the Scottish Highlanders. Radzikowski was requested to teach guerrilla warfare to highlander troops, which led him to serve on the organization's first board of directors. Beginning with his first appointment, Radzikowski was active in the Blood Wolves Battalion's training regime. Despite continual pain and discomfort from his wounds, he continued to train. He trained his last company on July 14th.
Radzikowski then moved West to and he bought a ranch and renamed it to the McCarren Ranch, which was just southwest of MacFarlane's Ranch. Radzikowski learned to ride cowboy style, rope and hunt on the banks of the San Luis River. Though he earned the respect of actual cowboys, they were not overly impressed. However, he identified with the herdsman of history, a man he said possesses, "few of the emasculated moralities admired by warriors; he possesses, a degree of qualities that are invaluable to a nation". He reoriented, and began writing about frontier life.
By July 25th, Radzikowski brought his desire to happiness and helped address the common interests of citizens to the west. He successfully led efforts to organize ranchers to address the problems of overgrazing and other shared concerns; his work resulted in the formation of the MacFarlane Rancher Tribute. He was also compelled to coordinate conservation efforts and commuted with Native Americans, whose primary goal was the conservation of large game animals and their habitats as well as their land. After a uniquely nightmare that nearly broke him, including a terrible winter wiped out his farm, Radzikowski returned to the East and then back to Canada, where he eventually found Rostad once again and enlisted back as a mercenary. Though his experience, Radzikowski's time as a civilian helped him gain new skills and traits that would later benefit him in the following years.
Establishment of the Royal Canadian Forces & the Second Mexican-American War (1892-1893)
On August 12th, Radzikowski reenlisted into Rostad's service as a mercenary once more, during the establishment of a new unit known as the Royal Canadian Forces, under the newly reformed Canadian Government. The Royal Canadian Forces initially started as company sized element in late 1892 before growing into a regiment in 1893 and saw action in the Second Mexican-American War. It was established due to a growing need of a dedicated reaction and expeditionary force required by the new established Canadian Government. The Second Mexican-American War broke out on August 2nd, as the Mexican Government declared war on the United States in an attempt to take back land previously taken by the United States in the first war. In response, the United States Government sent out a joint force towards Diez Coronas, in the Neuvo Paraiso region to take El Presidio, a famed fortress that was in use during the first war. During the war, the United States Army was too small and understaffed in comparison to its status during the American Civil War roughly thirty years prior. As a measure towards rectifying this situation called upon foreign volunteers to assist in the war efforts and the Canadian Government decided to assist the war effort which inturn required a new unit to assist with this measure. Rostad became the unit's commander, with enough influence to make himself a General.
Rostad's second in command was Captain Devan Cervantez and later Mateuszek Radzikowski, who had pushed for his involvement in the war. The volunteers were gathered in Gaptooth Ridge. They were trained in the southwest because the hot climate region that the men were used to was similar to that of Mexico where they would be fighting. Rostad requested outside assistance and tasked Radzikowski with gathering recruits. Radzikowski rode all over New Austin and gathered a diverse bunch of men consisting of cowboys, gold or mining prospectors, hunters, gamblers, Native Americans and college boys—all of whom were able-bodied and capable on horseback and in shooting. Among these men were also police officers and military veterans who wished to see action again, most of whom had already retired. Men who had served in Rostad's expedition during would serve as non-commissioned officers, since they already had the knowledge and experience to lead and train the men. The unit thus would not be without experience. Radzikowski was granted a commission to join the unit as a Lieutenant but did not accept until later in August. After several days of gathering thoughts, Radzikowski entered the Royal Canadian Forces as a Lieutenant who served as the adviser for General Rostad. Radzikowski was tasked to gather at least 50 men in an addition to their 50 before the end of the year. Radzikowski traveled to all the states and by September 15th, gathered 200 men to serve.
Before training began, Rostad used his political influence to ensure that his unit would be properly equipped to serve as any regular army unit. Radzikowski also used his own money he gained from mercenary service and helped arm the unit. The Royal Canadian Forces were armed with Lancaster Springfield Rifles and succeeded in getting their cartridges, Buck Cattleman revolvers, clothing, shelter-tents, and horse gear. The Royal Canadian Forces also used Bowie knives. In contrast, the uniforms of the regiment were designed to set the unit apart: the uniform was a campaign, khaki flannel shirt, khaki trousers, leggings, and boots.
Training was very standard. The unit worked on basic military drills, protocol, and habits involving conduct, obedience and etiquette. The men proved eager to learn what was necessary, and the training went smoothly. It was decided that the men would not be trained to use close combat weaponry, as everyone except for Radzikowski had no experience with it. Instead, they used their rifles and revolvers as primary and secondary weapons. Although the men, for the most part, were already experienced horsemen, the officers refined their techniques in riding, shooting from horseback, and practicing in formations and in skirmishes. Along with these practices, Radzikowski heavily studied books filled with tactics and drills to better himself in leading others. During times which physical drills could not be run, either because of confinement on board the train, or during times where space was inadequate, there were some books that were read further as to leave no time wasted in preparation for war. The competent training that the volunteer men received prepared them best as possible for their duty. They were not simply handed weapons and given vague directions to engage in a disorderly brawl.
Departure
On November 11th, 1892, 250 troops made their way to Hennigan's Stead where they would set off for Mexico. The lot awaited orders for departure from General Charles Rostad. Under heavy prompting from sieged forces, Rostad gave the order to dispatch the troops early before sufficient traveling storage was available. Due to this problem, only 50 of the 200 troops were permitted to engage in the war, and many of the horses and mules were left behind. Aside from Radzikowski's first hand mention of deep, heartfelt sorrow from the men left behind, this situation resulted in a premature weakening of the men.
Upon arrival to Mexico through Butter Bridge on November 12th, the men promptly unloaded themselves and the small amount of equipment they carried with them. Camp was set up near the San Luis River and the men were to remain there until further orders had been given to advance to El Presidio. Each man was only able to carry a few days worth of food which had to last them longer and fuel their bodies for rigorous tasks. Only twenty-five percent of the total number of troops were able to embark into Mexico they were still without most of the gear they had so heavily been trained and accustomed to using. They were not trained as frontiersmen and were not conditioned to doing heavy marching, especially long distance in hot, humid, and dense conditions. This ultimately served as a severe disadvantage to the men who had yet to see combat.
Siege of El Presidio
Referred to as the "American Thermopylae", the Siege of El Presidio was a battle in the Second Mexican-American War fought in which a 60-man joint force commanded by Rostad and Radzikowski defended a captured fortress against over 500 Mexican troops.
Within another day of camp being established, men were sent forward to Mesa del Sol and Casa Madrugada for reconnaissance purposes, and before long they returned with news of a Mexican Army outpost at Casa Madrugada. By afternoon, unit was given the command to begin marching towards El Presidio, to support the troops, eliminate the opposition and secure the area which stood in the path of further military advance. Prior to arrival at their destination, the men sneaked past Casa Madrugada at night.
The Mexican Army held an advantage over the Canadians by knowing their way through the complicated trails in the area of combat. They predicted where the Canadian troops would be traveling on foot and exactly what positions to fire on. They also were able to utilize the land and cover in such a way that they were difficult to spot. Along with this, their guns used smokeless powder which did not give away their immediate position upon firing as other gunpowders would have. This increased the difficulty of finding the opposition for the Canadian and U.S. soldiers.
Lieutenant Radzikowski, who was given command of the regulars, began the relief in the early morning. Using long-range precision, he fired at the opposing forces who were engaging the troops near the fortress, who were reportedly concealed along roads, ridges, and hill cover. Rostad's men, accompanied by Captain Cervantez, were not yet in the same vicinity as the other men at the start of the battle. They had a more difficult path to travel around the time the battle began, and at first they had to make their way up a very steep hill.
The troops pushed through the mountainous terrain and Radzikowski's party reached the pass, which provided a strategic bottleneck. It was to be protected until Rostad's element was able to make it into the fortress. Both parties made it to the fortress, regrouped with the remaining American troops and hunkered down to defend it while attempting to find a route of escape. The hand-picked force of Canadian troops, which was the remaining contingent of Rostad's army, mounted the established gatling guns and cannons. Meanwhile, the Mexican Army had been given the task of recapturing the castle. The Mexican Army, who was led by Major Perico de Espinosa calculated the defenders to be no more than 20 men.
At about 6:30 in the morning of November 15th, the Mexican Army advanced up the trail but were met with a steady volley of fire, resulting in them having to flank. The Mexican Army abandoned the idea of a frontal assault and took cover in a zigzag trail. Mexican sharpshooters stationed themselves on a hill overlooking the Fortress and proceeded to whittle down the joint force with measured volleys. Nevertheless, the joint force continued to hold it ground, utilizing focused volley fire that repelled other flanking advances by the Mexicans. Therefore, Espinosa sent elements of their force to determine their positions and outflank the defenders. While the flanking movement was still in progress, 100 Mexican soldiers rushed through the battlefield in a heroic charge but found themselves receiving heavy fire. Ninety-two died while the rest were wounded and forced to retreat.
Likewise, despite heavy casualties in one of the Mexican companies, the Mexican Army had emerged from the intense battle largely intact and had successfully withdrawn in an orderly fashion. Meanwhile, one of the replacement companies arrived an hour later took up positions, having dislodged the defenders from the top of fortress due to heavy fire, the Mexican Army would attempt to capture the dominating heights of a nearby hill. Although unaware of their assault, Radzikowski's element had however detected their movement and at 1:45 AM that evening they commenced an assault on the right flank. Although the initial moves were easily beaten back by rifle fire and explosives, a second assault an hour later succeeded in overrunning the right forward position. The joint force successfully withdrew in small groups back to the main defensive position, where they eventually halted the Mexican advance. During the fighting the training that the Canadians had proven vital, their training allowing for rapidly precise fire on enemy troops. The next morning 51 Mexican dead were counted around the perimeter. Shortly after the second assault on the fortress was repelled, another large Mexican assault force was detected fording the path in the bright moonlight. Laying down heavy and accurate artillery fire, the joint force gunners forced the Mexican Army to temporarily withdraw, killing more than 70.
Meanwhile, a large Mexican force of perhaps company strength was detected in the re-entrant west of the fortress, moving toward the main defensive position, and Radzikowski warned Rostad of the impending assault. Six troops had been positioned there before the battle, each armed with rifles. Radzikowski held fire until the Mexicans broke through the hill-line just 100 meters from their front. The joint force opened fire with rifles and cannons at their minimum engagement distance. The Mexicans suffered severe casualties and the assault was easily beaten off. The Mexicans had telegraphed their intentions prior to the assault by using fire for direction, and had used bugles to co-ordinate troops in their forming up positions. Such inflexibility had allowed the joint force to co-ordinate indirect fires and took heavy toll on the attackers in the forming up positions.
The Mexicans had been able to successfully pinpoint the joint force's defensive positions, and carried out a thorough reconnaissance prior to their next attack attack. The severe terrain had prevented the assaulting troops from adopting a low profile during their final assault however in the darkness the defenders' rifle fire was ineffective, forcing them to resort to using explosives and cannons. The defenders' mortars and artillery was particularly ineffective however, and very few rounds fell on Mexican positions during the evening. Indeed, in their haste to follow up the near collapse of the fortress, the joint force had left the bulk of its artillery and supplies well to the north, in the United States. Meanwhile, what ammunition they did have had been largely used up on the Mexicans during the previous evening. In contrast, the joint force's gunners provided effective fire support and had been able to break up a number of assaults before they had even reached the gates.
At 02:10 the next evening a large Mexican force was detected forming up on a spur to the southwest past Roca de Madera and they were engaged by gatling guns and defensive fires. Assaulting under the cover of machine-gun and artillery fire, the Mexican were soon effectively engaged by riflemen firing in mutual support. Switching their axis of assault to the east, the Mexicans succeeded in overrunning one of the sections, killing two troops who had remained at their post firing until the last moment. The joint force fought back, engaging the Mexicans as they attempted to move the towards them before arranging in pre-arranged defensive fires on to the newly lost position. With the firing at a 'very slow' rate to conserve ammunition, the weight of the assaults prompted the joint force to request it be increased to an even 'slower' rate of two rounds per gun per minute, so that 12 rounds fell every minute within a target area of 180 meters.
With the Mexican infiltrating the perimeter through the gaps, the joint force was close to being surrounded. The combatant commander of the Royal Canadian Forces, Lieutenant Radzikowski, was subsequently forced to use explosives onto his own position on several occasions during the early morning of November 18th to avoid being overrun. The tactic succeeded and the exposed Mexicans were soon swept off the position, while the dug-in troops escaped unharmed. The Mexicans persisted however, launching a number of smaller attacks during the rest of the night, but these were again repulsed by artillery and small arms fire. By dawn the attacks on the joint force positions had abated, and with the friendly forces remaining in control of the summit they were able to recover the previously abandoned position at first light. Meanwhile, on the right flank the joint force was also able to re-occupy the position it had been forced to relinquish earlier the previous evening. The Mexican Army had suffered heavily during the night, with perhaps as many as 300 killed by the joint force.
Although the Mexicans had continued to mount small attacks, the joint force was now in control of the battle. Regardless, the Mexican Army had succeeded in establishing blocking positions on the roads south of the fortress, cutting them off from resupply. Anticipating that the battle would continue into the evening, Radzikowski requested that food, ammunition and water be rationed and conserved for dire circumstances. Anticipating a renewed Mexican effort, the joint force continued to improve their defensive position. Meanwhile, Radzikowski went out on patrols during the morning in order to clear the Mexican blockades that had cut off the supply lines, and although the blocking positions were relatively weak it was not until 11:00 in the morning that patrols reported the road clear.
The remainder of the day was relatively quiet for the joint force, although they were subjected to periodic harassing fire from the Mexicans. The force received heavy fire from the west, in particular. Regardless, the Mexican Army made no further attempt to attack, and confined themselves to limited patrolling activities across the front. Later the joint force, cleared the remaining Mexicans from the southern slopes, while several concentrations of Mexican troops were again broken up by heavy artillery fire. The American troops who were holding the castle were subsequently relieved by the Royal Canadian Forces, following which the U.S. Cavalry Scout Company "Rangers" launched an assault on Casa Madrugada. The Mexicans resisted until 8:00 PM, before the Mexican 4th Army suddenly withdrew. Joint force patrols north of the feature met no resistance, while the Americans were also able to patrol east along Alta Cabeza without contact. By last light the situation had stabilized on the front. Having left their supplies of food and ammunition behind during the advance two days earlier, the Mexicans had been forced to withdraw east in the late afternoon of November 21st in order to regroup and replenish following the heavy casualties incurred during the fighting.
On the 24th of November, a scouting party led by Lieutenant Radzikowski had been tasked with eliminating a suspected guerilla force far east of the fortress. The unit pushed forward along with Radzikowski's irregulars. Using careful observation, they were able to locate where the opposition was hidden in the brush and entrenchments and they were able to target their men properly to overcome them. Toward the end of the battle, Harold McCoy, a report, was inspired by the men around him in the heat of battle to pick up a rifle and begin fighting alongside them. When he suffered a gunshot wound in the spine from one of the Mexican troops who mistook him as General Rostad from afar and ran back from the front line to report his death. Due to this misconception, the Mexican Army attempted to gather the rest of it's contingent and prepare for a final assault, but were repelled by the United States Cavalry. Rostad became ill shortly afterwards and as Cervantez failed to take command, Radzikowski was forced to take as the commanding officer and gathered the troops together with his leadership charisma.
The United States had full control of the fortress by the end of the battle. General Rostad had the men hold position for six days while additional supplies were being brought. During this time the Royal Canadian Forces ate, slept, cared for the wounded, and buried the dead from both sides. During the six day encampment, some men died from fever. Among those stricken by illness was the U.S. Army Captain Samuel Willington, and with Rostad ill as well, and failure to take command from Cervantez, Radzikowski took command until Rostad was brought back ti temperate conditions.
Over the course of the battle, 25 of the 60 joint force troops were killed. Among the dead was U.S. Army Colonel Thomas Barton, shot through the neck at the height or end of the struggle (depending upon which eye-witness account is to be believed). The battle lasted nearly over a week from beginning to end with the Royal Canadian Forces suffering 18 dead and 31 wounded, including Lieutenant Radzikowski, who later came across General Rostad in full health a few days after the battle finished and stepped down from his position as Commanding Officer.
Battle of Las Hermanas
On December 20th, the order was given for the men to march several miles along the road to Las Hermanas, a religious holding converted into a garrsion, from the outpost they had been holding. Originally, Rostad had no specific orders for himself and his men. They were simply to march to Las Hermanas where it was reported that over one thousand Mexican soldiers held the area and hold position. It was decided that Rostad's infantry would be the main fighters in the battle while attempting to take the stronghold. Rostad's troops was to served as the main assault force while Radzikowski's irregulars struck from afar. A U.S. Army infantry company would begin the battle and Royal Canadian Forces were to march and meet with them mid-battle. By this time, the Royal Canadian Forces were no longer seen as a critical tool to the United States in this battle.
Rostad and the unit made their way toward of what was dubbed Deer Hill because of the deer that run along it. The battle of Las Hermanas began with the firing at the Mexican location. Soon after fire was returned and Royal Canadian Forces, standing at the position of engagement, had to promptly move to avoid casualties. The men moved down from their position and began making their way towards the base of Las Hermanas Hill. There they took cover along in the tall grass to avoid sniper fire that was being directed towards their position, however they were left vulnerable and pinned down. The Mexican rifles were able to discharge eight rounds in the twenty seconds it took for the Canadans rifles to reload. In this way they had a strong advantage over the Canadians. The rounds they fired were 7mm Mauser bullets which moved at a high velocity and inflicted small, clean wounds. Some of the men were hit, but few were mortally wounded or killed. Mateuszek Radzikowski, deeply dissatisfied with General Rostad's inaction with sending men out for reconnaissance and failure to issue more direct orders, became uneasy with the idea of leaving himself and his men sitting in the line of fire. He sent messengers to seek out the generals to try to coax orders from him to advance from their position. Finally, the company received orders to assist the regulars in their assault on the front. Radzikowski, got his troops ready and into position to begin making their way towards the garrison. He claimed that he wished to fight as he did at El Presidio; however he would have found it difficult to supervise his men in a quick and efficient manner. Meanwhile, Rostad chided his own men to not leave him alone in a charge up the previously held hill and drawing his sidearm promised nearby soldiers separated that he would fire at them if they turned back, warning them he kept his promises.
As the troops of the various units began slowly creeping up the garrison, firing their rifles at the opposition as they pushed, Radzikowski went to the captain of the U.S. platoons in back and had a word with him. He stated that it was his opinion that they could not effectively take the garrison due to an insufficient ability to effectively return fire, and that the solution was to charge it full-on. The captain reiterated his colonel's orders to hold position. Radzikowski, recognizing the absence of higher commanding officers, declared himself the experienced officer and ordered a charge towards Las Hermanas. The captain stood hesitant, and Radzikowski lead his own men towards the garrison while waving his handgun. His unit followed him with enthusiasm and obedience without hesitation. By then, the other men from the different units became stirred by this event and began bolting up alongside their countrymen. The 'charge' was actually a series of short rushes by Radzikowski's irregulars and the Royal Canadian Forces. Within twenty minutes, the troops rushed into the garrison, engaged in bloody close battle for nearly one hour and one by one, successfully eliminated all troops. Through this effort, Las Hermanas was taken, though casualties were heavy. The rest of the surrounding area was taken within the hour following.
Radzikowski's charge on Las Hermanas was facilitated by a hail of covering fire from three rifle squads commanded by Lt. Michael Johns, which fired some 1,000 rounds into the Mexican-held garrison from atop the crest of a hill. Radzikowski noted that the hammering sound of the rifles visibly raised the spirits of his men:
"There suddenly smote on our ears a peculiar drumming sound. One or two of the men cried out, "Enemy Snipers!" but, after listening a moment, I leaped to my feet and called, "It's ours, boys! Our Men!" Immediately the troopers began to cheer lustily, for the sound was most inspiring."
A Mexican counterattack on Las Hermanas by some 400 infantry was quickly devastated by a U.S. Army platoon recently emplaced ambushed on the summit of Deer Hill, which killed all but forty of the attackers before they had closed to within 250 meters of the Americans on Deer Hill. Radzikowski was so impressed by the actions of Lt. Johns and his men that he placed his unit's regulars under Johns, who immediately emplaced them at tactical firing points in the American line.
Lieutenant Radzikowski gave a large share of the credit for the successful charge to Lt. Johns and his Detachment:
"I think Johns deserved rather more credit than he gotten, he had great judgment and foresight to see the possibilities of his troops. He then, by his own exertions, got it to the front and proved that it could do invaluable work on the field of battle, as much in attack as in defense."
Siege of Chuparosa
The Battle of Chuparosa took place on March 4th between the US Army and Royal Canadian Forces against Mexican forces holding Chuparosa in western Perdido. The town was an important position for the defense of the region. For the Battle is a necessary part in the campaign, allied forces totaled up to 1,200 men, and the Mexican Army totaled about 5,000. The Battle of Chuparosa saw about 200 allied troops attack 800 Mexican troops.
On December 20th, in the costly Battle of Las Hermanas, allied forces had managed to drive the Mexicans from their positions in Las Hermanas from the east. However, the U.S. Army was still interested in the town of Chuparosa. Rostad was also in favor of attacking Chuparosa and only Captain Devan Cervantez agreed. Radzikowski favored only attacking through exposed flanks.
Lucas de Hortega was in command of the army at Chuparosa. He understood that the town was an important position for the defense of the region. According to military records, Chuparosa was only defended by 800 men. Additional Mexican troops were called with redoubts to protect Tesoro Azul. The town of Chuparosa was protected by high walls and was about three-quarters of a mile long by one-quarter mile deep. Radzikowski organized two storming parties of about 20 men. The first party consisted of Royal Canadian Forces irregulars who would advance from the south up. The second storming party consisted of Michael John's regulars advancing along the Barracana road. The allies began the engagement against Chuparosa at dawn on March 4th. It was halted at dark and resumed at first light on March 5 at 8 AM. The fires were halted and General Rostad ordered an infantry charge. There were three assault columns. On the left were Radzikowski's irregularsm moving south of Chuparosa, in the east were two platoons companies of the Royal Canadian Forces with the U.S. 21st Infantry moving through the northern edge of the town, and on the northwest, Radzikowski's borrowed regulars were blocked off reinforcement routes.
Radzikowski was quickly hit and called for reinforcements but the attack faltered when fired upon by the Mexican troops. Radzikowski's irregulars cleared the grove of Mexican troops and linked up with him. Rostad sent his unit to his right and brought in all the units into the assault. At the same time, additional U.S. troops arrived on the western slope. Radzikowski was then sent by Rostad to support the men on in the main attack against the southeastern gate
Lieutenant Radzikowski quickly gathered the troops after entering the town, except the 21st Infantry who guarded the rear, and prisoners, and designed as a feint. The gate was manned by the "Lobo" Company, under the command of Captain Alejandro Torres and the gate to the north by Lieutenant Remon Grizio. It was at this point, Mexican troops began to desert and surrender, and when Torres ran out of ammunition, he withdrew into the Police Station. Led by Radzikowski, the irregulars breached the station at 1:20 p.m, and fought Torres' men in close battle, successfully defeating them with knives and buttstocks. During the fighting, Radzikowski brutally kicked Torres in his right leg, destabilizing him, before he unsheathed his knife and slashed him across the torso, finally impaling it into his spine. This was known as the "Storming of Chuparosa in Mexico".
It was 2 p.m. by the time Radzikowski cleared the station and started his advance through the rest of the attack, having fended an attack by Grizio's 100 troops. Radzikowski's troops, used the roof of the church south of the town to place down effective fire. On the northwest side of the town, Mexican naval officer Benito Rutia attempted to repeat Radzikowski's successful maneuver and managed to flood the gates with reinforcements. Major Thomas Myers then led a group of U.S. Marines behind the Mexican defenders and, climbing to the roof, unleashed a deadly volley on the enemy. By 6 p.m., the troops had cleared the majority of the town, and the defenders scattered, many retreating into the wilderness.
By 9 AM the next morning, Lucas de Hortega was reported to have retreated from the town. Thirty men from a group of former United States & Canadian Army soldiers who joined the Mexican side, were executed after the battle. They had been previously captured at the Police Station in Chuparosa. Rostad specified that they were to be "lined up and shot in the back of the head" and that the precise moment of their death was to occur when the U.S. flag replaced the Mexican atop the station.
The efforts of the troops in this battle and subsequent occupation of Chuparosa are memorialized by the United States Government. Among the lower-ranking officers present, many became high ranking officers in the upcoming American-Indian War, including Michael Johns, Thomas Myers, Devan Cervantez, and Mateuszek Radzikowski
Siege of Tesoro Azul
Royal Canadian Forces played a key role in the outcome of the Second Mexican-American War by defending the constricting ring around the hamlet of Tesoro Azul. The ultimate goal of the Mexicans in capturing the Tesoro Azul (also known as the Little Man's Town) was to attain a strategic position from which to move and attack Chuparosa, a strong point for the American military. The Siege of Tesoro Azul was the last major operation of Second Mexican-American War for the Royal Canadian Forces.
The primary objective of the American Army after capturing Chuparosa was the security of the hamlet of Tesoro Azul. Allied forces had driven back the Mexicans line of defense after the Siege of Chuparoas , after which General Lucas de Hortega pulled his troops back to the main line of defense against Tesoro Azul. Due to the lack of available U.S. troops, the Royal Canadian Forces contingent captured the hamlet. They were able to extend the allied early warning defensive establishments in the hamlet.
On March 25th, General Lucas de Hortega began the siege of Tesoro Azul. Hortega held a fortified position overlooking the hamlet. At night-time during heavy rainfall, while resting, the Mexican Army blew down the gates of Tesoro Azul and soldiers stormed the town from both sides. The Canadian contingent, under the command of Rostad, fought off the assault, the Mexican Army high up on a hill overlooking the town began to bombard it with an artillery emplacement. This made it very tricky to stay in the town and the troops had to fight into the night to break the siege. Rostad's troops moved up from the hamlet towards a hill in the south, with extending the flank to the left. Hortega had a good defensive position and Radzikowski explained to Rostad that they would sustain severe casualties from a frontal assault. The Eastern front wasn't as well prepared as the Western front, which had Gatling Gun emplacements and more troops. Both fronts were eliminated, and Radzikowski grabbed explosives from the middle of town and charged up the hill, facing barricades and sandbag emplacements, as well as gatling guns on top of the ridge. The artillery emplacement was cleared, Radzikowski then with the explosives planted them on the ridge, detonated it, and ended the siege.
Meanwhile, the Americans began their siege of Escalera. U.S. artillery sited on the heights pounded the city, while U.S. forces supported by rebels choked off all water and food supplies to the city. On March 27th, a relief column was able to fight its way through Hortega's troops and into the city holding the siege. On March 28th, a cease fire was enacted to evacuate citizens from the city. Also, on March 28th, four Gatlings were recovered from Hortegas Siege on Tesoro Azul as was a dynamite gun and six field guns.
On March 29th, the Hortega proposed to surrender if his troops could be evacuated to Nosalida. American military officials would not accept his proposal and the truce ended.
By April 2nd, everyone involved wanted a quick end to the campaign. The siege was effectively ended due to lack of supplies and the major fighting in Mexico was over, but the war was not. Mexican troops took to guerrilla tactics and cut off major supply lines for both American and Canadian troops. Major illness had spread through the allied troops before the war was over, and the majority of allied troops fell to sickness with no medical supplies able to come in. By April 12th the Royal Canadian Forces was recalled and sent to the United States. The campaign continued solely for the United States and plans were made for a major assault on Escalera, but the rest of the campaign of the war focused on counter-insurgency.
Battles continued in Mexico. By September 8th, 1893, the United States pulled back from Mexico due it's failure in quelling the insurgency. Prior, various battles in the region continued on and the United States was continuously victorious but the insurgency continued to grow larger than the United States was able to handle. On May 7th, the Mexican Government formed an armistice to the United States but the majority of it's service members started an uprising and formed a new campaign against the United States. The war elevated the United States to a level of an imperial power.
Return Home
On April 13th, the Royal Canadian Forces was ordered back to Canada and made it to on Rio Bravo, New Austin via the Frontera Bridge. There, they met up with the other troops that had been left behind. Radzikowski made note of how very many of the men who were left behind felt guilty for not serving in Mexico with the others. However, he also stated that "Those who stayed had done their duty precisely as those who went, for the question of glory was not to be considered in comparison to the faithful performance of whatever was ordered." During the first portion of the month that the men stayed in MacFarlane's Ranch where they received hospital care. Many of the men were stricken with fever and suffered wounds from Mexico. Many of the men also suffered from general exhaustion and were in poor condition upon returning home, some twenty pounds lighter. Everyone received fresh food and most were nourished back to their normal health.
The rest of the month was spent in celebration of victory among the troops. The unit was at it's full size and Radzikowski was promoted to Captain and given charge of his own personal unit. Accompanying the troops was a few deserted Mexican troops who were and was, of course, put to jail before departure from the United States. They were taken in by the unit that was left and were considered honorable prisoners. The men also made sure to honor both Radzikowski and Rostad in return for their stellar leadership and service.
With the beginning of the American-Frontier War, Radzikowski he formed his own company, known as "Rad's Raiders". Rostad and many of his friends begged Radzikowski to maintain a conventional troop, but after many battles, Radzikowski was determined to see victory. His company trained for several weeks in MacFarlane's Ranch and his prior experience in combat had been invaluable, in that it enabled him to immediately begin teaching his men advanced frontiering and guerilla skills. The company used some standard issue gear and some of their own design, purchased with gift money. Diversity characterized the regiment, which included cowboys, frontiersmen, Native Americans, hunters, miners, prospectors, soldiers, tradesmen, and sheriffs. The company was part of the Royal Canadian Forces as it's own independent company. Radzikowski and his men dealt with bandits in May, and marched to Tanner's Span to hunt and live off of the wilderness temporarily. To throw off his infantry rival, Radzikowski left one platoon so that he could claim that his move north was only a limited reconnaissance if things went wrong. After Radzikowski was promoted to Captain and took command of the unit, he was involved had a short, minor skirmish against a volunteer militia regiment who had fired upon Radzikowski's troops near Thieves' Landing
Under his leadership, the Royal Canadian Forces became famous for the charge in Las Hermanas on December 20th, 1892, while supporting the regulars. Radzikowski made an advance that he urged despite the absence of any orders from superiors. The victories came at a cost of 48 killed and 82 wounded. Radzikowski commented on his role in the battle: "On the day of the fight I ask my men to do a deed that many would not want to perform, that is, to fight armed and unfairly with the best modern rifles and training, behind a unified purpose. The only way to get them to do it in the way it had to be done was to lead them myself."
Radzikowski always recalled the Battle of Las Hermanas as one of "the greatest day of my life" and "my golden hour". In 1894, Radzikowski was awarded the Military General Service Medal and was recommended the Victoria Cross for his actions; he had been nominated during the war, but Radzikowski, annoyed at grabbing the headlines, denied it. After returning to Canada, Radzikowski preferred to be known as "The Captain", though "Rad" and "Matt" remained much more popular.
On the morning of May 1st, 1893, the regimental property including all equipment, firearms and horses were turned to training for their upcoming involvement in the American-Frontier War, which was fought by United States government against the wild and hostile factions. The soldiers were put to training and the Royal Canadian Forces, was immediately placed under assisting the United States in taming it's frontier at last.
Rostad's second in command was Captain Devan Cervantez and later Mateuszek Radzikowski, who had pushed for his involvement in the war. The volunteers were gathered in Gaptooth Ridge. They were trained in the southwest because the hot climate region that the men were used to was similar to that of Mexico where they would be fighting. Rostad requested outside assistance and tasked Radzikowski with gathering recruits. Radzikowski rode all over New Austin and gathered a diverse bunch of men consisting of cowboys, gold or mining prospectors, hunters, gamblers, Native Americans and college boys—all of whom were able-bodied and capable on horseback and in shooting. Among these men were also police officers and military veterans who wished to see action again, most of whom had already retired. Men who had served in Rostad's expedition during would serve as non-commissioned officers, since they already had the knowledge and experience to lead and train the men. The unit thus would not be without experience. Radzikowski was granted a commission to join the unit as a Lieutenant but did not accept until later in August. After several days of gathering thoughts, Radzikowski entered the Royal Canadian Forces as a Lieutenant who served as the adviser for General Rostad. Radzikowski was tasked to gather at least 50 men in an addition to their 50 before the end of the year. Radzikowski traveled to all the states and by September 15th, gathered 200 men to serve.
Before training began, Rostad used his political influence to ensure that his unit would be properly equipped to serve as any regular army unit. Radzikowski also used his own money he gained from mercenary service and helped arm the unit. The Royal Canadian Forces were armed with Lancaster Springfield Rifles and succeeded in getting their cartridges, Buck Cattleman revolvers, clothing, shelter-tents, and horse gear. The Royal Canadian Forces also used Bowie knives. In contrast, the uniforms of the regiment were designed to set the unit apart: the uniform was a campaign, khaki flannel shirt, khaki trousers, leggings, and boots.
Training was very standard. The unit worked on basic military drills, protocol, and habits involving conduct, obedience and etiquette. The men proved eager to learn what was necessary, and the training went smoothly. It was decided that the men would not be trained to use close combat weaponry, as everyone except for Radzikowski had no experience with it. Instead, they used their rifles and revolvers as primary and secondary weapons. Although the men, for the most part, were already experienced horsemen, the officers refined their techniques in riding, shooting from horseback, and practicing in formations and in skirmishes. Along with these practices, Radzikowski heavily studied books filled with tactics and drills to better himself in leading others. During times which physical drills could not be run, either because of confinement on board the train, or during times where space was inadequate, there were some books that were read further as to leave no time wasted in preparation for war. The competent training that the volunteer men received prepared them best as possible for their duty. They were not simply handed weapons and given vague directions to engage in a disorderly brawl.
Departure
On November 11th, 1892, 250 troops made their way to Hennigan's Stead where they would set off for Mexico. The lot awaited orders for departure from General Charles Rostad. Under heavy prompting from sieged forces, Rostad gave the order to dispatch the troops early before sufficient traveling storage was available. Due to this problem, only 50 of the 200 troops were permitted to engage in the war, and many of the horses and mules were left behind. Aside from Radzikowski's first hand mention of deep, heartfelt sorrow from the men left behind, this situation resulted in a premature weakening of the men.
Upon arrival to Mexico through Butter Bridge on November 12th, the men promptly unloaded themselves and the small amount of equipment they carried with them. Camp was set up near the San Luis River and the men were to remain there until further orders had been given to advance to El Presidio. Each man was only able to carry a few days worth of food which had to last them longer and fuel their bodies for rigorous tasks. Only twenty-five percent of the total number of troops were able to embark into Mexico they were still without most of the gear they had so heavily been trained and accustomed to using. They were not trained as frontiersmen and were not conditioned to doing heavy marching, especially long distance in hot, humid, and dense conditions. This ultimately served as a severe disadvantage to the men who had yet to see combat.
Siege of El Presidio
Referred to as the "American Thermopylae", the Siege of El Presidio was a battle in the Second Mexican-American War fought in which a 60-man joint force commanded by Rostad and Radzikowski defended a captured fortress against over 500 Mexican troops.
Within another day of camp being established, men were sent forward to Mesa del Sol and Casa Madrugada for reconnaissance purposes, and before long they returned with news of a Mexican Army outpost at Casa Madrugada. By afternoon, unit was given the command to begin marching towards El Presidio, to support the troops, eliminate the opposition and secure the area which stood in the path of further military advance. Prior to arrival at their destination, the men sneaked past Casa Madrugada at night.
The Mexican Army held an advantage over the Canadians by knowing their way through the complicated trails in the area of combat. They predicted where the Canadian troops would be traveling on foot and exactly what positions to fire on. They also were able to utilize the land and cover in such a way that they were difficult to spot. Along with this, their guns used smokeless powder which did not give away their immediate position upon firing as other gunpowders would have. This increased the difficulty of finding the opposition for the Canadian and U.S. soldiers.
Lieutenant Radzikowski, who was given command of the regulars, began the relief in the early morning. Using long-range precision, he fired at the opposing forces who were engaging the troops near the fortress, who were reportedly concealed along roads, ridges, and hill cover. Rostad's men, accompanied by Captain Cervantez, were not yet in the same vicinity as the other men at the start of the battle. They had a more difficult path to travel around the time the battle began, and at first they had to make their way up a very steep hill.
The troops pushed through the mountainous terrain and Radzikowski's party reached the pass, which provided a strategic bottleneck. It was to be protected until Rostad's element was able to make it into the fortress. Both parties made it to the fortress, regrouped with the remaining American troops and hunkered down to defend it while attempting to find a route of escape. The hand-picked force of Canadian troops, which was the remaining contingent of Rostad's army, mounted the established gatling guns and cannons. Meanwhile, the Mexican Army had been given the task of recapturing the castle. The Mexican Army, who was led by Major Perico de Espinosa calculated the defenders to be no more than 20 men.
At about 6:30 in the morning of November 15th, the Mexican Army advanced up the trail but were met with a steady volley of fire, resulting in them having to flank. The Mexican Army abandoned the idea of a frontal assault and took cover in a zigzag trail. Mexican sharpshooters stationed themselves on a hill overlooking the Fortress and proceeded to whittle down the joint force with measured volleys. Nevertheless, the joint force continued to hold it ground, utilizing focused volley fire that repelled other flanking advances by the Mexicans. Therefore, Espinosa sent elements of their force to determine their positions and outflank the defenders. While the flanking movement was still in progress, 100 Mexican soldiers rushed through the battlefield in a heroic charge but found themselves receiving heavy fire. Ninety-two died while the rest were wounded and forced to retreat.
Likewise, despite heavy casualties in one of the Mexican companies, the Mexican Army had emerged from the intense battle largely intact and had successfully withdrawn in an orderly fashion. Meanwhile, one of the replacement companies arrived an hour later took up positions, having dislodged the defenders from the top of fortress due to heavy fire, the Mexican Army would attempt to capture the dominating heights of a nearby hill. Although unaware of their assault, Radzikowski's element had however detected their movement and at 1:45 AM that evening they commenced an assault on the right flank. Although the initial moves were easily beaten back by rifle fire and explosives, a second assault an hour later succeeded in overrunning the right forward position. The joint force successfully withdrew in small groups back to the main defensive position, where they eventually halted the Mexican advance. During the fighting the training that the Canadians had proven vital, their training allowing for rapidly precise fire on enemy troops. The next morning 51 Mexican dead were counted around the perimeter. Shortly after the second assault on the fortress was repelled, another large Mexican assault force was detected fording the path in the bright moonlight. Laying down heavy and accurate artillery fire, the joint force gunners forced the Mexican Army to temporarily withdraw, killing more than 70.
Meanwhile, a large Mexican force of perhaps company strength was detected in the re-entrant west of the fortress, moving toward the main defensive position, and Radzikowski warned Rostad of the impending assault. Six troops had been positioned there before the battle, each armed with rifles. Radzikowski held fire until the Mexicans broke through the hill-line just 100 meters from their front. The joint force opened fire with rifles and cannons at their minimum engagement distance. The Mexicans suffered severe casualties and the assault was easily beaten off. The Mexicans had telegraphed their intentions prior to the assault by using fire for direction, and had used bugles to co-ordinate troops in their forming up positions. Such inflexibility had allowed the joint force to co-ordinate indirect fires and took heavy toll on the attackers in the forming up positions.
The Mexicans had been able to successfully pinpoint the joint force's defensive positions, and carried out a thorough reconnaissance prior to their next attack attack. The severe terrain had prevented the assaulting troops from adopting a low profile during their final assault however in the darkness the defenders' rifle fire was ineffective, forcing them to resort to using explosives and cannons. The defenders' mortars and artillery was particularly ineffective however, and very few rounds fell on Mexican positions during the evening. Indeed, in their haste to follow up the near collapse of the fortress, the joint force had left the bulk of its artillery and supplies well to the north, in the United States. Meanwhile, what ammunition they did have had been largely used up on the Mexicans during the previous evening. In contrast, the joint force's gunners provided effective fire support and had been able to break up a number of assaults before they had even reached the gates.
At 02:10 the next evening a large Mexican force was detected forming up on a spur to the southwest past Roca de Madera and they were engaged by gatling guns and defensive fires. Assaulting under the cover of machine-gun and artillery fire, the Mexican were soon effectively engaged by riflemen firing in mutual support. Switching their axis of assault to the east, the Mexicans succeeded in overrunning one of the sections, killing two troops who had remained at their post firing until the last moment. The joint force fought back, engaging the Mexicans as they attempted to move the towards them before arranging in pre-arranged defensive fires on to the newly lost position. With the firing at a 'very slow' rate to conserve ammunition, the weight of the assaults prompted the joint force to request it be increased to an even 'slower' rate of two rounds per gun per minute, so that 12 rounds fell every minute within a target area of 180 meters.
With the Mexican infiltrating the perimeter through the gaps, the joint force was close to being surrounded. The combatant commander of the Royal Canadian Forces, Lieutenant Radzikowski, was subsequently forced to use explosives onto his own position on several occasions during the early morning of November 18th to avoid being overrun. The tactic succeeded and the exposed Mexicans were soon swept off the position, while the dug-in troops escaped unharmed. The Mexicans persisted however, launching a number of smaller attacks during the rest of the night, but these were again repulsed by artillery and small arms fire. By dawn the attacks on the joint force positions had abated, and with the friendly forces remaining in control of the summit they were able to recover the previously abandoned position at first light. Meanwhile, on the right flank the joint force was also able to re-occupy the position it had been forced to relinquish earlier the previous evening. The Mexican Army had suffered heavily during the night, with perhaps as many as 300 killed by the joint force.
Although the Mexicans had continued to mount small attacks, the joint force was now in control of the battle. Regardless, the Mexican Army had succeeded in establishing blocking positions on the roads south of the fortress, cutting them off from resupply. Anticipating that the battle would continue into the evening, Radzikowski requested that food, ammunition and water be rationed and conserved for dire circumstances. Anticipating a renewed Mexican effort, the joint force continued to improve their defensive position. Meanwhile, Radzikowski went out on patrols during the morning in order to clear the Mexican blockades that had cut off the supply lines, and although the blocking positions were relatively weak it was not until 11:00 in the morning that patrols reported the road clear.
The remainder of the day was relatively quiet for the joint force, although they were subjected to periodic harassing fire from the Mexicans. The force received heavy fire from the west, in particular. Regardless, the Mexican Army made no further attempt to attack, and confined themselves to limited patrolling activities across the front. Later the joint force, cleared the remaining Mexicans from the southern slopes, while several concentrations of Mexican troops were again broken up by heavy artillery fire. The American troops who were holding the castle were subsequently relieved by the Royal Canadian Forces, following which the U.S. Cavalry Scout Company "Rangers" launched an assault on Casa Madrugada. The Mexicans resisted until 8:00 PM, before the Mexican 4th Army suddenly withdrew. Joint force patrols north of the feature met no resistance, while the Americans were also able to patrol east along Alta Cabeza without contact. By last light the situation had stabilized on the front. Having left their supplies of food and ammunition behind during the advance two days earlier, the Mexicans had been forced to withdraw east in the late afternoon of November 21st in order to regroup and replenish following the heavy casualties incurred during the fighting.
On the 24th of November, a scouting party led by Lieutenant Radzikowski had been tasked with eliminating a suspected guerilla force far east of the fortress. The unit pushed forward along with Radzikowski's irregulars. Using careful observation, they were able to locate where the opposition was hidden in the brush and entrenchments and they were able to target their men properly to overcome them. Toward the end of the battle, Harold McCoy, a report, was inspired by the men around him in the heat of battle to pick up a rifle and begin fighting alongside them. When he suffered a gunshot wound in the spine from one of the Mexican troops who mistook him as General Rostad from afar and ran back from the front line to report his death. Due to this misconception, the Mexican Army attempted to gather the rest of it's contingent and prepare for a final assault, but were repelled by the United States Cavalry. Rostad became ill shortly afterwards and as Cervantez failed to take command, Radzikowski was forced to take as the commanding officer and gathered the troops together with his leadership charisma.
The United States had full control of the fortress by the end of the battle. General Rostad had the men hold position for six days while additional supplies were being brought. During this time the Royal Canadian Forces ate, slept, cared for the wounded, and buried the dead from both sides. During the six day encampment, some men died from fever. Among those stricken by illness was the U.S. Army Captain Samuel Willington, and with Rostad ill as well, and failure to take command from Cervantez, Radzikowski took command until Rostad was brought back ti temperate conditions.
Over the course of the battle, 25 of the 60 joint force troops were killed. Among the dead was U.S. Army Colonel Thomas Barton, shot through the neck at the height or end of the struggle (depending upon which eye-witness account is to be believed). The battle lasted nearly over a week from beginning to end with the Royal Canadian Forces suffering 18 dead and 31 wounded, including Lieutenant Radzikowski, who later came across General Rostad in full health a few days after the battle finished and stepped down from his position as Commanding Officer.
Battle of Las Hermanas
On December 20th, the order was given for the men to march several miles along the road to Las Hermanas, a religious holding converted into a garrsion, from the outpost they had been holding. Originally, Rostad had no specific orders for himself and his men. They were simply to march to Las Hermanas where it was reported that over one thousand Mexican soldiers held the area and hold position. It was decided that Rostad's infantry would be the main fighters in the battle while attempting to take the stronghold. Rostad's troops was to served as the main assault force while Radzikowski's irregulars struck from afar. A U.S. Army infantry company would begin the battle and Royal Canadian Forces were to march and meet with them mid-battle. By this time, the Royal Canadian Forces were no longer seen as a critical tool to the United States in this battle.
Rostad and the unit made their way toward of what was dubbed Deer Hill because of the deer that run along it. The battle of Las Hermanas began with the firing at the Mexican location. Soon after fire was returned and Royal Canadian Forces, standing at the position of engagement, had to promptly move to avoid casualties. The men moved down from their position and began making their way towards the base of Las Hermanas Hill. There they took cover along in the tall grass to avoid sniper fire that was being directed towards their position, however they were left vulnerable and pinned down. The Mexican rifles were able to discharge eight rounds in the twenty seconds it took for the Canadans rifles to reload. In this way they had a strong advantage over the Canadians. The rounds they fired were 7mm Mauser bullets which moved at a high velocity and inflicted small, clean wounds. Some of the men were hit, but few were mortally wounded or killed. Mateuszek Radzikowski, deeply dissatisfied with General Rostad's inaction with sending men out for reconnaissance and failure to issue more direct orders, became uneasy with the idea of leaving himself and his men sitting in the line of fire. He sent messengers to seek out the generals to try to coax orders from him to advance from their position. Finally, the company received orders to assist the regulars in their assault on the front. Radzikowski, got his troops ready and into position to begin making their way towards the garrison. He claimed that he wished to fight as he did at El Presidio; however he would have found it difficult to supervise his men in a quick and efficient manner. Meanwhile, Rostad chided his own men to not leave him alone in a charge up the previously held hill and drawing his sidearm promised nearby soldiers separated that he would fire at them if they turned back, warning them he kept his promises.
As the troops of the various units began slowly creeping up the garrison, firing their rifles at the opposition as they pushed, Radzikowski went to the captain of the U.S. platoons in back and had a word with him. He stated that it was his opinion that they could not effectively take the garrison due to an insufficient ability to effectively return fire, and that the solution was to charge it full-on. The captain reiterated his colonel's orders to hold position. Radzikowski, recognizing the absence of higher commanding officers, declared himself the experienced officer and ordered a charge towards Las Hermanas. The captain stood hesitant, and Radzikowski lead his own men towards the garrison while waving his handgun. His unit followed him with enthusiasm and obedience without hesitation. By then, the other men from the different units became stirred by this event and began bolting up alongside their countrymen. The 'charge' was actually a series of short rushes by Radzikowski's irregulars and the Royal Canadian Forces. Within twenty minutes, the troops rushed into the garrison, engaged in bloody close battle for nearly one hour and one by one, successfully eliminated all troops. Through this effort, Las Hermanas was taken, though casualties were heavy. The rest of the surrounding area was taken within the hour following.
Radzikowski's charge on Las Hermanas was facilitated by a hail of covering fire from three rifle squads commanded by Lt. Michael Johns, which fired some 1,000 rounds into the Mexican-held garrison from atop the crest of a hill. Radzikowski noted that the hammering sound of the rifles visibly raised the spirits of his men:
"There suddenly smote on our ears a peculiar drumming sound. One or two of the men cried out, "Enemy Snipers!" but, after listening a moment, I leaped to my feet and called, "It's ours, boys! Our Men!" Immediately the troopers began to cheer lustily, for the sound was most inspiring."
A Mexican counterattack on Las Hermanas by some 400 infantry was quickly devastated by a U.S. Army platoon recently emplaced ambushed on the summit of Deer Hill, which killed all but forty of the attackers before they had closed to within 250 meters of the Americans on Deer Hill. Radzikowski was so impressed by the actions of Lt. Johns and his men that he placed his unit's regulars under Johns, who immediately emplaced them at tactical firing points in the American line.
Lieutenant Radzikowski gave a large share of the credit for the successful charge to Lt. Johns and his Detachment:
"I think Johns deserved rather more credit than he gotten, he had great judgment and foresight to see the possibilities of his troops. He then, by his own exertions, got it to the front and proved that it could do invaluable work on the field of battle, as much in attack as in defense."
Siege of Chuparosa
The Battle of Chuparosa took place on March 4th between the US Army and Royal Canadian Forces against Mexican forces holding Chuparosa in western Perdido. The town was an important position for the defense of the region. For the Battle is a necessary part in the campaign, allied forces totaled up to 1,200 men, and the Mexican Army totaled about 5,000. The Battle of Chuparosa saw about 200 allied troops attack 800 Mexican troops.
On December 20th, in the costly Battle of Las Hermanas, allied forces had managed to drive the Mexicans from their positions in Las Hermanas from the east. However, the U.S. Army was still interested in the town of Chuparosa. Rostad was also in favor of attacking Chuparosa and only Captain Devan Cervantez agreed. Radzikowski favored only attacking through exposed flanks.
Lucas de Hortega was in command of the army at Chuparosa. He understood that the town was an important position for the defense of the region. According to military records, Chuparosa was only defended by 800 men. Additional Mexican troops were called with redoubts to protect Tesoro Azul. The town of Chuparosa was protected by high walls and was about three-quarters of a mile long by one-quarter mile deep. Radzikowski organized two storming parties of about 20 men. The first party consisted of Royal Canadian Forces irregulars who would advance from the south up. The second storming party consisted of Michael John's regulars advancing along the Barracana road. The allies began the engagement against Chuparosa at dawn on March 4th. It was halted at dark and resumed at first light on March 5 at 8 AM. The fires were halted and General Rostad ordered an infantry charge. There were three assault columns. On the left were Radzikowski's irregularsm moving south of Chuparosa, in the east were two platoons companies of the Royal Canadian Forces with the U.S. 21st Infantry moving through the northern edge of the town, and on the northwest, Radzikowski's borrowed regulars were blocked off reinforcement routes.
Radzikowski was quickly hit and called for reinforcements but the attack faltered when fired upon by the Mexican troops. Radzikowski's irregulars cleared the grove of Mexican troops and linked up with him. Rostad sent his unit to his right and brought in all the units into the assault. At the same time, additional U.S. troops arrived on the western slope. Radzikowski was then sent by Rostad to support the men on in the main attack against the southeastern gate
Lieutenant Radzikowski quickly gathered the troops after entering the town, except the 21st Infantry who guarded the rear, and prisoners, and designed as a feint. The gate was manned by the "Lobo" Company, under the command of Captain Alejandro Torres and the gate to the north by Lieutenant Remon Grizio. It was at this point, Mexican troops began to desert and surrender, and when Torres ran out of ammunition, he withdrew into the Police Station. Led by Radzikowski, the irregulars breached the station at 1:20 p.m, and fought Torres' men in close battle, successfully defeating them with knives and buttstocks. During the fighting, Radzikowski brutally kicked Torres in his right leg, destabilizing him, before he unsheathed his knife and slashed him across the torso, finally impaling it into his spine. This was known as the "Storming of Chuparosa in Mexico".
It was 2 p.m. by the time Radzikowski cleared the station and started his advance through the rest of the attack, having fended an attack by Grizio's 100 troops. Radzikowski's troops, used the roof of the church south of the town to place down effective fire. On the northwest side of the town, Mexican naval officer Benito Rutia attempted to repeat Radzikowski's successful maneuver and managed to flood the gates with reinforcements. Major Thomas Myers then led a group of U.S. Marines behind the Mexican defenders and, climbing to the roof, unleashed a deadly volley on the enemy. By 6 p.m., the troops had cleared the majority of the town, and the defenders scattered, many retreating into the wilderness.
By 9 AM the next morning, Lucas de Hortega was reported to have retreated from the town. Thirty men from a group of former United States & Canadian Army soldiers who joined the Mexican side, were executed after the battle. They had been previously captured at the Police Station in Chuparosa. Rostad specified that they were to be "lined up and shot in the back of the head" and that the precise moment of their death was to occur when the U.S. flag replaced the Mexican atop the station.
The efforts of the troops in this battle and subsequent occupation of Chuparosa are memorialized by the United States Government. Among the lower-ranking officers present, many became high ranking officers in the upcoming American-Indian War, including Michael Johns, Thomas Myers, Devan Cervantez, and Mateuszek Radzikowski
Siege of Tesoro Azul
Royal Canadian Forces played a key role in the outcome of the Second Mexican-American War by defending the constricting ring around the hamlet of Tesoro Azul. The ultimate goal of the Mexicans in capturing the Tesoro Azul (also known as the Little Man's Town) was to attain a strategic position from which to move and attack Chuparosa, a strong point for the American military. The Siege of Tesoro Azul was the last major operation of Second Mexican-American War for the Royal Canadian Forces.
The primary objective of the American Army after capturing Chuparosa was the security of the hamlet of Tesoro Azul. Allied forces had driven back the Mexicans line of defense after the Siege of Chuparoas , after which General Lucas de Hortega pulled his troops back to the main line of defense against Tesoro Azul. Due to the lack of available U.S. troops, the Royal Canadian Forces contingent captured the hamlet. They were able to extend the allied early warning defensive establishments in the hamlet.
On March 25th, General Lucas de Hortega began the siege of Tesoro Azul. Hortega held a fortified position overlooking the hamlet. At night-time during heavy rainfall, while resting, the Mexican Army blew down the gates of Tesoro Azul and soldiers stormed the town from both sides. The Canadian contingent, under the command of Rostad, fought off the assault, the Mexican Army high up on a hill overlooking the town began to bombard it with an artillery emplacement. This made it very tricky to stay in the town and the troops had to fight into the night to break the siege. Rostad's troops moved up from the hamlet towards a hill in the south, with extending the flank to the left. Hortega had a good defensive position and Radzikowski explained to Rostad that they would sustain severe casualties from a frontal assault. The Eastern front wasn't as well prepared as the Western front, which had Gatling Gun emplacements and more troops. Both fronts were eliminated, and Radzikowski grabbed explosives from the middle of town and charged up the hill, facing barricades and sandbag emplacements, as well as gatling guns on top of the ridge. The artillery emplacement was cleared, Radzikowski then with the explosives planted them on the ridge, detonated it, and ended the siege.
Meanwhile, the Americans began their siege of Escalera. U.S. artillery sited on the heights pounded the city, while U.S. forces supported by rebels choked off all water and food supplies to the city. On March 27th, a relief column was able to fight its way through Hortega's troops and into the city holding the siege. On March 28th, a cease fire was enacted to evacuate citizens from the city. Also, on March 28th, four Gatlings were recovered from Hortegas Siege on Tesoro Azul as was a dynamite gun and six field guns.
On March 29th, the Hortega proposed to surrender if his troops could be evacuated to Nosalida. American military officials would not accept his proposal and the truce ended.
By April 2nd, everyone involved wanted a quick end to the campaign. The siege was effectively ended due to lack of supplies and the major fighting in Mexico was over, but the war was not. Mexican troops took to guerrilla tactics and cut off major supply lines for both American and Canadian troops. Major illness had spread through the allied troops before the war was over, and the majority of allied troops fell to sickness with no medical supplies able to come in. By April 12th the Royal Canadian Forces was recalled and sent to the United States. The campaign continued solely for the United States and plans were made for a major assault on Escalera, but the rest of the campaign of the war focused on counter-insurgency.
Battles continued in Mexico. By September 8th, 1893, the United States pulled back from Mexico due it's failure in quelling the insurgency. Prior, various battles in the region continued on and the United States was continuously victorious but the insurgency continued to grow larger than the United States was able to handle. On May 7th, the Mexican Government formed an armistice to the United States but the majority of it's service members started an uprising and formed a new campaign against the United States. The war elevated the United States to a level of an imperial power.
Return Home
On April 13th, the Royal Canadian Forces was ordered back to Canada and made it to on Rio Bravo, New Austin via the Frontera Bridge. There, they met up with the other troops that had been left behind. Radzikowski made note of how very many of the men who were left behind felt guilty for not serving in Mexico with the others. However, he also stated that "Those who stayed had done their duty precisely as those who went, for the question of glory was not to be considered in comparison to the faithful performance of whatever was ordered." During the first portion of the month that the men stayed in MacFarlane's Ranch where they received hospital care. Many of the men were stricken with fever and suffered wounds from Mexico. Many of the men also suffered from general exhaustion and were in poor condition upon returning home, some twenty pounds lighter. Everyone received fresh food and most were nourished back to their normal health.
The rest of the month was spent in celebration of victory among the troops. The unit was at it's full size and Radzikowski was promoted to Captain and given charge of his own personal unit. Accompanying the troops was a few deserted Mexican troops who were and was, of course, put to jail before departure from the United States. They were taken in by the unit that was left and were considered honorable prisoners. The men also made sure to honor both Radzikowski and Rostad in return for their stellar leadership and service.
With the beginning of the American-Frontier War, Radzikowski he formed his own company, known as "Rad's Raiders". Rostad and many of his friends begged Radzikowski to maintain a conventional troop, but after many battles, Radzikowski was determined to see victory. His company trained for several weeks in MacFarlane's Ranch and his prior experience in combat had been invaluable, in that it enabled him to immediately begin teaching his men advanced frontiering and guerilla skills. The company used some standard issue gear and some of their own design, purchased with gift money. Diversity characterized the regiment, which included cowboys, frontiersmen, Native Americans, hunters, miners, prospectors, soldiers, tradesmen, and sheriffs. The company was part of the Royal Canadian Forces as it's own independent company. Radzikowski and his men dealt with bandits in May, and marched to Tanner's Span to hunt and live off of the wilderness temporarily. To throw off his infantry rival, Radzikowski left one platoon so that he could claim that his move north was only a limited reconnaissance if things went wrong. After Radzikowski was promoted to Captain and took command of the unit, he was involved had a short, minor skirmish against a volunteer militia regiment who had fired upon Radzikowski's troops near Thieves' Landing
Under his leadership, the Royal Canadian Forces became famous for the charge in Las Hermanas on December 20th, 1892, while supporting the regulars. Radzikowski made an advance that he urged despite the absence of any orders from superiors. The victories came at a cost of 48 killed and 82 wounded. Radzikowski commented on his role in the battle: "On the day of the fight I ask my men to do a deed that many would not want to perform, that is, to fight armed and unfairly with the best modern rifles and training, behind a unified purpose. The only way to get them to do it in the way it had to be done was to lead them myself."
Radzikowski always recalled the Battle of Las Hermanas as one of "the greatest day of my life" and "my golden hour". In 1894, Radzikowski was awarded the Military General Service Medal and was recommended the Victoria Cross for his actions; he had been nominated during the war, but Radzikowski, annoyed at grabbing the headlines, denied it. After returning to Canada, Radzikowski preferred to be known as "The Captain", though "Rad" and "Matt" remained much more popular.
On the morning of May 1st, 1893, the regimental property including all equipment, firearms and horses were turned to training for their upcoming involvement in the American-Frontier War, which was fought by United States government against the wild and hostile factions. The soldiers were put to training and the Royal Canadian Forces, was immediately placed under assisting the United States in taming it's frontier at last.
American-Frontier War (1893-1894)
The involvement of the Royal Canadian Forces in the American-Frontier War started after the infamous MacFarlane's Ranch Raid. The Raid on MacFarlane's Ranch, or simply known as the "Jackdaw Raid" was an incursion by a mixed raider force into MacFarlane's Ranch. The raid took place on May 12th 1893, and is named for the commander of the raiders, former Brig. Gen. Leigh Morgan Jackdaw. Although it caused casualties and the raiders managed to capture several prisoners in the process, the raid was ultimately classed as a failure.
The raid was intended to force the local populace to surrender the location but failed to do so. As part of the planning, Jackdaw gathered a force that had been placed at Mascalero and Pikes Basin, on the border of the the Ranch. The force was around 50 to 100 men. They were equipped with handguns, repeaters and knives.
Shortly before 3 PM, Jackdaw's men started the raid. During the raid, they charged into the village and held most of the villagers at gunpoint and capturing several others, while killing their horses to prevent pursuit. Several armed villagers tried to resist, and one was killed and another wounded. Jackdaw ordered his men to burn the Ranch, but they failed to ignite the fires. Several minutes as the raid initiated, a small patrol of Royal Canadian soldiers were alerted and raised the entire village on alert, with troops quickly responding to the raid and started engaging the raiders. Most of the raiders were former soldiers and managed to put up a fight against the Canadian troops, but as the gunfight lasted for more than ten minutes, at least four raiders were killed in the process. Jackdaw, realizing he was facing a losing battle, took the captured civilians and stolen funds and escaped west, with the Canadian troops unable to maintain pursuit. As some of the raiders attempted to escape, they were caught by Canadian troops and arrested the raiders, recovering $32,000. However, the U.S. court ruled that because that they were Canadian soldiers under military orders from the Canadian Government, they were not able to hold them. They forced some of the raiders to adopt a civilian lifestyle and were heavily watch by soldiers and law enforcement alike. The rest of the prisoners were put in the stockade, under the care of the local sheriffs.
As an unintended consequence, the raid served to turn many citizens against Jackdaw, since they felt that they were being drawn into conflict for no reason and were not willing to turn over any settlements. Jackdaw realized this, requested an exchange in which the local sheriffs and Canadian troops agreed to exchange the prisoners in the stockade for the civilians and no further raids were made.
Arrest of Jackdaw after the Raid
Accordingly, news of Jackdaw's incursion to the far West after the exchange quickly reached the Royal Canadian Forces and Rostad assigned Radzikowski to track Jackdaw. Jackdaw's armed column was tracked by Radzikowski's irregulars from the moment they were reported. Jackdaw's armed column encountered resistance very early on May 15th when there was a very brief exchange of fire between his troops and Radzikowski's, with Jackdaw losing two of his officers in the process. Around noon Jackdaw's armed column was near Gaptooth Ridge where a force of Canadian soldiers blocked the road and dug into prepared defensive positions. Jackdaw's force spent some hours exchanging fire with the troops, losing several men and many horses in the skirmish. Towards evening Jackdaw's armed column withdrew and turned south-east attempting to flank the force. Radzikowski however tracked the move overnight and on May 16th as the light improved a substantial force of Royal Canadian troops was waiting for Jackdaw at Plainview. The tired raiders initially exchanged fire with the Canadians, losing around thirty men before Jackdaw realized the position was hopeless and surrendered to Captain Devan Cervantez. The raiders were taken to Fort Mercer, under charge of the United States National Guard and jailed.
The U.S. government decided that the Royal Canadian Forces was necessary to help maintain peace across it's frontier states. A few days after the raid, United States Government congratulated Rostad and his troops on their success "without the help of friendly forces", alluding to more support by the United States. When this was disclosed to the press, it raised a storm of anti-American feeling. The Royal Canadian Forces was lionized, but many Americans believed were inflamed by their lack of government's decision to use it's own military and with many citizens feeling a frenzy of jingoism. Jackdaw was sentenced to 15 months for leading the raid, which he initially served in Fort Mercer before being transferred to Sisika Penitentiary.
For conspiring with Jackdaw, his members, including former Colonel Hammond Rhodes were jailed in deplorable conditions, found guilty of high treason, and sentenced to death by hanging. This sentence was later commuted to 15 years’ imprisonment, and by 1894, all surviving members were released on payment of stiff fines. Jackdaw would be released from jail several months later in 1893. After his release from jail, Jackdaw immediately joined his brother in the American-Frontier War, who would fight in the Battle of Gory Ridge. Jackdaw's raid initiated the war and many of the U.S. troops fighting in Mexico left the whole frontier states vulnerable. Seizing on this weakness, and a discontent with the war, large factions revolted against the United States Government in what was known as the War of Ignorance, but it is better known to most of the world as the American-Frontier War. Natives joined them soon thereafter. Hundreds of settlers were killed within the first few weeks of the revolt and many more would die over the next few months. With few American troops to restrain the revolt, the settlers had to quickly build defenses and fight on their own. Over 50,000 citizens fought against a new body of factions but it would not be until June 5th that the Royal Canadian Forces were finally would finally mobilize to fight.
Battle of Riley's Charge
The Battle of Riley's Charge was a large infantry assault conducted by a mixed force known as "The Damned" against a Royal Canadian Forces position on June 12th, 1893 during the American-Frontier War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander, Warchief Wahkan, and it was arguably an avoidable mistake from which was never fully psychologically recovered, from either side.
The battle is named after the location of Riley's Charge, which was a charge led by a Union colonel known as Eldo Riley, who led the charge.
The Royal Canadian Forces contingent were deployed to Armadillo to maintain order and peacekeeping from any intruding riots. As the troops arrived at the town, many of the citizens became weary and distrusting of the Canadian troops due to a large number of attacks on the town because of their involvement in the United States. On June 9th, the contingent, led by Rostad and Radzikowski, stopped to rest at Riley's Charge, an old Civil War era entrenchment line. Reports of a hostile faction roaming the area was apparent, the contingent set up defenses and prepared for battle, but it was not until June 12th that they would fight.
The charge was planned by Warchief Wahkan and was commanded by George Lowrance Scales to overrun the entrenching line and eliminate the Canadian troops. The majority of the attacking force had experience in previous battles against government forces and rebel forces alike in many of the wars on or near U.S. soil. The target of the assault was the center of line, where it was commanding by Gen. Charleston Rostad. The specific objective of the assault has been the source of historical controversy. Traditionally, the commanding officers of a major force have been cited as the primary objective for the attacking force. However, recent scholarship has suggested that Wahkan's goal was actually Fort Mercer, a more prominent and highly prestiged objective. The much-debated theory suggests that Wahkan's general plan for the attacks had changed and the attacks were also aimed at eliminating Gen. Rostad and Capt. Radzikowski.
From the beginning of the establishment, things went awry for the defending forces. The Royal Canadian Forces had not been used in frontier combat or in trench warfare and it was cited as an issue, however their combat experience did not prevent them from fighting well. Some of troops had fought lightly in several engagements against bandits and rebel groups during patrols. Although unknown to popular history, overall combat command was given to Radzikowski, and as he was Rostad's most experienced commander. Rostad did tell Radzikowski that his irregulars should participate in the contingency campaign, and given their experience, it was appropriate to more fairly distribute the credit (or blame). In conjunction with the assault, Wahkan planned a cavalry action in the flank. A former British Army Dragoon known as Jeffrey Hewlette led the cavalry charge and attempted to exploit the hoped-for breakthrough by attacking the flank and disrupting its line of communications (and retreat) along Two Crows but to no avail.
Meanwhile, near Fort Mercer, a seven-hour battle raged for the control of the fort by a Native American tribe. Wahkan's intent was to synchronize the offensive, keeping the Canadians or the United States from concentrating their numerically superior forces, but the assaults were poorly coordinated.
The infantry charge was preceded by what Wahkan hoped would be a powerful and well-concentrated firepower of the entrenchment center, destroying the elite riflemen that could defeat the assault and demoralizing the infantry. But a combination of inept leadership and defective equipment doomed the rifle barrage from the beginning. Despite major efforts, then, there was insufficient concentration of fire on the objective. The rifle bombardment was likely the largest of the war, with hundreds of rifles from both sides firing along the lines for one to two hours, starting around 1 p.m. Rifles numbered about 150 and fired from a line over 50 to 100m long. Despite its ferocity, the fire was mostly ineffectual. Rounds often overshot the infantry front lines—in some cases because of the delayed aim—and the smoke covering the battlefield concealed that fact from the riflemen. General Rostad had only about 80 troops available to conduct counter-fire; the geographic features of the entrenchment line had limited areas for effective troop emplacement. Radzikowski also ordered that firing cease to conserve ammunition, but to fool Wahkan, Radzikowski ordered his troops to cease fire slowly to create the illusion that they were being killed one by one. By the time all of the Canadian troops ceased fire, and still blinded by the smoke from battle, Wahkan fell for Radzikowski's deception and believed that many of the entrenched troops had been destroyed. Radzikowski had to resist the strong arguments of Rostad, who demanded fire to lift the spirits of the infantrymen pinned down by enemy fire.
The day was hot, and humid, and the Wahkan's forces suffered under the hot sun and from the counter-fire as they awaited the order to advance. Hewlette had opposed the charge from the beginning, convinced the charge would fail (which ultimately proved true), and had his own plan that he would have preferred for a strategic movement around the defender's left flank. Hewlette wanted to avoid personally ordering the charge by attempting to pass the mantle onto young former Sergeant Johnathan Holston, telling him that he should inform Wahkan at the optimum time to begin the advance, based on his assessment that the defenders had been effectively out of ammunition. Although he had insufficient information to accomplish this, Wahkan eventually notified Holston that he was running dangerously short of time, communicating with his men "If you are coming at all, come at once, or I cannot give you proper support, but the enemy's fire has not slackened at all. At least fifteen troops are still firing from the line." Holston asked Wahkan if he was to advance but the effort to speak the order failed. Holston made one final attempt to call off the assault. After his encounter with Wahkan, he discussed the situation with Hewlette, and was informed that Wahkan did not have full confidence that the defenders were weakened. Holston requested Hewlette to stop Wahkan, but the young sergeant explained that the infantry assault would go forward without the advantage it initially had.
The entire force that stepped off toward the Canadian positions at about 2 p.m. consisted of about 500+ men. The attackers encountered fire while advancing across open fields to reach the entrenchment line and were slowed by fire in their path. These obstacles played a large role in the increasing number of casualties the advancing attackers faced. The ground between Riley's Charge and Lake Don Julio is slightly undulating, and the advancing troops periodically disappeared from the view of the defending riflemen. As the attackers advanced, awaiting defenders began shouting "Thermopyle! Thermopyle! Thermopyle!" in reference to the disastrous Mexican advance on El Presidio during the 1892 Siege of El Presidio. Fire from Radzikowski's concealed positions north raked the attackers right flank, while Rostad's fire from hit the left.
On the right flank of the attack, a unit led by former Union lieutenant Robert Foster was devastated by fire from the line. They were subjected to a surprise rifle fusillade from Radzikowski's Raiders. The irregulars, firing from a staggered line, so surprised Foster's troop—already demoralized by their losses to fire—that they panicked and fled back to Lake Don Julio, crashing through Holston's unit and causing many of his men to bolt as well. The Raiders followed up with a successful flanking attack, which was now the left flank of Wahkan's element. The survivors were subjected to increasing fire from the entrenchment line. More than 1,600 rounds were fired at Wahkan's men during the assault. By this time, the attackers were close enough to be fired on by dynamites and Radzikowski's irregulars unleashed very effective fire from behind 100 meters of line, with every rifleman of the unit lined up, exchanging places in line as they fired and then fell back to reload. Holston's element followed Wahkan's, but made poor progress. Renewed fire from the irregulars and the onslaught of attackers prevented most of these men from getting through the line. The defenders also took casualties, but Radzikowski encouraged his men by moving back and forth just behind the battle line, shouting "Keep giving them hell!".
On the left flank, Wahkan's second element wheeled partially to their left to face west. As the unit wheeled to the left, its flanks were exposed to Radzikowski's rifles. Rostad's rifles delivered withering fire into Wahkan's second element. At about this time, Wahkan, who had been prominent in displaying himself on horseback to his men during the assault, was wounded by a bullet striking the pommel of his saddle, entering his inner right thigh along with wood fragments and a large bent nail. He refused evacuation to the rear until the battle was settled. As the rest of Wahkan's men advanced, they withstood the defensive fire of the first line, then second, and then third before suffering major casualties. Radzikowski placed the two sharpshooters to the cliffside behind Riley's Charge with the rest of his and Rostad's element to defend the line. Wahkan's men could not match the massive firepower that Radzikowski's troops had been able to unleash.
Two gaps opened up in the line: Radzikowski ordered his men to melee when the attackers came too close to the line; north of line, the men of Rostad's element inexplicably bolted for the rear. In the latter case, this left Radzikowski and his irregulars to face the oncoming infantry. Assisted personally, Radzikowski ordered explosive dynamite to be thrown simultaneously. The entire attacking line to his front disappeared. The gap vacated, however, was more serious, leaving only a handful of the defenders to receive the rest of the attacking force as they began to charge into the trenches. Meanwhile, Rostad ordered his troops back into the fight while Radzikowski and his troops resisted fiercely in a melee of rifle fire, bayonets, hatchets and fists. Radzikowski, mortified that Rostad's unit had retreated, attempted to bring forward Rostad's men, but they did not obey the order, so he had to bring his own troops in to help fill the gap. During the fight, Wahkan was killed as he attempted to charge with his men, three bullets striking him, the third in his eye. The attacker flooded the trenchline and faced the defenders, but they were no match. As more Rostad's reinforcements arrived and charged into the breach, Radzikowski's ferocious defensive fighting allowed it to become impregnable and reinforced, and the attackers began to slip away individually, with the rest of the officers deserting instead of remaining to call a formal retreat, with Hewlette, Wahkan, Foster and Holston all killed in action.
The battle lasted for three hours. The supporting attack by Foster and Holston on Wahkan's flanks was never a factor; they did not approach the line until after Wahkan was defeated, and their advance was quickly broken up by Radzikowski's irregulars and by the Raiders.
Aftermath of the Battle of Riley's Charge
While the defenders lost about 32 killed and wounded out of the 80 to 100 men, the attacker casualty rate was over 90%. Wahkan's entire army suffered 498 killed, 53 wounded, 25 wounded and captured, and 12 captured, unwounded). Enemy prisoner totals are difficult to estimate from their reports; reports indicated that between 30 and 50 men were captured.
The casualties were also high among the commanders of the charge. Hewlette and Wahkan were the most senior casualties of the day; Hewlette was shot in the spine and killed, and Wahkan died from a bullet to the head. Wahkan had a previous leg injury and rode his horse during the charge, despite knowing that conspicuously riding a horse into heavy enemy fire would mean almost certain death. In Holston's unit, among his death was 39 of his 50 troops casualties— 33 killed or mortally wounded, four wounded, two wounded and captured. All of his Wahkan's commanders fell: Foster was wounded seriously, captured by defending soldiers during the battle, and executed; Holston was known for leading his element with a hatchet, made the farthest progress through the lines. He was mortally wounded, falling near the trenchline at what is now called the Assault of Fallen Angels and ironcally, was killed by Radzikowski throwing his own hatchet into his head. The Canadian troops that fatally killed most of the commanders were under the command of Radzikowski, who was himself wounded in the battle. Hewlette's cavalry action in indirect support of the infantry assault was unsuccessful. He was met and stopped by two mounted irregulars under the command of Sergeant Elias Donnel about three meters north of the battle.
As enemy troops straggled back to their lines along Lake Don Julio, a newly placed commander, Homer Schotts feared a counteroffensive and tried to rally his center, telling returning soldiers that the failure was "all his (Wahkan's) fault." Schotts was inconsolable for the rest of the day and never forgave Wahkan for ordering the charge. When Schotts told his men to rally for the defense, they disbanded and allegedly replied, "Sir, it's over. We're done."
The Canadian counteroffensive never came; the Royal Canadian Forces were exhausted and damaged at the end of the battle. Rostad was content to hold the field. On June 14th, the armies observed an informal truce and collected their dead and wounded. Meanwhile, Rostad accepted the surrender of the rest of Schotts' garrison at Venter's Place, splitting the resistance in two. This victory, alongside the Battle of Gory Ridge are generally considered the turning point of the American-Frontier War.
History may never know the true story of Wahkan's intentions at Riley's Charge. He never published memoirs, and his after-action report from the battle was cursory. All of the commanders of the charge were casualties and did not write reports. Schott's report was apparently so bitter that Rostad ordered him to destroy it, and no copy has been found. The controversy over Wahkan's plans and his officers' implementation of them have led historians to question whether the charge could have succeeded if done differently. One study used a Lanchester model to examine several alternative scenarios and their outcomes. The results suggest that Wahkan could have captured a foothold at Riley's Charge if he had committed more to the charge; but this likely would have left him with insufficient reserves to hold or exploit the position.
Newspapers and civilians praised Holston's troop as making the most progress during the charge, and the papers used Holston's comparative success as a means of criticizing the actions of the other units during the charge. It was this publicity that played a significant factor in selecting the nickname as Holston's Charge. After the battle, Rostad's military career was never the same after the charge, and he was displeased about having his name mentioned in bad taste. In particular, the Royal Canadian Forces have long taken to negative characterizations and to the poor performance of Wahkan's decision to advance as a major causative factor of failure on part of the media. Some historians have questioned the primacy of Radzikowski's, Rostad's and even Wahkan's role in the battle. As one former member of the Royal Canadian Forces wrote about his unit; "No faction, such as ours, during the war made as much reputation on so little fighting. And undeservedly so."
Additional controversy developed after the battle about Wahkan's personal location during the charge. The fact that all of his men were casualties while Wahkan was one of the last troops in his element to survive led many to question his proximity to the fighting and, by implication, his personal courage. It was established doctrine that commanders of divisions would "lead from the rear", while more junior officers were expected to lead from the front, and while this was often violated, there was nothing for Wahkan to be ashamed of if he choose to have coordinated his forces from behind.
The Battle of Riley's Charge eventually became a turning point for the opinion of the Royal Canadian Forces. Radzikowski summed up the battle in memory of this gallant but futile episode:
"The battlefield was littered with destruction, carnage and lost souls. Red is the new color of what was once a quiet, line which had become the stage of a long, destructive battle. The air which would normally be rich in the scents and sounds of peace is now heavy with the screams of dead fighters and the scent of their blood, there's no coming back from this.
Two parties fought each other because of difference in beliefs, independence, or maybe because of the lies of their leaders while the true reason will be lost to history. Our victory was obvious as the dead and wounded of the other side layed in the fields of the line and the faces of their fighters were grim with fatigue and sorrow, but yet they continued to fight, knowing it was a hopeless one.
With the rush of victory that coursed through our bodies, we fought harder and harder and murdered our enemies. Some of us have succumbed to a frenzy and carelessly killed without a care for our own safety, while others were heavily affected by the terrors around them.
The toll on both nature and humanity is unimaginable. It'll likely take a lifetime before this line will, and...the rest of us, have recovered. It's clear, metal, explosion holes and a gory mess have taken the place of shrubs, bushes and grass."
— M. J. Radzikowski, God's Fury
War Escalates
In August, government forces (primarily RCF) marched to the East, towards the major town of Thieves' Landing. The march were meant to deny their use by hostile factions as sites for threatening the supply routes. They were also intended to secure East as starting points for a campaign to neutralize a major faction known as the Harvesters based out of the region and support the campaign. The march initiated the four-month-long campaign epilogue.
Taking the Harvesters by surprise, by nightfall on August 8th, the Royal Canadian Forces had secured Thieves Landing and nearby settlements. In response to the assault on Thieves' Landing, the Harvesters assigned the Jackdaw Regiment—a company-sized unit based out of New Hanover and under the command of Roger Edward Jackdaw and his brother, Leigh Morgan Jackdaw—with the task of retaking Thieves' Landing from government forces. The Royal Canadian Forces—heavily involved with the campaign in the West—had only a few units available to send to the Thieves' Landing area. Of these units, Radzikowski's irregulars, "Rad's Rangers" were able to deploy to the region. After realizing an attack was imminent and without enough troops to defend it, the unit began to retreat to Stillwater Creek immediately. The "First Element" of Jackdaw's Regiment—consisting of about 200 fighters—attacked Thieves' Landing.
Overestimating the strength of government forces, another Harvester unit was sent in pursuit of the Royal Canadian Forces. The new unit, known as the Black Owl Company and led by Johnathan Barker, conducted a nighttime frontal assault on Radzikowski's positions near Thieves' Landing on the east side of the perimeter in the early morning hours of August 8th. Barker's assault was repulsed with devastating losses for the attackers in what became known as the Battle of the Thieves' Landing: all of the troops led by Barker, excluding himself, were killed in the battle. The survivors returned to Beecher's Hope and notified the Harvesters of their defeat in the battle and awaited further orders.
By August 10th, Barker's unit was disbanded and because of the damage caused by the defenders, the Harvesters decided not to deliver a new batch of troops to Barker's command; instead, the troops were sent to the Jackdaw Regiment, due to their experience against the Royal Canadian Forces prior. From there, the Harvesters planned to deliver more troops by staging through Dixon Crossing. The Harvesters were usually able to make the round trip down "The Crossing" to Thieves' Landing and back in a single night, minimizing their exposure to attack. However, most of the soldiers' heavy equipment and supplies, such as heavy artillery, vehicles, and much food and ammunition, could not be taken with them. The Harvesters controlled the areas around the Thieves' Landing during the nighttime and were not challenged by Radzikowski's element. However, any of Jackdaw's troops within the 300m range outside of Thieves' Landing in daylight was in great danger from attacks.
Subsequent "Express" runs were very successful. Between August 12th and 15th, various troops were able to cross over the Dixon Crossing. Roger Jackdaw was placed in command of all the troops in Hennigan's Stead. In spite of the successes of the troop runs, Jackdaw insisted that the Harvesters stop relaying more troops. On August 15th, Rad's Raiders attacked a troop crossing, killing about 90 of the soldiers and destroying much of the unit's heavy equipment. By August 16th, Jackdaw had between 200 and 400 troops at Thieves' Landing, including 100 criminals willing to assist. The Roger Jackdaw was confident enough that they could defeat the forces facing him that he declined an offer from the Harvesters for delivery of one more company to augment his forces. While Radzikowski only had between 40 to 80 troops, the Jackdaws believed there were 100 troops in the region. During this time, Radzikowski continued to direct efforts to strengthen and improve the defenses of the Stillwater Creek perimeter.
Battle of Gory Ridge
The Battle of Gory Ridge was battle of the American-Frontier War between the Royal Canadian Forces and Harvester forces. It took place from August 17th to August 19th, on a ridge in Stillwater Creek, and was the last major offensive during the Eastern Campaign.
In the battle, irregulars, under the overall command of General Rostad, and under direct command of Captain Radzikowski repulsed an attack by the Jackdaw Regiment, under the command of Roger Edward Jackdaw and Leigh Morgan Jackdaw. The irregulars were defending the ridge perimeter that became dubbed as Gory Ridge. Jackdaw's element was sent in response to the government mission of eliminating and neutralizing rebellious forces, and Jackdaw was tasked with driving the government forces from the region.
Overestimating the strength of government forces—about 100—Jackdaws 500 troops conducted several nighttime assaults on the Radzikowski's defenses. The main assault occurred around a small ridge in the creek area, manned by troops from Rad's Raiders. Although the defenses were almost overrun, Jackdaw's attack was ultimately defeated, with heavy losses for the Harvesters.
Because of the key participation by Radzikowski's unit in defending the ridge, the ridge was commonly referred to as "Rad's Ridge" in historical accounts of the battle. After Gory Ridge, the Harvesters were no longer able to send troops for further attempts to retake lost ground, affecting the Harvesters' operations in the region.
Jackdaw set the date for his attack on the ridge perimeter for September 12th and began marching his forces west from Thieves' Landing. He told his troops to "destroy anyone who attempts to flee." Jackdaw issued his attack plan to "rout and annihilate the enemy in the vicinity of the Hennigan's Stead." Jackdaw's plan called for his forces to split into three, approach the perimeter, and launch a surprise night attack. Leigh Morgan Jackdaw's force would attack the perimeter from the north while a third echelon—named the Diablo Company—would attack from the west. The main attack would be by Roger Edward Jackdaw's Center Body, numbering 200 men from the east of the perimeter.
Meanwhile, scouts—directed by Radzikowski—told the defenders of enemy troops at Thieves' Landing. Radzikowski gathered five of his men and launched a raid against the Harvesters at Thieves' Landing. Radzikowski's force pushed into the town. The Harvesters, believing a major attack was underway, retreated towards the north, leaving behind 27 dead. Two raiders were killed.
After the raid, Radzikowski and his gathered men fell back to the ridge, believing that the Harvester attack would come at the ridge, parallel to Pacific Union Railroad Camp just north of Stillwater Creek. The ridge offered a natural avenue of approach to MacFarlane's Range, commanded the surrounding area and was almost undefended. Rostad tried to persuade Radzikowski to move forces to defend MacFarlane's Ranch instead, but Radzi refused, believing that the Harvesters were more likely to attack the ridge instead. Finally, Radzikowski convinced Rostad that the ridge was a good location for his raiders to "rest" from their actions of the preceding months.
First night's action
The Raiders knew of the approach of Harvesters forces from reports from scouts and their own patrols, but did not know exactly where or when they would attack. The ridge around which Radzikowski deployed his men consisted of three distinct hillocks. At the southern tip and surrounded on three sides by treeline was Hill Saber. North was Hill Broadsword, the dominant feature on the ridge. The easternmost hillock was Hill Cutlass. Radzikowski strategically placed his troops on the west side of the ridge and on the east side, holding positions in depth from Hill Saber back to Hill Broadsword. The majority of his troops held a line between the ridge, a small, swampy lagoon.
At 21:30 on August 17th, the Harvesters shelled the perimeter with dynamites and explosive rifles. At the same time, Edward Jackdaw's troops began skirmishing with the Raiders around the ridge. Edward's second element—led by his brother, Leigh Morgan Jackdaw—attacked the Raiders between the lagoon and Mason's Bridge, overrunning at least one element and forcing Raiders to fall back to the ridge. Diablo Company, led by Norman Jackson were still struggling to reach their attack positions, and the resulting confusion effectively stopped the Harvester attack on the ridge that night. Jackdaw, who was having trouble locating where he was in relation to the lines as well as coordinating his troops' attacks, later complained, "Due to the terrain, the unit was scattered all over and was completely beyond my control. In my whole life I have never felt so disappointed and helpless." Four of Radzikowski's Raiders were killed; Harvester casualties are unknown but were significantly greater.
Second night's action on the ridge
Expecting the Harvester's to attack again that night, Radzikowski's n directed his troops to improve their defenses on and around the ridge. After a failed attempt by to retake the ground on the right flank lost to the Harvesters the night before, Radzikowski repositioned his forces. He pulled his front back around Hill Cutlass. Around and behind Cutlass he placed the remaining of his troops. Any attackers surmounting the ridge would have to advance over open terrain to close with the Raider position's. With only a few hours to prepare, the defenders were able to construct only rudimentary and shallow fortifications. They were low on ammunition, with one or two sticks of dynamite for each Raider.
Late in the afternoon, Radzikowski stepped addressed his exhausted troops, saying,
"You men have done a great job, and I have just one more thing to ask of you. Hold out just one more night. I know we have been exhausted for a long time now, I know it's easier to give up. But we expect another attack from them tonight and they may come through here. I have every reason to believe that we will kill them all. Never give up. Never lose hope. Death before dishonor."
Radzikowski's speech reportedly "raised the spirits" of the Raiders and helped them prepare mentally for the night ahead.
As the sun set on August 18th, Jackdaw faced Radzikowski's 80 Raiders with 300 troops of his element, plus an assortment of additional troops. The night was pitch black, with no moon. At 21:00, several of Jackdaw's troops briefly bombarded the ridge. Jackdaw's attack began just after nightfall, with his brother, Leigh Morgan's unit assaulting the Raiders on the right flank, just to the north of the ridge. The force of the assault caused the Raiders to retreat further towards the ridge. Under heavy rifle fire, Morgan Jackdaw reassembled his men and continued his attack. Without pausing to try to "roll-up" the other nearby Raider troops, whose flanks were now unprotected, Edward's unit surged forward through the swampy lowlands between the ridge and the creek. At about 03:00, Leigh Morgan Jackdaw led his troops against the Raiders around the northern portion of the ridge. In the heavy fighting that followed, Leigh Morgan entered a brief engagement with Captain Radzikowski and the two battled with knives and tomahawks, with Radzikowski was reported to have "stuck his hatchet in the skull of Jackdaw and ripped through his brain". Eyewiteness accounts state that Radzikowski butted the head of his tomahawk into Leigh's stomach, which winded him. Radzikowski then swung his tomahawk down at his victim's exposed back, severing his spine and sticking his hatchet into Leigh's brain, subsequently killing him. The results of Leigh Morgan Jackdaw and 100 of his men killed ended that attack.
Meanwhile, Edward Jackdaw's "Diablo Company", led by Norman Jackson, assembled their assault against Hill Saber from the south of the ridge. Raider observers spotted Jackson's preparations and opened fire. At about 22:00, ten Raiders opened fire upon Jackson's position. In response, Jackson's troops—numbering about 200 men—charged up the ridge with fixed bayonets behind their own barrage of fire and grenades. Jackson's attack hit the Raiders and pushed the Raiders off the south side of the ridge into a draw near the ridgeline. To protect the exposed Raiders, Radzikowski immediately ordered them to pull back onto Hill Cutlass.
At the same time, an element from Edward Jackdaw's unit infiltrated through the east side of the ridge. Deciding that their positions were now untenable, the Raiders moved from the ridge and retreated to a position a hundred meters behind the ridge. In the darkness and confusion of the battle, the retreat quickly became confused as an attack by the enemy. After arriving behind the ridge, the Raiders stopped, repeating the word "silence" to anyone within earshot. Just at the moment that it appeared that the Raiders on the hill were seemed killed in action, Radzikowski appeared and, with "vivid" language, ordered his troops to open fire on the pursuers, killing 40 Harvesters in nearly a single volley before retaking the ridge.
As the Raider formed into a horseshoe-shaped line around the ridge, Jackdaw's element began a series of frontal assaults on the hill, charging up the saddle and up from below the east side of the ridge. The Raiders repulsed the first two attacks by Jackdaw's men. Jackdaw's elite troops hoisted several regimental "explosive" rifles in an effort to fire it directly at the Raiders. These rifles, which "could have turned the tide in favor of the Harvesters," however, was lost as the Raiders killed all the attackers who had them. At midnight, during a short lull in the fighting, Radzikowski ordered a small dosage of his troops to strengthen the left flank. With fixed bayonets, the Raiders swept forward, killing Harvester troops who had overrun the lines and were apparently preparing to roll up the lines from the flank, and took position on the east side of the hill. Raiders from other units, as well as members of Radzikowski's command staff, including himself, took ammunition and dynamite under fire to troops on the right flank, who were running critically low. Said participant Sergeant Marvin Scott, "The Harvester attack was a rain that subsides for a moment and then pours the harder. When one wave was mowed down – and I mean mowed down – another followed it into death."
The Harvester's hit the left flank just after the Raider's took position but were again stopped by rifle, repeater and grenade fire. By 04:00, after withstanding several more assaults, some of which resulted in hand-to-hand fighting, and severe sniper fire from all sides, Radzikowski's men continued to repulse two more attacks before dawn. Throughout the night, as Jackdaw's men came close to overrunning the defenses, Radzikowski remained standing behind the firing line on the ridge, exhorting his troops and directing their defensive efforts. Said Private Leonard Andreas, who was in position to observe Radzikowski for most of the night, "I can say that if there is such a thing as one man holding it together, Radzikowski did that night. He stood just behind the front lines – stood, when most of us hugged the ground."
During the heavy fighting, portions of three Harvester elements, including two from Jackdaw's and one from Johnson's, skirted the defenses on the ridge, while suffering heavy losses from gunfire, and reached the edge of "Knife Edge", a ridge formed similar to a knife's edge. A counterattack by the Raiders stopped one Harvester element's advance and forced it to retreat. The other two elements waited at the edge for reinforcements to arrive before attacking into the open area around the ridge. When no reinforcements joined them, both elements went back to their original positions far east of the ridge after daybreak.
As the sun rose on August 19th, pockets of Harvester troops remained scattered along both sides of the ridge. But with
Leigh Morgan Jackdaw's element shattered after losing over 90% of it's men, including Leigh Morgan Jackdaw himself, and with heavy casualties to his other attacking units as well, Jackdaw's assault on the ridge had effectively ended. About 50 enemy troops soldiers still remained in the open, perhaps preparing for one more charge. At first light, three sharpshooters, acting on a request personally delivered by Radzikowski, picked off most of the men, with the few survivors retreating back to the east.
Final Attacks
As the battle on the ridge took place, Jackdaw gathered the remaining units and proceeded to attack the defenses on the south and north side of the perimeter. Split into two elements, Dagger Company—led by Roger Edward Jackdaw—attacked the southern sector of the perimeter and Sword Company—led by Norman Jackson—attacked the northern sector of the perimter. Jackdaw's attack started around 12;43 PM, with his attacking through Raider fire and engaging in hand-to-hand combat with th defenders before being thrown back. Roger Edward Jackdaw was reportedly killed in the attack by a "shotgun blast to the skull", which ended the legacy and tree of the Jackdaw family. During the intense close fighting, Corporal Walter Khan was observed rushing over towards Jackdaw as he grabbed a pump action shotgun and loaded it while pointing it directly at Jackdaw's head. Following this, Jackdaw raised his hands in surrender before the Corporal pulled the trigger, sending a series of buckshot pellets through his skull. After the attack was repulsed, the Raiders, believing that the rest of Jackdaw's troops were still in the area, sent forward six light infantrymen to sweep the area in front of the lines; the retreating attackers were disabled by them, and while some of the troops surrendered, several of them were killed and scalped by the Raiders.
At 15:43 on August 19th, the remnants of Jackdaw's element conducted another attack on the same portion of the lines, but were repulsed. A final "weak" attack by the unit was destroyed.
Jackson's unit of about 30-40 men attacked at several locations on the west side of the perimeter. His element attacked positions held by the Raiders but were thrown back with heavy losses. Another small element attempted to capture the ridge but was then pinned down by Raider fire throughout the day and took heavy losses before withdrawing in the evening. Norman Jackson was killed in the battle by a sharpshooter's bullet. The rest of Jackson's unit failed to retreat from the lines and were slaughtered in the attack.
Aftermath
At 18:35 on August 19th, the survivors of Jackdaw's shattered fighting force were driven away from the ridge and away from Thieves' Landing, where they rested and tended to their wounded all the next day. The element, now dubbed as the "Broken Men" by Radzikowski and his Raiders, were then ordered to withdraw west to Tall Trees valley. The survivors began the march on the morning of August 20th. Almost every trooper able to walk had to help carry the wounded. As the march progressed, the exhausted and hungry soldiers, who had eaten their last rations on the morning before their withdrawal, began to discard their heavy equipment and then their rifles. By the time most of them reached Tall Trees five days later, over half of the troops deserted. The remaining survivors, became lost, wandered for days in the forest, and almost starved to death before finally deciding to desert.
In total, Jackdaw's forces lost about 500 killed in the attack. An unknown number of wounded also died during the withdrawal march. On and around the ridge, the Raiders counted 500 Harvester dead. The Raiders suffered 29 killed throughout the battle.
On August 20th, Rostad sent two companies to pursue the retreating Harvesters. Rostad's troops were ambushed by two Harvester elements acting as rear-guards for the withdrawal, and one platoon was pinned down as the rest of Rostad's troops retreated. Radzikowski requested permission to attempt to rescue the platoon but was denied by Rostad. By nightfall, the Harvesters overran and annihilated the platoon, slaughtering all members of the platoon. On August 21st, a patrol from Rad's Raiders encountered stragglers from Jackdaw's retreating column and killed the remainders.
As the Harvesters regrouped towards the north, the Royal Canadian Forces concentrated on shoring up and strengthening their defenses.
Significance
On August 21st, Miles North, leader of the Harvesters learned of Jackdaw's defeat, the Harvester's first defeat involving a unit of this size in the war. The troops forwarded the news to the headquarters. In an emergency session, the Harvesters and the command staffs concluded that, "This battle resulted in the major downfall of the organization." The results of the battle began to have a telling strategic impact on Harvester operations in other areas of the New Austin. North realized that, in order to send sufficient troops and material to defeat the government forces, he could no longer support major offensives. North—with the concurrence of his command—ordered his troops—to withdraw until the Gory Ridge matter was fully resolved. The Harvesters were never able to restart their drive against the government; the defeat at Gory Ridge contributed not only to the Harvester defeat in the campaign, but also to the Harvester's ultimate defeat throughout the Five Frontier States.
After delivering more forces during the next week the Harvesters mounted a final major offensive on Thieves Landing, led by North, but it resulted in an even more decisive defeat for the Harvesters, and ultimately resulted in the official destruction of the organization. Rostad later stated that Jackdaws assault on the ridge was the only time during the entire campaign he had doubts about the outcome and that had it succeeded, "we would have been in a pretty bad condition." Historian Tanner Starks adds, "The Harvesters never came closer to victory itself than in the Battle of Gory Ridge."
Final Months of the War
In the final months of the war, there was talk of a new regiment yet to be raised, and Radzikowski's new command was actually of a company of three-month volunteers, at the head of which he became one of the few officers to distinguish himself as the newly and officially appointed second in command of the Royal Canadian Forces. The victory at Gory Ridge led Radzikowski to learn and further develop his own judgment as an officer and the capacities of his troops. Rostad, however, was impressed by Radzikowski while visiting the troops and promoted him to Major on September 10th, 1893. He was assigned to serve as a regimental company commander directly under Rostad. Radzikowski succeeded Cervantez in second in command of the organization. Radzikowski considered that his new assignment broke a promise that he would not be given such a prominent position.
Breakdown
Having succeeded Cervantez, Radzikowski now had principal military responsibility. He became exceedingly pessimistic about the outlook for his command and he complained to Rostad about shortages while providing accurate estimates of the strength of the rebel forces. Criticalreports appeared about him after Radzikowski insisted that he be relieved. He was promptly replaced by Captain Devan Cervantez and transferred to Blackwater. He was put on leave by Rostad, who considered him unfit for duty. Radzikowski stayed in Blackwater to recuperate. While he was at home, he wrote to his father, Wojtek Radzikowski, seeking advice. His father complained "that of insanity to which your family is subject". Radzikowski later wrote that the concerns of command "broke me down", and he admitted contemplating leaving the life for good.
By late-September Radzikowski had recovered sufficiently to return to service under Rostad. (Radzikowski's command was redesignated to enlargely unify command). Radzikowski's initial assignments were rear-echelon commands, first of an instructional barracks at Fort Mercer. Radzikowski also provided logistical support for the operations to capture Camp Davenport. Rostad, had recently won a victory in New Austin and been given command of the ill-defined District of the Western Frontier State. Although Rostad was technically the senior officer at this time, he wrote to Radzikowski, "I feel anxious about you as I know the great facilities the enemy have of concentration by means of River and Road, but I have faith in you—Your leadership in combat shows me the utmost hope in our success. You are now hereby given the desire you deserve. Command in any way."
October
After Rostad captured Camp Davenport, despite heavy casualties, Radzikowski got his wish to serve under Rostad when he was assigned as commander of Royal Legion Rifles, 1st Company "Foxes". His first major test under Rostad was at the Battle of Armadillo. A massive rebel attack on the morning of October 7th, 1893 took most of the senior commanders by surprise. Radzikowski had received intelligence reports received from militia officers, and attempted to convince Rostad of an imminent attack, with Rostad refusing to believe that the rebels would leave their base. Radzikowski attempted to take precautions beyond strengthening the lines, and entrench, build abatis, as well as push out reconnaissance patrols but was denied by Rostad. At Armadillo, he may have wished to avoid appearing overly alarmed in order to escape the kind of criticism he had received previously. He had written to his father that, even if he took more precautions, "they'd relieve me of command".
Despite being caught unprepared by the attack, Radzikowski rallied histroops and conducted an orderly, fighting retreat that helped avert a disastrous rout. Finding Rostad at the end of the day sitting under an oak tree in the darkness and smoking a cigar, Radzikowski felt, in his words, "some wise and sudden instinct not to mention retreat". In what would become one of the most notable conversations of the war, Radzikowski said simply: "Well, sir, we've been dealing with the Devil today, haven't we?" After a puff of his cigar, Rostad replied calmly: "Yes. We'll get em' tomorrow, though." Radzikowski proved instrumental to the successful counterattack of October 8th, 1893. At Armadillo, Radzikowski was wounded twice—in the shoulder and chest—and had three horses shot out from under him. His performance was praised by Rostad and Cervantez.
Beginning in mid-October, a Canadian force of some 1,000 men moved slowly against the rebels at Ridgewood Farm, under Rostad's command with Radzikowski relegated to second-in-command; Radzikowski commanded the newly established Regimental Company of Sharpshooters, which was reformed from Rad's Raiders. Shortly after the Royal Canadian Forces occupied Ridgewood Farm on October 16th, Radzikowski persuaded Rostad not to leave his command, despite the serious difficulties he was having with the organization. Radzikowski offered Rostad an example from his own life, "Before the Battle of Gory Ridge, I was cast down as a simple young man with mere exceptional combat skills but that single battle gave me a new view on life, and now my goal is to protect my men at all costs." He told Rostad that, if he remained in the organization, "some happy opportunity might restore you to favor and your true place".
Ascension
The careers of both officers ascended considerably after that time. In Radzikowski's case, this was in part because he developed close personal ties to Rostad during the years they served together in the West. During the long and complicated campaign against the Critchley Strikers, a rebel-like force dedicated to removing the Royal Canadian Forces from the United States, a newspaper article spread throughout New Austin that the "army was being ruined in expeditions, under the leadership of an idiot (Rostad) whose confidential adviser (Radzikowski) was a psychopath".
Radzikowski's military record in 1891-1893 was mixed. By October 19th, forces under his command suffered severe weather at the Battle of Critchley's Ranch. Soon after, he was ordered to join Rostad in his successful assault on Hanging Rock, generally regarded as a politically motivated distraction from the effort to hold Armadillo. Before the Critchley Campaign, Rostad expressed serious reservations about the wisdom of Radzikowski's unorthodox strategies and tactics, but he went on to perform well in that campaign under Rostad's supervision.
Historian Kolton Carrilo describes Radzikowski:
"He had displayed many marked talents for leadership. However, Radzikowski, beset by hallucinations and unreasonable fears and finally contemplating dismissal, had been relieved from command. He later began a new climb to success at Armadillo and Ridgewood Farm under Rostad. Still, if he muffed his assignments, which had begun unfavorably, he would rise no higher. As a man, Radzikowski was an eccentric mixture of strength and weakness. Although he was impatient, often angry, and unreasonably gruff, he had solid soldierly qualities. His men swore by him, and most of his fellow officers admired him."
Siege of MacFarlane's Ranch
After the surrender of Ridgewood Farm and Critchley's Ranch to the Royal Canadian Forces under Rostad on October 24th, 1893, Radzikowski was temporarily given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the regular army, in addition to his rank as a Major of his irregulars forces.
Command was unified under Rostad and Radzikowski succeeded Rostad in command of the Army. Following the defeat of the Royal Canadian Forces in Pikes Basin, led by Rostad, the army was besieged at MacFarlane's Ranch. Radzikowski, who was stationed in Blackwater at the time, pushed West with his troops to relieve them. While at MacFarlane's Ranch, Radzikowski participated in the Battle of Hennigan's Stead, while a garrison there was under attack. Radzikowski took command of the men and successfully defended against an attack of 1,000 rebel cavalry.
During the Campaign in late-October, under Rostad's overall command, Radzikowski quickly took his assigned target of Pike's Basin at the west end of MacFarlane's Ranch. When he attempted to attack the main spine, his troops were repeatedly attacked by Patrick Mossman's heavy infantry, the best rebel unit throughout the war. Radzikowski's efforts were overall successful assault on the center of the line, a movement originally intended as a diversion. Subsequently, Radzikowski led a column to relieve friendly forces under Devan Cervantez thought to be in peril near MacFarlane's Ranch. On October 24th, he led an expedition to Rio Bravo to disrupt rebel infrastructure.
War Nears an End
Despite this mixed record, Rostad enjoyed Radzikowski's confidence and friendship. When the Canadian Government called Rostad north to take command of the entirety of the Canadian military, Rostad appointed Radzikowski (by then known to his soldiers as "The Crazy Man") to succeed him in charge of the contingent in New Austin which entailed command of Canadian troops in the Western Theater of the war. As Rostad took overall command of the armies of Canada, Radzikowski wrote to him outlining his strategy to bring the war to an end concluding that "if you can assist with sustaining men and I can march to Hell, I think we'll give them about twenty days before they are done."
Radzikowski then later fought a lengthy campaign of maneuver through mountainous terrain against Jordan Crawford, attempting to destroy enemy troops at the Battle of Greenhollow Cliff. On November 1st, a newly commissioned officer was folded into the ranks, known as the more aggressive Cody Paige, who played to Radzikowski's strength by challenging him to direct battles on open ground. Meanwhile, Radzikowski "learned that I had been commissioned to win, I do not fight fair, as that is a fools game and I will not stop my desire to successfully win this war once and for all."
Radzikowski's Hennigan's Stead Campaign concluded successfully on November 6th, with the capture of the region, which Crawford had been forced to abandon. This success made Radzikowski a household name and helped ensure Alfred Macalister's presidential re-election in November. Previously, the Democratic Party had nominated as its candidate Michael Callahan, the popular former Confederate army commander, and it had seemed likely that Macalister would lose to Callahan. Macalister's defeat could well have meant the victory of the rebels, as the Democratic Party platform called for peace negotiations based on the acknowledgment of the rebel's independence. Thus the recapture of Hennigan's Stead, coming when it did, may have been Radzikowski's greatest contribution to the American cause.
After ordering almost all civilians to leave Armadillo and MacFarlane's Ranch, Radzikowski gave instructions that all military and government buildings be burned, although many other places that financially supported the rebels were burned as well. This was to set a precedent for future behavior by the rebels.
March to Hell
During November, Radzikowski and Mossman played cat-and-mouse in northern New Austin as Mossan threatened Radzikowski's communications to the north. Eventually, Radzikowski won approval from his superiors for a plan to cut loose from his communications and march south, having advised Rostad that he could "make the Rebels howl". This created the threat that Mossman would move further north, possibly into Canada. Trivializing that threat, Radzikowski reportedly said that he would "give Mossman his rations" to go in that direction as "my business is down here". However, Radzikowski led his forces to deal with Mossman; their forces eventually smashed Mossman's army in the Battles of Coots Chapel and Jorges Gap. Meanwhile, after the elections, Radzikowski began a march to Plainview, living off the land and causing, by his own estimate, more than $500 million in property damage as well as the destruction of several rebel groups. Radzikowski called this harsh tactic of war "devil's war," often seen as a species of total war. At the end of this campaign, known as Radzikowski's March to Hell, his troops captured Rio Bravo on November 15th. Radzikowski then dispatched a message to Rostad, offering him the region as a gift.
Radzikowski's success in New Austin received ample coverage in the Northern press at a time when Rostad seemed to be making little progress in his fight against the Little Army of the Northern Border. A bill was introduced in Congress to establish a newly joint force that promotes the United States and Canada in a joint-pact led by Rostad and Radzikowski. Radzikowski would've then been promoted to rank of lieutenant general, however with a view towards having him replace Rostad as commander, Rostad refused. Radzikowski wrote both to his father, and to Congress vehemently repudiating any such promotion. According to a war-time account, it was around this time that Radzikowski made his memorable declaration of loyalty to Rostad:
"Rostad is a great general. I know him well. He stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was ill-minded; and now, we stand by each other always."
Final Campaigns
Rostad then ordered Radzikowski to embark his army and join the united forces confronting Jordan Crawford, but Radzikowski instead persuaded Rostad to allow him to march north, destroying everything of military value along the way, as he had done in Rio Bravo. He was particularly interested in targeting Crawford's headquarters at Rattlesnake Hollow, because of the effect that it would have on enemy morale. His army proceeded north against light resistance from the troops of Augustin Pleasance. Upon hearing that Radzikowski's men were advancing on corduroy roads through the land at a rate of a dozen miles per day, Pleasance "made up his mind that there had been no such army in existence since the days of William Sherman"
Radzikowski then captured Rattlesnake Hollow, November 21st. Fires began that night and by next morning the entire headquarters was destroyed. The burning of Rattlesnake Hollow has engendered controversy ever since, with some claiming the fires were accidental, others a deliberate act of vengeance, and still others that the retreating rebels burned bales of book on their way out.
Local Native American guides helped Radzikowski's army cross the Montana Ford, which was flooded by torrential rains, into West Elizabeth and then to Canada. According to Radzikowski, the trek across the Montana Ford, and through the swamps, pocosins, and creeks of West Elizabeth was "the damnedest marching I ever saw." Thereafter, his troops did major damage to rebel infrastructure. Radzikowski's final significant military engagement within the Royal Canadian Forces was a major victory over Crawford's troops at the Battle of Bowie Knife on November 25th. The Battle of Bowie Knife was the last major battle against the rebellions, and took place near Tall Trees where both forces ran out of munitions and were forced to charge at each other with melee weapons, particularly bowie knives and tomahawks. Radzikowski was reportedly to have engaged in hand to hand combat with Crawford, killing him with a blow to the spinal cord. He then rendezvoused in Canada with troops awaiting him there.
In late November, Radzikowski briefly left his forces and traveled to Ottawa to consult with Rostad and the Canadian Government. President Alfred Macalister happened to be at Ottawa at the same time, allowing a series of meetings of Macalister, Rostad, and Radzikowski during the war.
War is Over
Following the surrender of all rebel forces to Rostad and Macalister at Blackwater and the attempted assassination of Canadian Prime Minister Cayden Tillsley, Radzikowski met with the newly appointed Nolan Roberts in December at Benedict Point in New Austin to negotiate a full surrender. At the insistence of Roberts, Radzikowski conditionally agreed to generous terms that dealt with both political and military issues. Radzikowski thought that those terms were consistent with the views Macalister had expressed at Ottawa, but had not been given the authority, by General Rostad, Macalister, or the Cabinet, to offer those terms.
Both the Canadian and United States Governments refused to approve Radzikowski's terms and the Secretary of War, Edmund Broshire, denounced Radzikowski publicly, precipitating a long-lasting feud between the two men. Confusion over this issue lasted until December 8th, when Roberts, ignoring instructions from President Macalister, agreed to purely military terms and formally surrendered his army and all rebel forces to Radzikowski. Radzikowski then proceeded with his troops to Ottawa where they marched to await a new establishment of forces, and were then disbanded. Having become the second most important commanding officer in the Royal Canadian Forces, he thus had come full circle to the city where he started his war-time service as a Lieutenant.
On January 4th, 1894, the joint governments of Canada and the United States approved the establishment of the National Armed Defense Force, which was renamed to the North American Defense Force on January 6th. The Royal Canadian Forces was officially dissolved and most members were transferred over to the newly established fighting force, including Radzikowski. After it's establishment, Radzikowski was originally intended to be a Major but Rostad refused and instead opted to have Radzikowski as a Captain. Once promotions and obligations were set, a new threat later emerged and the North American Defense Force was called to service.
The raid was intended to force the local populace to surrender the location but failed to do so. As part of the planning, Jackdaw gathered a force that had been placed at Mascalero and Pikes Basin, on the border of the the Ranch. The force was around 50 to 100 men. They were equipped with handguns, repeaters and knives.
Shortly before 3 PM, Jackdaw's men started the raid. During the raid, they charged into the village and held most of the villagers at gunpoint and capturing several others, while killing their horses to prevent pursuit. Several armed villagers tried to resist, and one was killed and another wounded. Jackdaw ordered his men to burn the Ranch, but they failed to ignite the fires. Several minutes as the raid initiated, a small patrol of Royal Canadian soldiers were alerted and raised the entire village on alert, with troops quickly responding to the raid and started engaging the raiders. Most of the raiders were former soldiers and managed to put up a fight against the Canadian troops, but as the gunfight lasted for more than ten minutes, at least four raiders were killed in the process. Jackdaw, realizing he was facing a losing battle, took the captured civilians and stolen funds and escaped west, with the Canadian troops unable to maintain pursuit. As some of the raiders attempted to escape, they were caught by Canadian troops and arrested the raiders, recovering $32,000. However, the U.S. court ruled that because that they were Canadian soldiers under military orders from the Canadian Government, they were not able to hold them. They forced some of the raiders to adopt a civilian lifestyle and were heavily watch by soldiers and law enforcement alike. The rest of the prisoners were put in the stockade, under the care of the local sheriffs.
As an unintended consequence, the raid served to turn many citizens against Jackdaw, since they felt that they were being drawn into conflict for no reason and were not willing to turn over any settlements. Jackdaw realized this, requested an exchange in which the local sheriffs and Canadian troops agreed to exchange the prisoners in the stockade for the civilians and no further raids were made.
Arrest of Jackdaw after the Raid
Accordingly, news of Jackdaw's incursion to the far West after the exchange quickly reached the Royal Canadian Forces and Rostad assigned Radzikowski to track Jackdaw. Jackdaw's armed column was tracked by Radzikowski's irregulars from the moment they were reported. Jackdaw's armed column encountered resistance very early on May 15th when there was a very brief exchange of fire between his troops and Radzikowski's, with Jackdaw losing two of his officers in the process. Around noon Jackdaw's armed column was near Gaptooth Ridge where a force of Canadian soldiers blocked the road and dug into prepared defensive positions. Jackdaw's force spent some hours exchanging fire with the troops, losing several men and many horses in the skirmish. Towards evening Jackdaw's armed column withdrew and turned south-east attempting to flank the force. Radzikowski however tracked the move overnight and on May 16th as the light improved a substantial force of Royal Canadian troops was waiting for Jackdaw at Plainview. The tired raiders initially exchanged fire with the Canadians, losing around thirty men before Jackdaw realized the position was hopeless and surrendered to Captain Devan Cervantez. The raiders were taken to Fort Mercer, under charge of the United States National Guard and jailed.
The U.S. government decided that the Royal Canadian Forces was necessary to help maintain peace across it's frontier states. A few days after the raid, United States Government congratulated Rostad and his troops on their success "without the help of friendly forces", alluding to more support by the United States. When this was disclosed to the press, it raised a storm of anti-American feeling. The Royal Canadian Forces was lionized, but many Americans believed were inflamed by their lack of government's decision to use it's own military and with many citizens feeling a frenzy of jingoism. Jackdaw was sentenced to 15 months for leading the raid, which he initially served in Fort Mercer before being transferred to Sisika Penitentiary.
For conspiring with Jackdaw, his members, including former Colonel Hammond Rhodes were jailed in deplorable conditions, found guilty of high treason, and sentenced to death by hanging. This sentence was later commuted to 15 years’ imprisonment, and by 1894, all surviving members were released on payment of stiff fines. Jackdaw would be released from jail several months later in 1893. After his release from jail, Jackdaw immediately joined his brother in the American-Frontier War, who would fight in the Battle of Gory Ridge. Jackdaw's raid initiated the war and many of the U.S. troops fighting in Mexico left the whole frontier states vulnerable. Seizing on this weakness, and a discontent with the war, large factions revolted against the United States Government in what was known as the War of Ignorance, but it is better known to most of the world as the American-Frontier War. Natives joined them soon thereafter. Hundreds of settlers were killed within the first few weeks of the revolt and many more would die over the next few months. With few American troops to restrain the revolt, the settlers had to quickly build defenses and fight on their own. Over 50,000 citizens fought against a new body of factions but it would not be until June 5th that the Royal Canadian Forces were finally would finally mobilize to fight.
Battle of Riley's Charge
The Battle of Riley's Charge was a large infantry assault conducted by a mixed force known as "The Damned" against a Royal Canadian Forces position on June 12th, 1893 during the American-Frontier War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander, Warchief Wahkan, and it was arguably an avoidable mistake from which was never fully psychologically recovered, from either side.
The battle is named after the location of Riley's Charge, which was a charge led by a Union colonel known as Eldo Riley, who led the charge.
The Royal Canadian Forces contingent were deployed to Armadillo to maintain order and peacekeeping from any intruding riots. As the troops arrived at the town, many of the citizens became weary and distrusting of the Canadian troops due to a large number of attacks on the town because of their involvement in the United States. On June 9th, the contingent, led by Rostad and Radzikowski, stopped to rest at Riley's Charge, an old Civil War era entrenchment line. Reports of a hostile faction roaming the area was apparent, the contingent set up defenses and prepared for battle, but it was not until June 12th that they would fight.
The charge was planned by Warchief Wahkan and was commanded by George Lowrance Scales to overrun the entrenching line and eliminate the Canadian troops. The majority of the attacking force had experience in previous battles against government forces and rebel forces alike in many of the wars on or near U.S. soil. The target of the assault was the center of line, where it was commanding by Gen. Charleston Rostad. The specific objective of the assault has been the source of historical controversy. Traditionally, the commanding officers of a major force have been cited as the primary objective for the attacking force. However, recent scholarship has suggested that Wahkan's goal was actually Fort Mercer, a more prominent and highly prestiged objective. The much-debated theory suggests that Wahkan's general plan for the attacks had changed and the attacks were also aimed at eliminating Gen. Rostad and Capt. Radzikowski.
From the beginning of the establishment, things went awry for the defending forces. The Royal Canadian Forces had not been used in frontier combat or in trench warfare and it was cited as an issue, however their combat experience did not prevent them from fighting well. Some of troops had fought lightly in several engagements against bandits and rebel groups during patrols. Although unknown to popular history, overall combat command was given to Radzikowski, and as he was Rostad's most experienced commander. Rostad did tell Radzikowski that his irregulars should participate in the contingency campaign, and given their experience, it was appropriate to more fairly distribute the credit (or blame). In conjunction with the assault, Wahkan planned a cavalry action in the flank. A former British Army Dragoon known as Jeffrey Hewlette led the cavalry charge and attempted to exploit the hoped-for breakthrough by attacking the flank and disrupting its line of communications (and retreat) along Two Crows but to no avail.
Meanwhile, near Fort Mercer, a seven-hour battle raged for the control of the fort by a Native American tribe. Wahkan's intent was to synchronize the offensive, keeping the Canadians or the United States from concentrating their numerically superior forces, but the assaults were poorly coordinated.
The infantry charge was preceded by what Wahkan hoped would be a powerful and well-concentrated firepower of the entrenchment center, destroying the elite riflemen that could defeat the assault and demoralizing the infantry. But a combination of inept leadership and defective equipment doomed the rifle barrage from the beginning. Despite major efforts, then, there was insufficient concentration of fire on the objective. The rifle bombardment was likely the largest of the war, with hundreds of rifles from both sides firing along the lines for one to two hours, starting around 1 p.m. Rifles numbered about 150 and fired from a line over 50 to 100m long. Despite its ferocity, the fire was mostly ineffectual. Rounds often overshot the infantry front lines—in some cases because of the delayed aim—and the smoke covering the battlefield concealed that fact from the riflemen. General Rostad had only about 80 troops available to conduct counter-fire; the geographic features of the entrenchment line had limited areas for effective troop emplacement. Radzikowski also ordered that firing cease to conserve ammunition, but to fool Wahkan, Radzikowski ordered his troops to cease fire slowly to create the illusion that they were being killed one by one. By the time all of the Canadian troops ceased fire, and still blinded by the smoke from battle, Wahkan fell for Radzikowski's deception and believed that many of the entrenched troops had been destroyed. Radzikowski had to resist the strong arguments of Rostad, who demanded fire to lift the spirits of the infantrymen pinned down by enemy fire.
The day was hot, and humid, and the Wahkan's forces suffered under the hot sun and from the counter-fire as they awaited the order to advance. Hewlette had opposed the charge from the beginning, convinced the charge would fail (which ultimately proved true), and had his own plan that he would have preferred for a strategic movement around the defender's left flank. Hewlette wanted to avoid personally ordering the charge by attempting to pass the mantle onto young former Sergeant Johnathan Holston, telling him that he should inform Wahkan at the optimum time to begin the advance, based on his assessment that the defenders had been effectively out of ammunition. Although he had insufficient information to accomplish this, Wahkan eventually notified Holston that he was running dangerously short of time, communicating with his men "If you are coming at all, come at once, or I cannot give you proper support, but the enemy's fire has not slackened at all. At least fifteen troops are still firing from the line." Holston asked Wahkan if he was to advance but the effort to speak the order failed. Holston made one final attempt to call off the assault. After his encounter with Wahkan, he discussed the situation with Hewlette, and was informed that Wahkan did not have full confidence that the defenders were weakened. Holston requested Hewlette to stop Wahkan, but the young sergeant explained that the infantry assault would go forward without the advantage it initially had.
The entire force that stepped off toward the Canadian positions at about 2 p.m. consisted of about 500+ men. The attackers encountered fire while advancing across open fields to reach the entrenchment line and were slowed by fire in their path. These obstacles played a large role in the increasing number of casualties the advancing attackers faced. The ground between Riley's Charge and Lake Don Julio is slightly undulating, and the advancing troops periodically disappeared from the view of the defending riflemen. As the attackers advanced, awaiting defenders began shouting "Thermopyle! Thermopyle! Thermopyle!" in reference to the disastrous Mexican advance on El Presidio during the 1892 Siege of El Presidio. Fire from Radzikowski's concealed positions north raked the attackers right flank, while Rostad's fire from hit the left.
On the right flank of the attack, a unit led by former Union lieutenant Robert Foster was devastated by fire from the line. They were subjected to a surprise rifle fusillade from Radzikowski's Raiders. The irregulars, firing from a staggered line, so surprised Foster's troop—already demoralized by their losses to fire—that they panicked and fled back to Lake Don Julio, crashing through Holston's unit and causing many of his men to bolt as well. The Raiders followed up with a successful flanking attack, which was now the left flank of Wahkan's element. The survivors were subjected to increasing fire from the entrenchment line. More than 1,600 rounds were fired at Wahkan's men during the assault. By this time, the attackers were close enough to be fired on by dynamites and Radzikowski's irregulars unleashed very effective fire from behind 100 meters of line, with every rifleman of the unit lined up, exchanging places in line as they fired and then fell back to reload. Holston's element followed Wahkan's, but made poor progress. Renewed fire from the irregulars and the onslaught of attackers prevented most of these men from getting through the line. The defenders also took casualties, but Radzikowski encouraged his men by moving back and forth just behind the battle line, shouting "Keep giving them hell!".
On the left flank, Wahkan's second element wheeled partially to their left to face west. As the unit wheeled to the left, its flanks were exposed to Radzikowski's rifles. Rostad's rifles delivered withering fire into Wahkan's second element. At about this time, Wahkan, who had been prominent in displaying himself on horseback to his men during the assault, was wounded by a bullet striking the pommel of his saddle, entering his inner right thigh along with wood fragments and a large bent nail. He refused evacuation to the rear until the battle was settled. As the rest of Wahkan's men advanced, they withstood the defensive fire of the first line, then second, and then third before suffering major casualties. Radzikowski placed the two sharpshooters to the cliffside behind Riley's Charge with the rest of his and Rostad's element to defend the line. Wahkan's men could not match the massive firepower that Radzikowski's troops had been able to unleash.
Two gaps opened up in the line: Radzikowski ordered his men to melee when the attackers came too close to the line; north of line, the men of Rostad's element inexplicably bolted for the rear. In the latter case, this left Radzikowski and his irregulars to face the oncoming infantry. Assisted personally, Radzikowski ordered explosive dynamite to be thrown simultaneously. The entire attacking line to his front disappeared. The gap vacated, however, was more serious, leaving only a handful of the defenders to receive the rest of the attacking force as they began to charge into the trenches. Meanwhile, Rostad ordered his troops back into the fight while Radzikowski and his troops resisted fiercely in a melee of rifle fire, bayonets, hatchets and fists. Radzikowski, mortified that Rostad's unit had retreated, attempted to bring forward Rostad's men, but they did not obey the order, so he had to bring his own troops in to help fill the gap. During the fight, Wahkan was killed as he attempted to charge with his men, three bullets striking him, the third in his eye. The attacker flooded the trenchline and faced the defenders, but they were no match. As more Rostad's reinforcements arrived and charged into the breach, Radzikowski's ferocious defensive fighting allowed it to become impregnable and reinforced, and the attackers began to slip away individually, with the rest of the officers deserting instead of remaining to call a formal retreat, with Hewlette, Wahkan, Foster and Holston all killed in action.
The battle lasted for three hours. The supporting attack by Foster and Holston on Wahkan's flanks was never a factor; they did not approach the line until after Wahkan was defeated, and their advance was quickly broken up by Radzikowski's irregulars and by the Raiders.
Aftermath of the Battle of Riley's Charge
While the defenders lost about 32 killed and wounded out of the 80 to 100 men, the attacker casualty rate was over 90%. Wahkan's entire army suffered 498 killed, 53 wounded, 25 wounded and captured, and 12 captured, unwounded). Enemy prisoner totals are difficult to estimate from their reports; reports indicated that between 30 and 50 men were captured.
The casualties were also high among the commanders of the charge. Hewlette and Wahkan were the most senior casualties of the day; Hewlette was shot in the spine and killed, and Wahkan died from a bullet to the head. Wahkan had a previous leg injury and rode his horse during the charge, despite knowing that conspicuously riding a horse into heavy enemy fire would mean almost certain death. In Holston's unit, among his death was 39 of his 50 troops casualties— 33 killed or mortally wounded, four wounded, two wounded and captured. All of his Wahkan's commanders fell: Foster was wounded seriously, captured by defending soldiers during the battle, and executed; Holston was known for leading his element with a hatchet, made the farthest progress through the lines. He was mortally wounded, falling near the trenchline at what is now called the Assault of Fallen Angels and ironcally, was killed by Radzikowski throwing his own hatchet into his head. The Canadian troops that fatally killed most of the commanders were under the command of Radzikowski, who was himself wounded in the battle. Hewlette's cavalry action in indirect support of the infantry assault was unsuccessful. He was met and stopped by two mounted irregulars under the command of Sergeant Elias Donnel about three meters north of the battle.
As enemy troops straggled back to their lines along Lake Don Julio, a newly placed commander, Homer Schotts feared a counteroffensive and tried to rally his center, telling returning soldiers that the failure was "all his (Wahkan's) fault." Schotts was inconsolable for the rest of the day and never forgave Wahkan for ordering the charge. When Schotts told his men to rally for the defense, they disbanded and allegedly replied, "Sir, it's over. We're done."
The Canadian counteroffensive never came; the Royal Canadian Forces were exhausted and damaged at the end of the battle. Rostad was content to hold the field. On June 14th, the armies observed an informal truce and collected their dead and wounded. Meanwhile, Rostad accepted the surrender of the rest of Schotts' garrison at Venter's Place, splitting the resistance in two. This victory, alongside the Battle of Gory Ridge are generally considered the turning point of the American-Frontier War.
History may never know the true story of Wahkan's intentions at Riley's Charge. He never published memoirs, and his after-action report from the battle was cursory. All of the commanders of the charge were casualties and did not write reports. Schott's report was apparently so bitter that Rostad ordered him to destroy it, and no copy has been found. The controversy over Wahkan's plans and his officers' implementation of them have led historians to question whether the charge could have succeeded if done differently. One study used a Lanchester model to examine several alternative scenarios and their outcomes. The results suggest that Wahkan could have captured a foothold at Riley's Charge if he had committed more to the charge; but this likely would have left him with insufficient reserves to hold or exploit the position.
Newspapers and civilians praised Holston's troop as making the most progress during the charge, and the papers used Holston's comparative success as a means of criticizing the actions of the other units during the charge. It was this publicity that played a significant factor in selecting the nickname as Holston's Charge. After the battle, Rostad's military career was never the same after the charge, and he was displeased about having his name mentioned in bad taste. In particular, the Royal Canadian Forces have long taken to negative characterizations and to the poor performance of Wahkan's decision to advance as a major causative factor of failure on part of the media. Some historians have questioned the primacy of Radzikowski's, Rostad's and even Wahkan's role in the battle. As one former member of the Royal Canadian Forces wrote about his unit; "No faction, such as ours, during the war made as much reputation on so little fighting. And undeservedly so."
Additional controversy developed after the battle about Wahkan's personal location during the charge. The fact that all of his men were casualties while Wahkan was one of the last troops in his element to survive led many to question his proximity to the fighting and, by implication, his personal courage. It was established doctrine that commanders of divisions would "lead from the rear", while more junior officers were expected to lead from the front, and while this was often violated, there was nothing for Wahkan to be ashamed of if he choose to have coordinated his forces from behind.
The Battle of Riley's Charge eventually became a turning point for the opinion of the Royal Canadian Forces. Radzikowski summed up the battle in memory of this gallant but futile episode:
"The battlefield was littered with destruction, carnage and lost souls. Red is the new color of what was once a quiet, line which had become the stage of a long, destructive battle. The air which would normally be rich in the scents and sounds of peace is now heavy with the screams of dead fighters and the scent of their blood, there's no coming back from this.
Two parties fought each other because of difference in beliefs, independence, or maybe because of the lies of their leaders while the true reason will be lost to history. Our victory was obvious as the dead and wounded of the other side layed in the fields of the line and the faces of their fighters were grim with fatigue and sorrow, but yet they continued to fight, knowing it was a hopeless one.
With the rush of victory that coursed through our bodies, we fought harder and harder and murdered our enemies. Some of us have succumbed to a frenzy and carelessly killed without a care for our own safety, while others were heavily affected by the terrors around them.
The toll on both nature and humanity is unimaginable. It'll likely take a lifetime before this line will, and...the rest of us, have recovered. It's clear, metal, explosion holes and a gory mess have taken the place of shrubs, bushes and grass."
— M. J. Radzikowski, God's Fury
War Escalates
In August, government forces (primarily RCF) marched to the East, towards the major town of Thieves' Landing. The march were meant to deny their use by hostile factions as sites for threatening the supply routes. They were also intended to secure East as starting points for a campaign to neutralize a major faction known as the Harvesters based out of the region and support the campaign. The march initiated the four-month-long campaign epilogue.
Taking the Harvesters by surprise, by nightfall on August 8th, the Royal Canadian Forces had secured Thieves Landing and nearby settlements. In response to the assault on Thieves' Landing, the Harvesters assigned the Jackdaw Regiment—a company-sized unit based out of New Hanover and under the command of Roger Edward Jackdaw and his brother, Leigh Morgan Jackdaw—with the task of retaking Thieves' Landing from government forces. The Royal Canadian Forces—heavily involved with the campaign in the West—had only a few units available to send to the Thieves' Landing area. Of these units, Radzikowski's irregulars, "Rad's Rangers" were able to deploy to the region. After realizing an attack was imminent and without enough troops to defend it, the unit began to retreat to Stillwater Creek immediately. The "First Element" of Jackdaw's Regiment—consisting of about 200 fighters—attacked Thieves' Landing.
Overestimating the strength of government forces, another Harvester unit was sent in pursuit of the Royal Canadian Forces. The new unit, known as the Black Owl Company and led by Johnathan Barker, conducted a nighttime frontal assault on Radzikowski's positions near Thieves' Landing on the east side of the perimeter in the early morning hours of August 8th. Barker's assault was repulsed with devastating losses for the attackers in what became known as the Battle of the Thieves' Landing: all of the troops led by Barker, excluding himself, were killed in the battle. The survivors returned to Beecher's Hope and notified the Harvesters of their defeat in the battle and awaited further orders.
By August 10th, Barker's unit was disbanded and because of the damage caused by the defenders, the Harvesters decided not to deliver a new batch of troops to Barker's command; instead, the troops were sent to the Jackdaw Regiment, due to their experience against the Royal Canadian Forces prior. From there, the Harvesters planned to deliver more troops by staging through Dixon Crossing. The Harvesters were usually able to make the round trip down "The Crossing" to Thieves' Landing and back in a single night, minimizing their exposure to attack. However, most of the soldiers' heavy equipment and supplies, such as heavy artillery, vehicles, and much food and ammunition, could not be taken with them. The Harvesters controlled the areas around the Thieves' Landing during the nighttime and were not challenged by Radzikowski's element. However, any of Jackdaw's troops within the 300m range outside of Thieves' Landing in daylight was in great danger from attacks.
Subsequent "Express" runs were very successful. Between August 12th and 15th, various troops were able to cross over the Dixon Crossing. Roger Jackdaw was placed in command of all the troops in Hennigan's Stead. In spite of the successes of the troop runs, Jackdaw insisted that the Harvesters stop relaying more troops. On August 15th, Rad's Raiders attacked a troop crossing, killing about 90 of the soldiers and destroying much of the unit's heavy equipment. By August 16th, Jackdaw had between 200 and 400 troops at Thieves' Landing, including 100 criminals willing to assist. The Roger Jackdaw was confident enough that they could defeat the forces facing him that he declined an offer from the Harvesters for delivery of one more company to augment his forces. While Radzikowski only had between 40 to 80 troops, the Jackdaws believed there were 100 troops in the region. During this time, Radzikowski continued to direct efforts to strengthen and improve the defenses of the Stillwater Creek perimeter.
Battle of Gory Ridge
The Battle of Gory Ridge was battle of the American-Frontier War between the Royal Canadian Forces and Harvester forces. It took place from August 17th to August 19th, on a ridge in Stillwater Creek, and was the last major offensive during the Eastern Campaign.
In the battle, irregulars, under the overall command of General Rostad, and under direct command of Captain Radzikowski repulsed an attack by the Jackdaw Regiment, under the command of Roger Edward Jackdaw and Leigh Morgan Jackdaw. The irregulars were defending the ridge perimeter that became dubbed as Gory Ridge. Jackdaw's element was sent in response to the government mission of eliminating and neutralizing rebellious forces, and Jackdaw was tasked with driving the government forces from the region.
Overestimating the strength of government forces—about 100—Jackdaws 500 troops conducted several nighttime assaults on the Radzikowski's defenses. The main assault occurred around a small ridge in the creek area, manned by troops from Rad's Raiders. Although the defenses were almost overrun, Jackdaw's attack was ultimately defeated, with heavy losses for the Harvesters.
Because of the key participation by Radzikowski's unit in defending the ridge, the ridge was commonly referred to as "Rad's Ridge" in historical accounts of the battle. After Gory Ridge, the Harvesters were no longer able to send troops for further attempts to retake lost ground, affecting the Harvesters' operations in the region.
Jackdaw set the date for his attack on the ridge perimeter for September 12th and began marching his forces west from Thieves' Landing. He told his troops to "destroy anyone who attempts to flee." Jackdaw issued his attack plan to "rout and annihilate the enemy in the vicinity of the Hennigan's Stead." Jackdaw's plan called for his forces to split into three, approach the perimeter, and launch a surprise night attack. Leigh Morgan Jackdaw's force would attack the perimeter from the north while a third echelon—named the Diablo Company—would attack from the west. The main attack would be by Roger Edward Jackdaw's Center Body, numbering 200 men from the east of the perimeter.
Meanwhile, scouts—directed by Radzikowski—told the defenders of enemy troops at Thieves' Landing. Radzikowski gathered five of his men and launched a raid against the Harvesters at Thieves' Landing. Radzikowski's force pushed into the town. The Harvesters, believing a major attack was underway, retreated towards the north, leaving behind 27 dead. Two raiders were killed.
After the raid, Radzikowski and his gathered men fell back to the ridge, believing that the Harvester attack would come at the ridge, parallel to Pacific Union Railroad Camp just north of Stillwater Creek. The ridge offered a natural avenue of approach to MacFarlane's Range, commanded the surrounding area and was almost undefended. Rostad tried to persuade Radzikowski to move forces to defend MacFarlane's Ranch instead, but Radzi refused, believing that the Harvesters were more likely to attack the ridge instead. Finally, Radzikowski convinced Rostad that the ridge was a good location for his raiders to "rest" from their actions of the preceding months.
First night's action
The Raiders knew of the approach of Harvesters forces from reports from scouts and their own patrols, but did not know exactly where or when they would attack. The ridge around which Radzikowski deployed his men consisted of three distinct hillocks. At the southern tip and surrounded on three sides by treeline was Hill Saber. North was Hill Broadsword, the dominant feature on the ridge. The easternmost hillock was Hill Cutlass. Radzikowski strategically placed his troops on the west side of the ridge and on the east side, holding positions in depth from Hill Saber back to Hill Broadsword. The majority of his troops held a line between the ridge, a small, swampy lagoon.
At 21:30 on August 17th, the Harvesters shelled the perimeter with dynamites and explosive rifles. At the same time, Edward Jackdaw's troops began skirmishing with the Raiders around the ridge. Edward's second element—led by his brother, Leigh Morgan Jackdaw—attacked the Raiders between the lagoon and Mason's Bridge, overrunning at least one element and forcing Raiders to fall back to the ridge. Diablo Company, led by Norman Jackson were still struggling to reach their attack positions, and the resulting confusion effectively stopped the Harvester attack on the ridge that night. Jackdaw, who was having trouble locating where he was in relation to the lines as well as coordinating his troops' attacks, later complained, "Due to the terrain, the unit was scattered all over and was completely beyond my control. In my whole life I have never felt so disappointed and helpless." Four of Radzikowski's Raiders were killed; Harvester casualties are unknown but were significantly greater.
Second night's action on the ridge
Expecting the Harvester's to attack again that night, Radzikowski's n directed his troops to improve their defenses on and around the ridge. After a failed attempt by to retake the ground on the right flank lost to the Harvesters the night before, Radzikowski repositioned his forces. He pulled his front back around Hill Cutlass. Around and behind Cutlass he placed the remaining of his troops. Any attackers surmounting the ridge would have to advance over open terrain to close with the Raider position's. With only a few hours to prepare, the defenders were able to construct only rudimentary and shallow fortifications. They were low on ammunition, with one or two sticks of dynamite for each Raider.
Late in the afternoon, Radzikowski stepped addressed his exhausted troops, saying,
"You men have done a great job, and I have just one more thing to ask of you. Hold out just one more night. I know we have been exhausted for a long time now, I know it's easier to give up. But we expect another attack from them tonight and they may come through here. I have every reason to believe that we will kill them all. Never give up. Never lose hope. Death before dishonor."
Radzikowski's speech reportedly "raised the spirits" of the Raiders and helped them prepare mentally for the night ahead.
As the sun set on August 18th, Jackdaw faced Radzikowski's 80 Raiders with 300 troops of his element, plus an assortment of additional troops. The night was pitch black, with no moon. At 21:00, several of Jackdaw's troops briefly bombarded the ridge. Jackdaw's attack began just after nightfall, with his brother, Leigh Morgan's unit assaulting the Raiders on the right flank, just to the north of the ridge. The force of the assault caused the Raiders to retreat further towards the ridge. Under heavy rifle fire, Morgan Jackdaw reassembled his men and continued his attack. Without pausing to try to "roll-up" the other nearby Raider troops, whose flanks were now unprotected, Edward's unit surged forward through the swampy lowlands between the ridge and the creek. At about 03:00, Leigh Morgan Jackdaw led his troops against the Raiders around the northern portion of the ridge. In the heavy fighting that followed, Leigh Morgan entered a brief engagement with Captain Radzikowski and the two battled with knives and tomahawks, with Radzikowski was reported to have "stuck his hatchet in the skull of Jackdaw and ripped through his brain". Eyewiteness accounts state that Radzikowski butted the head of his tomahawk into Leigh's stomach, which winded him. Radzikowski then swung his tomahawk down at his victim's exposed back, severing his spine and sticking his hatchet into Leigh's brain, subsequently killing him. The results of Leigh Morgan Jackdaw and 100 of his men killed ended that attack.
Meanwhile, Edward Jackdaw's "Diablo Company", led by Norman Jackson, assembled their assault against Hill Saber from the south of the ridge. Raider observers spotted Jackson's preparations and opened fire. At about 22:00, ten Raiders opened fire upon Jackson's position. In response, Jackson's troops—numbering about 200 men—charged up the ridge with fixed bayonets behind their own barrage of fire and grenades. Jackson's attack hit the Raiders and pushed the Raiders off the south side of the ridge into a draw near the ridgeline. To protect the exposed Raiders, Radzikowski immediately ordered them to pull back onto Hill Cutlass.
At the same time, an element from Edward Jackdaw's unit infiltrated through the east side of the ridge. Deciding that their positions were now untenable, the Raiders moved from the ridge and retreated to a position a hundred meters behind the ridge. In the darkness and confusion of the battle, the retreat quickly became confused as an attack by the enemy. After arriving behind the ridge, the Raiders stopped, repeating the word "silence" to anyone within earshot. Just at the moment that it appeared that the Raiders on the hill were seemed killed in action, Radzikowski appeared and, with "vivid" language, ordered his troops to open fire on the pursuers, killing 40 Harvesters in nearly a single volley before retaking the ridge.
As the Raider formed into a horseshoe-shaped line around the ridge, Jackdaw's element began a series of frontal assaults on the hill, charging up the saddle and up from below the east side of the ridge. The Raiders repulsed the first two attacks by Jackdaw's men. Jackdaw's elite troops hoisted several regimental "explosive" rifles in an effort to fire it directly at the Raiders. These rifles, which "could have turned the tide in favor of the Harvesters," however, was lost as the Raiders killed all the attackers who had them. At midnight, during a short lull in the fighting, Radzikowski ordered a small dosage of his troops to strengthen the left flank. With fixed bayonets, the Raiders swept forward, killing Harvester troops who had overrun the lines and were apparently preparing to roll up the lines from the flank, and took position on the east side of the hill. Raiders from other units, as well as members of Radzikowski's command staff, including himself, took ammunition and dynamite under fire to troops on the right flank, who were running critically low. Said participant Sergeant Marvin Scott, "The Harvester attack was a rain that subsides for a moment and then pours the harder. When one wave was mowed down – and I mean mowed down – another followed it into death."
The Harvester's hit the left flank just after the Raider's took position but were again stopped by rifle, repeater and grenade fire. By 04:00, after withstanding several more assaults, some of which resulted in hand-to-hand fighting, and severe sniper fire from all sides, Radzikowski's men continued to repulse two more attacks before dawn. Throughout the night, as Jackdaw's men came close to overrunning the defenses, Radzikowski remained standing behind the firing line on the ridge, exhorting his troops and directing their defensive efforts. Said Private Leonard Andreas, who was in position to observe Radzikowski for most of the night, "I can say that if there is such a thing as one man holding it together, Radzikowski did that night. He stood just behind the front lines – stood, when most of us hugged the ground."
During the heavy fighting, portions of three Harvester elements, including two from Jackdaw's and one from Johnson's, skirted the defenses on the ridge, while suffering heavy losses from gunfire, and reached the edge of "Knife Edge", a ridge formed similar to a knife's edge. A counterattack by the Raiders stopped one Harvester element's advance and forced it to retreat. The other two elements waited at the edge for reinforcements to arrive before attacking into the open area around the ridge. When no reinforcements joined them, both elements went back to their original positions far east of the ridge after daybreak.
As the sun rose on August 19th, pockets of Harvester troops remained scattered along both sides of the ridge. But with
Leigh Morgan Jackdaw's element shattered after losing over 90% of it's men, including Leigh Morgan Jackdaw himself, and with heavy casualties to his other attacking units as well, Jackdaw's assault on the ridge had effectively ended. About 50 enemy troops soldiers still remained in the open, perhaps preparing for one more charge. At first light, three sharpshooters, acting on a request personally delivered by Radzikowski, picked off most of the men, with the few survivors retreating back to the east.
Final Attacks
As the battle on the ridge took place, Jackdaw gathered the remaining units and proceeded to attack the defenses on the south and north side of the perimeter. Split into two elements, Dagger Company—led by Roger Edward Jackdaw—attacked the southern sector of the perimeter and Sword Company—led by Norman Jackson—attacked the northern sector of the perimter. Jackdaw's attack started around 12;43 PM, with his attacking through Raider fire and engaging in hand-to-hand combat with th defenders before being thrown back. Roger Edward Jackdaw was reportedly killed in the attack by a "shotgun blast to the skull", which ended the legacy and tree of the Jackdaw family. During the intense close fighting, Corporal Walter Khan was observed rushing over towards Jackdaw as he grabbed a pump action shotgun and loaded it while pointing it directly at Jackdaw's head. Following this, Jackdaw raised his hands in surrender before the Corporal pulled the trigger, sending a series of buckshot pellets through his skull. After the attack was repulsed, the Raiders, believing that the rest of Jackdaw's troops were still in the area, sent forward six light infantrymen to sweep the area in front of the lines; the retreating attackers were disabled by them, and while some of the troops surrendered, several of them were killed and scalped by the Raiders.
At 15:43 on August 19th, the remnants of Jackdaw's element conducted another attack on the same portion of the lines, but were repulsed. A final "weak" attack by the unit was destroyed.
Jackson's unit of about 30-40 men attacked at several locations on the west side of the perimeter. His element attacked positions held by the Raiders but were thrown back with heavy losses. Another small element attempted to capture the ridge but was then pinned down by Raider fire throughout the day and took heavy losses before withdrawing in the evening. Norman Jackson was killed in the battle by a sharpshooter's bullet. The rest of Jackson's unit failed to retreat from the lines and were slaughtered in the attack.
Aftermath
At 18:35 on August 19th, the survivors of Jackdaw's shattered fighting force were driven away from the ridge and away from Thieves' Landing, where they rested and tended to their wounded all the next day. The element, now dubbed as the "Broken Men" by Radzikowski and his Raiders, were then ordered to withdraw west to Tall Trees valley. The survivors began the march on the morning of August 20th. Almost every trooper able to walk had to help carry the wounded. As the march progressed, the exhausted and hungry soldiers, who had eaten their last rations on the morning before their withdrawal, began to discard their heavy equipment and then their rifles. By the time most of them reached Tall Trees five days later, over half of the troops deserted. The remaining survivors, became lost, wandered for days in the forest, and almost starved to death before finally deciding to desert.
In total, Jackdaw's forces lost about 500 killed in the attack. An unknown number of wounded also died during the withdrawal march. On and around the ridge, the Raiders counted 500 Harvester dead. The Raiders suffered 29 killed throughout the battle.
On August 20th, Rostad sent two companies to pursue the retreating Harvesters. Rostad's troops were ambushed by two Harvester elements acting as rear-guards for the withdrawal, and one platoon was pinned down as the rest of Rostad's troops retreated. Radzikowski requested permission to attempt to rescue the platoon but was denied by Rostad. By nightfall, the Harvesters overran and annihilated the platoon, slaughtering all members of the platoon. On August 21st, a patrol from Rad's Raiders encountered stragglers from Jackdaw's retreating column and killed the remainders.
As the Harvesters regrouped towards the north, the Royal Canadian Forces concentrated on shoring up and strengthening their defenses.
Significance
On August 21st, Miles North, leader of the Harvesters learned of Jackdaw's defeat, the Harvester's first defeat involving a unit of this size in the war. The troops forwarded the news to the headquarters. In an emergency session, the Harvesters and the command staffs concluded that, "This battle resulted in the major downfall of the organization." The results of the battle began to have a telling strategic impact on Harvester operations in other areas of the New Austin. North realized that, in order to send sufficient troops and material to defeat the government forces, he could no longer support major offensives. North—with the concurrence of his command—ordered his troops—to withdraw until the Gory Ridge matter was fully resolved. The Harvesters were never able to restart their drive against the government; the defeat at Gory Ridge contributed not only to the Harvester defeat in the campaign, but also to the Harvester's ultimate defeat throughout the Five Frontier States.
After delivering more forces during the next week the Harvesters mounted a final major offensive on Thieves Landing, led by North, but it resulted in an even more decisive defeat for the Harvesters, and ultimately resulted in the official destruction of the organization. Rostad later stated that Jackdaws assault on the ridge was the only time during the entire campaign he had doubts about the outcome and that had it succeeded, "we would have been in a pretty bad condition." Historian Tanner Starks adds, "The Harvesters never came closer to victory itself than in the Battle of Gory Ridge."
Final Months of the War
In the final months of the war, there was talk of a new regiment yet to be raised, and Radzikowski's new command was actually of a company of three-month volunteers, at the head of which he became one of the few officers to distinguish himself as the newly and officially appointed second in command of the Royal Canadian Forces. The victory at Gory Ridge led Radzikowski to learn and further develop his own judgment as an officer and the capacities of his troops. Rostad, however, was impressed by Radzikowski while visiting the troops and promoted him to Major on September 10th, 1893. He was assigned to serve as a regimental company commander directly under Rostad. Radzikowski succeeded Cervantez in second in command of the organization. Radzikowski considered that his new assignment broke a promise that he would not be given such a prominent position.
Breakdown
Having succeeded Cervantez, Radzikowski now had principal military responsibility. He became exceedingly pessimistic about the outlook for his command and he complained to Rostad about shortages while providing accurate estimates of the strength of the rebel forces. Criticalreports appeared about him after Radzikowski insisted that he be relieved. He was promptly replaced by Captain Devan Cervantez and transferred to Blackwater. He was put on leave by Rostad, who considered him unfit for duty. Radzikowski stayed in Blackwater to recuperate. While he was at home, he wrote to his father, Wojtek Radzikowski, seeking advice. His father complained "that of insanity to which your family is subject". Radzikowski later wrote that the concerns of command "broke me down", and he admitted contemplating leaving the life for good.
By late-September Radzikowski had recovered sufficiently to return to service under Rostad. (Radzikowski's command was redesignated to enlargely unify command). Radzikowski's initial assignments were rear-echelon commands, first of an instructional barracks at Fort Mercer. Radzikowski also provided logistical support for the operations to capture Camp Davenport. Rostad, had recently won a victory in New Austin and been given command of the ill-defined District of the Western Frontier State. Although Rostad was technically the senior officer at this time, he wrote to Radzikowski, "I feel anxious about you as I know the great facilities the enemy have of concentration by means of River and Road, but I have faith in you—Your leadership in combat shows me the utmost hope in our success. You are now hereby given the desire you deserve. Command in any way."
October
After Rostad captured Camp Davenport, despite heavy casualties, Radzikowski got his wish to serve under Rostad when he was assigned as commander of Royal Legion Rifles, 1st Company "Foxes". His first major test under Rostad was at the Battle of Armadillo. A massive rebel attack on the morning of October 7th, 1893 took most of the senior commanders by surprise. Radzikowski had received intelligence reports received from militia officers, and attempted to convince Rostad of an imminent attack, with Rostad refusing to believe that the rebels would leave their base. Radzikowski attempted to take precautions beyond strengthening the lines, and entrench, build abatis, as well as push out reconnaissance patrols but was denied by Rostad. At Armadillo, he may have wished to avoid appearing overly alarmed in order to escape the kind of criticism he had received previously. He had written to his father that, even if he took more precautions, "they'd relieve me of command".
Despite being caught unprepared by the attack, Radzikowski rallied histroops and conducted an orderly, fighting retreat that helped avert a disastrous rout. Finding Rostad at the end of the day sitting under an oak tree in the darkness and smoking a cigar, Radzikowski felt, in his words, "some wise and sudden instinct not to mention retreat". In what would become one of the most notable conversations of the war, Radzikowski said simply: "Well, sir, we've been dealing with the Devil today, haven't we?" After a puff of his cigar, Rostad replied calmly: "Yes. We'll get em' tomorrow, though." Radzikowski proved instrumental to the successful counterattack of October 8th, 1893. At Armadillo, Radzikowski was wounded twice—in the shoulder and chest—and had three horses shot out from under him. His performance was praised by Rostad and Cervantez.
Beginning in mid-October, a Canadian force of some 1,000 men moved slowly against the rebels at Ridgewood Farm, under Rostad's command with Radzikowski relegated to second-in-command; Radzikowski commanded the newly established Regimental Company of Sharpshooters, which was reformed from Rad's Raiders. Shortly after the Royal Canadian Forces occupied Ridgewood Farm on October 16th, Radzikowski persuaded Rostad not to leave his command, despite the serious difficulties he was having with the organization. Radzikowski offered Rostad an example from his own life, "Before the Battle of Gory Ridge, I was cast down as a simple young man with mere exceptional combat skills but that single battle gave me a new view on life, and now my goal is to protect my men at all costs." He told Rostad that, if he remained in the organization, "some happy opportunity might restore you to favor and your true place".
Ascension
The careers of both officers ascended considerably after that time. In Radzikowski's case, this was in part because he developed close personal ties to Rostad during the years they served together in the West. During the long and complicated campaign against the Critchley Strikers, a rebel-like force dedicated to removing the Royal Canadian Forces from the United States, a newspaper article spread throughout New Austin that the "army was being ruined in expeditions, under the leadership of an idiot (Rostad) whose confidential adviser (Radzikowski) was a psychopath".
Radzikowski's military record in 1891-1893 was mixed. By October 19th, forces under his command suffered severe weather at the Battle of Critchley's Ranch. Soon after, he was ordered to join Rostad in his successful assault on Hanging Rock, generally regarded as a politically motivated distraction from the effort to hold Armadillo. Before the Critchley Campaign, Rostad expressed serious reservations about the wisdom of Radzikowski's unorthodox strategies and tactics, but he went on to perform well in that campaign under Rostad's supervision.
Historian Kolton Carrilo describes Radzikowski:
"He had displayed many marked talents for leadership. However, Radzikowski, beset by hallucinations and unreasonable fears and finally contemplating dismissal, had been relieved from command. He later began a new climb to success at Armadillo and Ridgewood Farm under Rostad. Still, if he muffed his assignments, which had begun unfavorably, he would rise no higher. As a man, Radzikowski was an eccentric mixture of strength and weakness. Although he was impatient, often angry, and unreasonably gruff, he had solid soldierly qualities. His men swore by him, and most of his fellow officers admired him."
Siege of MacFarlane's Ranch
After the surrender of Ridgewood Farm and Critchley's Ranch to the Royal Canadian Forces under Rostad on October 24th, 1893, Radzikowski was temporarily given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the regular army, in addition to his rank as a Major of his irregulars forces.
Command was unified under Rostad and Radzikowski succeeded Rostad in command of the Army. Following the defeat of the Royal Canadian Forces in Pikes Basin, led by Rostad, the army was besieged at MacFarlane's Ranch. Radzikowski, who was stationed in Blackwater at the time, pushed West with his troops to relieve them. While at MacFarlane's Ranch, Radzikowski participated in the Battle of Hennigan's Stead, while a garrison there was under attack. Radzikowski took command of the men and successfully defended against an attack of 1,000 rebel cavalry.
During the Campaign in late-October, under Rostad's overall command, Radzikowski quickly took his assigned target of Pike's Basin at the west end of MacFarlane's Ranch. When he attempted to attack the main spine, his troops were repeatedly attacked by Patrick Mossman's heavy infantry, the best rebel unit throughout the war. Radzikowski's efforts were overall successful assault on the center of the line, a movement originally intended as a diversion. Subsequently, Radzikowski led a column to relieve friendly forces under Devan Cervantez thought to be in peril near MacFarlane's Ranch. On October 24th, he led an expedition to Rio Bravo to disrupt rebel infrastructure.
War Nears an End
Despite this mixed record, Rostad enjoyed Radzikowski's confidence and friendship. When the Canadian Government called Rostad north to take command of the entirety of the Canadian military, Rostad appointed Radzikowski (by then known to his soldiers as "The Crazy Man") to succeed him in charge of the contingent in New Austin which entailed command of Canadian troops in the Western Theater of the war. As Rostad took overall command of the armies of Canada, Radzikowski wrote to him outlining his strategy to bring the war to an end concluding that "if you can assist with sustaining men and I can march to Hell, I think we'll give them about twenty days before they are done."
Radzikowski then later fought a lengthy campaign of maneuver through mountainous terrain against Jordan Crawford, attempting to destroy enemy troops at the Battle of Greenhollow Cliff. On November 1st, a newly commissioned officer was folded into the ranks, known as the more aggressive Cody Paige, who played to Radzikowski's strength by challenging him to direct battles on open ground. Meanwhile, Radzikowski "learned that I had been commissioned to win, I do not fight fair, as that is a fools game and I will not stop my desire to successfully win this war once and for all."
Radzikowski's Hennigan's Stead Campaign concluded successfully on November 6th, with the capture of the region, which Crawford had been forced to abandon. This success made Radzikowski a household name and helped ensure Alfred Macalister's presidential re-election in November. Previously, the Democratic Party had nominated as its candidate Michael Callahan, the popular former Confederate army commander, and it had seemed likely that Macalister would lose to Callahan. Macalister's defeat could well have meant the victory of the rebels, as the Democratic Party platform called for peace negotiations based on the acknowledgment of the rebel's independence. Thus the recapture of Hennigan's Stead, coming when it did, may have been Radzikowski's greatest contribution to the American cause.
After ordering almost all civilians to leave Armadillo and MacFarlane's Ranch, Radzikowski gave instructions that all military and government buildings be burned, although many other places that financially supported the rebels were burned as well. This was to set a precedent for future behavior by the rebels.
March to Hell
During November, Radzikowski and Mossman played cat-and-mouse in northern New Austin as Mossan threatened Radzikowski's communications to the north. Eventually, Radzikowski won approval from his superiors for a plan to cut loose from his communications and march south, having advised Rostad that he could "make the Rebels howl". This created the threat that Mossman would move further north, possibly into Canada. Trivializing that threat, Radzikowski reportedly said that he would "give Mossman his rations" to go in that direction as "my business is down here". However, Radzikowski led his forces to deal with Mossman; their forces eventually smashed Mossman's army in the Battles of Coots Chapel and Jorges Gap. Meanwhile, after the elections, Radzikowski began a march to Plainview, living off the land and causing, by his own estimate, more than $500 million in property damage as well as the destruction of several rebel groups. Radzikowski called this harsh tactic of war "devil's war," often seen as a species of total war. At the end of this campaign, known as Radzikowski's March to Hell, his troops captured Rio Bravo on November 15th. Radzikowski then dispatched a message to Rostad, offering him the region as a gift.
Radzikowski's success in New Austin received ample coverage in the Northern press at a time when Rostad seemed to be making little progress in his fight against the Little Army of the Northern Border. A bill was introduced in Congress to establish a newly joint force that promotes the United States and Canada in a joint-pact led by Rostad and Radzikowski. Radzikowski would've then been promoted to rank of lieutenant general, however with a view towards having him replace Rostad as commander, Rostad refused. Radzikowski wrote both to his father, and to Congress vehemently repudiating any such promotion. According to a war-time account, it was around this time that Radzikowski made his memorable declaration of loyalty to Rostad:
"Rostad is a great general. I know him well. He stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was ill-minded; and now, we stand by each other always."
Final Campaigns
Rostad then ordered Radzikowski to embark his army and join the united forces confronting Jordan Crawford, but Radzikowski instead persuaded Rostad to allow him to march north, destroying everything of military value along the way, as he had done in Rio Bravo. He was particularly interested in targeting Crawford's headquarters at Rattlesnake Hollow, because of the effect that it would have on enemy morale. His army proceeded north against light resistance from the troops of Augustin Pleasance. Upon hearing that Radzikowski's men were advancing on corduroy roads through the land at a rate of a dozen miles per day, Pleasance "made up his mind that there had been no such army in existence since the days of William Sherman"
Radzikowski then captured Rattlesnake Hollow, November 21st. Fires began that night and by next morning the entire headquarters was destroyed. The burning of Rattlesnake Hollow has engendered controversy ever since, with some claiming the fires were accidental, others a deliberate act of vengeance, and still others that the retreating rebels burned bales of book on their way out.
Local Native American guides helped Radzikowski's army cross the Montana Ford, which was flooded by torrential rains, into West Elizabeth and then to Canada. According to Radzikowski, the trek across the Montana Ford, and through the swamps, pocosins, and creeks of West Elizabeth was "the damnedest marching I ever saw." Thereafter, his troops did major damage to rebel infrastructure. Radzikowski's final significant military engagement within the Royal Canadian Forces was a major victory over Crawford's troops at the Battle of Bowie Knife on November 25th. The Battle of Bowie Knife was the last major battle against the rebellions, and took place near Tall Trees where both forces ran out of munitions and were forced to charge at each other with melee weapons, particularly bowie knives and tomahawks. Radzikowski was reportedly to have engaged in hand to hand combat with Crawford, killing him with a blow to the spinal cord. He then rendezvoused in Canada with troops awaiting him there.
In late November, Radzikowski briefly left his forces and traveled to Ottawa to consult with Rostad and the Canadian Government. President Alfred Macalister happened to be at Ottawa at the same time, allowing a series of meetings of Macalister, Rostad, and Radzikowski during the war.
War is Over
Following the surrender of all rebel forces to Rostad and Macalister at Blackwater and the attempted assassination of Canadian Prime Minister Cayden Tillsley, Radzikowski met with the newly appointed Nolan Roberts in December at Benedict Point in New Austin to negotiate a full surrender. At the insistence of Roberts, Radzikowski conditionally agreed to generous terms that dealt with both political and military issues. Radzikowski thought that those terms were consistent with the views Macalister had expressed at Ottawa, but had not been given the authority, by General Rostad, Macalister, or the Cabinet, to offer those terms.
Both the Canadian and United States Governments refused to approve Radzikowski's terms and the Secretary of War, Edmund Broshire, denounced Radzikowski publicly, precipitating a long-lasting feud between the two men. Confusion over this issue lasted until December 8th, when Roberts, ignoring instructions from President Macalister, agreed to purely military terms and formally surrendered his army and all rebel forces to Radzikowski. Radzikowski then proceeded with his troops to Ottawa where they marched to await a new establishment of forces, and were then disbanded. Having become the second most important commanding officer in the Royal Canadian Forces, he thus had come full circle to the city where he started his war-time service as a Lieutenant.
On January 4th, 1894, the joint governments of Canada and the United States approved the establishment of the National Armed Defense Force, which was renamed to the North American Defense Force on January 6th. The Royal Canadian Forces was officially dissolved and most members were transferred over to the newly established fighting force, including Radzikowski. After it's establishment, Radzikowski was originally intended to be a Major but Rostad refused and instead opted to have Radzikowski as a Captain. Once promotions and obligations were set, a new threat later emerged and the North American Defense Force was called to service.
American-Indian War (1894-1896)
The American-Indian War (1894-1896) pitted the North American Defense Force against those of the Tall Trees Confederacy, each side supported by allies. At the start of the war, the Tall Trees Confederacy had a larger population of Natives than the members of the North American Defense Force. The outnumbered NADF troops particularly depended on their skill. This was the largest and most expansive war to ever take place within the Frontier States, and the largest war in which Radzikowski would take part in.
The Tall Trees Confederacy declared a war upon the United States Government in 1894 after the end of the American-Frontier, two years the war would last, and some view the war as being merely another theater of the previous American-Frontier War; however, the American-Indian War is viewed in as a singular conflict which was not associated with the American-Frontier War. The name American-Indian War is used mainly in the United States, referring to the two factions of the war, while historians use the term the War of the Last Rites and the Tribe War, as do English-speaking Canadians. French Canadians call it Guerre de la Conquête (War of Conquest).
The North American Defense Force were supported at various times by Native tribes and the Tall Trees Confederacy were supported by Sani, Abequa, Yatokya, Shiriki, and Soyala tribes. Fighting took place primarily along the frontiers of New Austin and West Elizabeth. It began with a dispute of confluence at Fort Mercer. The dispute erupted into violence in the Battle of Hamlet's Passing, during which a Tall Trees war party under the command of 22 year-old Moyhan ambushed an NADF platoon.
Throughout the war, four new companies were stood up at MacFarlane's Ranch, and planned a four-way attack on the Confederacy. All succeeded, and the main effort by Radzikowski proved successful; he won the Battle of Cholla Springs on January 26th 1894 and the Battle of Mascalero on February 3rd. While many operations succeeded, other operations failed in the frontier regions due to a combination of poor management, internal divisions, effective Native scouts, untrained regular forces, and Indian warrior allies. In 1895, the North American Defense Force captured Cochinay near the Montana River, and they ordered the expulsion of all remaining resistance in West Elizabeth. Orders for the extermination were given by Charles Rostad, Commander-in-Chief, North American Defense Force, without direction from the joint-governments. All resistance was eliminated entirely by 1896, both those captured in arms and those who had sworn against the United States.
The North American Defense Force disbanded after the completion of the campaign in 1897. While fighting the Natives, the NADF greatly expanded in numbers and partook in several successful campaigns including a successful expedition in Tall Trees and the official takeover of Cochinay and Tall Trees; this last was followed by NADF troops torturing and massacring their Native victims. Rostad came to great power and significantly increased military resources in the frontier states at a time when U.S. government was unwilling to risk large convoys to aid the limited forces that they had in the Frontier States, preferring to concentrate their forces against Mexico and other rebellious forces who were now engaged in the American-Indian War. Between 1894 and 1896, the North American Defense Force launched a campaign to recapture and resecure the Commonwealth of West Elizabeth. They succeeded in capturing territory from the Natives and ultimately rescuing the city of Blackwater. The North American Defense Force later lost a legal battle regarding the unethical prosecution of Natives in West Elizabeth but the Tall Trees Confederacy officially dissolved in accordance with the Blackwater Accords Treaty.
From it's establishment to it's dissolution, the North American Defense Force was one of the major participants in the American-Indian War. Although conventional warfare involving countries was the more knowledgeable area for organization, the North American Defense Force emerged from the war as the world's leading fighting force, having gained a number of new territories at the Blackwater Accords Treaty and established itself as the world's pre-eminent fighting force.
The war started poorly for the North American Defense Force, which suffered deaths from the plague and scurvy, and at the hands of the Tall Trees Confederacy. The same year North American Defense Force's major native ally Soyala Tribe switched sides and aligned itself with the Tall Trees Confederacy; and the North American Defense Force was hastily forced to conclude themselves to fight primarily alone. For the next two years the North American Defense Force was ranged against a growing number of enemy tribes led by the Tall Trees Confederacy. After a period of political instability, the rise of a refirmed government headed by the re-elected Alfred Macalister provided the North American Defense Force with firmer leadership, enabling it to consolidate and achieve its war aims.
In 1896, the United States and Canadian Governments enjoyed an Annus Mirabilis, "year of miracles", with success over the Tall Trees Confederacy and their allied tribes on the continent of North America (capturing of Tall Trees). In 1897, the North American Defense Force dissolved due to a lack of need as the war, and all rebellions were quelled. The majority of it's members enrolled back into civilian life, while the remaining members, including Rostad and Radzikowski, formed the Blackwater Militia. The Blackwater Militia enlisted to fight on behalf of the Mexican Government during the start of the Mexican Revolutionary War. During the war, Blackwater Militia forces fought in the Battles of Butter Bridge, Torquemada, El Presidio, El Matadero, Escalera and Rathskellar Fork. The Blackwater Militia managed to repulse an invasion of mixed Mexican-Native forces led by former NADF Captain Paige. By this time the Mexican ministry had collapsed, the United States was short of credit and the generous terms offered by Canada were accepted.
Through the war, the North American Defense Force was under command of the to the Electorate of the United Republic, which was a comittee established by both the Canadian and U.S. governments to govern the North American Defense Force. It also directed the military strategy of the United States and Canada.
Nomenclature
Previously, wars were often named after faction conflicts or locations. There had already been the American-Frontier War in 1893 so the United States Government named this conflict after their longtime opponents, and it became known as the American-Indian War. This continued as the standard name for the war in the United States, although Indians fought on both sides of the conflict. It also led to be known as the Tribe War overseas, and a much larger conflict initiated between Mexico and Germany was known as a Mexican-German War of Confluence, that did not involve the American-Indian War; some historians make a connection between the American-Indian War and the Mexican-German War of Confluence overseas, but most residents of the United States consider them as two separate conflicts—only one of which involved the American frontiers states, and American historians generally use the traditional name. Less frequently used names for the war include the Third Intercontinental War and the Great War for the Empire.
Commonly, the "Tribe War" is conflated into the American-Indian War and generally not given an equal separate name. "Tribe War" refers to events in New Austin and West Elizabeth, from the official declaration of war had started—to the signing of the peace treaty in 1896. The American-Indian War in America, by contrast, was largely concluded in two years from the Battle of Fort Mercer to the capture of Cochinay in 1895.
Historians conflate both the European and American conflicts into the "War of Confluence". French and Canadians also use the term "War of Conquest" (Guerre de la Conquête), since it is the war in which occupied areas of West Elizabeth was conquered by the North American Defense Force and became part of the United States Government.
Background
The last major conflict in North America, the American-Frontier War, had ended in December 1893 which left large parts of the United States devastated. The peace terms were unpopular with many, however, as they largely retained the status quo—which led the people of states such as New Austin and West Elizabeth to believe they had not made sufficient gains for their efforts in the war. By 1894, many saw another major war as imminent, and the United States was preparing its forces for an attempt to take land that was held by a hostile native faction.
President Alfred Macalister had acceded to premiership following the sudden death of his brother Henry Macalister, and led a government made up largely of Republicans. Macalister had thirty years' experience as a Secretary of State and was a leading figure on the diplomatic scene. Despite enjoying a comfortable majority in the House of Commons he was extremely cautious and vulnerable to attacks led by men such as William Turner, leader of the Democratic Party. Macalister fervently believed that peace in the United States was possible so long as the "Old System" and the alliance with Canada prevailed and devoted much of his efforts to the continuance of this.
One of the major concerns for the United States government of the era was territorial expansion. During the nineteenth century United States had become more populous and powerful – and were agitating to expand northwards into the American interior. The territory most prized by the new settlers was the Tall Trees, which was also claimed by the Tall Trees Confederacy. As well as having economic potential, it was considered strategically key. Native control of that territory would block American expansion northwards and eventually Native territory would surround the major town of Blackwater, pinning it against the coast. A number of delegations urged the government to take more decisive action in the Tall Trees dispute but the U.S. Government refused to take the land forcefully.
America in the 1890s
At this time, America's large areas had no large settlements. The Native population numbered over 75,000 and was heavily concentrated along the Upper Montana River valley and its tributaries. Fur traders and trappers traveled throughout the Upper Montana watersheds and did business with local Native tribes, and often married Native women. Traders married daughters of chiefs, creating high-ranking unions.
Native settlers outnumbered the Americans 2 to 1 in West Elizabeth. In between the Five Frontier States, large areas were dominated by Native tribes. To the north, the Sani and the Abequa tribes were engaged in Inter-Tribal War and still held sway in the northern portions of the state of West Elizabeth. A new Native confederacy dominated much of New Austin and West Elizabeth. These tribes were formally under sovereign rule and were unlimited in their authority to make agreements.
The Southeast interior was dominated by Yatokya, Shiriki, and Soyala tribes. When the war broke out, the Tall Trees Confederacy used their connections to recruit fighters from tribes in western portions of the New Austin region, which was not directly subject to the conflict. The North American Defense Force was supported in the war by the Hetsutu, Mahkah and also by the Soyala, until differences sparked the American-Indian War. The Commonwealth of New Hanover successfully negotiated the Treaty of Wahiti in which a number of tribes in New Hanover and Ambarino promised neutrality in exchange for land concessions and other considerations. Most of the other tribes sided and formed with the Tall Trees Confederacy, their primary trading partner and supplier of arms. Most Native tribes were subject to diplomatic efforts by both the Canadian and United States governments to gain either their support or neutrality in the conflict.
At the start of the war, no regular army troops were stationed in West Elizabeth. The joint governments called for the North American Defense to defend New Austin and West Elizabeth with companies of regulars and irregulars (some of whom had significant woodland combat experience). The North American Defense Force recruited militia support when needed. Most of the local municipalities mustered local militia companies to protect the towns from Indian threats, generally ill trained and available only for short periods, but they did not have any standing forces. New Austin, by contrast, had a larger frontier with several companies of regulars.
The joint governments were used to operating independently of one another and of the government in the United States, a situation that complicated negotiations with Indian tribes, whose territories often encompassed land claimed by multiple territories. After the war began, the leaders of the United States Army establishment tried to impose constraints and demands on the North American Defense Force's involvement in the war, but rather failed.
Events leading to War
The United States Government was concerned about the incursion and expanding influence of Native tribes in New Austin. The government ordered to lead a military expedition through the area. Its objectives were:
• To reaffirm to the United States and Canada that their trading arrangements with Natives were peacefully exclusive to those authorized by the governments
• To confirm assistance in asserting and maintaining the American claim to the territories which American explorers had claimed
• To discourage any alliances between hostile Indian tribes and the Tall Trees Confederacy
• To impress the American people with a show of force against hostile Native settler incursion, unauthorized trading expeditions, and general trespass against American claims
The expedition force consisted of about 200 U.S. Army troops led by Major Joseph Melvin, and they covered about 4,800 km between May and September 1893. They went down from the Lower Montana River, continued along the northern shore of West Elizabeth, crossed the portage at Hennigan's Stead, and followed the southern shore of New Austin. The expedition moved further inland, which it followed to the site of Fort Mercer. There Melvin buried lead plates engraved with the American claim to the state. Whenever he encountered Native settlers, he informed them of the American claims on the territory and told them to leave.
Melvin's expedition circled back to West Elizabeth and entered Tall Trees where the Indians in the area informed him that they owned the area and that they would trade regardless of the government. He continued north until his expedition reached the confluence of the Cochinay, which lay just south of the Lower Montana River. It was the home of the Chief known as "Tahatan". Melvin was threatened by "Tahatan" with severe consequences if he continued to disrupt Native progress in the region, but Melvin ignored the warning. Melvin returned disappointedly to Fort Wallace in New Hanover on September 12th, 1893.
Melvin wrote an extensively detailed report. "All I can say is that the Natives of these localities are very badly disposed towards us" he wrote, "and are entirely devoted to their region. I don't know in what way they could be brought back." Even before his return to Fort Wallace reports on the situation in Tall Trees were making their way to Washington D.C., each side proposing that action be taken. West Elizabeth governor Nathan Johns was particularly forceful, stating that American people would not be safe as long as the Natives were present.
Negotiations
The United States government gave land to the Appleseed Trading Company for the purpose of developing trade and settlements in Tall Trees. The grant required that the Natives settle less than 100 families in the territory and construct a fort in Cochinay. But the territory was also claimed by the Natives, and both sides began pushing for action to improve their respective claims. In September 1893, Olga Monoga explored the territory, acting on behalf of both West Elizabeth and the company, and opened negotiations with the Native tribes at Cochinay. He attempted to settle the Treaty of Tall Trees in which the local Indians disagreed with his terms and killed Monoga by hanging. These terms included permission to build a strong house at the mouth of the Aurora Basin. By November of 1893, the Tall Trees Confederacy had formed many tribes into it's concession, and they laid claim to it as their grounds by right of conquest.
The American-Frontier War (better known as the War of Ignorance) formally ended in 1893 with the signing of the Treaty of Formal Peace, which was primarily focused on resolving issues in New Austin. The issues of conflicting territorial claims between the United States and the Natives were turned over to a commission, but it reached no decision. Frontier areas were claimed by both sides, from Tall Trees and Big Valley in the north to Hennigan's Stead in the south.
Fort Mercer
In December 1893, Major Joseph Melvin was given command of a some 200 man force of U.S. Army Infantrymen and some Natives. His orders were to protect the oil land in Rio Bravo from the Mexicans and Natives. Melvin followed the route that he had mapped out months earlier. Melvin, however, had limited the record of Native claims to the burial of lead plates, whereas before, he had constructed and garrisoned forts. His garrison was fully established at Fort Mercer by December 15th. As he held the fort, he drove off or captured poachers and traders, alarming Natives. Wahkan's son, Dohate became a chief of the Rio Bravo Indians, who were remnants who had been driven east by American expansion during the American-Frontier War. He intensely disliked those whom he accused of killing and "eating" his father. He traveled to Fort Mercer and threatened the Army with military action, which Mercer contemptuously dismissed.
The Natives sent runners to Blackwater to contact Radzikowski, who was the temporary Superintendent of North American Forces in the West Elizabeth region and beyond. Radzikowski was known to the Natives as Menewa, meaning "Great Warrior." While Radzikowski did not speak their languages, he had become a respected honorary member of the Native tribes in the area, and he was made an honorary Colonel of the Howahkan Tribe. The Native runners informed Radzikowski of an imminent attack on Fort Mercer, but Radzikowski was unable to send additional relief forces as he was not authorized to do so.
The Native representatives and Radzikowski met with Rostad at Ottawa, Canada. Howahkan Chief Gomda was the speaker of their tribal council, and he insisted that the Americans and Canadians abide by their obligations and block illegal expansion. Rostad did not respond to his satisfaction, and Gomda said that the "Covenant Chain" was broken, a long-standing friendly relationship between the Native Tribes and the North American governments.
Attack on Fort Mercer
On December 21st, 1893, the Tall Trees Confederacy planned a massive attack on Fort Mercer. The continuing activity in the Rio Bravo territories prompted Tahatan to dispatch a war party to Fort Mercer under the command of Dohate, the son of the late Wahkan, who had previously fought in the American-Frontier War. Dohate was given 300 men, including French-Canadians and warriors of the Ottoga tribe. His objective was to punish the American's for not following orders to cease harassing the Natives. On the evening of December 21st, the war party attacked the fort at night, overrunning killing 163 American Army troops, including Joseph Melvin, and capturing 40 prisoners, some of which were Natives, and executed them. Melvin was reportedly ritually cannibalized by the Natives in the war party.
Government's Response
After news of the attack was heard, the Electorate ordered the North American Defense Force to mobilize and deter the threat. They ordered Rostad, the commanding officer of the North American Defense Force to take arms and organize a solid defense at Fort Mercer, and warn the confederacy to leave territory. Rostad left with a small party to Blackwater, picking up Radzikowski and his irregulars as interpreters and lead combat experts, Devan Cervantez, who had been wishing to regain his fame as an officer, Cody Paige (an ill-famed captain who wished to gain power), and a few dozen regulars. On January 5th, Rostad and his men reached Fort Mercer.
Rostad succeeded Melvin as commander of Fort Mercer after Melvin died in December. Over the course of several days, Rostad presented Tahatan with the letter demanding an immediate Native withdrawal from New Austin. Tahatan said "As to the Summons you send me to retire, we will not bow to the White Man prosecuting us and our lands." He told Rostad that their claim to the region was superior to that of the Americans, since the Natives lived on the land for several centuries earlier.
Rostad sent a party led by Radzikowski to scout the region for any hostile war parties. Radzikowski's party left Fort Mercer early on January 9th to scout for any tracks and returned to Fort Mercer on January 11th. He stated in his report, "We had swept east", detailing the steps which they had taken to fortify the area, and their intention to fortify the confluence of Fort Mercer.
Siege of Fort Mercer
The Siege of Fort Mercer was fought on January 21st, 1894, between forces of the Tall Trees Confederacy led by Chief Dohate and the North American Defense Force defenders of Fort Mercer led by Captain Mateuszek Radzikowski and General Charles Rostad early in the American-Indian War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Tall Trees Confederacy, and it came with heavy losses. Dohate was killed, Tahatan was wounded, and Medard Mallete and more than 30 men were wounded. The fort's garrison, a motley assortment of regular troops and irregulars directly led by Captain Radzikowski and commanded by General Rostad, suffered a small number of casualties.
Dohate's army had captured Fort Mercer previously on December 21st, and early in January they joined a force led by Medard Mallete, whose men had made an arduous trek through the wilderness of northern Canada. Rostad had moved from Blackwater to Fort Mercer, the Natives' next objective, and last-minute reinforcements arrived to bolster the fort's limited defenses before the attacking force's arrival. Concerned that expiring enlistments would reduce his force, Dohate made the attack during the night to conceal his army's movements. The plan was for separate forces led by Dohate and Mallete to converge into the fort before scaling the walls protecting the officers. Dohate's force turned back after he was killed by rifle fire early in the battle, but Mallete's force penetrated further. Mallete was injured early in the attack, and Tahatan led the assault in his place before he realized he was fighting a losing battle and was forced to retreat. Tahatan and the Natives maintained an ineffectual blockade of the fort until the next day, when government reinforcements arrived.
These actions stimulated both government and native leaders to consider the possibility of a takeover of New Austin by the rebellious forces of the Tall Trees Confederacy, and Charles Rostad, began mobilizing defenses. The North American Defense Forces in North America consisted of three companies, with the 1st Company Highlander Guards, holding various locations around the New Austin, 2nd Company Rifle Guards guarding the St. Lawrence river valley and 3rd Company Reserve Guards holding various forts around the Great Lakes. Besides for these companies, the only forces available to the North American Defense Force were about 200 men of the militia and the 100 or so troops from the United States Government as well as some native tribes. The militia and many of the Indian tribes were regarded as lukewarm in their loyalty to the government.
Both the Canadian and U.S. governments misunderstood the nature of the local society. The feudal nature of their society led the Canadians to assume the habitants would deferentially obey their social superiors while the Americans believed that the habitants would welcome them as liberators from their feudal society. In fact, the habitants, tended to display many of the same traits displayed by gang members who mostly owned land, being described variously as individualistic, stubborn, and spirited together with a tendency to be rude and disrespectful of authority figures if their actions were seen as unjust. Most of the habitants wanted to be neutral in the struggle between Government vs. the Tribes, just wanting to live their lives in peace.
The memory of the American-Frontier War had made most of the Natives living in the Five Frontier States distrustful of all whites, and most of the Natvies in the region had no desire to fight for either Government or Tribe. Only the Soyala and Liwanu were regarded as willing to fight for the Government, and even then most of the tribes were already negotiating with the Tall Trees Confederacy. The Soyala tribe was traditionally allies of the Tall Trees Confederacy and their loyalty to the Government was felt to be very shallow. Both Rostad and Macalister argued that the forces holding Tall Trees were weak, that the Natives would welcome the government as liberators and an invasion would require only 100 men. Taking Tall Trees would eliminate any possibility of the Natives using it as a base to attack settlements.
Defensive Preparations
Rostad had begun preparing the fort's defenses immediately after receiving word of another attack. On January 19th, Rostad proclaimed battle stations and called out the troops. Radzikowski found that there were only 30 men fit for duty, but he complained that the fort was in a state of disrepair. Rostad gave fully battle authority to Radzikowski and although Radzikowski concentrated most of the modest force at the front, he left small garrisons of troops at the flanks. To provide more manpower, Radzikowski quickly rode to Armadillo to raised the irregular Royal Highland Raiders, whom he recruited from Scots immigrated to the United States, however this unit was not fully established until later in the war. The commander of the Royal Highland Raiders, Keegan Collins, was a Highlander who fought for the rebellion in the American-Frontier War of 1893, but turned out to be Radzikowski's most aggressive subordinate in the campaign. On January 20th, Radzikowski met with Hayena Claus, the superintendent of Native Affairs together with a Native war chief Mikasi. Hayena and Mikasi had brought with them some 100 warriors whom they proposed to lead into a raid on Fort Mercer, arguing that this was the best way of keeping the Americans engaged and out of Tall Trees. Radzikowski attempted to resort to peaceful tactics and wanted most of the Natives home, saying he did not want any more Natives involved in this war, whom he regarded as savages who he believed would commit all sorts of atrocities against the innocent population of New Austin. Despite his mixed view of Natives, whom he considered to be brutal and prone to immoral violence, Radzikowski had a deal of respect for their ways of living and warfare, he even previously employed them as scouts to monitor hostile forces as no one else could operate in the wilderness as scouts as well as the Natives could.
Tahatan followed the government's progress, occasionally receiving intercepted communications between Rostad and Macalister. Radzikowski was left in charge of Mercer's defenses while Rostad was traveling to Blackwater, and Radzikowski attempted to organize a local militia force of several hundred to defend the fort. Unfortunately, the leader of the militia pessimistically thought they were "not much to be depended on", estimating that only half were reliable and thus refused to assist. Radzikowski also made numerous requests for military reinforcements to the military leadership in Blackwater, but each of these came to nought. Several regiments were blown off and ended up back in Blackwater, and General Samuel Stockburn, the commander of the regiments in Blackwater, refused to release troops from there to Fort Mercer because he thought it was already too late. On the late night of January 18th, an attempt by Jorge Coraci and his raiders to assassinate Rostad in a surprise attack was foiled. A mixed force of Radzikowski's irregulars, Rostad's regulars and a group of volunteers under the command of Captain Devan Cervantez stopped Coraci's force on the outskirts of MacFarlane's Ranch. The victory caused the government to finally respond to the militia summons, except with little avail. Radzikowski, knowing only a large Native force had entered the area, chose to stay on the defensive under the grounds he was probably outnumbered. On January 18th, at 9:37 PM, Cody Paige and Radzikowski had a major disagreement over the tactics of holding the fort, in which Paige attempted to ordered the arrest of Radzikowski on charges of high treason but was stopped by Radzikowski's irregulars, which led to a shoot-out that left two soldiers wounded, and resulted in a life-long feud and hatred between both Radzikowski and Paige. On January 20th, more natives arrived which finally allowed the besiegers to start inflicting damage on Fort Mercer.
The attempts of the North American Defense Force to recruit for their cause were generally unsuccessful with Radzikowski only recruiting 40 troops. The public preached loyalty to the government, but the unwillingness of Radzikowski to take the offensive persuaded many members of the populace that the government cause was a lost one. Given the Native numerical superiority, Radzikowski had decided to stay on the defensive, a decision which however justified under military grounds, proved to be politically damaging. On January 19th, Tahatan and Dohate took to Fort Mercer, which the defenders had been holding for nearly a full month, causing Radzikowski to decide to organize unconventional defenses, which he knew that Tahatan was approaching fast. Later on the 19th, Rostad left Blackwater and proceeded back to Fort Mercer, being engaged in another battle and losing 14 men. Like Radzikowski, Tahatan was Canadian-born, and both leaders had a certain understanding and respect for society and civility, going out of their way to be tactful and polite in their dealings with each other prior to conflict. Radzikowski insisted that his men display "brotherly affection" for the Natives at all times. However, the man that Tahatan placed in charge of the attack, Dohate displayed bigoted anti-government, anti-peace, anti-Catholic and "anti-white" views, with Dohate vowing extreme violence upon the innocent populace, a move that deeply offended the people. The arbitrary and high-handed behavior of Dohate together with their anti-peace undercut their claims to be promoting "freedom" and did much to turn local opinion against their self-proclaimed "heroes".
When definitive word reached Mercer that Dohate's march had succeeded and that he was approaching the fort, Radzikowski began tightening the guard. Word of Dohate's approach resulted in less enlistments, with attempts to decrease the ranks. On January 20th, General Rostad, who had been involved in an attempt to lift the siege, arrived with only half a dozen men. They had intercepted communications from Tahatan to Dohate near the Hanging Rock, and hurried to Mercer to help with its defense. The arrival of his blunted force shunned the morale of the defenders, and Radzikowski was immediately forced to raise the morale once more.
Dohate's Attack
As early morning broke out on January 21st, Dohate gave orders for the attack. He led his party to their assigned positions that night: northern flank of the bastion. When Dohate reached his position between 4 am and 5 am, he and his men began to fire on their respective targets, signaling the attack. Tahatan and Mallete, seeing the engagement thrust early, pushed into their respective quadrants.
Dohate led his men from the northern flank down the steep, exposed path towards the outer defenses. The effective return fire by the defenders made the advance a struggle. As they advanced over rocky ground, they were forced to stop, as the troops manning the walls of Fort Mercer stopped the advance with effective rifle fire. Some of Dohate's men eventually arrived at the palisade of the outer defenses, where an advance party of carpenters attempted to pass their way through the wall. Dohate helped his men cut through the palisade, and attempted to send men to destroy the fort itself but was unable due to the conglomerate of defensive fire. The fires were in fact petitioned as a blockhouse occupied by 15 regulars and 15 irregulars armed with rifles and repeaters and all men who made it to the palisade were eventually killed.
Dohate unsheathed his tomahawk as he led his men down the plains as they raged. The defenders opened fire at close range, and Dohate was killed instantly, shot through the head that burst his skull by a rifle bullet while most of the men charging beside him were either killed or wounded. The few men of the advance party who survived fled back towards the hill; only a few escaped unhurt. As the next two most senior chiefs, Tuketu and Hassun, were also killed, command was assumed by the young Oda, who decided it was suicidal to try to advance again. Many of Dohate's troops were killed or injured in the attack; one of the few remaining uninjured troops led the survivors back to Mercer Station and eventually north, leaving Dohate's body behind.
Mallete and Tahatan's Attack
Dohate's body now lies in the ground along with others, and he is surrounded by his men, including some men in army uniforms and in native garb. Blood and gunsmoke swirl around the scene. This was the first sign of loss.
While Dohate was making his advance, Mallete advanced with the main body towards the fort at the northern end of a large hill. Leading Mallete's advance were 30 scouts together with repeaters. Behind them were the rest of the natives, then the French-Canadian volunteers, and finally the rearguard consisted of those who had decided to join the Natives.
They passed the hillside and some gun emplacements undetected. However, as the advance party moved around the fort, heavy fire broke out onto them. The defenders opened fire with their rifles and hurled grenades down from the walls. The scouts were caught in heavy fire in an attempt to cross and was abandoned by the main party. The height of the walls made it impossible to return the defenders' fire, therefore Mallete ordered his men to run forward to the flanks that were behind the walls.
They advanced through a series of hills, where they once again came under fire as they approached a barricade manned by 5 irregulars. Mallete had planned to use the scouts he brought with him, but since they were lost, he no choice but to order a frontal attack. As he was organizing his men in an attempt to take the barricade, Mallete received a deep wound in the leg from a rifle round that apparently ricocheted, and retreated to the rear after transferring command of his detachment to Tahatan. Tahatan a tough, Native frontiersman well respected by his men, personally led the assault, attempting to scale a ladder up to the barricade but failed on his first attempt. On his second attempt, Tahatan made to the top of the barricade, but retreated to escape the bayonets of the defenders before the rest of his men followed up. They were then driven back by Radzikowski and his irregulars before any significant progress would be made and would retreat to more strategic locations. After a few minutes of fighting, 24 Natives were killed while the defenders had lost 1 dead and six wounded.
Under Tahatan's command, they nearly captured the fort, but after being driven back, they had difficulty advancing further because of the twisting rifle fire, which prevented the assaulting party from pushing effectively. Moreover, despite Tahatan's exhortations to advance, his men were afraid of being overpowered by their adversaries and wanted to wait for the rest of the native forces to come up, leading to a 10-minute delay. Tahatan and his men holed up behind solid cover to dry out their enemy and rearm, but they eventually came under increasing fire; Radzikowski had realized the attacks on the northern gates were feints and began concentrating his forces on the flanks.
Rostad was speaking with Radzikowski when he learned of the assault on the fort, and wished to take with him 10 men to stop the assault but Radzikowski explained the would-be disastrous outcome. At the rear, Radzikowski found some troops who were confused about what was going on and he gave his orders to continue holding the line. Radzikowski ordered some regulars into the structures to protect Rostad while ordering the irregular troops to form a firing line. As Tahatan and his men advanced with the intention of flanking the fort, they were confronted by a group of irregulars by a man named Perry who demanded their surrender. Tahatan in reply shot Perry dead while the irregulars retreated; shouting "Mercer is Ours!", Tahatan then led a charge into Mercer. Radzikowski's irregular highlanders and regulars opened fire from the windows in the structures and from the walls. With the storm of bullets raining down on them, the Natives were all beaten back. An attempt to outflank the barricade by going through one of the structures led to a savage fight in the fort with tomahawk against blade, but was also repulsed. Under increasing heavy fire, Tahatan once more ordered his men to retreat.
Radzikowski managed to organize a small force of 10 men to attempt in stopping Tahatan on their retreat. Radzikowski led his men up to the walls once more, consisting of Highlanders, where they encountered a Native force under Tuari who was coming up to aid Tahatan. As Tuari's men had little ammunition, they could not use their repeaters and Tuari and the rest of his men were killed in action. Radzikowski then turned against Morgan's group, who proved to be more stubborn. Radzikowski himself was later wounded after a sniper's bullet fractured his shoulder, but the attempts of the Natives to breakthrough were blocked. As the fighting continued, the Natives' fire was becoming less effective, and their abilities to advance were becoming less and less graduate. The Natives also ran out of ammunition and one by one, groups of attackers were killed. With no avenue of attack and under heavy fire, Tahatan and his men retreat. The battle was over by 10 AM. Tahatan was the last to retreat and rather than give up, he vowed revenge. Finally, Rostad ordered an assault on the remaining battery of troops outside the walls, and afterwards the Natives withdrew back behind the safety of Mercer Station. Found on the Native and other corpses were notes reading "Suffer With Me".
This was the first defeat suffered by the Tall Trees Confederacy. Radzikowski reported 48 Natives killed and 35 wounded, including about two-thirds of Tahatan's force. He also wrote that "many perished on the Retreat" attempting to get away. Radzikowski reported that 20 bodies were recovered the following day. Defender casualties were comparatively light. Radzikowski's initial report to General Rostad mentioned only three killed and six wounded, but other witness reports ranged as high as ten. Radzikowski's official report listed five killed and 14 wounded.
Dohate's body was recovered by the North American Defense Force and was given an honorable military funeral, paid for by Captain Radzikowski. The body was returned to Tall Trees. Together with the losses taken in the battle and the expiring enlistments left Tahatan's war party with only 54 men after the battle. Tahatan asked for more volunteers, as he did not wish to send his own people to the graves, but many refused, saying they were afraid that Tahatan did not care for them. An appeal to help led to the reply that he could spare no more of his Native troops to fight as the problem of less and less Natives were able to fight, however, Tahatan later had succeeded in persuading some of the Owanjita to fight for the Tribe.
Final Siege of the Fortress
Tahatan, refusing to give up; despite being now nearly outnumbered, he laid siege to Mercer a second time. The siege had relatively little effect on the Fort, which Radzikowski claimed had enough supplies stockpiled to last until May. Immediately after the battle, sent runners to Tall Trees, where they informed the rest of the confederacy of the defeat. They then travelled on to Quebec to report the defeat and request support. In response to their report, the Tall Trees Confederacy and a French-Canadian militia known as the "Guerriers du Quebec" (Warriors of Quebec) ordered reinforcements to be raised and sent south. During the battle small troops of men hastily recruited made their way south to supplement the attacking garrison at Fort Mercer. Tahatan used his remaining troops to suppress the defenders, which caused some damage, but did little did to weaken Radzikowski's hold. Radzikowski continued to hold the blockhouses and walls over the course of the second battle to prevent an attempt to outflank the walls of Fort Mercer.
The presence of disease in the camp outside Mercer, especially cholera, took a significant toll on the besiegers, as did a general lack of provisions. Cholera ravaged Tahatan's forces largely due to exposure to infected corpses. Radzikowski condoned this practice, realizing it would severely weaken the Native siege effort. Tahatan brought some of his troops to Armadillo to attempt to purchase new supplies, after using up all his gold could only pay for supplies with paper money, not coin, which proved to be problematic as the habitants wanted coins, and increasingly tensions forced the Natives to kill the habitants to take the supplies. Together with the news of the slaughter of innocent civilians carried out by Natives, the requisitions of food and firewood made the besiegers more and more unpopular with the habitants who wanted the Natives to go home. Tahatan, wanting to avoid more fighting, retreated to Tall Trees, leaving his second in command, Notaku in charge.
Rostad, wanting to go on the offensive, counseled with Radzikowski. Radzikowski suggested, that despite appearing to have a significant advantage in manpower, they should not attack the Natives, and remained within Mercer's walls. Radzikowski, analyzing the situation before the battle, had observed and knew that they would pay a heavy price for leaving the fort's defenses, ultimately losing the fort and their lives. Army General Jacob Hudson had also lost a battle outside the fort in 1847; Tahatan judged that Radzikowski was unlikely to repeat their mistakes. On January 23rd, a miller from the southern shore of Plainview, reached Fort Mercer and informed Rostad there was a militia ready to act against the Natives. These men and more were mobilized to make an attack on a Native camp in northern New Austin, but Rostad and Radzikowski sent orders not to attack, wishing for more diplomatic options first.
To rally support in New Austin, Tahatan sent a three-man commission consisting together with pro-Patriot ideals. The commission arrived in Armadillo and attempted to undo the damage done, but found that public opinion had turned against them. Several leaders pointedly asked the commissioners that if the rebellion was justified because of "liberation from oppression", then why had Tahatan slaughtered several civilians in the town. The commissioners talked extensively with their fellow citizens in a bid to win their support, but reported that the majority were satisfied with the North American Defense Force, and were unwilling to support the Natives. Though the commissioners rescinded Tahatan's decisions and allowed members of the innocent populace to freely roam the Tall Trees region, by then the political damage could not be repaired.
The conditions of the battle led Notaku to conclude that another siege was impossible to maintain, and began preparing to retreat to northern New Austin. On January 24th, the Natives sent a small diversion party to Fort Mercer in an attempt to burn out the fort but were gunned down by the defenders. The arrival on of a small local militia known as the "Cowboys" as the vanguard of the much larger government forces, accelerated the Native preparations to retreat. The retreat was turned into a near rout when Rostad ordered these fresh forces, along with most of his existing garrison, out of the fort to face the disorganized Natives. The Native forces, ravaged by cholera, eventually retreated all the way back to their. Rostad then launched a counteroffensive to destroy the camps. Although he defeated the Natives in the Siege of Fort Mercer and regained control of Rio Bravo, the rear guard defense managed by Notaku prevented further action to pursue the Natives.
Aftermath
On January 25th, even before the Natives had been completely driven from New Austin, Rostad ordered a survey to identify the Canadians who had helped the Native expedition in and around Fort Mercer. He sent a party to travel New Austin and counted the Canadians who actively provided such help; they determined that at least 25 had done so. Rostad was somewhat lenient with minor offenders, and even freed a number of more serious offenders on the promise of good behavior. However, he promised that once the Natives had been driven from the state, measures against supporters of the Native cause will be harsher, with forced labor and executions. These measures had the effect of minimizing the public expression of support for the Natives for the rest of the war.
Nearly 40 additional government troops arrived at Fort Mercer on January 25th. They were under the command of Sergeant Sam Witchleson. These forces, some of which having participated in Rostad's counteroffensive, spent time putting a significant strain on the population. Rostad told the habitants that the quartering of the government troops was punishment for their "disloyalty" in not coming out in greater numbers when he summoned the militia. The French-Canadian historian Hector Valluy described Radzikowski as having "wisely" avoided battle outside of Fort Mercer, but overall his commanding officer in the campaign was "lack-lustre", which led to some operations failing.
Following the government victory at the Siege of Fort Mercer, the government once again considered invading Tall Trees and once again, voted for another invasion to be commanded by General Rostad. However, Rostad found the necessary supplies and horses to support an invasion were lacking once and he advised cancelling the operation, advice that the government accepted. The news that the Natives had strengthened the region of Tall Trees meant that an invasion of Tall Trees would require a substantial number of men and resources that were not available owning to operations elsewhere. Tall Trees status as one of the strongest and securest Native regions in North America meant it would require a massive amount of force to take. The idea of invading Tall Trees continued to be debated, but no decision was ever made. Radzikowski and Rostad, attended peace negotiations in Armadillo for ending the American-Indian War, the delegation asked for the cession of Tall Trees to the United States. As the government did not have possession of Tall Trees at the time, the Natives refused and the government diplomats did not press the point. Had the North American Defense Forces been victorious at the proposed Siege of Tall Trees, and were in possession of Tall Trees at the time of the peace negotiations, the American diplomats in Armadillo might have been more successful in demanding Tall Trees to officially become part of the United States. The Natives disregarded the peace treaty and suggested further war before leaving under neutral grounds.
Three current of the Ranger units in Rad's Rangers trace their lineage to the units that participated in the Siege of Fort Mercer.
Battle of Hamlin's Passing - Death Raids - Battle of Cholla Springs
The Battle of Hamlin's Passing, also known as the Hamlin Massacre, occurred on January 28th, 1894. The North American Defense Force set out to attempt to restore peace with the Tall Trees Confederacy. Traveling down from Fort Mercer to a road heading towards Hamlin's Passing, after arriving at their destination, they encountered the Tall Trees Confederacy as well as the famous "Cowboys" Militia led by former gunslinger James McKee. Less than an hour after encountering the tribe, they quickly realized that these Native American warriors had no intentions of peace. The troops quickly shifted into a ring formation, and all the officers were put into the center of the ring. The warriors attacked both the Militia and the Defense Force, killing and mutilating several of the defenders bodies. After the battle, the hostile native warriors inflicted major damage on government-affiliated forces but were forced to escape, one of which was Tahatan. As soon as the United States Government learned of the incident, sent the Defense Force to search for the warriors responsible for the raid. In the end, members of the "Cowboys" Militia and Defense Force met the warriors once more in the heartlands of Cholla Springs, notwithstanding intervention, well equipped with loaded rifles and revolvers and ready to fight, attempted to secure peace again, but to no avail. Another fight broke lose and both sides garnered ill-fated losses, with Natives being forced to retreat and later incited the Death Raids, which turned into the Battle of Cholla Springs.
The Death Raids were the largest and most devastating raids ever mounted by Native Americans in New Austin. It followed the Battle of Hamlin's Passing, in which members of the Defense Force had come to negotiate a peace treaty but ended up in a battle against the Natives. The Tall Trees Confederacy were reluctant on making peace and wished for further war. Arguments and fighting then broke out among the factions, forcing the Natives to retreat. To avenge what the Tall Trees Confederacy viewed as a bitter betrayal by the Defense Force, War Chief Tahatan raised a huge war party of many of the bands of the Tall Trees Confederacy, and raided deep into settled areas of New Austin.
Raids
Many of the Native warriors came from Tall Trees, confident that they could terrorize New Austin and escape to safety across the Montana Ford, which was technically another legal jurisdiction. The raids had been planned by a large band of Native warriors, approx 180 warriors, under the leadership of Tahatan, Viho, Black Wolf and Red Bear. Hidden in a thicket of scrub near a U.S. Army Convoy, they observed the slow approach of General Arthur Price's inspection retinue of his 10 troops. Although the war party outnumbered the US Army troops by ten to one, they didn't attack, maybe because the Army troopers would have inflicted too many casualties. The Native story is that, the previous night, Black Wolf, the "fighting shaman", had prophesied that this small party would be followed by a larger one with more lives for the taking. The braves were rewarded three hours later when a civilian caravan was passing through the region. The Natives attacked and quickly overwhelmed this convoy. Over 30 innocent civilians were slaughtered and three managed to escape. One of the civilians was captured and tortured to death with fire by the Natives, his tongue cut out. The warriors lost three of their own, but left with wagons heavily laden with supplies. It was well after dark before the survivors reached the nearby Fort Mercer and told their harrowing tale to the very officer whose party had passed unharmed under the Native guns, General Arthur Price. General Arthur Price ordered the arrests of the war chiefs but was engaged in conflict with them. Viho was killed on a train as he tried to escape the column of United States soldiers. The Native war party ambushed General Arthur Price's column in the first open conflict in years. Arthur Price was killed in battle, along with his men. The Natives lost 32 warriors in the fighting but maintained the victory.
Black Wolf gathers the tribes
War Shaman Black Wolf was determined to do more than merely complain about what Tahatan viewed as a bitter betrayal. Spreading word to the other bands of Native tribes that he was raiding the settlements in revenge, Black Wolf led the Death Raids campaign. Black Wolf gathered a huge raiding party, at least 400 warriors, with wives and young boys along to provide comfort and do the work. Altogether as many as a thousand warriors may have set out from Tall Trees to New Austin to perform the Death Raids. On the raids the Natives went all the way from the plains of West Elizabeth to the towns of MacFarlane's Ranch and Armadillo in New Austin. In what may have been the largest organized raids by the Natives to that point, they raided and burned these towns, killed and plundered at will.
MacFarlane's Ranch
The huge war party crossed into Hennigan's Stead and first attacked the ranch-town of MacFarlane's Ranch, February 6th. A special force was stood up from Radzikowski's irregulars that was tasked with tracking the Native war party. Although the Defense Force had found the tracks of a gigantic war party coming out of West Elizabeth, and were shadowing the onrushing Natives, part of the war party broke off and attacked MacFarlane's Ranch before the citizens could be warned. One resident wrote, "We of MacFarlane's Ranch were startled by the apparitions presented by the sudden appearance of six hundred mounted Savages in the immediate outskirts of the village." The citizens of MacFarlane's Ranch hid in the buildings, and the Natives, after killing a dozen or so townspeople and riding up and down, departed MacFarlane's Ranch when rifle fire from the buildings began to make the riding dangerous. The war party intended to gather horses and loot Armadillo, which was not as prepared for the Natives as MacFarlane's Ranch. After the attack on MacFarlane's Ranch, the Natives camped the night of February 6th, at a newly established Native campsite of Mascalero.
The Rape of Armadillo
Early February 8th, 1894, the Natives surrounded the small town but prominent town of Armadillo, which was the largest town in New Austin at the time, and began pillaging the stores and houses. Armadillo, which became nearly a ghost town, was also stricken with Cholera at the same time. The Natives reportedly killed over 70 civilians, including women, children, and District Marshal Lewis Ward, who had delayed his escape to allow his family to escape safely. After killing Ward, the Natives captured and slaughtered his wife, and three children.
Realizing that the Natives would have no experience on water, the townspeople fled prudently from the raiders to the safety of the San Luis River. They were saved by a ship captained by Corey H. Stone, which was at anchor in the bay. While safe in the water, the refugees witnessed the destruction and looting of their town, unable to do a thing to thwart the curse upon them.
For that entire day the Natives plundered and burned buildings, draping themselves grandly in top hats and stolen linens. They tied feather beds and bolts of cloth to their horses, and dragged them. They herded large numbers of cattle into pens and slaughtered them. One outraged citizen, Roland 'The Tudisco Kid' Maxwell, a former gunslinger and bank robber, grabbed his gun and waded ashore through the shallow water, and roared and shot at the bemused warriors, killing at least seven, but the Natives captured and chose to spare him, believing him mad. He later found that he had waded ashore to face nearly a thousand Natives with only 20 rounds of ammunition.
At the time of the Great Raids, many trade goods were en route from overseas to West Elizabeth and New Austin; a total inventory valued at over $1,000,000 was reported to be at Armadillo at that moment, including an undisclosed amount of gold bullions. Armadillo's Mayor, Charlie Moss noted that in addition to the cloth and other trade goods usually present in his warehouse at that time were several cases of hats and umbrellas belonging to Christopher Mainse, a Saint Denis merchant. "These the Indians made free with, and went dashing about the blazing village, amid their screeching squaws and `little fucking Indian sons of bitches,' like demons in a drunken saturnalia, with Mainse's hats on their heads and umbrellas bobbing about on every side like tipsy young balloons." After loading loot onto their various wagons and mules, the raiders, finally began their retreat on the afternoon on February 8, 1894.
The Battle of Cholla Springs
Radzikowski's irregulars, and the Defense Force had been trailing the war party for some time, unable to engage them because of their sheer numbers. But the raid on Armadillo at gave the "Cowboys" Militia and Defense Force a chance to gather more troops. Volunteers from West Elizabeth, and New Austin joined up with the Defense Force and the "Cowboys" Militia, including Roland Maxwell. The government forces moved to intercept the Natives. They made contact in the heartlands of Cholla Springs, near Armadillo on February 12th. The Natives, who normally fared about as a fast and deadly light cavalry, were detained considerably by the pace of the captive, slower pack mules and wagons. The normal Native tactic was to ride as fast as possible away from the scene of a victory, but on this occasion they slowed to a gentler pace acceptable to the heavily laden pack mules and wagons. Thus, the Defense Force and the Militia caught the raiders, which normally they found impossible. The Battle of Cholla Springs was really a running gun battle, where the government forces attempted to kill the raiders and recover loot, and the Natives simply attempted to get away. Although only a dozen bodies were recovered, government forces reported killing 80 Natives, and the war party losses were probably higher than normal. But greed saved the Natives in turn; when the "Cowboys" Militia discovered the stolen bullions, they abandoned the fight, divided their loot, and went home.
Conclusion
The Death Raids was the largest Native series of raids on cities in the history of New Austin. The war party literally burned one city to the ground. They took over 3,000 horses and mules, and millions of dollars of other plunder, ranging from gold to cloth and mirrors. Unfortunately for the war party, the sheer volume of loot slowed them down, and made them vulnerable to attack from government forces that otherwise would never have caught them. Equally, the "Cowboys" Militia missed an opportunity to destroy the bulk of the raiding party when they concentrated on recovering and dividing the recovered bullions and other plunder. This left the North American Defense Force to fight for itself, and the Natives escaped east back to Mascalero to recover, in their escape, Radzikowski and his irregulars tracked them to their campsite, which would lead to the Battle of Mascalero, or more commonly known as the Mascalero Massacre.
The Battle of Mascalero
The Battle of Mascalero, or more commonly known as the Mascalero Massacre was an attack by government forces on a Tall Trees Confederacy village and campsite known as Mascalero on February 20th, 1894, during the American-Indian War. It has been described as one of the most horrific frontier massacres of the war. A force of government loyalists and members of the North American Defense Force descended on Mascalero, whose defenders, despite warnings, and being prepared for an attack, were slaughtered. During the raid, government loyalists in particular targeted non-combatants, and reports state that 30 such individuals were slain, in addition to a number of armed defenders.
The attacking forces were under the overall command of General Charles Rostad and under direct command of Captain Mateuszek Radzikowski, who exercised little authority over the loyalists on the expedition. Historian Jordan Davies describes Rostad's command of the expedition as "criminally incompetent". The loyalists were angered by accusations that they had committed atrocities at the Battle of Cholla Springs, and the recent destruction of their towns in New Austin. Rostad's authority with the loyalists was undermined by his poor treatment of Roland Maxwell, the leader of the loyalists. Rostad repeatedly maintained, against accusations that he permitted the atrocities to take place, that he was powerless to restrain the loyalists.
During the campaign, Rostad achieved a reputation for brutality and cowardness. He was not directly present at the Battle of Cholla Springs — although many thought he was — and while Radzikowski held Rostad in high regard, he was left to actively sought to minimize the atrocities that took place in New Austin and Mascalero. Diaries belonging to Defense Force troops during the campaign state the Force as being the butchers and given that Rostad was the overall commander of the expedition, there is controversy with whom actually ordered or failed to restrain the killings. The massacre contributed to calls for reprisals, leading to further battles which drove the Tall Trees Confederacy out of New Austin.
With the Death Raids, the American-Indian War in New Austin became another frontier war. The Armadillo and MacFarlane's Ranch were especially targeted for their fertile soil and large supplies. French-Canadian leaders in the Province of Quebec supported Tall Trees and other Native American partisan fighters with supplies and armaments. During mid-February, Charles Rostad and Radzikowski developed plans to attack the Native settlement of Mascalero. On February 14th, Rostad established a base of operations at Armadillo. He recruited a mix of loyalists estimated to number between two and three hundred by the time he began his campaign in Mascalero. One of his objectives was to acquire provisions for his forces and those of who was planning operations in Hennigan's Stead.
Rostad began his campaign on February 16th with a raid on Twin's Rock, and raided other hostile communities throughout the few days up to the battle. The local gangs and Natives defending the area were ineffective against the attackers, who typically escaped from the scene of the raid before the attackers arrived in full force. After Radzikowski and some of his newly established "Rangers" attacked a German-held gang encampment on February 18th, the Defense Force organized a punitive expedition to destroy the village of Mascalero.
While Radzikowski was active in Pike's Basin valley, Rostad descended with a large mixed force and raided a Native encampment in Greenhollow. This action complicated affairs, for the loyalists in Rostad's force were accused of massacring noncombatants, and a number of loyalist militiamen violated their parole not long afterward, participating in a reprisal expedition against the innocent populace. The lurid propaganda associated with the accusations against the loyalists in particular angered them, as did the destruction of recent settlements. In concurrence, the Twin Rocks attack, even though Radzikowski was not present, fueled among his opponents the view of him also as a particularly brutal opponent.
Radzikowski then joined forces with Captain Devan Cervantez, leading his platoon of Rangers under overall command of General Rostad for an attack on the major Mascalero settlement of Hennigan's Stead. Radzikowski's forces included roughly 20 to 40 experienced irregular veterans. As the force moved toward Mascalero, Radzikowski and Rostad quarreled over Rostad's recruitment of loyalists, whom Radzikowski did not trust. Rostad was unhappy at Radzikowski's successes in this sphere, and threatened to withhold provisions to Radzikowski's irregulars. Ninety troops and volunteers ended up leaving the expedition, and Rostad himself was on the verge of doing so when Radzikowski convinced him to stay. The dispute did not sit well with the loyalist forces, and may have undermined Rostad's tenuous authority over them.
Massacre
Mascalero had a palisaded establishment that surrounded the site. It was garrisoned by over 100 Natives commanded by Black Wolf. Black Wolf and his men were alerted through spies that the Defense Force was moving against Mascalero. He took elementary precautions and readied his troops for battle.
The Defense Force arrived near Mascalero late on February 19th, and established a cold camp to avoid detection. Reconnaissance of the camp identified the weaknesses of Black Wolf's arrangements, and the attacking forces decided to send one force against Black Wolf's headquarters and his command and another against the camp itself. Rostad extracted promises from the loyalists in the party that they would not harm noncombatants in a council held that night.
The attack began early on the morning of February 20th. Some overeager loyalists spoiled the surprise by firing on Natives cutting wood nearby. One of them escaped, raising the alarm. Radzikowski led his irregulars to surround Black Wolf, while the main body surrounded the camp. The attackers killed at least seventy Natives, including women, children and warriors alike, as well as Black Wolf, who was cut down while he was charging towards the attacking forces. Most accounts say Black Wolf was within reach of the attackers, only to stop and shot dead by his pursuer, who may have been Radzikowski. His revolver repeatedly misfired and he was killed by a thrown tomahawk hitting him in the forehead. Red Bear, second in command, also quartered at Mascalero, was taken prisoner. Some Native women and children attempted to run through a hail of bullets to escape the site; but were all killed. Those attacking the site gained entry, leading to hand-to-hand combat inside. After killing most of the native warriors, the loyalists slaughtered the entire village, which was made up of women and children.
The attack on the site was successful—laden heavy weapons, they were able to make significant impressions on the site. After it's capture, the site was then guarded by the Defense Force while the loyalists rampaged through the rest of the settlement. Not a single structure was left standing, and the loyalists, seeking revenge, were reported to have slaughtered anyone they encountered. Rostad and Radzikowski attempted to restrain their actions but were unsuccessful. Radzikowski in particular was horried to learn that a number of families who were well known to him and whom he had counted as friends had borne the brunt of the loyalists rampage.
Capt. Radzikowski, described the attack in his journal:
"Mascalero is littered with bodies, blood and metal. Red is the new color of what was once a beautiful place, which became the stage of a large scale assault.
The air which would normally be full of nature's sounds is now carrying a thick, black smoke and small embers, enough to destroy whatever courage is left in all of us.
We fought each other because of political outrage, but as we won the fight, we also lost it. The dead of their side lay in large groups across the site and the faces of their innocents are hopeful with their muscles tense and anxious and hope in their hearts, that they'd survive.
Some of us have succumbed to hysteria and were no longer capable of moving, while the innocents fought merely for the sake of survival. The toll on morality is devastating.
Everything hurt. It'd probably take a simple and obvious decision to either give up or keep going at this point, but that decision just didn't seem to come. Their entire body was trembling now. Weak and exhausted it costed them all their remaining strength to keep fighting. They longed for their home, but that wasn't an option to them. All they cared about was surviving.
After seeing what people can do, my mind became broken, I felt it. Weak, and beyond repair. I was down on my knees, soon I would have hoped to be down on my back. I wanted to to stand up, but I couldn't. My legs, wouldn't move. My body wouldn't move.
I couldn't breathe. Everything was so heavy. I thought I didn't have the strength to fight anymore after what I had just seen.
Everything was hazy, I couldn't make sense of it all. I have seen war before, but the slaughter of innocents? I couldn't take this."
Radzikowski identified the fatalities of the massacre as Black Wolf, over eighty Native warriors, and fifty civilian inhabitants.
Accounts surrounding the capture of Red Bear report that he was about to be killed, but Radzikowski intervened. "Radzikowski, much to the despise of Rostad, saved the life of Red Bear, who was made prisoner when Black Wolf was killed. It is said Red Bear was let go, but it was told that he had later been executed by the loyalists."
Aftermath
The next morning Rostad sent Radzikowski and some rangers back into the village to complete its destruction. The Rangers took 70 captives from the loyalists, all of them women and children. Radzikowski managed to have all of his captives released, but the rest were distributed loyalists until they were executed. The Mascalero Massacre has been since then known as the "Fury of the Loyalists".
War Chief Tahatan, in justifying the action at Mascalero, wrote to Rostad that "you Burned our Homes, which makes us very angry, so that we destroyed, men, women and Children at the Pacific Union Railroad Encampment." The loyalists then "declared they would no more be falsely accused, or fight the Enemy twice" (the latter being an indication that they would refuse quarter in the future). Radzikowski reported that "notwithstanding my utmost precaution and endeavors to save the Women and Children, I could not prevent some of them falling unhappy victims to the Fury of the Loyalists," but also that he spent most of his time guarding the encampment during the Native raid. Rostad was so upset at Radzikowski's inability to control the loyalists that he refused to see him, writing "such indiscriminate vengeance taken even upon the treacherous and cruel enemy they are engaged against is useless and disreputable to themselves, as it is contrary to the dispositions and maxims of whose cause they are fighting." Radzikowski continued to insist in later writings that he was not at fault for the events of the day.
Legacy
A funeral was dedicated to Mascalero on February 24th, 1894, at the centennial month of the massacre. Radzikowski delivered a dedication address saying:
"I am here today not only to show reverence for the innocent, but to offer my respects and heartfelt gratitude to the living. It is to be hoped that their example will be copied; that the report of these commemorative exercises will move others to like acts of pious duty. Let every son of this soil uncover reverently as this funeral is unveiled, and do reverence to their sturdy patriotism, made strong by their grand faith, their trials, and their sufferings, and show that the blood of innocent children, of wives, of sisters, of mothers, and of brave men, was not shed in vain. Let us show the world that they have added to the value of that noble sacrifice. Thus we shall leave this sacred spot better men and women, with a higher and nobler purpose of life than that which animated us when we entered this domain of the dead."
The violent war of 1894 brought calls for the North American Defense Force to take further action. Cherry Valley, along with the accusations of murder of non-combatants at Wyoming, helped pave the way for the launch of the Tall Trees Expedition, commissioned and directly led by Rostad. The expedition attempted to secure peace one last time, but the expedition was attacked and nearly destroyed. Throughout the expedition, Captain Paige voluntarily sent himself to the Native homelands of Tall Trees and attempted to secure peace. Both attempts failed, however, to stop the war, which continued with renewed severity.
The Tall Trees Expedition
The Tall Trees Expedition was a pivotal operation of the American-Indian War to end the war by both the Tall Trees Confederacy and the North American Defense Force. The expedition led directly to the loss of Cochinay and the remainder of Tall Trees the following year.
The United States government realized that with Tall Trees under Native control, the United States could not push against the Natives without being unmolested for an attack. After previous peace treaties were turned back due to a strong Native and refusal for peace, the North American Defense Force under the leadership of Charles Rostad resolved to try an attempt at peace one last time.
Rostad assigned the task of security of the expedition to Captain Radzikowski. At this time, Captain Cody Paige volunteered to infiltrate the meeting area to assist in establishing peace, with Rostad approving. As they had previously, the Defense Force planned to operate in a defensive capacity. It was also to the expedition that the "Cowboys" Militia were responsible for maintaining security and peace within the region to prevent any further bloodshed. Radzikowski, realizing the militia was untrustworthy due to their previous actions, strengthened the security of the expedition,
The Tall Trees Confederacy consequently abandoned their attempt to reinforce peace previously, and only resorted to violence. Most of the Native men were gathered to block unwanted entrance. On March 6th, a Native war party tried to slip out of Tall Trees under the cover of a dense fog, but was intercepted and seized by the U.S. Army before being allowed back to their region.
The Defense Force assembled at MacFarlane's Ranch where the units spent their time training together as the expedition came together. After the large gathering was announced at Nekoti Rock, on March 7th, the Expedition departed from MacFarlane's Ranch for Tall Trees.
The expedition consisted of 50 troops, most whom were men-of-war. Housed in reserve at MacFarlane's Ranch were almost all of the rest of Regulars, as well as Rangers. The expedition was divided into three section: Red, commanded by Mateuszek Radzikowski, Blue, commanded by Charles Rostad and White commanded by Devan Cervantez. On early March 8th, the Expedition anchored the Pacific Union Railroad Camp.
Tahatan had at his disposal some between 100 and 1,500 Natives as well as approximately multiple French-Canadian troops. Unlike the previous battles, the Defense Force was unable to assemble in significant numbers, leaving the Expedition outnumbered five to one by the Natives.
Ambush
At 16:00 on March 8th, the Defense Force moved inland to the meeting site at Nekoti Rock over forest and mountainous terrain. When the column passed Manzanita Post, they were stopped by two of the militiamen from the "Cowboys" Militia, who told the Expedition that a peace meeting was underway and the Natives did not wish to be interrupted. As the column was halted, over 100 native warriors were moving into position for ambush. The Natives wore concealed garment and were armed with tomahawks, knives, bows and Buffalo Rifles. The Defense Force had swords and carbine rifles. The battle began when the Natives ambushed the Defense Force, attacking enmass. Realizing something was not right, Radzikowski yelled "ambush!" as he spotted the Native party preparing to engage. The ambush shook the Defense Force and many troops were killed by rifle fire. Radzikowski ordered the troops to dismount and fight, but after realizing that they were in a losing battle, ordered his troops, including a shocked Rostad to mount their horses and retreat while he provided cover fire. During the retreat, Radzikowski chose to stay behind and performed a flanking maneuver on the left side of the mass of warriors towards a deadzone. This forced the Natives they dispersed themselves amongst the forest. At this time, the expedition successfully retreated from Tall Trees back towards Hennigan's Stead, with Radzikowski saving Rostad from "burning at the stake".
Radzikowski, with limited ammunition, decided to acquire friendly and enemy weapons, including ammunition to continue holding off the Natives. Using the knowledge of frontier warfare, Radzikowski managed to repulse a final attack from the Natives after they had regrouped. Reportedly, Radzikowski killed approximately 45 Native warriors, including the two chiefs, after a fierce half an hour battle. At least 36 others were wounded. Radzikowski was wounded by multiple shots, hurt badly, but continued to fight before being hit in the leg with a tomahawk and passing out. Radzikowski survived the encounter and woke up during the late night, with the Natives believing him dead. Radzikowski, under the cover of darkness, was forced to find medical herbs and items, as well as attempt to find a way to escape while simultaneously avoiding Native patrols. Radzikowski managed to fixate his wounds and sneaked up towards a small Native encampment which was filled with supplies and horses, he encountered two Native warriors and reportedly killed all of them with his tomahawk before stealing a horse, making his escape past Tanner's Span towards Hennigan's Stead while under heavy fire.
After the ambush, Radzikowski returned to MacFarlane's Ranch where Rostad was waiting. He spread the news of a possible betrayal by both Paige and the Militia. Radzikowski noted that the Militia and Paige were founded assisting the Natives but not directly engaging the Defense Force, he also noted that dozens of weapons, horses and equipment was lost during the ambush, and a large amount of ammunition was used in battle. Radzikowski received much credit for his heroic acts which was considered one of the most impressive acts to ever be performed by an individual. He was promoted to the rank of Major once more and was offered the Victoria Cross for his bravery but respectfully declined, claiming he didn't deserve it.
Recuperation and Preparation
After the infamous ambush, Rostad and Radzikowski reorganized and prepared for a major offensive. The preparation took nearly one year and was focused on standing up new companies of the North American Defense Force to assist in neutralizing the Tall Trees Confederacy. Weather conditions from March to May made any assault impossible and the Defense Force was only able to mount a bombardment of the improvised defenses of Tall Trees from a distance. However, throughout the months, conditions improved, and at daybreak on June 8th, Radzikowski led a small-scale raid using only melee weapons and pistols. His task was to test the defenses of the Tall Trees Confederacy. During the raid, defenses were initially successful and after gathering enough information, Radzikowski ordered a retreat. However, at the last minute, a load of light infantry, particularly members of his Ranger pocket found a rocky inlet protected from Native fire and secured a fighting front. Radzikowski finally redirected his troops to retreat. Outflanked, they retreated rapidly back to Hennigan's Stead.
Continuing heavy weather and the difficulty inherent to moving siege equipment over boggy terrain delayed the commencement of the formal siege. From June 12th to January 27th, the North American Defense Force stood up four companies to seize Bearclaw Camp, which dominated the entrance to Tall Trees. This they did on March 12th, 1895. After eleven days, four of the six companies were placed on reserve as per Rostad's orders. The remaining companies were in position and the orders were given to open fire on the Natives. Each company consisted of 200 troops, which totaled to 400 troops to fight in Tall Trees. Within hours, the troops had taken over the camp and established a temporary outpost before being forced to retreat back to Hennigan's Stead on April 7th after a large Native assault drove them from the region. After this, the campaign stalled and took several months before the continuity of the campaign was ensured. Most of the previous engagements were minimal centered around minor battles between the regions. On August 15th, 1895, Radzikowski was given the go-ahead to launch a scouting raid. Radzikowski took several of his troops to scout Tall Trees in anticipation of the final attack. The men dressed in concealed uniforms and slowly pushed into the forest, originally to provide intelligence but were later rechristened with "Kill Orders" directly at night. Eventually an enemy scout fired on them, but the intelligence they gathered was the factor that later led to a successful siege. During the retreat of Radzikowski and his scouts, a small engagement struck French-Canadian Abraham Gerin. A stiff breeze fanned the fire, and shortly after the engagement, two other French-Canadians, Moise Levette and Theo Bernier, had also caught rounds from the scouts' rifle. The French-Canadians were all killed upon impact, depriving the Natives of their most experienced foreign allied commanding officers.
The next major blow to Natives morale came on the evening of August 21st, at 10:00. A Ranger "hot shot" sniper killed Wyome. Wyome was the Chief of Medicine and prime Bonesetter for the Tall Trees Confederacy. Her death eroded confidence and reduced morale in the Native troops and their hopes to lift the siege.
Most historians regard the actions of August as the "straw that broke the camel's back". On September 10th, using thick fog as cover, Major Radzikowski sent out a cutting party to kill two major Native chiefs, Linwanu and Tsela. The raiders eliminated these two chiefs, capturing and burning Bearclaw Camp, thus clearing the way once more for the North American Defense Force to enter the Tall Trees. Otis Tanner, who later became famous as a gunslinger, took part in this operation and recorded it in his log book. On September 10th, the North American Defense Force launched an assault on Tall Trees.
Battle of Tall Trees
The Battle of Tall Trees, was a battle of the American-Indian War, fought on September 10th, 1895, between the Tall Trees Confederacy and the North American Defense Force at Tall Trees. Part of the Tall Trees Campaign, it was the first field army–level engagement in the theater of the American-Indian War to take place on United States soil. It was the bloodiest day in Native American history, with a combined tally of 2,884 dead, wounded, or missing.
After pursuing Tahatan into Tall Trees, Gen. Charles Rostad launched attacks against Tahatan's Native force, in defensive positions at Tall Trees. At dawn on September 10th, Rostad ordered Radzikowski to mount a powerful assault on Tahatan's right flank. Attacks and counterattacks swept across Manzanita Post, and fighting swirled around Bearclaw Camp. Assaults against the Natives eventually pierced the center, but the Federal advantage was not followed up. In the afternoon, Rostad entered the action, assisting in capturing Tall Trees and advancing against the Natives. As the attacking force moved in on Cochinay, at a crucial moment, Tahatan launched a surprise counterattack, driving back Rostad and ending the battle. Although outnumbered two-to-one, Rostad committed his entire force, while Tahatan sent in half of his troops, enabling the Defense Force to fight the Natives to a standstill. During the night, both armies consolidated their lines. In spite of crippling casualties, Tahatan continued to skirmish with Rostad and Radzikowski throughout September, while removing his battered south of the Nekoti Rock.
Despite having superiority of numbers, Tahatan's attacks failed to achieve force concentration, which allowed Rostad and Radzikowski to counter by shifting forces and moving along interior lines to meet each challenge. However, despite ample reserve forces that could have been deployed to exploit localized successes, Rostad failed to destroy Tahatan's army. Inturn, Radzikowski's persistent but erroneous belief that he was outnumbered contributed to his cautiousness throughout the campaign.
Tahatan had previously halted the Defense Force's invasion of Tall Trees, but was forced to withdraw his force to defensive posture due to interference from the cautious Radzikowski. Although the battle was tactically inconclusive, the Natives had lost more troops and objectives and retreated first, making it ultimately a strategic victory. It was such a significant victory to give President Alfred Macalister the confidence to announce his Proclamation of Savage Surrender, which discouraged any faction from pursuing any potential plans to recognize or assist the Tall Trees Confederacy.
Tahatan's force—retreated back to the state of West Elizabeth following the Defense Force's victory at Mascalero in February, 1894. Emboldened by success, the government leadership intended to take the war into enemy territory. Rostad's invasion of Tall Trees was intended to run simultaneously with an invasion of Cochinay by Radzikowski. It was also necessary for logistical reasons, as most farms had been stripped bare of food. Based on events such as the Blackwater Riots and the fact that President Macalister had to pass through the city in disguise en route to meet Governor Johns, Native leaders assumed that West Elizabeth would welcome the Natives warmly. But pro-Government sentiment was winning out, especially in the western parts of the state. Civilians generally hid inside their houses as Natives passed through their towns, watched in cold silence, or attacked them outright, while the North American Defense Force was cheered and encouraged. Tahatan believed that the prospect of foreign recognition would increase if the Tall Trees Confederacy won a military victory on government soil; such a victory might gain recognition and financial support from other factions, although there is no evidence that Tahatan thought he should base military plans on this possibility.
While Rostad and Radzikowski's mixed force was moving to takeover Tall Trees and intercept Tahatan, two Defense Force soldiers (Corporal Luca Sutton and Sergeant James Cameron) discovered a copy of Tahatan's orders on a deceased Native courier. The order indicated that Tahatan had gathered the rest of his force in Tall Trees and dispersed portions geographically (Aurora Basin, Manzanita Post, Tanner's Reach and Nekoti Rock), thus making each subject to isolation and defeat if Rostad and Radzikowski could move quickly enough. Rostad waited about 18 hours before deciding to take advantage of this intelligence and reposition his forces, thus squandering an opportunity to defeat Tahatan decisively.
There were two significant engagements in the Tall Trees campaign prior to the major Battle of Tall Trees: United States Army Maj. Gen. Finley Henderson's capture of Beecher's Hope and Radzikowski's assault through Bearclaw Camp. The former was significant because a portion of Tahatan's force was at Beecher's Hope from the start. The latter because stout Native defenses at Bearclaw Camp would delay Rostad's advance enough for Tahatan to concentrate the remainder of his forces at Tall Trees.
Prelude to Battle
In Tall Trees, Tahatan deployed his forces throughout the forest, starting on September 4th. While it was an effective defense, it was not an impregnable one. The terrain provided excellent cover for his Natives, with trees, outcroppings of rocks, and little hollows and swales. Their lack of man-made cover was only a minor barrier, but their abundance of natural cover was fordable in places. It was also a precarious position because the rear was blocked by the tall mountains and no single crossing point, other than the Upper Montana River, which was impossible to cross, was nearby should retreat be necessary. On September 5th, the force under Tahatan's command consisted of no more than 1,000 men.
The two Defense Force companies arrived on the afternoon of September 4th. Although an immediate attack on the morning of September 5th would have had an overwhelming surprise, Rostad's trademark caution and his belief that Tahatan had as many as 100,000 men caused him to delay his attack for two days. This gave the Natives more time to prepare defensive positions. Radzikowski was tasked with attacking the left (western) flank, anchored on the Lower Montana River, Cervantez on the right (eastern) flank, anchored on the Upper Montana River (As the battle progressed, the boundaries overlapped considerably.)
On the evening of September 6th, Rostad ordered Radzikowski and his irregulars to cross Tanner's Span and probe the enemy positions. Radzikowski's element cautiously attacked Tahatan's troops near Bearclaw Camp. After darkness fell, explosive fire started as Rostad positioned his troops for the next day's fighting. Rostad's plan was to overwhelm the enemy's left flank, although Radzikowski considered the enemy's right flank to be more worthy of overwhelming. Rostad arrived at this decision because of his assumption of enemy troops in the area. The left flank was dominated by Native positions. The right flank, was not as defended but still boasted an incredible amount of resistance. But the center was heavily defended by sharpshooters, making an attack on the center first suicide. Radzikowski planned to commit more than half his troopsto the assault, starting with two companies, supported by a third, and if necessary a fourth. However, Rostad declined his request to gather more companies. Radzikowski intended to launch a simultaneous diversionary attack against the left and right flank with his companies, but since he was declined his request, he was prepared to strike the flanks and center with his own element if necessary. The skirmish at Bearclaw Camp served to signal Rostad's intentions to Tahatan, who prepared his defenses accordingly. Rostad shifted men to the Pacific Union Railroad Camp and sent urgent messages to the United States Government who was unaware of the battle, informing them of "a thunderous strike against the savage people".
Rostad's plans were ill-coordinated and were executed poorly. He issued to each of his subordinate commanders only the orders for his own troops, not general orders describing the entire battle plan. The terrain of the battlefield made it difficult for those commanders to monitor events outside of their sectors, and Rostad's headquarters were more a mile to the rear, making it difficult for him to control his separate detachments. Therefore, the battle progressed the next day as essentially three separate, mostly uncoordinated battles: morning in the western end of the battlefield, midday in the right, and afternoon in the center. This lack of coordination and concentration of Rostad's forces almost completely nullified the usual tactical advantages the Defense Force enjoyed and allowed Tahatan to shift his defensive forces to meet each offensive. Radzikowski became aware of this issue and restablished a better chain of coordination and plan to neutralize the enemy sectors.
Morning Phase
The battle opened at dawn (about 5:30 a.m.) on September 10th with an attack up the Aurora Basin by the Rangers under Radzikowski. Radzikowski's objective was to capture Bighorn Trail, Tanner's Reach and the Aurora Basin itself. Radzikowski approximately had 50 men, much less than the rest of attacking force, and this slight disparity was more than offset by the Native's strong defensive positions. Cervantez's company moved on Radzikowski's far right, which made assistance difficult. Radzikowski's troops moved on to secure the Bighorn Trail while encountering Native defenses consisted of sharpshooters from Tanner's Span.
As the Rangers emerged victorious from the Bighorn Trail and moved to Tanner's Reach, a rifle duel erupted. Native fire was from sharpshooters to the east on high ground across the pike from Tanner's Reach. Ranger return fire was from nine effective shooters on a ridge behind the Bighorn Trail with Carcano Rifles. The conflagration caused heavy casualties on the Native and was described by Tahatan as "Fires from the Sanctum of Hell."
Seeing the glint of knives and tomahawks concealed in bushes, Radzikowski halted his infantry and brought up four bombardiers, which fired explosive rounds and grenadies over to the enemy troops in the bushes. A savage battle began, with considerable melee action with rifle butts, tomahawks, and bayonets due to short visibility in the forest. Radzikowski was heavily engaged with only a handgun and a sword. Rifles became hot and fouled from too much firing; the air was filled with a hail of bullets and shells and the Rangers defeated the Native troops with even more savagery in the melee fighting.
A force of Natives led by Nikan, began advancing through the eastern flank and exchanged fire with Radzikowski's troops. As Radzikowski men forced Nikan's back. Radzikowski's element then entered Tanner's Reach, also to tear up another Native assault. A Native counter attack charged directly into volleys from the Rangers. Enduring heavy fire from a range of 200 meters and gaining no advantage because of a lack of reinforcements, the counter-attack was destroyed.
The reinforcements that Nikan had expected—had difficulties reaching the scene. A key element of Native fighters were wounded by an explosive round, and dismounted and fled to the rear in terror. When another Native element was rallied and advanced towards the Rangers, they met the fate as their predecessors. As the superior Native numbers began to tell, Radzikowski's took a element of select Rangers with him, who later was given the nickname of "White Devils" after he led a charge into a fray of Native troops and forced them back to the eastern sector of the forest. The casualties received by the Natives, 67%, were the highest compared to the damage by any other unit that day. Radzikowski's Rangers were given many nicknames, such as "Wardevils", "Wolfmen", and "Hellhounds". The Natives launched another counter-assault but were beaten back eventually when the Rangers brought up more ordnance for their rifles and rolled directly into the counter-attack, point-blank fire that slaughtered the Natives, who lost 323 men.
"The most deadly fire of the war. Knives, Bows, Tomahawks, and Rifles were battered in the hands of the Natives, as they were riddled with bullets, the dead and wounded went down in scores..."
After the successful capture of Tanner's Reach, Major Radzikowski moved on to attack Aurora's Basin.
Aurora's Basin remained a bloody stalemate, with the Rangers being more successful. Radzikowski led his troops to capture Aurora's Basin and established a defensive perimeter as Native troops began advancing down and astride the turnpike, into the Basin. They were halted by leveling fire from the Rangers just 30 meters. The Natives withdrew after being exposed to fierce fire from the Rangers but left some of Rangers mortally wounded. The Natives, aware of the Ranger advance, resumed the assault and nearly cut a large gap in Radzikowski's defensive line, but teetered near collapse. Although the cost was steep and the ammunition for his troops were running low once more, Radzikowski and his Select Company of Rangers were making steady progress.
Allied reinforcements arrived just after 8 a.m. A platoons of forty men under Sergeant James Cameron and Lieutenant Ethan James arrived following the capture of Aurora's Basin. Around 8:15, General Rostad gave Cervantez the permission to assault the right flank to aid Radzikowski. At 9 a.m., Radzikowski and his Ranger troops were tasked with taking MacReady Rise, which was a small rise near the Aurora Basin that was held by Native sharpshooters. It was particularly named MacReady Rise after explorer Tyson MacReady found this parcel of land in the 19th Century. The Rangers attacked with particular ferocity because as they were called to attack, they were forced to interrupt the first hot breakfast they had had in days. They were aided by Ethan James' platoon, pushing through to the Rise from the Basin, where the Natives had been supporting their counter-attacks. James' rallied the troops, and himself saw to it that his unit did not lose a single man. Radzikowski's men bore the brunt of the fighting, however, James' platoon paid a heavy price—60% casualties—but they were able to prevent the assault line from crumbling and killed the Natives. When asked by Rostad where his fellow officer Ethan James and his platoon was, Radzikowski replied, "Dead on the field."
Due to lack of ammunition, Radzikowski's men were not able to achieve his objective of Nekoti Rock. After two hours, they were back where they started. Tall Trees, was a scene of indescribable destruction. It was estimated that Tall Trees changed hands no fewer than 15 times in the course of the morning. Sergeant James Cameron, who assumed command of Ethan James' platoon during the battle, later compared the fighting around Tall Trees with the previous battles, insisting that the "Battle of Tall Trees surpassed them all in manifest evidence of slaughter."
"Every bush, every man, every greater part of the field was cut as closely as could have been done with a knife, and both sides slain lay precisely as they had stood in their position a few moments before." - Maj. Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski
Half of James' men were raw recruits, and James' was also inexperienced, having taken command only two days before. Although Cameron was a veteran of five years' service with Rostad, he had never led large numbers of soldiers in combat. He was replenished with a new batch of twenty troops. Concerned that his men would bolt under fire, Cameron marched them in a formation that was known as "column of companies, closed in mass," a bunched-up formation in which a regiment was arrayed ten ranks deep instead of the normal two. As his men reentered the battle, they were presented with an excellent target. Cameron led an assault towards a Native-held encampment but Cameron himself was shot in the chest and was forced to retreat, leaving Corporal Alexander Williams in command.
While Cameron's assault was significant, it did not produce such results to damning the Natives. The Natives themselves made no progress against Radzikowski's line, which was reinforced by man-made cover. A Native war party, supported by the "Cowboys" Militia, however, led by the experienced German veteran Tobias Kahler broke through Radzikowski's line, who fled under the belief that they were about to be trapped by a flanking attack. This breach of the line forced Radzikowski and his men, outnumbered, to perform a fighting retreat back to Aurora's Basin. Radzikowski was then able to remount an effective counter-attack on the rise and reafirm his original objective. His troops drove off Kahler's force and brutally slaughtered the "Cowboys" Militia for their betrayal. The Rangers held most of the ground to the west of the turnpike.
Kahler attempted to gather the scattered remnants of his troops to continue the counter-assault, but a Ranger sharpshooter spotted and shot Kahler through the skull. Command fell to James McKee, since the majority of foreign allies were also wounded or killed. But with Kahler dead in the field, McKee lost faith in the battle and deserted.
In an effort to relieve the pressure on Radzikowski and his troops, Captain Devan Cervantez was ordered into battle at 11 a.m. Cervantez's troop consisted of some 100 men and was first tasked to ford the eastern flank, and they entered the eastern woods with the intention of forcing the Natives to retreat by assaulting Manzanita Post. But the plan went awry. Cervantez launched the attack with an unusual battle formation. They assaulted first with grenades and explosive guns a and then from three sides were ambushed by a large Native counter-attack, and in less than half an hour Cervantez men was forced to hold to his ground in great disorder. Cervantez has been condemned by most historians for his "reckless" attack, his lack of coordination with Radzikowski and headquarters, losing control of the established line, failing to perform adequate reconnaissance prior to launching his attack, and selecting the unusual battle formation that was so effectively flanked by the Native counterattack. Radzikowski's recent scholarship, however, has determined that Cervantez, being an experienced cavalry officer but rather inexperienced infantryman, did perform appropriate reconnaissance and his decision to attack where he did was justified by the information available to him.
The final actions in the morning phase of the battle was when Cervantez's forces advanced, only to be confronted by newly arrived militiamen "Cowboys" Militia. They fought in an area between Manzanita Post and Beecher's Hope, with Cervantez prevailing in the battle.
The morning phase ended with casualties on both sides, approximately 400 on the Natives side, including multiple foreign commanders, and 73 on the Defense Force side.
Midday Phase
By midday, the action had shifted to the right of the line. Cervantez had accompanied the morning attack of Radzikowski's platoon, but lost contact with Radzikowski and inexplicably headed east towards his objective. Eager for an opportunity to see infantry combat, Cervantez found skirmishers in his path and ordered his men forward. By this time, Radzikowski, described the terrible fighting in the western woods and relayed an order for him to divert Native attention by attacking their left flank.
Cervantez confronted Natives led by Yahto near his objective. Cervantez's troop had been torn up during the morning combat from taking Mazanita Post. This sector of the line was theoretically the weakest. But Native warriors were in a strong defensive position, atop a gradual ridge, near a sunken road worn down by years of wagon traffic, which formed a natural trench.
Cervantez launched a series of heavy assaults against the Natives improvised breastworks at around 12:30 p.m. The first attack, was by mostly inexperienced troops commanded by Sergeant Haiden Watts and was quickly cut down by heavy rifle fire; neither side deployed unconventional maneuvers at this point. The second attack, more raw recruits under Lieutenant Misley Love, was also subjected to heavy fire but managed to beat back a counterattack by an independent attack from another Native tribe. The third, finally under Cervantez himself, included only veterans, and also fell to fire but quickly taken the line.
Reinforcements were arriving on both sides, and by 1:00 p.m. Rostad sent his final reserves—some 50 men—to bolster Cervantez's line and extend it to the far right, preparing an attack that would envelop Natives left flank. But at the same time, the Native's arrived on Cervantez's left. This was the last of Rostad's available troops, which were sent as he organized the remaining of his forces to be led under Rostad himself. Cervantez's fresh troops struck the first blow.
Leading off the sixth attack of the day against the Natives was Radzikowski. As the Natives advanced with tomahawks and rifles snapping in the breeze, regimental chaplain, Father Steff Marester, rode across to the front shouting words of conditional absolution prescribed by the Roman Catholic Church for those who were about to die but was killed by a tomahawk to the head.
Radzikowski then personally dispatched twenty of his Rangers to assist Cervantez (after being told that Cervantez was at Mazanita Post), and finally the tide turned. The Rangers had been great help to Cervantez, who gave him valuable amounts of intelligence. Natve key leaders were lost throughout the fighting, including the majority of foreign allies, which included French, German as well as Americans amongst others. Throughout his attacks and defense, Radzikowski received 5 serious wounds in the fight, once in his right leg, once in the left arm, once in the chest, once in the neck, and once in the face. He layed unconscious for a brief few moments but did not die, and later told colleagues that he should have smothered in his own blood, except for the act of an unidentified Native, who had earlier shot a hole in his cap, which allowed the blood to drain. Cervantez was wounded in the thigh but was still on the field. The much higher Native losses contributed directly to the confusion of the following events.
"We were killing them like it was an execution. If a bullet missed the mark at first it was liable to strike the further bank, angle back, and take them secondarily."
As Cervantez's troop advanced far around the right flank of the Natives, he saw a weak point in the line and a Ranger recommended that he seize the point. This allowed them to get enfilade fire into the Native line, turning it into a deadly trap. In attempting to wheel around to meet this threat, a command from Rostad was misunderstood by Cervantez. Cervantez then ordered his men to about-face and march away, an order that he thought applied to them. Natives streamed toward the weak point, with their line retaken.
Cervantez realized his mistake and charged back to the weak point, with the Natives in hot pursuit when he drove them back. A Native counterattack led by a young Native named Lallo got around Cervantez's left flank, and as they charged with ferocity, they were driven back by fierce rifle fire and this stemmed the collapse of the center. Reluctantly, Rostad ordered an assembly of troops, with the remaining troops numbering around 200 to prepare for assault. At this time, Cervantez became severely wounded. Despite his wounds, Cervantez would later have an excellent future reputation as an aggressive commander, the unexpected change of command by Rostad sapped the momentum of the government advance but did not falter the assault.
The carnage from 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Tall Trees gave it the name "Dead Man's Thicket". And yet a great opportunity presented itself. A broken sector of the Native line in the center was established. If exploited, Tahatan's force would have been divided in half and defeated. There were ample forces available to do so, which forced Rostad to enter the fold with a reserve of approximately 200 troops of mixed cavalry and infantrymen. The force had just arrived at Bearclaw Camp. Radzikowski, willingly capable of exploiting this breakthrough, was ordered not to by Rostad. Radzikowski appealed to Rostad, but ultimately backed his decision, choosing to focus on fighting the enemy rather than argue with command officer.
Later in the day, Rostad ordered the attack be made in the center. However, Radzikowski is said to have told Rostad, "Remember, Sir, I command an elite force of men willing to unleash destruction upon our men" Rostad demurred and Radzikowski's opportunity was lost.
Afternoon Phase
The action moved to the center of the battlefield. Rostad now finally on the battlefield, leading the center attack, called for Radzikowski and his Rangers to conduct a diversionary attack in support of his assault, hoping to draw Native attention away from the intended main attack in the center. However, Radzikowski was instructed to wait for explicit orders before launching his attack, and those orders did not reach him until 4:00 p.m. With Captain Cody Paige relaying orders for Rostad, Radzikowski discovered he was strangely passive during the battle. He was also disgruntled that Rostad had abandoned a previous arrangement of admissible attack by his Rangers. Previously, Radzikowski had commanded a wing of solely irregulars and now he was responsible only conventional infantry as well after rescuing Cameron's platoon previously. Paige then falsely relayed an order from Rostad to give authority over of the Rangers to Paige him. Implicitly refusing to give up his authority to the person he considered highly untrustworthy, Radzikowski ignored Paige and treated only to Rostad's funneling orders to himself.
Facing Rostad during the battle was a force that had been greatly depleted by Tahatan's movement of units to bolster the right and left flanks. At dawn, between 300 - 800 Native warriors stood in defense, but by 5:00 p.m. almost all of the original defenders were killed, wounded or missing. Tahatan, while attempting to gather more troops, had only about 300 men as the primary response force available to meet Rostad. The Natives guarded the ridges near Tanner's Reach and Nekoti Rock. The 300 Natives under the command of veteran fighter Nantahanken—defended the large center section of the forest that was the northernmost crossing of Tall Trees. It would become known to history as the Red Forest because of the notoriety of the coming battle known as the Battle of Dead Men. The Red Forest was strategically a difficult but tactically an easy objective. The road leading to it was exposed to enemy fire. The forest itself was dominated by rocks, bushes, ridges, and deadzones, making infantry and sharpshooter fire from good covered positions a dangerous impediment to crossing.
This sector was seldom several stretches towards Nekoti Rock. Rostad has been widely criticized for ignoring this fact. However, the commanding terrain made the initial advance a comparatively easy part of a difficult problem. Rostad concentrated his plan instead on storming the forest while simultaneously assaulting Nekoti Rock was Radzikowski's troops, who had identified a weak point in it's defenses and exploited it, but when Rostad's men moved past Manzanita Post, they found the enemy fire too high to negotiate. While Radzikowski prepared to attack the Red Forest to the support of Rostad's element, his troop struggled another Native counter-attack.
Rostad's assault on the forest was led by inexperienced skirmishers who were ordered to clear the bridge for the rest of the troops to cross and assault the sector. After receiving punishing fire for 15 minutes, the skirmishers men withdrew with 25 casualties. Rostad's main assault went awry when his unfamiliarity with the terrain caused his men to reach a line, where they exchanged volleys with Native skirmishers for the next few hours.
While Cervantez and Radzikowski were out of touch, Rostad directed a second assault at the forest. They fell prey to the Native sharpshooters, and their attack fell apart. By this time it was nearly 7 p.m, and Radzikowski, in the process of being attacked by Natives, was losing patience. He sent a succession of couriers to motivate Rostad to move forward. He ordered one aide, "Tell him it'll cost him if he doesn't push past the defenders, he must go now." He increased the pressure by sending a few Rangers, to assist Rostad, who reacted indignantly: "Radzikowski, it appears you think you are in command. I am trying my best to carry this forest; you are not one to judge."
The third attempt to take the forest was at 7:10 p.m. by Rostad told his troops that, with adequate support and a promise that a recently canceled whiskey ration would be restored if they were successful. The troops charged towards the forest and took up positions on the east bank. Maneuvering into better positions, they fired rounds at the enemy and continued holding position. By 8 p.m., ammunition was running low, and word reached Rostad that Radzikowski and his men were overrun and killed, though this later proved to be not true. Another report also stated that an attack was crossing towards the right flank on Cervantez's position. This however, proved to be true. After the failed assault on Cervantez's position, Tahatan ordered a fighting withdrawal. His Natives had cost government forces over 150 casualties by this time, giving up fewer than 128 themselves. And they had stalled Rostad's assault for nearly more than three hours.
Rostad's assault stalled again on its own. His officers had neglected to gather more ammunition, which was itself becoming a bottleneck for his troops. This represented another delay. Tahatan used this time to bolster a massive defense on the Cochinay Trail. He ordered up every available fighter he could. He counted on the arrival of another Native Tribe, but was unable to confer with any other Native Tribes and was left on his own.
The Defense Force were completely unaware that more Native warriors would be facing them. Rostad's plan was to move around the weakened right flank, converge on the Cochinay Trail, and cut the tribe off from any escape route. At 9 p.m., Rostad moved his troops northeast to Cochinay Trail.
An initial assault led on the trail succeeded against the Natives, which was pushed back past Nekoti Rock and the Red Forest to the trail that led up of Cochinay. Farther to the left, Radzikowski's troops dissipated the Native attacks and pushed to regroup with Rostad. While advancing towards the trail, Rostad's troop came under heavy fire from a dozen enemy troops mounted on a ridge to their front, but they kept pushing forward. There was panic amongst the ranks of the attackers, clogged with deserters.
As Rostad was advancing his troops under fire, Tahatan divided his column, with Native sharpshooters to destroy his flanks and the rest preparing for a counterattack. At 9:40 p.m., the Natives counter-attacked Rostad's element. The majority of Rostad's troops, men who had been in service for only three weeks, had their line disintegrated with 43 casualties. At this point, the attacking forces had poor visibility and were disoriented because many of the Natives they were engaging were wearing captured uniforms and simply disappeared. A second Native counter-attack forced Rostad's troop to break and run, leaving the Rangers far out in advance and isolated. They were enveloped and driven back toward Nekoti Rock. A third counterattack by from the elite "Kanawha Wolves" of the Tall Trees Confederacy to take back the strategic locations failed and put the battle into a stalemate.
The Defense Force had suffered casualties of about 90% but with additional companies in reserve, still possessed twice the number of Natives confronting them at this point. Unnerved by the collapse of his flanks, Rostad ordered his men all the way back to MacFarlane's Ranch, where he urgently gathered more men and guns. Radzikowski was left in charge of maintain the shifted line but Rostad was able to provide just one platoon to Radzikowski. He said, "I can do nothing more." In fact, however, Rostad had two fresh companies in reserve, but he was too cautious, concerned he was greatly outnumbered and that a massive counterstrike by Tahatan was imminent. The Defense Force spent the rest of the day guarding the forest they had suffered so much to capture.
Aftermath
The battle halted by 10:30 p.m. During this time, the Defense Force army prepared to defend against a Native assault that never came. Losses from the battle were heavy on both sides. The Defense Force had 278 casualties. Native casualties were over 887. This represented 20% of the Defense Force and 80% of the Natives. Overall, both sides lost a combined total of 1,165 casualties in a single day, roughly more than the amount of losses that had shocked the nation at the Battle of Cholla Springs a year earlier. Of the casualties, 105 government and 294 troops died of their wounds soon after the battle, while 37 government and 25 Native troops listed as missing were later confirmed as dead. Several famed leaders died as a result of the battle, including Ethan James, James Cameron, as well as various others on the government side, and Nikan, Yahto and others, including experienced foreign leaders on the Natives side. Radzikowski, despite his major wounds survived the battle as a result of not seeking proper medical attention, he was weakened heavily. The Battle of Tall Trees in 1895, resulted in the deaths of 2,884 Americans. More Americans died in battle during that week than in any other battle throughout the war. Tall Trees is sometimes cited as the bloodiest day in all of American history. The bloodiest battle in American history was Gettysburg, followed by Copperhead Landing but Tall Trees ranks first in terms of total casualties in the American-Indian War battles.
President Macalister was disappointed in Rostad performance. He believed that Rostad's overly cautious and poorly coordinated actions in the field had forced the battle to a draw rather than a crippling Native defeat. The president was even more astonished that despite repeated entreaties from the War Department and the president himself, Rostad declined to pursue Tahatan across the Montana Ford in 1894, citing shortages of equipment and the fear of overextending his forces. General-in-Chief Davis Rogers wrote in his official report, "The long inactivity of so effective an army in the face of a defeated foe, and during the most favorable season for rapid movements and a vigorous campaign, was a matter of great disappointment and regret." Macalister moved to relieve Rostad of his command of the North American Defense Force but was convinced by Radzikowski and Cervantez that Rostad's ability as a commanding officer was credible and thus granted an extension of his service until the end of the war.
Some students of history question the designation of "strategic victory" for the Defense Force. After all, it can be argued that Rostad performed poorly in the campaign and the battle itself, and Tahatan displayed great generalship in holding his own in battle against an army that technically outnumbered his. Casualties were comparable on both sides, although Tahatan lost a higher percentage of his army. Tahatan withdrew first and lost more ground, the technical definition of the tactical loser in a battle. However, in a strategic sense, despite being a tactical draw, Tall Trees is considered a turning point of the war and a victory for the United States because it ended Tahatan's strategic campaign against the innocent populace and his continued invasions of American territory. British historian George Turner summed up the importance of the Battle of Tall Trees in his book, Revelations of Freedom:
"No other conflict in the war had such momentous consequences as Tall Trees. These were pivotal moments. What was once a peaceful forest took a sharp turn as the sounds of thunderous rifle fire destroyed the side of who held them.
The lost life of young boys was enacted in the name of the government. The Battle sent a strong message, the Government nor the Natives were unable ignore this message nor do anything else but accept it. Certain of the truth in this situation and of the lost lives, the Battle somewhat reluctantly forced a pathway to the stars, it certainly was a mistake, but no option to avoid the battle was possible, the killing was to be done, the Battle had to be chosen.
But what if this Battle is not the end?. Or what if this this Battle was fought for the reasons of Greed and Tyranny? How could a small uprising lead to the biggest Battle in the conflict of the War? Perhaps we shall never know the dark truth behind those killed in the poor, bloody Battle." — George Turner, Revelations of Freedom
The results of the battle also allowed President Macalister to issue another preliminary Proclamation of Surrender on October 7th, which gave Native Tribes states until January 1, 1896, to surrender. Although Macalister had intended to do so earlier, he was advised by his Cabinet to make this announcement after a victory to avoid the perception that it was issued out of desperation.
The victory and Macalister proclamation played a considerable role in dissuading any faction from recognizing the Tall Trees Confederacy or to involve themselves with war; some suspected they were planning to do so in the aftermath of a defeat. When the issue of proclamation was linked to the progress of the war, no faction had the will to oppose the United States, since it's strategic victories were desecrating morale, and the public would not have tolerated such factions militarily supporting a sovereignty upholding the ideals of violence.
Siege of Cochinay
The Siege of Cochinay (October 3rd, 1895) was the final major military action against the Tall Trees Confederacy in the Battle of Tall Trees (September 10th - October 3rd) of the American-Indian War. In a series of maneuvers, the Defense Force captured the majority of Tall Trees on September 10th and drove the Natives led by Tahatan, into the defensive lines surrounding the fortress settlement of Cochinay.
Cochinay was the last major Native stronghold in the war; therefore, capturing it would have ultimately complete the war. When two major assaults against the Native fortifications led by General Rostad were repulsed with heavy casualties, Radzikowski was given command to besiege the fortress on October 3rd, 1893. After holding out for only several hours, with their reinforcement and supplies nearly gone, the garrison was finally eliminated by October 4th.
The successful ending of the Tall Trees Campaign significantly degraded the ability of hostile factions to maintain their war efforts, as described in the Aftermath section of the campaign article. Some historians—suggest that the decisive battle in the campaign was actually the Battle of Tall Trees, which, once won, made victory in the subsequent siege a foregone conclusion. This action yielded overall command of Tall Trees to government forces, who would hold it for the rest of the conflict.
The elimination of Cochinay on October 3rd is sometimes considered, when combined with the defeat at Tall Trees, the end point of the war. Any escape path, especially to northern West Elizabeth were cut off by a large blockade of rocks and boulders, it also cut off foreign and domestic factions from assisting the Natives, effectively splitting the all hostile factions in two for the duration of the war. The victory also permanently severed the ability to challenge the North American Defense Force.
After crossing the Montana Ford and driving northeast, the Defense Force won the battle at Tall Trees and capturing strategic points within the region on September 10th. This forced Tahatan to withdraw northward. Attempts to stop the advance of government forces led to a stalemate but was ultimately unsuccessful. Tahatan knew that the government forces were preparing to assault Cochinay; he had no choice but to fight or surrender. Tahatan burned the bridges over the Cochinay Trail and took everything edible in his path, both animal and plant, as he retreated to the well-fortified settlement of Cochinay.
The Natives attempted to evacuate Tall Trees but found no escapable path, which was occupied by North American Defense Force, and the Natives no longer had to run the guns of Cochinay, now having to dock up by the dozens. The Defense Force could receive supplies more directly than by any previous route, which ran through Hennigan's Stead.
Over half of Tahatan's army had been lost in the Battle of Tall Trees and many in Cochinay expected Walter Krieger, in command of a large German mercenary contracting group, to relieve the Natives—which he never did. Large masses of Defense Force troops were on the march to invest the city, repairing the burnt bridges over the trail; which Radzikowski's forces crossed on October 2nd. Radzikowski sent a note to Tahatan, asking him to sacrifice the fort and surrender to save his people from elimination, something Tahatan refused to do. (Tahatan was probably influenced by his fear of condemnation if he surrendered.)
"Tahatan, trying to please his infuriated people, insisted that Cochinay must be held, and thought the place worthy, had been caught, a victim of a convoluted system and his own indecisiveness. Too dispirited to think clearly, he chose to back his bedraggled army into Cochinay rather than surrender and evacuate the city and where he and his people would survive under better conditions guaranteed by me. But when he chose to fight, Tahatan sealed the fate of his people and the settlement he had been determined to defend."
— Cochinay, Lieutenant-General Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, 1897.
Fortifications
As the Defense Forces approached Cochinay, Tahatan was only able to put only 250 troops on the line. At this point, the Defense Force had over 500 troops, with more on the way. However, Tahatan had the advantage of terrain and fortifications that made his defense nearly impregnable. The defensive line around Cochinay was based on terrain of varying elevations that included hills and knobs with steep angles for an attacker to ascend under fire. The perimeter included many gun pits, forts, trenches, redoubts, and lunettes. The major fortifications of the line included a high bluff south of the settlement; dominating the approach to the settlement.
Rostad assaults Cochinay
Rostad wanted to overwhelm the Natives before they could fully organize their defenses and ordered an immediate assault against Cochinay for on September 17th. Troops from Rostad's element had a difficult time approaching the position under rifle and artillery fire—they had to negotiate a steep ravine protected by abatis and cross a ditch before attacking the outskirts of the fort itself. This first attempt was easily repulsed. Rostad ordered sappers to bombardment and soften the defenses and at about 2 p.m., tried again, but only a small number of men were able to advance even as far as the ditch below the redan. The assault collapsed in a melee of rifle fire and hand grenades lobbing back and forth.
The failed assaults damaged government morale, deflating the confidence the soldiers felt after their string of victories across previously. They were also costly, with casualties of 94 killed, 77 wounded, and 8 missing, versus Native casualties of 8 killed and 12 wounded. The Natives, assumed to be demoralized, had regained their fighting edge.
Rostad planned another assault for September 19th, but this time with greater care; they would first reconnoiter thoroughly and soften up the defenses with gunfire. The lead units were supplied with explosive rifles and grenades. Rostad did not want a long siege, and this attack was to be by his entire force across a wide front.
Despite their bloody repulse previously, government troops were in high spirits, now well-fed with provisions they had foraged. On seeing Rostad pass by, a soldier commented, "We Fight!". Soon all the troops in the vicinity were yelling, "We Fight! We Fight!" The government troops were served beef, beans, and coffee the night of September 18th. Everyone expected that Cochinay would fall the next day.
Rostad's forces bombarded outskirts all night, from explosives pieces, and while causing little damage, they damaged Native morale. The defenders were bombarded again for four hours before Rostad attacked once more along the front at 10 a.m.
Rostad attacked once again down the road, with 150 volunteers leading the way with repeaters, arranged in a long column, hoping to achieve a breakthrough by concentrating their mass on a narrow front. They were driven back in the face of heavy rifle fire. Rostad and his troops made it as far as a ridge 100 yards from the outskirts, the southern edge of the entrance, from where they poured heavy fire into Native positions, but to no avail. Waiting its turn to advance, Rostad's element originally did not have an opportunity to move forward and spent the morning attempting to get into position through a ravine.
Rostad assigned two platoons to attack the flanks along the Road. On their right flank, a platoon lead by Lieutenant Dimand Alcatraz advanced to within 100 yards of the Native line, but halted to avoid dangerous flanking fire. On the left flank, another platoon lead by Lieutenant Issac Gray was assigned to assault. The platoons made it as far as the slope of the redan, but huddled there, dodging grenades until dark before they were recalled. Radzikowski sent several irregulars to assist in the attack, but were forced halt for hours while Rostad engaged in confused discussions.
By 12 p.m., it was clear that a breakthrough was not forthcoming and the advances by Rostad resulted in failures. Just then, Rostad received a message from Cervantez, which stated that he was heavily engaged, a Native war party was attacking, and he requested a diversion on his right from Rostad's troops. Rostad initially refused the request, telling Cervantez to use his own reserve forces for assistance; Rostad was mistakenly under the impression that Cervantez had been lightly engaged and Alcatraz heavily, although the reverse was true. Cervantez followed up with a message that was partially misleading, implying that the had nearly captured Manzanita Post but —"Our Flag is still flying over it."—and that another push along the line would achieve victory for the Defense Force. Although Rostad once again demurred, he showed the dispatch his troops, and advanced again. Rostad, reconsidering, then ordered Radzikowski to aid Cervantez.
"As our battle started and before our yell had died upon the air the Native fortifications in our front were completely crowded with the enemy, who with an answering cry of defiance, poured into our ranks, one continuous fire, and the fort in our front and both sides, were pouring in to our line, an unceasing fire of shot and shell, with fearful results, as this storm of fire sent us, intermixed with the bursting shells and that devilish Native yell, I could compare to nothing but one of Dante's pictures of Hell, a something too fearful to describe." - Private Roy Fields, North American Defense Force
Rostad ordered two more assaults. At 2:15 p.m., George Goodman and William Harmon moved out and were repulsed immediately. At 3 p.m., Goodman's element suffered so many casualties in their aborted advance that Rostad told Goodman, "This is murder; order those troops back." By this time, Harmon's troop had finally maneuvered into position on Rostad's right, and at 4 p.m., Harmon gave the order to charge against the Natives. They had no more success than any of Rostad's other assaults.
In Cervantez's sector, Natives made a thrust down towards Manzanita Post at about 2 p.m., but met with heavy losses and the attack was called off. The natives attacked again, reinforced by members of the "Cowboys" Militia, but with no success. At this Native casualties were not reported directly, but were estimated to be under 100. Rostad blamed Cervantez's misleading dispatches for part of the poor results of the day, storing up another grievance against the political general who had caused the troops many aggravations during the campaign.
Siege Operations
Historian Thomas Pearl wrote that Rostad "did not regret having made the assaults; he only regretted that they had failed." Rostad reluctantly settled into a siege. On September 22nd, Rostad issued special orders for his troops: "Troops will immediately commence the work of reducing the enemy by regular approaches. It is desirable that no more loss of life shall be sustained in the reduction of Cochinay, and the capture of the Garrison. Every advantage will be taken of the natural inequalities of the ground to gain positions..." Rostad wrote in his memoirs, "I now determined upon a regular siege—to 'out-camp the enemy,' as it were, and to incur no more losses."
Government troops began to dig in, constructing elaborate entrenchments that surrounded Cochinay and moved closer and closer to the enemy fortifications. With their backs against the impassable river, the Natives alike were trapped. Tahatan was determined to hold Cochinay as long as possible, hoping for relief from allied factions or elsewhere.
A new problem confronted the Natives. The dead and wounded of Rostad's army lay in the fields, the odor of the deceased men and horses fouling the air, the wounded crying for medical help and water. Rostad first refused a request of truce, thinking it a show of weakness. Finally he relented, and the Natives agreed to hold their fire while the Defense Force recovered the wounded and dead, troops from both sides mingling and trading as if no hostilities existed for the moment.
After this truce, Rostad's army began to fill a ring around Cochinay. In short time it became clear that the Defense Force would not be able to effect a complete encirclement of the Native defenses. Tahatan's outlook on escape was pessimistic, but there were still roads leading south out of Cochinay unguarded by government troops. Rostad found help from Major Radzikowski. Radzikowski quickly began to shift his troops to meet Rostad's needs. Government reinforcements arrived to Tall Trees and was designated as the Army of the Frontier. They were attached to General Rostad and took up position on the far south.
In an effort to cut Rostad's supply line, Native raiders sneaked past a Defense Force outpost and attacked Blackwater down the Upper Montana River on September 23rd . This was mainly defended by the Blackwater Police Department. Despite having inferior weaponry, they fought bravely and finally repulsed the Natives with help from gunboats, although at horrible cost; the defenders lost 252 to the Native 23. The loss at Blackwater left the Natives with no hope for relief but from the cautious Walter Krieger.
"We are pulled up so close to the enemy that we can throw hand grenades over into their forts. The enemy do not dare show their heads above the parapet at any time, so close and so watchful are our sharpshooters. The fort is completely invested. My position is so strong that I feel myself abundantly able to leave it so and go out twenty or thirty miles with force enough to whip two such garrisons." - Rostad, writing to Alfred Macalister, September 22nd 1895.
Tahatan was boxed in with lots of munitions and little food. The poor diet was showing on the Natives. Scurvy, malaria, dysentery, diarrhea, and other diseases cut their ranks. At least one fort resident had to stay up at night to keep starving warriors out of his food section. The constant attacks did not bother him as much as the loss of his food. As the siege wore on, fewer and fewer horses, mules, and dogs were seen wandering about Cochinay. Shoe leather became a last resort of sustenance for many adults.
During the siege, the Defense Force lobbed explosives into the outskirt defenses and rifle fire was even heavier. As the barrages continued, suitable defenses in the outskirts was reduced to a minimum. A ridge, located between the fort and the defense line, provided a diverse citizenry with lodging for the duration. Caves, known locally as "bombproofs," were dug into the mountain hills of Cochinay. Whether houses were structurally sound or not, it was deemed safer to occupy these dugouts. People did their best to make them comfortable, with rugs, furniture, and pictures. They tried to time their movements and foraging with the rhythm of the battle, sometimes unsuccessfully. Because of the citizens' burrowing, the government troops gave the fort the nickname of "Broken Man Village" Despite the ferocity of the government fire against the defenses, fewer than a dozen civilians were known to have been killed during the entire siege.
Command Changes
One of Rostad's actions during the siege was to settle a lingering rivalry. On September 25th, Major Radzikowski wrote a adulatory note to his troops, giving them much of the credit for the soon-to-be victory. Rostad had been waiting many months for him to slip, ever since they clashed early in the campaign. Despite his convictions, Rostad gave permission to allow Radzikowski to take charge of the siege after his unsuccessful assaults but he waited for an unequivocal provocation. Radzikowski finally relieved Rostad in taking command of the siege on September 26th. Radzikowski so diligently prepared his actions for the siege that Rostad was left without recourse. Command of the siege was turned over to Maj. Mateuzek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, recovered from wounds sustained in the previous battles. At the same time, Rostad took command of support operations in the Great Plains, hoping Radzikowski would fail. Radzikowski, after taking command, made significant changes to the siege as well as relieved Captain Cody Paige from any form of command or combat role, arising to his distrust.
Another command change occurred on September 26th. In addition to Tahatan at his front, Rostad had to be concerned with hostile forces in his rear under the command of Walter Krieger. Rostad stationed his section in the vicinity of the Great Plains and reconnoitered as far west and south as possible, primarily to act as a covering force. Radzikowski spared some of his troops to assist Rostad. These troops, experienced frontiesmen, under Cpl. Jaxson Cadler, was transferred to Rostad command. This troop became the nucleus of a special task force whose mission was to prevent Krieger and other forces from interfering with the siege. Rostad took command of this task force. While Krieger did not attempt to relieve the Natives, a mixed force of raiders and gang members eventually began moving to relieve Tahatan and reached the Lower Montana River on September 27th, but delayed a potentially difficult encounter with Rostad until it was too late for the Cochinay garrison, and then fell back to Thieves Landing. Rostad would eventually pursue them and capture Thieves' Landing on September 29th.
Great Plains Operations
Throughout the siege government and hostile forces kept busy in a supporting role in the Great Plains. Former Lt. Gen. Derien Valeri, commander of the Slavers, received a telegraph from Tahatan requesting a movement against Rostad's lines along the Upper Montana River. Rostad, along with the United States Army, had established important supply depots at the Great Plains within his jurisdiction, but Rostad failed to recognize the importance of Pemberton's situation. It was not until September 29th when Valeri finally decided to take action on Tahatan's request, directing him to "do something" in favor of the Cochinay garrison. Valeri developed a three-pronged campaign against Rostad's supply depots. All three of Valeri's assaults were defeated at the Battle of the Great Plains.
In response to the growing hostile activity in the area, Rostad decided to dispatch troops from Cochinay to the Great Plains. The presence of the Slavers was of particular concern; its presence could possibly aid a Native escape from Cochinay. Therefore, troops from Rostad's were ordered to the vicinity of Tall Trees and Blackwater. The troops were to cooperate against the Slavers, which were stationed in the vicinity of Thieves' Landing. Near Thieves' Landing, at the Pacific Union Railroad Camp happened to be an important supply line providing troops with supplies. On September 28th, Rostad defeated the Slavers.
Additional hostile activity was spotted near the Wreck of Serendipity at Quaker's Cove. A gang of raiders attacked a military training center. The raiders destroyed the camp and killed over fifty troops before disengaging in the face of the United States Marines. Raids such as these were disruptive and caused damage, but they were only minor setbacks and could cause only momentary disturbances in the area.
Continuation of the Siege
Later in the siege, government troops assaulted the established defensive line with explosive ordinance. The explosion blew apart the Native lines on October 1st, while an infantry attack, followed the blasts. The 4th Cavalry, under Captain Devan Cervantez, charged into the defense with ease, but were stopped by recovering Native troops. The cavalrymen became pinned down while the defenders also rolled dynamite with short fuses into the pit with deadly results. Radzikowski sent irregulars to work up a casemate in order to extricate the Natives, and soon the Native warriors fell back to a new defensive line. From the fighting on the original line, Radzikowski's troops worked to launch another assault. The new defense line was engaged by rifle fire but no infantry attack followed. Troops worked throughout the to widen the initial line large enough for an infantry assault to pass through for future anticipated assaults. However, events the following day negated the need for any further assaults.
The Assault
Sieges and the assault of fortified positions are probably the most complex and demanding of military operations. The foremost authority on these matters in the American-Indian War was considered to be French engineer, the Marquis de Vauban, who designed many European fortification systems, and organized many successful sieges of the seventeenth century. The earthworks of Cochinay, and their use of lunettes show his influence, and corresponding attacks on such systems would have benefited from his theories. Considering this store of information, Radzikowski utilized this noticed and chose to attack the fortress with his infantry, using unconventional tactics. He did not do so immediately however.
Tahatan chose to reinforce the picket lines shielding the outskirts because he did not consider the siege to be successful, and had not fortified the interior perimeter. Other troops, mostly Natives, and some consisted of former Partisan Rangers, remained outside the fortifications. These troops slowed the encirclement of the assaulting troops, and prevented them from discovering more weaknesses in the defenses. Due to these delays, the infantry assault was scheduled for October 3rd, several days after the encirclement.
First Phase
Radzikowski had set up his headquarters at Nekoti Rock and planned the attacks with his staff and commanders. Many were opposed to the idea of trying to overwhelm the fort with a simple, though irregular assault, but Radzikowski wanted to end the siege as quickly as possible in order to support Rostad, and felt that the troops available to him would easily force the surrender of the Natives, a four to one advantage. Four different assault groups were organized, under the commands of Captains Devan Cervantez, Kenneth Norton, Amos Wallace, and Paul Fredrick. Radzikowski did not choose a specific time for his intended simultaneous assault however, ordering his commanders to "…commence at the earliest hour practicable."
The effect of this was to break up the defense, with Radzikowski and Cervantez attacking as primary during the first phase, and the remaining commanders attacking during the second phase. The first phase consisted of reaching the fortress outskirts itself and dig in fighting holes, and the second phase consisted of assaulting and neutralizing the fortress itself. Bombardment began the night before the attack, explosive rifles and dynamites firing most of the evening. Radzikowski began the attack at 4 am, advancing through the densely forested ravines bordering the valley of the Upper Montana River. This valley led the assault into a salient formed by a fortified ridge known as the "bull pen" where the defenders became slaughtered like cattle, and a lunette on a ridge nicknamed "Fort Desperate" had been hastily improvised to protect Cochinay.
Upon advancement, assaulting troops were caught in a crossfire, and held in place by dense vegetation and obstacles placed by Native troops briefly halted their advance. The combination of rugged terrain, a crossfire from three sides, and rebel sharpshooters inflicted several casualties but managed to recover. Seeing that his advance had been stopped, Radzikowski lead his irregulars to attack. These troops were not intended to take part in the attack due to the general prejudice against irregular troops on the part of high command. Radzikowski was determined to break through the Native fortifications however, and committed them to the attack at 5 am. Since they had been deployed as irregulars, experienced with devastating raids, these troops were in the best possible position for an attack of all the units in Radzikowski's assault.
The irregulars first had to advance over the small bridge, with a fortified ridge to their left manned by Natives, and the Upper Montana River to their immediate right. Despite the heavy crossfire from rifles, the irregulars advanced with determination, skill and courage, led by Radzikowski. Giving orders constantly, Radzikowski led the irregulars forward until they've driven back the Natives. Taking heavy losses, the Natives were forced to retreat to avoid annihilation. This fearless advance did much to dissipate the belief that irregulars were unreliable under fire.
In an attempt to support the assault, Radzikowski, commanding the attack on the fortress, called for two platoons of regulars to assault Fort Desperate. This group had gained success in securing the outer flanks but failed to capture Fort Desperate itself so Radzikowski sent irregulars to harass the troops defending the fort. These piecemeal and sporadic efforts were successful, and the fighting ended on the eastern edge of the fortress by 7 am.
Second Phase
While the remaining captains were to lead their respective attacks in the second phase, Radzikowski sought best that he continued to lead in order to "avoid any chance of death of such fine men, especially as the attacks were going well..." infantry attacks raged against the eastern section of the fortress, Radzikowski lined up his troops and conducted a steady rifle bombardment of the Native works and positions, supported by sharpshooters aiming for Natives. This effort had relative success, but Radzikowski, upon hearing no rifle fire from the center, visited Cervantez and threatened to relieve him of command unless he advanced his troops. Cervantez then began the attack on the eastern edge of the fortress works at about 8 am.
These attacks included the troops of Cervantez as well as his own, and had less in the way of natural terrain obstacles to contend with, but in this area the Natives had more time to construct fortifications, and had put more effort and firepower into defending them. One feature of the earthworks in this region was cut down trees in front of a parapet.
Tahatan commanding, had also removed all the weapons from the hospital that had been left by the sick and wounded. He was thus able to equip each of his troops with three weapons, greatly increasing their firepower. When the attacking infantry closed within 200 yards they were met by a hail of rifle and canister fire, and few made it within 70 yards of the Native lines. Commanders Radzikowski and Cervantez were wounded in these attacks. Radzikowski, while wounded, retreated the troops approximately 20 meters, behind more strategic cover to continue the assault.
The successful defense of their lines brought a renewed confidence to Tahatan and his garrison. They felt though a combination of well planned defensive earthworks and the skillful and deliberate reinforcement of threatened areas, the superior numbers of attackers had been repulsed. Learning from his experience, Tahatan organized a more methodical system of defense. This involved dividing the fortifications into a network of defense zones, with an experienced Chief in charge of strengthening the defense in each area. For the most part this involved once again charting the best fire for positions, improving firepower concentrations, and digging protective pits to protect them from enemy bombardment. Rifles captured from the government troops or taken from hospitalized Natives were stacked for use by troops in the trench lines.
Sniper positions were also prepared at high points in the works for sharpshooters. These methods improved the defense, but could not make up for the fact that the garrison was short of everything except gunpowder. The food shortage was a drag on morale, and resulted in a significant level of desertion to the enemy. This drain on manpower was recorded by Radzikowski ho wrote, "Their most serious and annoying difficulty is the unreliable character of a portion of their troops. Many have deserted to us, giving us information of their real condition; yet in the same regard, they have some of the great men." A young Native warrior, Nakai was considered the greatest offender.
On Radzikowski's side, astonishment and chagrin were near universal in reaction to the repulse of the infantry assaults. Radzikowski was determined to win the siege in view of the fact that his military career would be destroyed by a withdrawal. The resources of his entire command were called into play, and men and material poured into the encirclement. One hundred additional troops appeared in the lines. Captured weapons were brought into action, and explosive guns were added to the dynamite bearing on the fortress.
The second assault began with a sustained rifle shelling of the Natives works beginning at 1 p.m and lasting an hour. Radzikowski then sent a message to Tahatan demanding the surrender of his position. Tahatan's reply was, "My Duty, requires me to defend my people from your evil ways, and therefore I decline to surrender". Radzikowski continued the bombardment, but only gave the order for what was to be a simultaneous three prong infantry attack the next day. The attack finally began at 10:00 am the next day, with the agreed upon plan, a heavy fog disordered the defenses as it began. Radzikowski's column struck the line at "Fort Desperate", and the same formidable terrain combined with the enhanced attack stopped the effective defensive fires from the Native works. Radzikowski retreated back to thee more strategic position after determining an exploit to the Native defenses.
After the infantry assault, Radzikowski assembled some of his troops and thanked them for their previous efforts and sacrifices. He also asked for more volunteers for a special attack group to be trained intensively to breach the line. His speech generated much enthusiasm, and approximately two new irregular companies were formed and removed to a training camp in the rear to prepare for the attack. There they trained in the practices of irregular fighting and managed to learn and adapt to Radzikowski's unconventional techniques fairly quickly. Sergeant Thomas Graves, one of Radzikowski's most trusted irregulars, was promoted to Captain to lead the assaults.
After his last attempt at gathering a peaceful ending the fighting resulted in failure, Radzikowski ordered the Fort to be reduced to nothing but ashes. A raiding platoon assaulted the fort and intended to suppress the Natives position by superior firepower. Radzikowski led raids on opposing lines, to enhance their own trench lines and disable enemy firepower capabilities. Radzikowski armed his irregulars with repeaters, which gave them a rapid fire edge in the raids. Later, at around 11 am a general hail of raids began, disabling or suppressing what remained of Native sharpshooters and strategic positions. At this point a full assault would be launched, which would result in overrunning the entire fortification.
The Natives responded to the siege techniques with increased efforts of their own. Expended rifle and explosives shells were salvaged for reuse by the defense, small arms shot being recast for making new cartridges, explosive rounds reused and distributed as mines and grenades. Additional obstacles were added to the threatened bastions, making them more difficult to bombard, infiltrate, or overrun.
Various raids against the assaulters were also conducted. The Natives launched a raid against the government forces, taking four, killing seven, and capturing weapons and supplies. Native raiders and defenders were adept at constructing and using improvised hand grenades. Raids by a Native cavalry were also made against government positions outside the siege lines at the Great Plains. An advance by Rostad's cavalry against a small Native encampment in the Great Plains was repulsed. Other raids struck government foraging parties returning from New Austin. The biggest raid set fire to the Defense Force supply center near Blackwater. These raids were annoying to Radzikowski, but could not break the siege. At around 12 pm, a counterraid was conducted against the Native line. This collapsed the line and surprisingly did not cause any government casualties. The defenders could not compensate for the constant losses of personnel resulting from starvation, disease, particularly scurvy, dysentery, and malaria, sniping, shell fragments, cold and desertion. The use of mule meat and rats as rations could not maintain the health of the Natives left standing, and was a further drain on morale.
The siege created hardships and deprivations for both the Defense Force and the Natives, but the Natives were in much worse shape. They had exhausted practically all of their food supplies and ammunition, and fighting and disease had greatly reduced the number of men able to defend the fortress. When Tahatan learned that his tribe would not receive any help, he realized that his situation was hopeless and that nothing could be gained by surrendering, he ordered all of his people to fight until they have met their untimely demise.
At 1 pm, the attackers pushed through the initial line of defense but encountered the more effective Last Line. The nature of the terrain made it difficult to determine the exact disposition of the Native forces. Radzikowski correctly estimated that the Natives had only between 50 - 100 troops remaining in the defensive line. It has been claimed that Tahatan attempted to deceive by moving infantry and artillery in a noisy, ostentatious manner to make the defenders seem a much larger forces than their actual numbers. However, his reports do not mention this and no reference can be found claiming this.
Radzikowski had five companies available and advanced in irregular fighting columns. The irregular companies under Thomas Graves provided cover and close combat capabilities, whilst the regulars advanced and pushed forward. The lead company under Graves contacted the defensive positions in the early afternoon and committed an assault. Graves had experienced troops to hand and attempted to suppress the superior enemy defenses. He won the firefight and despite a Native attempted counter-attack, Graves managed to withdraw back to the recently breached line of defense without losing any casualties.
Radzikowski then ordered his irregulars to fight across the entire frontage of the enemy line, primarily to neutralize and finalize the attack, as well as provoke enemy fire. Radzikowski took the first company of irregulars and Graves took the second, with the regular columns to follow after the attack. This proved that there was no break in the fort that could easily be assaulted. At 3 pm, a major storm started, and Radzikowski shut down regular troops. Recces were ordered in order to find a weak point to attack, and performed reconnaissance around the final line of defense, where Tahatan had widened the line to create a much larger obstacle. The new Defensive line was along the large mountains on the western side of the fort. As a Native counter-attack was attempted, Radzikowski drove off the enemy and took some prisoners but later killed them all. Radzikowski noted that the only place in the fort where the ground was breachable was the main gate, and hence was vulnerable. Rostad later chided Radzikowski for not taking an opportunity to attack stating "if you had gone and succeeded, you would have been a Major General". Radzikowski considered this area a weak spot for attack in the line, so he treaded carefully in his plans. Radzikowski believed that the Last Line fortifications could not be carried by a conventional assault and so informed Rostad.
During this phase, upon breaching the initial line, many innocent Natives were killed in the fighting. While some Natives attempted to defend themselves, others were attempting to hide and surrender but with little success. Radzikowski and his troops slaughtered every person in the fort, as his ethical beliefs were no longer of concern to him due to his rage of Tahatan's refusal to surrender.
It was to the awe of the Natives, and the amazement of President Alfred Macalister that Radzikowski made such a ferocious assault. Though his further attacks were slowed as wished to strategize an assault that would stand a reasonable chance of success, his capture of the fort was nevertheless successful. At around 4 pm, scouts reported that the weak point would stand relatively little success against an irregular blitz of troops. Radzikowski developed a plan of attack at that point. Initially, the irregulars would utilize explosives to dismay and disorient the defenders and then secure a fighting point. This would prevent the Natives conducting an effective defense and ultimately prevent a counterattack on the assembling assault forces. He would then assemble a large force behind the walls and assault the Native fortifications. Orders were sent to his personnel to occupy the area and probe the constructed caves to see whether there was a clearing behind the fort.
Radzikowski's operations were frighteningly successful. Wildly successful in seizing the majority of the fortress and advancing a small force to destroy the final position, Radzikowski considered the task near completed, and arranged the assaulting units to move into position. Radzikowski then launched the final advance against the Last Line. They were immediately engaged by the remaining Natives but successfully returned fire and came down on Natives, forcing the Natives to be driven back even further. In the process they collapsed the majority of the line, and destroyed the remaining structures. The attackers pushed forward and assaulted with bayonets and tomahawks. This rendered the defense now impossible. The remaining Natives, along with Tahatan fought in the battleground of the Last Line and was killed by Radzikowski in unforgiving melee fighting. During his encounter with Tahatan, Radzikowski was seen approaching his target, quickly parrying Tahatan's attacks before grabbing him by the back of his head with one hand and pushing his tomahawk through the soft flesh underneath the jaw and the inside of his skull, piercing his brain. Over 98% of the Natives were killed in the battle, which left only members of the innocent population to be condemned. Radzikowski led the irregulars through the established cave system throughout the fort and dispatched the remaining Native warriors.
Capture - Capitulation - Aftermath
At 6 pm, Cochinay was captured. Radzikowski, as he had previously demanded surrender, reconsidered. Left with many prisoners of the innocent populace, angry and not wanting to feed the hungry Natives, he executed most of the remaining civilians and pardoned the rest. Considering their destitute state, dejected and starving, he never expected them to fight again; he hoped they would carry home the stigma of defeat to the rest of all who opposed. In any event, it would have occupied his army and taken months to ship that many prisoners south, to be forcefully put in reservations and left to die if the United States Army had chosen not to execute them anyway. Most of the Natives who were pardoned sought revenge against the United States Government and planned on retaking back what was lost to them. Radzikowski finalized the security of the region and were sent back to Blackwater for recuperation for their next assignments. Radzikowski was given the order resemble and assimilate his troops with Rostad for their next assignment. The United States Government protested the validity of Radzikowski's paroles on technical grounds and the issue was referred to Rostad. The dispute effectively ended all further prisoner capturing during the war except for hardship cases.
The capitulation was finalized on October 8th, a day Radzikowski hoped to bring more sympathetic terms from the United States. Although the war continued with other actions, the fortress settlement had fallen and, with the neutralization of the Tall Trees Confederacy, Tall Trees was firmly in government hands and the major enemy destroyed. President Macalister famously announced, "The Father of War again goes to the fires and comes out with a breeze."
Having fought a spirited defense, the Natives were accorded the honors of war by Radzikowski as compensation for his brutality. However, Rostad refused, tales of the atrocities supposedly committed by Radzikowski and his troops at Cochinay probably fresh in his mind. Although the atrocities, Radzikowski was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel for his successful assault on the fortress, but was placed on disciplinary leave for nearly one month for his unnecessary killing of innocent Natives during the battle. The remaining Natives were ordered to surrender all of their arms, equipment and flags. These actions outraged the Natives and refused to honor the terms of surrender, continuing attacks rather than hand them over to the victors.
Government casualties for the battle of Tall Trees and Siege of Cochinay were 635; Native were 2,249 (100 surrendered). The full campaign, since January of 1894, claimed 2,142 Government and 9,591 enemy killed and wounded.
Aftermath
The loss of Cochinay deprived the Natives of any form of home establishment. Cochinay was used as a staging point for the Union against the famous Siege of MacFarlane's Ranch in 1862. Following the capitulation, government forces and engineers set about methodically destroying the fortress with explosives, ensuring that it could not return to Native possession a second time in any eventual peace treaty. By December of 1895, the entire fortress was reduced to mounds of rubble and rock.
Cochinay had held out long enough to allow other Native tribes to form. However the fall of the fortress led to the loss of Native territory across West Elizabeth. From Cochinay, government forces spent the following year routing and eliminating hostile forces and occupying untamed lands. The wave of the Hostile Removals began.
The Hostile Removals
The Hostile Removals, also known as the Great Extermination and the Expulsion of the Natives was the forced removal and elimination by the United States Government of hostile factions from New Austin & West Elizabeth. The Removals occurred during the American-Indian War and was part of the military campaign against the hostile factions residing in the Frontier States. The Defense Force was primarily responsible for eliminating these factions, though the United States Government was also involved.
During the American-Indian War, the Defense Force captured Cochinay, the capital of the Tall Trees Confederacy, in a siege. The siege concluded the majority of the conflict, which was the focus of the United States Government. However, several hostile factions refused to sign an unconditional surrender or treaty of peace to the United States. During the same period, the factions also participated in various operations against the United States Government, and maintained supply lines to Cochinay prior to it's destruction. As a result, the United States sought to eliminate any future threat posed by the hostile factions, dubbed as the Anarchists.
Without making distinctions between the factions who had been neutral and those who had resisted the occupation of the United States, President Alfred Macalister ordered them to be exterminated. In the first wave of the removals, hostile factions were targeted. During the second wave, neutral factions were targeted. Remnants of the existing gangs fled initially to Canada, or Ambarino. During the second wave of the removals, these factions were mostly either imprisoned or deported.
Along with the Defense Force achieving their military goals of defeating the Tall Trees Confederacy and weakening of opposing factions, the result of the Removals was the devastation of both a primarily civilian population and the economy of the region. Thousands of Anarchists died in the Removals, mainly from executions and lack of food. The United States government passed an order-in-council to permit neutral factions to legally return to the territories, provided that they take an unqualified oath of peace. The American historian Clarence Burris memorialized the historic event in his poem about the plight of the fictional character and made the Removals well known.
After the United States officially gained control of Cochinay, the remaining Anarchists, refused to sign an unconditional oath of surrender to end the war. Instead, some attempted to negotiate a conditional oath that promised neutrality. Some factions remained neutral and refused the unconditional oath. The difficulty was astounding, as the Anarchists presumed that the United States would persecute and eliminate them even in surrender. They also worried that signing the oath might commit the United States Government to take their property, and that it would be perceived by their Native neighbours as an acknowledgement of the United States claim to Tall Trees, putting even more villages at risk of attack from the Natives.
Most Anarchists refused to sign the unconditional oath because they were anti-Government. Various historians have observed that some Anarchists were labelled "neutral" when they were not. By the time of the Removals, there was already a long history of political and military resistance by Anarchists and Native confederacies to the United States. The Natives and the Anarchists were typically allies through their support against the government. While the Anarchists were the largest population, the Natives held the majority of the fighting strength even after the United States conquest. They resisted the United States occupation and were joined on numerous occasions by Anarchists. These efforts were often supported and led by infamous outlaws in the region. The Natives, primarily the Big Valley Tribe, and Anarchists fought against the United States Government in six wars, including the Insurrectionist War, Second Mexican-American War, and the American-Frontier War, over a period of six years.
American-Indian War
During the war, the primary objective was to defeat the Native fortification at Cochinay and to prevent future attacks from the Tall Trees Confederacy, other Native groups and the Anarchists in the United States. The United States Government saw the Anarchists allegiance to the Natives and the Tall Trees Confederacy as a threat. The American-Indian War had created the conditions for total war; prisoners & civilians had not been spared and, as the United States Government saw it, Anarchists had provided intelligence, sanctuary, and logistical support to the Tall Trees Confederacy while others had directly fought against the Government.
After the capture of Tall Trees, the plans to capture Cochinay included cutting trade to the Fortress in order to weaken the Fortress and, in turn, weaken the Anarchists ability to supply the Natives in their warfare against the Government. According to historian Oliver Flecther, more than any other single factor – including the massive assault that eventually forced the surrender of Cochinay– the supply problem brought an end to Native power in the region. President Alfred Macalister realized he could reduce the threat and weaken the Natives by eliminating the Anarchists, thus cutting off supplies to the Natives. During the removals, famous outlaw Roy Byers led the Natives and the Anarchists in a guerrilla war against the Defense Force and the United States Government. According to account books, the Anarchists had regularly dispensed supplies to theNatives. From the start of the war, the Anarchists made regular payments to various Natives for Government scalps.
Extermination Campaigns
The campaigns began in January 1896. Throughout the removals, Anarchists and the Big Valley Tribe continued a guerrilla war against the United States in response to government aggression which had been continuous since 1894.
Attack on the Chanceless Campaign - January 1896
The first wave of the removals began on January 1st, with the West Elizabeth campaign during the American-Indian War. The United States ordered the extermination of the Anarchists after the Siege of Cochinay. The campaign started at the Great Plains and then quickly moved to Thieves' Landing.
On January 1st, 1896, U.S. Army Major Hubert Branch took 700 troops, attacked the Drovers at Quakers Cover, killed nearly fifty members, arrested and executed the remaining members to start the fight against the Anarchists. Some of the Drovers tried to escape the attack by retreating to Hennigan's Stead, the Drovers informed the rest of the Anarchists and Natives and the war escalated. The United States cleared the Anarchists from these areas in later campaigns.
The Anarchists and Natives resisted in the Hennigan's Stead region and were victorious in the Battle of Brittlebrush Trawl. On January 2nd, a wood-gathering party from Fort Mercer was ambushed and nine were scalped. The same band of Anarchists and Native partisans raided Fort Mercer, killing and scalping two men and taking two prisoners. On the same day, Natives killed 23 and captured two New Austin Rangers outside Fort Mercer. On January 3rd, forty Anarchists and Natives attacked a small boat on the San Luis River and killed its master and two sailors. On January 4th, a Native war party ambushed five American soldiers on patrol while they were crossing Mason's Bridge near Thieves' Landing. They were ritually scalped and their bodies mutilated as was common in frontier warfare. During that night of January 4, a force of Anarchists captured a large Army convoy. At dawn they attacked a selection of Defense Force troops near Manzanita Post and fought for five hours. Although the Defense Force was victorious, over forty percent of the troops in that battle were killed and wounded. This incited the Defense Force to enlist into the Removals.
On January 8th, a group of 50 Rangers led by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski ambushed a party of one hundred Anarchists and Natives who were working up a plan to attack a Defense Force encampment. Seven were taken prisoner and the rest were eliminated by the Rangers. On January 10th, a band of Anarchist and Native partisans raided a warehouse in Blackwater, killed thirteen Army soldiers, took what provisions they could carry and set fire to the building. Days later, the same partisans raided Fort Mercer once more. Famous outlaw Roy Byers wrote about the difficulty of recapturing Fort Mercer: "Those godforsaken Army boys have deprived us of a great advantage by removing their families that were settled near there; thus we would have to find new people to kill."
The Anarchists and Natives fought in the Thieves' Landing region. They were victorious in the Battle of the Devil's Marsh. Neutral Anarchists being arrested rebelled against their captors and escaped and resulted in all Anarchist or unknown factions considered hostile, regardless of neutrality. On January 9th, while cutting firewood at the Pacific Union Railroad Camp, U.S. Army Private Robert Grant was captured by Natives—presumably the Big Valley Tribe— and was carried away to the mouth of the San Luis River, where he was drowned.
Raids on Plainview
Approximately 55 Anarchists, who escaped the initial extermination at Thieves' Landing, were reported to have made their way to the Rio Bravo region—which included Plainview—from where they participated in numerous raids on. The Anarchists and Natives raided the Plainview settlement nine times over a three-week period during the beginning of the war. Roy Byers ordered the first Raids on Plainview in the first week of January. In the second week, the second raids on Plainview occurred, in which twenty-five people were killed. The following week, there was a final series of raids on the Rio Bravo Peninsula where thirty-five people were killed. By the end of January, most of those at Plainview had shut it down and abandoned the settlement and retreated to the protection of the fortifications around Fort Mercer.
For those who did not leave Rio Bravo, the number of raids intensified. There were four raids on the Rio Bravo Peninsula. On February 3rd, 1896, seventeen people were killed. The next raid happened at Repentance Rock, on February 3rd, when the Anarchists and Natives attacked the Ranger force led by Radzikowski who were tracking them. They killed three Rangers in the attack, but were unsuccessful in taking out the Rangers. Two days later, twenty of the Anarchists were killed in a raid at a blockhouse by the Defense Force in Rio Bravo. On February 10th, the remaining Anarchists and Natives in the region performed their last raid at Fort Mercer, where the Defense Force surprised and eliminated the opposing belligerents with killing fires.
The Burning Plains Campaign - February 1896
The Burning Plains campaign involved the United States Government in the Hennigan's Stead region. On February 11th, Major Hubert Branch and his troops, on their movement, encountered and raided an Anarchist encampment near the Old Bacchus Place and killed 72 men, women and children. On February 12th, Major Hubert Branch led the 35th Infantry Regiment, supported by a company of Rangers led by Radzikowski to Pikes Basin. He cordoned off the Basin and sent his men through it. Thirty five Anarchists were killed, and forty were captured while about 50 Anarchists and Natives escaped. The prisoners were taken to makeshift prison pens in MacFarlane's Ranch.
En-route to New Austin, General Rostad sent Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski, to eliminate the remaining Anarchists in Hennigan's Stead. On February 14th, Radzikowski sent Rangers to eliminate the remaining Anarchists near Manteca Falls, which was made up of the Neuvo Parasio Raiders. The gang members were all killed in a crossfire at their established encampment. On February 16th, Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski and his Rangers arrived to eliminate the remaining Anarchists, however instead imprisoned most of them. February 18th saw the execution of the remaining Anarchists by the Defense Force and United States Army. On February 22nd, in Cholla Springs, U.S. Army troops led by Major Hubert Branch arrived and were fired upon by 100 Anarchists and Natives.
Second Wave of Removals
The second wave of the removals began with the Anarchist defeat at Hennigan's Stead. Hundreds of Anarchists were arrested and killed. The following Poisoned Minds Campaign resulted in the largest percentage of deaths of the Anarchists. The United States Army and Defense Force marked the highest numbers of fatalities during the removals. By the time the second wave of the removals had begun, the United States Government had discarded their policy of imprisoning the Anarchists and had begun killing them directly.
Poisoned Minds Campaign - March to May 1896
The Posisoned Minds Campaign was a series of military operations that occurred from May to March 1896 to eliminate the Anarchists who either lived along Cholla Springs or had taken refuge in Mexico from earlier eliminations. Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski and his Rangers, as well the United States Army and the North American Defense Force carried out the operation. Contrary to General Rostad's direction, Radzikowski engaged in frontier warfare against the Anarchists. On May 1st, Radzikowski began to pursue the Anarchists on the San Luis River. They arrived at Manteca Falls and Radzikowski's Rangers ambushed a gang of Anarchists known as the "Dirty Thirty" who were led by Adam Grant. The Anarchists were driven into the river where nearly all of them were killed and scalped, while some were captured. Grant was killed by Radzikowski in close fighting, with Radzikowski running at his target from the front, stunning Grant with a quick jab and attacked behind with his knife drawn, he swiftly slashed it diagonally across Grant's spine. As Grant was about to react, Radzikowski spun the blade skillfully in his hand and cleanly stabbed him up through the back, impaling his victim's heart and spine from behind and causing him to collapse to the floor, where he died of blood loss. Radzikowski reported that the scalps were for sale and received payment for them. Thereafter, he went down in local lore as "The most frightening and brutal" of the Rangers.
General Rostad led a force of 1,150 soldiers to destroy the Anarchist establishments along the banks of the San Luis River until they reached the largest settlement of Fort Mercer, where they were executed. Rostad was accompanied by the United States Army. The force started at the upper lip of the river, raiding and killing. Then they moved down the river and raided many settlements and finally reached Armadillo.
Contrary to General Rostad's direction, Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski engaged in frontier warfare against the Anarchists in what has become known as the "Cholla Springs Massacre". On March 15th, Radzikowski and about fifty men arrived at the southeastern edge of Cholla Springs. The Rangers killed 147 hostiles Anarchists. The Rangers burned many establishments, mostly containing large quantities of hay, wheat, peas, oats and other foodstuffs, and killed 212 horses, about five head of cattle and a large number of hogs. They also burned out Two Crows. The Rangers tortured and killed some remaining members of the Tall Trees Confederacy and were reported to have killed a woman with "donkey-like" features. The Rangers also took twenty-five prisoners.
In April of the Campaign, also known as the Broken Expedition, government forces ransacked several settlements in Cholla Springs suspected to have been harboring Anarchists. Rostad led a force of 1500 troops to the outskirts of Armadillo, arriving there on April 5th. From there they dispatched troops to the town and killed about 200 suspected Anarchists and took about 100 prisoners.
After the Anarchists defended Ridgewood Farm against the United States Army on April 6th, the success galvanized both the Anarchists and the Natives, who gathered in large numbers at various points throughout the region and behaved in a confident and, according to the United States Government, "insolent fashion". Officials were especially alarmed when Natives gathered close to the two principal towns in the province, Armadillo and Blackwater, where there were also fairly large groups of Anarchists. The government organized an extermination of 1,300 Anarchists.
Anarchist resistance was evident in the Cholla Springs region. On April 17th, Ethan Walton, son of the infamous outlaw, Robert "Blackjack" Walton, led Native warriors on three raids against the innocent populace of the Cholla Springs region. In each raid, Walton took prisoners, heads or both. Their last raid happened in Armadillo and Walton went with four Natives, and killed and scalped two sheriff's deputies and went on to participate in the Battle of Restored Land.
Four companies of Rangers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski were operating in Cholla Springs, there they scoured the lands to stop raids on Armadillo. In May, Anarchists and Natives were killed in attempt to raid Armadillo, opposing Radzikowski and his Rangers. By late May, the Anarchists had to be completely withdrawn from Cholla Springs because a large number of raids were prevented by stationed Rangers. In nearby Cholla Springs, another Native attack was launched on Fort Mercer, in which five soldiers were killed. Before the elimination, the Anarchist population was estimated at 5,000 or more in the Cholla Springs region. Most were killed, but some escaped, hid among the Natives in the countryside, or blended in with the local populace to avoid elimination until the situation settled down.
Retribution
On May 29th, a mixed Anarchist-Native gang made up of previous war veterans, known as the "Leathermen" raided numerous military outposts and establishments. They raided Radzikowski's encampment, killing thirteen of his men before being driven off. Next they appeared near Armadillo and went through the neighboring town killing Defense Force regulars stationed there. On June 2nd, they raided MacFarlane's Ranch where they killed twenty-seven people and burned down a large barn. The same day they raided Thieves' Landing and took five prisoners. Two people were killed in Blackwater on June 3rd and one taken captive. The gang shot one person at Manzanita Post and took four prisoners. During this period, the Big Valley Tribe and the Millsesani Indians were the only tribes who were able to fight.
On June 10th, General Rostad, accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski and United States Army General Knox Lambton, with 500 soldiers marched to a suspected Leatherman encampment in Rio Bravo and raided the settlement where they wounded thirty-five gang members and killed the rest in what was known as the Battle of Restored Land. Amongst the gang members, Ethan Walton and his Native troops were found among the expedition; it was suspected they joined up with Leathermen sometime after his initial raids.
Final Campaigns - June to September 1896
In the final campaigns, more that 600 Anarchists were eliminated in Cholla Springs and Gaptooth Ridge. For over the course of several months, General Rostad, had ordered their exterminations and had not allowed the remaining to surrender. Mexico also prepared for the arrival of 700 Anarchists. The legislature declared that "the Anarchists be made welcome, helped and settled under the most advantageous conditions."
The elimination of the 600 Anarchists were mainly by surprise. Because the Defense Force attacked so unexpectedly, the Anarchists were shaken by the attacks. General Rostad refused to accept surrender of the Anarchists on grounds that they were unable to accommodate for them. Some were detained by later died from disease and malnutrition.The Anarchists who had offered the most resistance to the Government—particularly those who had been at Cholla Springs—were reported to have been all eliminated by August.
Under the leadership of Dominic Bailey, a former governor, the majority of fleeing Anarchists received passports to be able to go to Mexico. Without such passports, travel between borders was not allowed. As soon as the Anarchists bearing passports reached Mexico, the granted passports allowed Anarchists in their territories. Along with these papers, the Anarchists were refugees. After the remaining Anarchists arrived in Mexico in September, a special task force led by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski tracked them down and imprisoned them under humane conditions under orders of the United States Government. Those who managed to return to the United States were authorized to return to their homes after signing an unconditional surrender.
After the majority of Anarchists were eliminated, the United States Government began to consider them as low threats. Some Anarchists who were imprisoned were sent to Sisika Penitentiary but never reached their destination. Almost 100 prisoners died on board a prisoner ship transporting the Anarchists and later sank due to unknown causes. The remaining refugees eventually gathered back in Cholla Springs and went to Armadillo. Many Anarchists who returned were subject to plagues due and close conditions, while others were allowed to join communities and live normal lives.
The Fate of the Removals
On September 4th, the United States Government passed an order-in-council to end the Removals, provided that the Anarchists take an oath of peace. Under the extermination orders, Anarchist land tenure had been forfeited to the United States Government and the returning Anarchists no longer owned land. Much of their former land was distributed under grant to new settlers. The lack of available farmland compelled many Anarchists to seek out a new livelihood as fishermen in the state of Lemoyne. The American-Indian War was over by September 6th, 1896. The Defense Force was then placed at a military establishment in Blackwater for it's remaining lifespan.
According to historian Edward Ashtar Young, the religious and ethnic dimensions of the Hostile Removals are in addition to, and deeply connected to, the military exigencies cited as causes for the Removals. There is significant evidence in the correspondence of military and civil leaders for peace. Young writes, "The first session of the New Austin Assembly ... passed a series of laws intended to institutionalize Anarchy elimination & dispossession" including an act titled "An Act for the Possessions and Elimination of Anarchist Citizens and Factions." In it and two subsequent acts Anarchists was made an official title of "any person who seeks against the ideals and prosperity of the government". These acts granted elimination of any person considered an Anarchist. It also empowered the authorities to seize all property for the government and barred former Anarchists from entering or residing in the province, as they wanted no repeat of the American-Frontier War and that type of war. In addition, Young concludes "These laws—passed by a popular assembly, not enacted by military fiat or the federal government—laid the foundation for the removal of Anarchists."
Markus Lake hoped to assimilate the Anarchists into the government fold. He did so by trying to encourage (or force) Anarchists to join the government. This was linked to larger anxieties in the realm over New Austin in general—as Lake led a rebellion against the government previously. Lake, who in part was responsible for the Removals, according to historian Nixon Bainn, "recommended using military force to expel the most 'obnoxious' Anarchists and replace them with less savage people." Lake wanted "peaceable loyal subjects" and specifically, in his own words, "good obedient ones."
Young compared the Removals to contemporary ethnic cleansing. In contrast, numerous leading historians have agreed to this characterization of the Removals. Historian Leonardo Till asserts that Young perfectly states the motivation for the Removals but obscures the fact that only New Austin supported the exterminations. Till writes that Young "States his case well; his focus on the grand derangement as an early example of ethnic cleansing carries great emotional weight but in-turn overshadows much of what the United States Government reached. As well, the United States was clearly not concerned that the Anarchists were supporting the Natives, given they were working with the Natives during the war.
While clearly there was animosity during this time period, many historians point to the overwhelming evidence which suggests the motivation for the Removals was military. The United States wanted to cut off supply lines to the Natives in the war. They also wanted to end any threat the Anarchists posed. Hugo Merritt wrote that the evidence for the removal of the Anarchists indicates the decision makers thought the Anarchists were a military threat, therefore the deportation of does not necessarily qualify as an act of ethnic cleansing. Leonardo Till argues that the United States continued the removals after 1896 for military reasons: some areas remained contested territory between the government and the Natives, and the Natives wanted to make sure that government negotiators would be unlikely to give up the region to the government as was such with the Tall Trees Confederacy.
Other historians have observed that it was not uncommon for nations during this time period to remove their populations. For several historians, he event is comparable with other removals in history, and should not be considered ethnic cleansing. Historian Peter Rale writes that "the removals, as a government action, was a pattern with other contemporary happenings." The Removals have been compared to similar military operations during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Germany carried out exterminations when they occupied southeastern Mexico, burning every settlement and exiling over 5,000 inhabitants during the Mexican-German War. Leonardo Till notes that in 1868, United States authorities forcibly killed nearly 800 Native inhabitants in the North West, and compares the Removals to the fate of another North American removals, which was the Indian Removal of the 1830s, in which Native Americans from the South-East United States were removed from their traditional homelands.
Further, other historians have noted that civilian populations are often devastated during wartime. For example, there were five wars fought along the New Austin and West Elizabeth regions over the years prior to the Removals. During these wars, both government and opposing forces conducted numerous military campaigns killing civilians and taking them captive.
Historian Anika Davies writes that the term "'genocide'... does not apply at all to the grand derangement of the Removals. Many of the Anarchists were hostile against the government and to compare resistance and the killing fields of New Austin is a complete and utter trivialization of the many genocidal horrors of contemporary history." Concerning the use of late 19th century terms such as "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide" to understand the past, historian Seth Richardson states, "I'm not sure that it's the best way to understand realities...What happened in the past is a process of resistance and expansion that was ruthless at times, that cost lives...But to my mind, you can't just transfer concepts between events like that."
Final Months of the North American Defense Force
When the American-Indian War was officially over, the North American Defense Force was placed on a military establishment in the Great Plains. The joint governments of Canada and the United States became concerned that national security still might be threatened, but were losing large amounts of currency due to the funding of the North American Defense Force. The authorities introduced new regulations, including the establishment of the North American Defense Force as a regional security force. The responsibility for tackling security tasks was maintained by the Defense Force but because of their lack of funding, they lost the majority of their resources and were left very limited; indeed, they often had to train most of the troops in frontiersmanship. The North American Defense Force therefore delegated much of their responsibilities to Radzikowski and his Rangers, which became revisioned as a frontier police force known as the West Elizabeth Mounted Police. After the revisions, Radzikowski was promoted to Lieutenant General as commendation for his overall service and took direct command of the Defense Force under Rostad's supervision.
The Defense Force initially began their operations by focusing on the activities of immigrants and carrying out regional security, but quickly widened their operations. Unlike during the previous wars, the Defense Force was forbidden to volunteer for war duties, and the size of the force decreased to 500 men due to lack of reenlistments. The force investigated rumors of conspiracies associated with another insurrection, but, since most mounted police did not have links within the relevant communities, they instead used secret agents and informants to gather intelligence, supported by a few undercover officers. Meanwhile, tensions grew between temperance campaigners and soldiers over the implementation of newly established laws. The Defense Force barracks in Blackwater was attacked on October 17th by a crowd of over two hundred soldiers and civilians, who were trying to release six soldiers arrested for alcohol offenses. Public opinion of the Defense Force decreased and soon, the Defense Force was vilified.
The demands of the force's new security role, combined with its traditional military responsibilities, soon overstretched the force's resources. Lieutenant General Radzikowski raised his concerns about the situation with the government and in response the United States Government began the closure of over 80 Defense Force posts. Radzikowski argued that the force had previously "largely finished the work for which it was called into existence" and now was no longer possible to do so. Radzikowski proposed that the Defense Force should instead focus on supporting military efforts, threatening to resign if the Defense Force was not allowed to maintain it's original purposes. Despite complaints from the military that there was no longer any requirement for the Defense Force to exist, a force of 200 troops were sent to form "A" Squadron, and were deployed to Guarma to support American forces engaged in an effort to eliminate the corrupt Guarma Government. By November, there were only 200 members left, primarily focused on border and city protection.
By December, pressures for social change, and rapid decline of the remaining workforce was commonplace. While concerns about national security threats declined, fears grew in government that Mexico might be covertly orchestrating a campaign of strikes across New Austin and Mexico. In response the Governor Nate Johns, created a Public Safety Branch led by Charles Rostad. Rostad envisaged transforming this organization into a much larger secret service and planned to retire his post from the North American Defense Force, but he soon fell out with Johns and ultimately resigned from the Public Safety Branch.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Radzikowski had put forward four outcomes for the future of the Defense Force: the force would be absorbed into the Canadian or American military; the remit of the force would be reduced to simply policing the far north; the force would receive it's original funding and assigned back it's previous duties across the whole of the United States and Canada; or the force would be shutdown. Radzikowski promoted the third option and Darius Parrey, the acting Attorney General for Justice of West Elizabeth, therefore proposed merging the North American Defense Force and the United States and Canadian Armies, placing them under one single command structure. This idea was turned down by President Macalister, who believed, that the merger would be unacceptable and uncoordinated and wanted a policing future for the force.
Instead, in December, President Macalister reorganized the security system by splitting the policing of the two countries geographically, with the West Elizabeth Mounted Police running the American half and reporting to the President and the remaining Defense Force running the Canadian side. The establishment of the new proposal was to be permanently kept at 1,200 men, creating a huge demand for manpower: with the member base rapidly declining. The proposal was turned down by the Canadian Government, which no longer saw any necessary reason to keep the Defense Force operational. The United States assimilated the Defense Force and kept it with plans to rename it permanently to the West Elizabeth Mounted Police. The force began to recruit new networks of secret agents, whom Rostad tasked to investigate "foreign settlements" to identify "the least indication of hostile tendencies and doctrines", and the force embraced new laws allowing for the deportation, without trial, of persons suspected of holding extremist views. The operations were well run, although no significant evidence of any extremist plot was actually discovered.
Termination of the North American Defense Force
On December 12th, the General Strike against the continuation of the North American Defense Force broke out in Blackwater, creating a national crisis which feared would lead to a revolution. The West Elizabeth Mounted Police was deployed to maintain public order and generate intelligence on the strikers; 50 mounted police were sent into the city, supported by four machine guns mounted on wagons. On December 17th, which became known as Bloody Sunday, former military veterans of the Defense Force, including former Captain Cody Paige marched through the city in support of the strikers; the authorities called in the Defense Force to break up the marchers. By the time the Defense Force, this time led by General Rostad, arrived, the protesters had begun to attack and the Defense Force carried out two charges. The Defense Force then concluded that they were losing control of the situation and fired their rifles into the crowd, killing thirty men and injuring others. The marchers fled and the strike collapsed.
The events in Blackwater highlighted the chaotic and ill-coordinated management of security issues across West Elizabeth, the artificial division between the organization, and the order of a single senior leader to fire into the crowd. Radzikowski considered leaving the force, along with Rostad. Governor Nate Johns recommended creating a new federal force, ideally by amalgamating the Defense Force into an existing police force but this was not until 1899 that this was officially recognized and established. The West Elizabeth Mounted Police, which was reformed from Radzikowski's Rangers, Radzikowski argued, were much more skilled, militarized, experienced and had a proven capacity to carry out secret intelligence work. They were also free from union influence and enjoyed high prestige among the public rather than the entirety of the Defense Force itself.
Due to the shortages of personnel, lack of purposes, and the recently vilified reputation of the North American Defense Force, President Alfred Macalister amended a legislation on December 25th, terminating the establishment of the North American Defense Force, with proposals of creating a new force responsible for federal law enforcement and national security across the United States under the command of Matueszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, who would not go on to lead this force until 1899. The legislation came into effect on January 1st, 1897, officially marking the end of the North American Defense Force.
"We yodelled well, and our pickings were swell. We played so hard for the folks in Hell. But they saw nothing, nothing at all. Chains to the legs, bolts to the ground. Us boys didn't leave 'til the crowd turned around. The colder the night, the hotter the lights. Our sweat dripped down and the crowd started fist-fights...But the air on stage burned our lungs, and we all went deaf from the beating drums, and we couldn't see a thing for all the blood, and sweat in our eyes. Yeah we fought 'til we died, and now we're all dead, but the man said 'You gotta get up there again; and you can't come down 'til the brimstone turns to ice'. We couldn't sing a note for the dust in our throats, we're ran empty and lost all hope. Welcome to hell, ladies and gent's. We sinned and fell, no time to repent. 'Cause they heard nothing. Nothing at all" - Lieutenant General Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, Ballad for the Dead
The Tall Trees Confederacy declared a war upon the United States Government in 1894 after the end of the American-Frontier, two years the war would last, and some view the war as being merely another theater of the previous American-Frontier War; however, the American-Indian War is viewed in as a singular conflict which was not associated with the American-Frontier War. The name American-Indian War is used mainly in the United States, referring to the two factions of the war, while historians use the term the War of the Last Rites and the Tribe War, as do English-speaking Canadians. French Canadians call it Guerre de la Conquête (War of Conquest).
The North American Defense Force were supported at various times by Native tribes and the Tall Trees Confederacy were supported by Sani, Abequa, Yatokya, Shiriki, and Soyala tribes. Fighting took place primarily along the frontiers of New Austin and West Elizabeth. It began with a dispute of confluence at Fort Mercer. The dispute erupted into violence in the Battle of Hamlet's Passing, during which a Tall Trees war party under the command of 22 year-old Moyhan ambushed an NADF platoon.
Throughout the war, four new companies were stood up at MacFarlane's Ranch, and planned a four-way attack on the Confederacy. All succeeded, and the main effort by Radzikowski proved successful; he won the Battle of Cholla Springs on January 26th 1894 and the Battle of Mascalero on February 3rd. While many operations succeeded, other operations failed in the frontier regions due to a combination of poor management, internal divisions, effective Native scouts, untrained regular forces, and Indian warrior allies. In 1895, the North American Defense Force captured Cochinay near the Montana River, and they ordered the expulsion of all remaining resistance in West Elizabeth. Orders for the extermination were given by Charles Rostad, Commander-in-Chief, North American Defense Force, without direction from the joint-governments. All resistance was eliminated entirely by 1896, both those captured in arms and those who had sworn against the United States.
The North American Defense Force disbanded after the completion of the campaign in 1897. While fighting the Natives, the NADF greatly expanded in numbers and partook in several successful campaigns including a successful expedition in Tall Trees and the official takeover of Cochinay and Tall Trees; this last was followed by NADF troops torturing and massacring their Native victims. Rostad came to great power and significantly increased military resources in the frontier states at a time when U.S. government was unwilling to risk large convoys to aid the limited forces that they had in the Frontier States, preferring to concentrate their forces against Mexico and other rebellious forces who were now engaged in the American-Indian War. Between 1894 and 1896, the North American Defense Force launched a campaign to recapture and resecure the Commonwealth of West Elizabeth. They succeeded in capturing territory from the Natives and ultimately rescuing the city of Blackwater. The North American Defense Force later lost a legal battle regarding the unethical prosecution of Natives in West Elizabeth but the Tall Trees Confederacy officially dissolved in accordance with the Blackwater Accords Treaty.
From it's establishment to it's dissolution, the North American Defense Force was one of the major participants in the American-Indian War. Although conventional warfare involving countries was the more knowledgeable area for organization, the North American Defense Force emerged from the war as the world's leading fighting force, having gained a number of new territories at the Blackwater Accords Treaty and established itself as the world's pre-eminent fighting force.
The war started poorly for the North American Defense Force, which suffered deaths from the plague and scurvy, and at the hands of the Tall Trees Confederacy. The same year North American Defense Force's major native ally Soyala Tribe switched sides and aligned itself with the Tall Trees Confederacy; and the North American Defense Force was hastily forced to conclude themselves to fight primarily alone. For the next two years the North American Defense Force was ranged against a growing number of enemy tribes led by the Tall Trees Confederacy. After a period of political instability, the rise of a refirmed government headed by the re-elected Alfred Macalister provided the North American Defense Force with firmer leadership, enabling it to consolidate and achieve its war aims.
In 1896, the United States and Canadian Governments enjoyed an Annus Mirabilis, "year of miracles", with success over the Tall Trees Confederacy and their allied tribes on the continent of North America (capturing of Tall Trees). In 1897, the North American Defense Force dissolved due to a lack of need as the war, and all rebellions were quelled. The majority of it's members enrolled back into civilian life, while the remaining members, including Rostad and Radzikowski, formed the Blackwater Militia. The Blackwater Militia enlisted to fight on behalf of the Mexican Government during the start of the Mexican Revolutionary War. During the war, Blackwater Militia forces fought in the Battles of Butter Bridge, Torquemada, El Presidio, El Matadero, Escalera and Rathskellar Fork. The Blackwater Militia managed to repulse an invasion of mixed Mexican-Native forces led by former NADF Captain Paige. By this time the Mexican ministry had collapsed, the United States was short of credit and the generous terms offered by Canada were accepted.
Through the war, the North American Defense Force was under command of the to the Electorate of the United Republic, which was a comittee established by both the Canadian and U.S. governments to govern the North American Defense Force. It also directed the military strategy of the United States and Canada.
Nomenclature
Previously, wars were often named after faction conflicts or locations. There had already been the American-Frontier War in 1893 so the United States Government named this conflict after their longtime opponents, and it became known as the American-Indian War. This continued as the standard name for the war in the United States, although Indians fought on both sides of the conflict. It also led to be known as the Tribe War overseas, and a much larger conflict initiated between Mexico and Germany was known as a Mexican-German War of Confluence, that did not involve the American-Indian War; some historians make a connection between the American-Indian War and the Mexican-German War of Confluence overseas, but most residents of the United States consider them as two separate conflicts—only one of which involved the American frontiers states, and American historians generally use the traditional name. Less frequently used names for the war include the Third Intercontinental War and the Great War for the Empire.
Commonly, the "Tribe War" is conflated into the American-Indian War and generally not given an equal separate name. "Tribe War" refers to events in New Austin and West Elizabeth, from the official declaration of war had started—to the signing of the peace treaty in 1896. The American-Indian War in America, by contrast, was largely concluded in two years from the Battle of Fort Mercer to the capture of Cochinay in 1895.
Historians conflate both the European and American conflicts into the "War of Confluence". French and Canadians also use the term "War of Conquest" (Guerre de la Conquête), since it is the war in which occupied areas of West Elizabeth was conquered by the North American Defense Force and became part of the United States Government.
Background
The last major conflict in North America, the American-Frontier War, had ended in December 1893 which left large parts of the United States devastated. The peace terms were unpopular with many, however, as they largely retained the status quo—which led the people of states such as New Austin and West Elizabeth to believe they had not made sufficient gains for their efforts in the war. By 1894, many saw another major war as imminent, and the United States was preparing its forces for an attempt to take land that was held by a hostile native faction.
President Alfred Macalister had acceded to premiership following the sudden death of his brother Henry Macalister, and led a government made up largely of Republicans. Macalister had thirty years' experience as a Secretary of State and was a leading figure on the diplomatic scene. Despite enjoying a comfortable majority in the House of Commons he was extremely cautious and vulnerable to attacks led by men such as William Turner, leader of the Democratic Party. Macalister fervently believed that peace in the United States was possible so long as the "Old System" and the alliance with Canada prevailed and devoted much of his efforts to the continuance of this.
One of the major concerns for the United States government of the era was territorial expansion. During the nineteenth century United States had become more populous and powerful – and were agitating to expand northwards into the American interior. The territory most prized by the new settlers was the Tall Trees, which was also claimed by the Tall Trees Confederacy. As well as having economic potential, it was considered strategically key. Native control of that territory would block American expansion northwards and eventually Native territory would surround the major town of Blackwater, pinning it against the coast. A number of delegations urged the government to take more decisive action in the Tall Trees dispute but the U.S. Government refused to take the land forcefully.
America in the 1890s
At this time, America's large areas had no large settlements. The Native population numbered over 75,000 and was heavily concentrated along the Upper Montana River valley and its tributaries. Fur traders and trappers traveled throughout the Upper Montana watersheds and did business with local Native tribes, and often married Native women. Traders married daughters of chiefs, creating high-ranking unions.
Native settlers outnumbered the Americans 2 to 1 in West Elizabeth. In between the Five Frontier States, large areas were dominated by Native tribes. To the north, the Sani and the Abequa tribes were engaged in Inter-Tribal War and still held sway in the northern portions of the state of West Elizabeth. A new Native confederacy dominated much of New Austin and West Elizabeth. These tribes were formally under sovereign rule and were unlimited in their authority to make agreements.
The Southeast interior was dominated by Yatokya, Shiriki, and Soyala tribes. When the war broke out, the Tall Trees Confederacy used their connections to recruit fighters from tribes in western portions of the New Austin region, which was not directly subject to the conflict. The North American Defense Force was supported in the war by the Hetsutu, Mahkah and also by the Soyala, until differences sparked the American-Indian War. The Commonwealth of New Hanover successfully negotiated the Treaty of Wahiti in which a number of tribes in New Hanover and Ambarino promised neutrality in exchange for land concessions and other considerations. Most of the other tribes sided and formed with the Tall Trees Confederacy, their primary trading partner and supplier of arms. Most Native tribes were subject to diplomatic efforts by both the Canadian and United States governments to gain either their support or neutrality in the conflict.
At the start of the war, no regular army troops were stationed in West Elizabeth. The joint governments called for the North American Defense to defend New Austin and West Elizabeth with companies of regulars and irregulars (some of whom had significant woodland combat experience). The North American Defense Force recruited militia support when needed. Most of the local municipalities mustered local militia companies to protect the towns from Indian threats, generally ill trained and available only for short periods, but they did not have any standing forces. New Austin, by contrast, had a larger frontier with several companies of regulars.
The joint governments were used to operating independently of one another and of the government in the United States, a situation that complicated negotiations with Indian tribes, whose territories often encompassed land claimed by multiple territories. After the war began, the leaders of the United States Army establishment tried to impose constraints and demands on the North American Defense Force's involvement in the war, but rather failed.
Events leading to War
The United States Government was concerned about the incursion and expanding influence of Native tribes in New Austin. The government ordered to lead a military expedition through the area. Its objectives were:
• To reaffirm to the United States and Canada that their trading arrangements with Natives were peacefully exclusive to those authorized by the governments
• To confirm assistance in asserting and maintaining the American claim to the territories which American explorers had claimed
• To discourage any alliances between hostile Indian tribes and the Tall Trees Confederacy
• To impress the American people with a show of force against hostile Native settler incursion, unauthorized trading expeditions, and general trespass against American claims
The expedition force consisted of about 200 U.S. Army troops led by Major Joseph Melvin, and they covered about 4,800 km between May and September 1893. They went down from the Lower Montana River, continued along the northern shore of West Elizabeth, crossed the portage at Hennigan's Stead, and followed the southern shore of New Austin. The expedition moved further inland, which it followed to the site of Fort Mercer. There Melvin buried lead plates engraved with the American claim to the state. Whenever he encountered Native settlers, he informed them of the American claims on the territory and told them to leave.
Melvin's expedition circled back to West Elizabeth and entered Tall Trees where the Indians in the area informed him that they owned the area and that they would trade regardless of the government. He continued north until his expedition reached the confluence of the Cochinay, which lay just south of the Lower Montana River. It was the home of the Chief known as "Tahatan". Melvin was threatened by "Tahatan" with severe consequences if he continued to disrupt Native progress in the region, but Melvin ignored the warning. Melvin returned disappointedly to Fort Wallace in New Hanover on September 12th, 1893.
Melvin wrote an extensively detailed report. "All I can say is that the Natives of these localities are very badly disposed towards us" he wrote, "and are entirely devoted to their region. I don't know in what way they could be brought back." Even before his return to Fort Wallace reports on the situation in Tall Trees were making their way to Washington D.C., each side proposing that action be taken. West Elizabeth governor Nathan Johns was particularly forceful, stating that American people would not be safe as long as the Natives were present.
Negotiations
The United States government gave land to the Appleseed Trading Company for the purpose of developing trade and settlements in Tall Trees. The grant required that the Natives settle less than 100 families in the territory and construct a fort in Cochinay. But the territory was also claimed by the Natives, and both sides began pushing for action to improve their respective claims. In September 1893, Olga Monoga explored the territory, acting on behalf of both West Elizabeth and the company, and opened negotiations with the Native tribes at Cochinay. He attempted to settle the Treaty of Tall Trees in which the local Indians disagreed with his terms and killed Monoga by hanging. These terms included permission to build a strong house at the mouth of the Aurora Basin. By November of 1893, the Tall Trees Confederacy had formed many tribes into it's concession, and they laid claim to it as their grounds by right of conquest.
The American-Frontier War (better known as the War of Ignorance) formally ended in 1893 with the signing of the Treaty of Formal Peace, which was primarily focused on resolving issues in New Austin. The issues of conflicting territorial claims between the United States and the Natives were turned over to a commission, but it reached no decision. Frontier areas were claimed by both sides, from Tall Trees and Big Valley in the north to Hennigan's Stead in the south.
Fort Mercer
In December 1893, Major Joseph Melvin was given command of a some 200 man force of U.S. Army Infantrymen and some Natives. His orders were to protect the oil land in Rio Bravo from the Mexicans and Natives. Melvin followed the route that he had mapped out months earlier. Melvin, however, had limited the record of Native claims to the burial of lead plates, whereas before, he had constructed and garrisoned forts. His garrison was fully established at Fort Mercer by December 15th. As he held the fort, he drove off or captured poachers and traders, alarming Natives. Wahkan's son, Dohate became a chief of the Rio Bravo Indians, who were remnants who had been driven east by American expansion during the American-Frontier War. He intensely disliked those whom he accused of killing and "eating" his father. He traveled to Fort Mercer and threatened the Army with military action, which Mercer contemptuously dismissed.
The Natives sent runners to Blackwater to contact Radzikowski, who was the temporary Superintendent of North American Forces in the West Elizabeth region and beyond. Radzikowski was known to the Natives as Menewa, meaning "Great Warrior." While Radzikowski did not speak their languages, he had become a respected honorary member of the Native tribes in the area, and he was made an honorary Colonel of the Howahkan Tribe. The Native runners informed Radzikowski of an imminent attack on Fort Mercer, but Radzikowski was unable to send additional relief forces as he was not authorized to do so.
The Native representatives and Radzikowski met with Rostad at Ottawa, Canada. Howahkan Chief Gomda was the speaker of their tribal council, and he insisted that the Americans and Canadians abide by their obligations and block illegal expansion. Rostad did not respond to his satisfaction, and Gomda said that the "Covenant Chain" was broken, a long-standing friendly relationship between the Native Tribes and the North American governments.
Attack on Fort Mercer
On December 21st, 1893, the Tall Trees Confederacy planned a massive attack on Fort Mercer. The continuing activity in the Rio Bravo territories prompted Tahatan to dispatch a war party to Fort Mercer under the command of Dohate, the son of the late Wahkan, who had previously fought in the American-Frontier War. Dohate was given 300 men, including French-Canadians and warriors of the Ottoga tribe. His objective was to punish the American's for not following orders to cease harassing the Natives. On the evening of December 21st, the war party attacked the fort at night, overrunning killing 163 American Army troops, including Joseph Melvin, and capturing 40 prisoners, some of which were Natives, and executed them. Melvin was reportedly ritually cannibalized by the Natives in the war party.
Government's Response
After news of the attack was heard, the Electorate ordered the North American Defense Force to mobilize and deter the threat. They ordered Rostad, the commanding officer of the North American Defense Force to take arms and organize a solid defense at Fort Mercer, and warn the confederacy to leave territory. Rostad left with a small party to Blackwater, picking up Radzikowski and his irregulars as interpreters and lead combat experts, Devan Cervantez, who had been wishing to regain his fame as an officer, Cody Paige (an ill-famed captain who wished to gain power), and a few dozen regulars. On January 5th, Rostad and his men reached Fort Mercer.
Rostad succeeded Melvin as commander of Fort Mercer after Melvin died in December. Over the course of several days, Rostad presented Tahatan with the letter demanding an immediate Native withdrawal from New Austin. Tahatan said "As to the Summons you send me to retire, we will not bow to the White Man prosecuting us and our lands." He told Rostad that their claim to the region was superior to that of the Americans, since the Natives lived on the land for several centuries earlier.
Rostad sent a party led by Radzikowski to scout the region for any hostile war parties. Radzikowski's party left Fort Mercer early on January 9th to scout for any tracks and returned to Fort Mercer on January 11th. He stated in his report, "We had swept east", detailing the steps which they had taken to fortify the area, and their intention to fortify the confluence of Fort Mercer.
Siege of Fort Mercer
The Siege of Fort Mercer was fought on January 21st, 1894, between forces of the Tall Trees Confederacy led by Chief Dohate and the North American Defense Force defenders of Fort Mercer led by Captain Mateuszek Radzikowski and General Charles Rostad early in the American-Indian War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Tall Trees Confederacy, and it came with heavy losses. Dohate was killed, Tahatan was wounded, and Medard Mallete and more than 30 men were wounded. The fort's garrison, a motley assortment of regular troops and irregulars directly led by Captain Radzikowski and commanded by General Rostad, suffered a small number of casualties.
Dohate's army had captured Fort Mercer previously on December 21st, and early in January they joined a force led by Medard Mallete, whose men had made an arduous trek through the wilderness of northern Canada. Rostad had moved from Blackwater to Fort Mercer, the Natives' next objective, and last-minute reinforcements arrived to bolster the fort's limited defenses before the attacking force's arrival. Concerned that expiring enlistments would reduce his force, Dohate made the attack during the night to conceal his army's movements. The plan was for separate forces led by Dohate and Mallete to converge into the fort before scaling the walls protecting the officers. Dohate's force turned back after he was killed by rifle fire early in the battle, but Mallete's force penetrated further. Mallete was injured early in the attack, and Tahatan led the assault in his place before he realized he was fighting a losing battle and was forced to retreat. Tahatan and the Natives maintained an ineffectual blockade of the fort until the next day, when government reinforcements arrived.
These actions stimulated both government and native leaders to consider the possibility of a takeover of New Austin by the rebellious forces of the Tall Trees Confederacy, and Charles Rostad, began mobilizing defenses. The North American Defense Forces in North America consisted of three companies, with the 1st Company Highlander Guards, holding various locations around the New Austin, 2nd Company Rifle Guards guarding the St. Lawrence river valley and 3rd Company Reserve Guards holding various forts around the Great Lakes. Besides for these companies, the only forces available to the North American Defense Force were about 200 men of the militia and the 100 or so troops from the United States Government as well as some native tribes. The militia and many of the Indian tribes were regarded as lukewarm in their loyalty to the government.
Both the Canadian and U.S. governments misunderstood the nature of the local society. The feudal nature of their society led the Canadians to assume the habitants would deferentially obey their social superiors while the Americans believed that the habitants would welcome them as liberators from their feudal society. In fact, the habitants, tended to display many of the same traits displayed by gang members who mostly owned land, being described variously as individualistic, stubborn, and spirited together with a tendency to be rude and disrespectful of authority figures if their actions were seen as unjust. Most of the habitants wanted to be neutral in the struggle between Government vs. the Tribes, just wanting to live their lives in peace.
The memory of the American-Frontier War had made most of the Natives living in the Five Frontier States distrustful of all whites, and most of the Natvies in the region had no desire to fight for either Government or Tribe. Only the Soyala and Liwanu were regarded as willing to fight for the Government, and even then most of the tribes were already negotiating with the Tall Trees Confederacy. The Soyala tribe was traditionally allies of the Tall Trees Confederacy and their loyalty to the Government was felt to be very shallow. Both Rostad and Macalister argued that the forces holding Tall Trees were weak, that the Natives would welcome the government as liberators and an invasion would require only 100 men. Taking Tall Trees would eliminate any possibility of the Natives using it as a base to attack settlements.
Defensive Preparations
Rostad had begun preparing the fort's defenses immediately after receiving word of another attack. On January 19th, Rostad proclaimed battle stations and called out the troops. Radzikowski found that there were only 30 men fit for duty, but he complained that the fort was in a state of disrepair. Rostad gave fully battle authority to Radzikowski and although Radzikowski concentrated most of the modest force at the front, he left small garrisons of troops at the flanks. To provide more manpower, Radzikowski quickly rode to Armadillo to raised the irregular Royal Highland Raiders, whom he recruited from Scots immigrated to the United States, however this unit was not fully established until later in the war. The commander of the Royal Highland Raiders, Keegan Collins, was a Highlander who fought for the rebellion in the American-Frontier War of 1893, but turned out to be Radzikowski's most aggressive subordinate in the campaign. On January 20th, Radzikowski met with Hayena Claus, the superintendent of Native Affairs together with a Native war chief Mikasi. Hayena and Mikasi had brought with them some 100 warriors whom they proposed to lead into a raid on Fort Mercer, arguing that this was the best way of keeping the Americans engaged and out of Tall Trees. Radzikowski attempted to resort to peaceful tactics and wanted most of the Natives home, saying he did not want any more Natives involved in this war, whom he regarded as savages who he believed would commit all sorts of atrocities against the innocent population of New Austin. Despite his mixed view of Natives, whom he considered to be brutal and prone to immoral violence, Radzikowski had a deal of respect for their ways of living and warfare, he even previously employed them as scouts to monitor hostile forces as no one else could operate in the wilderness as scouts as well as the Natives could.
Tahatan followed the government's progress, occasionally receiving intercepted communications between Rostad and Macalister. Radzikowski was left in charge of Mercer's defenses while Rostad was traveling to Blackwater, and Radzikowski attempted to organize a local militia force of several hundred to defend the fort. Unfortunately, the leader of the militia pessimistically thought they were "not much to be depended on", estimating that only half were reliable and thus refused to assist. Radzikowski also made numerous requests for military reinforcements to the military leadership in Blackwater, but each of these came to nought. Several regiments were blown off and ended up back in Blackwater, and General Samuel Stockburn, the commander of the regiments in Blackwater, refused to release troops from there to Fort Mercer because he thought it was already too late. On the late night of January 18th, an attempt by Jorge Coraci and his raiders to assassinate Rostad in a surprise attack was foiled. A mixed force of Radzikowski's irregulars, Rostad's regulars and a group of volunteers under the command of Captain Devan Cervantez stopped Coraci's force on the outskirts of MacFarlane's Ranch. The victory caused the government to finally respond to the militia summons, except with little avail. Radzikowski, knowing only a large Native force had entered the area, chose to stay on the defensive under the grounds he was probably outnumbered. On January 18th, at 9:37 PM, Cody Paige and Radzikowski had a major disagreement over the tactics of holding the fort, in which Paige attempted to ordered the arrest of Radzikowski on charges of high treason but was stopped by Radzikowski's irregulars, which led to a shoot-out that left two soldiers wounded, and resulted in a life-long feud and hatred between both Radzikowski and Paige. On January 20th, more natives arrived which finally allowed the besiegers to start inflicting damage on Fort Mercer.
The attempts of the North American Defense Force to recruit for their cause were generally unsuccessful with Radzikowski only recruiting 40 troops. The public preached loyalty to the government, but the unwillingness of Radzikowski to take the offensive persuaded many members of the populace that the government cause was a lost one. Given the Native numerical superiority, Radzikowski had decided to stay on the defensive, a decision which however justified under military grounds, proved to be politically damaging. On January 19th, Tahatan and Dohate took to Fort Mercer, which the defenders had been holding for nearly a full month, causing Radzikowski to decide to organize unconventional defenses, which he knew that Tahatan was approaching fast. Later on the 19th, Rostad left Blackwater and proceeded back to Fort Mercer, being engaged in another battle and losing 14 men. Like Radzikowski, Tahatan was Canadian-born, and both leaders had a certain understanding and respect for society and civility, going out of their way to be tactful and polite in their dealings with each other prior to conflict. Radzikowski insisted that his men display "brotherly affection" for the Natives at all times. However, the man that Tahatan placed in charge of the attack, Dohate displayed bigoted anti-government, anti-peace, anti-Catholic and "anti-white" views, with Dohate vowing extreme violence upon the innocent populace, a move that deeply offended the people. The arbitrary and high-handed behavior of Dohate together with their anti-peace undercut their claims to be promoting "freedom" and did much to turn local opinion against their self-proclaimed "heroes".
When definitive word reached Mercer that Dohate's march had succeeded and that he was approaching the fort, Radzikowski began tightening the guard. Word of Dohate's approach resulted in less enlistments, with attempts to decrease the ranks. On January 20th, General Rostad, who had been involved in an attempt to lift the siege, arrived with only half a dozen men. They had intercepted communications from Tahatan to Dohate near the Hanging Rock, and hurried to Mercer to help with its defense. The arrival of his blunted force shunned the morale of the defenders, and Radzikowski was immediately forced to raise the morale once more.
Dohate's Attack
As early morning broke out on January 21st, Dohate gave orders for the attack. He led his party to their assigned positions that night: northern flank of the bastion. When Dohate reached his position between 4 am and 5 am, he and his men began to fire on their respective targets, signaling the attack. Tahatan and Mallete, seeing the engagement thrust early, pushed into their respective quadrants.
Dohate led his men from the northern flank down the steep, exposed path towards the outer defenses. The effective return fire by the defenders made the advance a struggle. As they advanced over rocky ground, they were forced to stop, as the troops manning the walls of Fort Mercer stopped the advance with effective rifle fire. Some of Dohate's men eventually arrived at the palisade of the outer defenses, where an advance party of carpenters attempted to pass their way through the wall. Dohate helped his men cut through the palisade, and attempted to send men to destroy the fort itself but was unable due to the conglomerate of defensive fire. The fires were in fact petitioned as a blockhouse occupied by 15 regulars and 15 irregulars armed with rifles and repeaters and all men who made it to the palisade were eventually killed.
Dohate unsheathed his tomahawk as he led his men down the plains as they raged. The defenders opened fire at close range, and Dohate was killed instantly, shot through the head that burst his skull by a rifle bullet while most of the men charging beside him were either killed or wounded. The few men of the advance party who survived fled back towards the hill; only a few escaped unhurt. As the next two most senior chiefs, Tuketu and Hassun, were also killed, command was assumed by the young Oda, who decided it was suicidal to try to advance again. Many of Dohate's troops were killed or injured in the attack; one of the few remaining uninjured troops led the survivors back to Mercer Station and eventually north, leaving Dohate's body behind.
Mallete and Tahatan's Attack
Dohate's body now lies in the ground along with others, and he is surrounded by his men, including some men in army uniforms and in native garb. Blood and gunsmoke swirl around the scene. This was the first sign of loss.
While Dohate was making his advance, Mallete advanced with the main body towards the fort at the northern end of a large hill. Leading Mallete's advance were 30 scouts together with repeaters. Behind them were the rest of the natives, then the French-Canadian volunteers, and finally the rearguard consisted of those who had decided to join the Natives.
They passed the hillside and some gun emplacements undetected. However, as the advance party moved around the fort, heavy fire broke out onto them. The defenders opened fire with their rifles and hurled grenades down from the walls. The scouts were caught in heavy fire in an attempt to cross and was abandoned by the main party. The height of the walls made it impossible to return the defenders' fire, therefore Mallete ordered his men to run forward to the flanks that were behind the walls.
They advanced through a series of hills, where they once again came under fire as they approached a barricade manned by 5 irregulars. Mallete had planned to use the scouts he brought with him, but since they were lost, he no choice but to order a frontal attack. As he was organizing his men in an attempt to take the barricade, Mallete received a deep wound in the leg from a rifle round that apparently ricocheted, and retreated to the rear after transferring command of his detachment to Tahatan. Tahatan a tough, Native frontiersman well respected by his men, personally led the assault, attempting to scale a ladder up to the barricade but failed on his first attempt. On his second attempt, Tahatan made to the top of the barricade, but retreated to escape the bayonets of the defenders before the rest of his men followed up. They were then driven back by Radzikowski and his irregulars before any significant progress would be made and would retreat to more strategic locations. After a few minutes of fighting, 24 Natives were killed while the defenders had lost 1 dead and six wounded.
Under Tahatan's command, they nearly captured the fort, but after being driven back, they had difficulty advancing further because of the twisting rifle fire, which prevented the assaulting party from pushing effectively. Moreover, despite Tahatan's exhortations to advance, his men were afraid of being overpowered by their adversaries and wanted to wait for the rest of the native forces to come up, leading to a 10-minute delay. Tahatan and his men holed up behind solid cover to dry out their enemy and rearm, but they eventually came under increasing fire; Radzikowski had realized the attacks on the northern gates were feints and began concentrating his forces on the flanks.
Rostad was speaking with Radzikowski when he learned of the assault on the fort, and wished to take with him 10 men to stop the assault but Radzikowski explained the would-be disastrous outcome. At the rear, Radzikowski found some troops who were confused about what was going on and he gave his orders to continue holding the line. Radzikowski ordered some regulars into the structures to protect Rostad while ordering the irregular troops to form a firing line. As Tahatan and his men advanced with the intention of flanking the fort, they were confronted by a group of irregulars by a man named Perry who demanded their surrender. Tahatan in reply shot Perry dead while the irregulars retreated; shouting "Mercer is Ours!", Tahatan then led a charge into Mercer. Radzikowski's irregular highlanders and regulars opened fire from the windows in the structures and from the walls. With the storm of bullets raining down on them, the Natives were all beaten back. An attempt to outflank the barricade by going through one of the structures led to a savage fight in the fort with tomahawk against blade, but was also repulsed. Under increasing heavy fire, Tahatan once more ordered his men to retreat.
Radzikowski managed to organize a small force of 10 men to attempt in stopping Tahatan on their retreat. Radzikowski led his men up to the walls once more, consisting of Highlanders, where they encountered a Native force under Tuari who was coming up to aid Tahatan. As Tuari's men had little ammunition, they could not use their repeaters and Tuari and the rest of his men were killed in action. Radzikowski then turned against Morgan's group, who proved to be more stubborn. Radzikowski himself was later wounded after a sniper's bullet fractured his shoulder, but the attempts of the Natives to breakthrough were blocked. As the fighting continued, the Natives' fire was becoming less effective, and their abilities to advance were becoming less and less graduate. The Natives also ran out of ammunition and one by one, groups of attackers were killed. With no avenue of attack and under heavy fire, Tahatan and his men retreat. The battle was over by 10 AM. Tahatan was the last to retreat and rather than give up, he vowed revenge. Finally, Rostad ordered an assault on the remaining battery of troops outside the walls, and afterwards the Natives withdrew back behind the safety of Mercer Station. Found on the Native and other corpses were notes reading "Suffer With Me".
This was the first defeat suffered by the Tall Trees Confederacy. Radzikowski reported 48 Natives killed and 35 wounded, including about two-thirds of Tahatan's force. He also wrote that "many perished on the Retreat" attempting to get away. Radzikowski reported that 20 bodies were recovered the following day. Defender casualties were comparatively light. Radzikowski's initial report to General Rostad mentioned only three killed and six wounded, but other witness reports ranged as high as ten. Radzikowski's official report listed five killed and 14 wounded.
Dohate's body was recovered by the North American Defense Force and was given an honorable military funeral, paid for by Captain Radzikowski. The body was returned to Tall Trees. Together with the losses taken in the battle and the expiring enlistments left Tahatan's war party with only 54 men after the battle. Tahatan asked for more volunteers, as he did not wish to send his own people to the graves, but many refused, saying they were afraid that Tahatan did not care for them. An appeal to help led to the reply that he could spare no more of his Native troops to fight as the problem of less and less Natives were able to fight, however, Tahatan later had succeeded in persuading some of the Owanjita to fight for the Tribe.
Final Siege of the Fortress
Tahatan, refusing to give up; despite being now nearly outnumbered, he laid siege to Mercer a second time. The siege had relatively little effect on the Fort, which Radzikowski claimed had enough supplies stockpiled to last until May. Immediately after the battle, sent runners to Tall Trees, where they informed the rest of the confederacy of the defeat. They then travelled on to Quebec to report the defeat and request support. In response to their report, the Tall Trees Confederacy and a French-Canadian militia known as the "Guerriers du Quebec" (Warriors of Quebec) ordered reinforcements to be raised and sent south. During the battle small troops of men hastily recruited made their way south to supplement the attacking garrison at Fort Mercer. Tahatan used his remaining troops to suppress the defenders, which caused some damage, but did little did to weaken Radzikowski's hold. Radzikowski continued to hold the blockhouses and walls over the course of the second battle to prevent an attempt to outflank the walls of Fort Mercer.
The presence of disease in the camp outside Mercer, especially cholera, took a significant toll on the besiegers, as did a general lack of provisions. Cholera ravaged Tahatan's forces largely due to exposure to infected corpses. Radzikowski condoned this practice, realizing it would severely weaken the Native siege effort. Tahatan brought some of his troops to Armadillo to attempt to purchase new supplies, after using up all his gold could only pay for supplies with paper money, not coin, which proved to be problematic as the habitants wanted coins, and increasingly tensions forced the Natives to kill the habitants to take the supplies. Together with the news of the slaughter of innocent civilians carried out by Natives, the requisitions of food and firewood made the besiegers more and more unpopular with the habitants who wanted the Natives to go home. Tahatan, wanting to avoid more fighting, retreated to Tall Trees, leaving his second in command, Notaku in charge.
Rostad, wanting to go on the offensive, counseled with Radzikowski. Radzikowski suggested, that despite appearing to have a significant advantage in manpower, they should not attack the Natives, and remained within Mercer's walls. Radzikowski, analyzing the situation before the battle, had observed and knew that they would pay a heavy price for leaving the fort's defenses, ultimately losing the fort and their lives. Army General Jacob Hudson had also lost a battle outside the fort in 1847; Tahatan judged that Radzikowski was unlikely to repeat their mistakes. On January 23rd, a miller from the southern shore of Plainview, reached Fort Mercer and informed Rostad there was a militia ready to act against the Natives. These men and more were mobilized to make an attack on a Native camp in northern New Austin, but Rostad and Radzikowski sent orders not to attack, wishing for more diplomatic options first.
To rally support in New Austin, Tahatan sent a three-man commission consisting together with pro-Patriot ideals. The commission arrived in Armadillo and attempted to undo the damage done, but found that public opinion had turned against them. Several leaders pointedly asked the commissioners that if the rebellion was justified because of "liberation from oppression", then why had Tahatan slaughtered several civilians in the town. The commissioners talked extensively with their fellow citizens in a bid to win their support, but reported that the majority were satisfied with the North American Defense Force, and were unwilling to support the Natives. Though the commissioners rescinded Tahatan's decisions and allowed members of the innocent populace to freely roam the Tall Trees region, by then the political damage could not be repaired.
The conditions of the battle led Notaku to conclude that another siege was impossible to maintain, and began preparing to retreat to northern New Austin. On January 24th, the Natives sent a small diversion party to Fort Mercer in an attempt to burn out the fort but were gunned down by the defenders. The arrival on of a small local militia known as the "Cowboys" as the vanguard of the much larger government forces, accelerated the Native preparations to retreat. The retreat was turned into a near rout when Rostad ordered these fresh forces, along with most of his existing garrison, out of the fort to face the disorganized Natives. The Native forces, ravaged by cholera, eventually retreated all the way back to their. Rostad then launched a counteroffensive to destroy the camps. Although he defeated the Natives in the Siege of Fort Mercer and regained control of Rio Bravo, the rear guard defense managed by Notaku prevented further action to pursue the Natives.
Aftermath
On January 25th, even before the Natives had been completely driven from New Austin, Rostad ordered a survey to identify the Canadians who had helped the Native expedition in and around Fort Mercer. He sent a party to travel New Austin and counted the Canadians who actively provided such help; they determined that at least 25 had done so. Rostad was somewhat lenient with minor offenders, and even freed a number of more serious offenders on the promise of good behavior. However, he promised that once the Natives had been driven from the state, measures against supporters of the Native cause will be harsher, with forced labor and executions. These measures had the effect of minimizing the public expression of support for the Natives for the rest of the war.
Nearly 40 additional government troops arrived at Fort Mercer on January 25th. They were under the command of Sergeant Sam Witchleson. These forces, some of which having participated in Rostad's counteroffensive, spent time putting a significant strain on the population. Rostad told the habitants that the quartering of the government troops was punishment for their "disloyalty" in not coming out in greater numbers when he summoned the militia. The French-Canadian historian Hector Valluy described Radzikowski as having "wisely" avoided battle outside of Fort Mercer, but overall his commanding officer in the campaign was "lack-lustre", which led to some operations failing.
Following the government victory at the Siege of Fort Mercer, the government once again considered invading Tall Trees and once again, voted for another invasion to be commanded by General Rostad. However, Rostad found the necessary supplies and horses to support an invasion were lacking once and he advised cancelling the operation, advice that the government accepted. The news that the Natives had strengthened the region of Tall Trees meant that an invasion of Tall Trees would require a substantial number of men and resources that were not available owning to operations elsewhere. Tall Trees status as one of the strongest and securest Native regions in North America meant it would require a massive amount of force to take. The idea of invading Tall Trees continued to be debated, but no decision was ever made. Radzikowski and Rostad, attended peace negotiations in Armadillo for ending the American-Indian War, the delegation asked for the cession of Tall Trees to the United States. As the government did not have possession of Tall Trees at the time, the Natives refused and the government diplomats did not press the point. Had the North American Defense Forces been victorious at the proposed Siege of Tall Trees, and were in possession of Tall Trees at the time of the peace negotiations, the American diplomats in Armadillo might have been more successful in demanding Tall Trees to officially become part of the United States. The Natives disregarded the peace treaty and suggested further war before leaving under neutral grounds.
Three current of the Ranger units in Rad's Rangers trace their lineage to the units that participated in the Siege of Fort Mercer.
Battle of Hamlin's Passing - Death Raids - Battle of Cholla Springs
The Battle of Hamlin's Passing, also known as the Hamlin Massacre, occurred on January 28th, 1894. The North American Defense Force set out to attempt to restore peace with the Tall Trees Confederacy. Traveling down from Fort Mercer to a road heading towards Hamlin's Passing, after arriving at their destination, they encountered the Tall Trees Confederacy as well as the famous "Cowboys" Militia led by former gunslinger James McKee. Less than an hour after encountering the tribe, they quickly realized that these Native American warriors had no intentions of peace. The troops quickly shifted into a ring formation, and all the officers were put into the center of the ring. The warriors attacked both the Militia and the Defense Force, killing and mutilating several of the defenders bodies. After the battle, the hostile native warriors inflicted major damage on government-affiliated forces but were forced to escape, one of which was Tahatan. As soon as the United States Government learned of the incident, sent the Defense Force to search for the warriors responsible for the raid. In the end, members of the "Cowboys" Militia and Defense Force met the warriors once more in the heartlands of Cholla Springs, notwithstanding intervention, well equipped with loaded rifles and revolvers and ready to fight, attempted to secure peace again, but to no avail. Another fight broke lose and both sides garnered ill-fated losses, with Natives being forced to retreat and later incited the Death Raids, which turned into the Battle of Cholla Springs.
The Death Raids were the largest and most devastating raids ever mounted by Native Americans in New Austin. It followed the Battle of Hamlin's Passing, in which members of the Defense Force had come to negotiate a peace treaty but ended up in a battle against the Natives. The Tall Trees Confederacy were reluctant on making peace and wished for further war. Arguments and fighting then broke out among the factions, forcing the Natives to retreat. To avenge what the Tall Trees Confederacy viewed as a bitter betrayal by the Defense Force, War Chief Tahatan raised a huge war party of many of the bands of the Tall Trees Confederacy, and raided deep into settled areas of New Austin.
Raids
Many of the Native warriors came from Tall Trees, confident that they could terrorize New Austin and escape to safety across the Montana Ford, which was technically another legal jurisdiction. The raids had been planned by a large band of Native warriors, approx 180 warriors, under the leadership of Tahatan, Viho, Black Wolf and Red Bear. Hidden in a thicket of scrub near a U.S. Army Convoy, they observed the slow approach of General Arthur Price's inspection retinue of his 10 troops. Although the war party outnumbered the US Army troops by ten to one, they didn't attack, maybe because the Army troopers would have inflicted too many casualties. The Native story is that, the previous night, Black Wolf, the "fighting shaman", had prophesied that this small party would be followed by a larger one with more lives for the taking. The braves were rewarded three hours later when a civilian caravan was passing through the region. The Natives attacked and quickly overwhelmed this convoy. Over 30 innocent civilians were slaughtered and three managed to escape. One of the civilians was captured and tortured to death with fire by the Natives, his tongue cut out. The warriors lost three of their own, but left with wagons heavily laden with supplies. It was well after dark before the survivors reached the nearby Fort Mercer and told their harrowing tale to the very officer whose party had passed unharmed under the Native guns, General Arthur Price. General Arthur Price ordered the arrests of the war chiefs but was engaged in conflict with them. Viho was killed on a train as he tried to escape the column of United States soldiers. The Native war party ambushed General Arthur Price's column in the first open conflict in years. Arthur Price was killed in battle, along with his men. The Natives lost 32 warriors in the fighting but maintained the victory.
Black Wolf gathers the tribes
War Shaman Black Wolf was determined to do more than merely complain about what Tahatan viewed as a bitter betrayal. Spreading word to the other bands of Native tribes that he was raiding the settlements in revenge, Black Wolf led the Death Raids campaign. Black Wolf gathered a huge raiding party, at least 400 warriors, with wives and young boys along to provide comfort and do the work. Altogether as many as a thousand warriors may have set out from Tall Trees to New Austin to perform the Death Raids. On the raids the Natives went all the way from the plains of West Elizabeth to the towns of MacFarlane's Ranch and Armadillo in New Austin. In what may have been the largest organized raids by the Natives to that point, they raided and burned these towns, killed and plundered at will.
MacFarlane's Ranch
The huge war party crossed into Hennigan's Stead and first attacked the ranch-town of MacFarlane's Ranch, February 6th. A special force was stood up from Radzikowski's irregulars that was tasked with tracking the Native war party. Although the Defense Force had found the tracks of a gigantic war party coming out of West Elizabeth, and were shadowing the onrushing Natives, part of the war party broke off and attacked MacFarlane's Ranch before the citizens could be warned. One resident wrote, "We of MacFarlane's Ranch were startled by the apparitions presented by the sudden appearance of six hundred mounted Savages in the immediate outskirts of the village." The citizens of MacFarlane's Ranch hid in the buildings, and the Natives, after killing a dozen or so townspeople and riding up and down, departed MacFarlane's Ranch when rifle fire from the buildings began to make the riding dangerous. The war party intended to gather horses and loot Armadillo, which was not as prepared for the Natives as MacFarlane's Ranch. After the attack on MacFarlane's Ranch, the Natives camped the night of February 6th, at a newly established Native campsite of Mascalero.
The Rape of Armadillo
Early February 8th, 1894, the Natives surrounded the small town but prominent town of Armadillo, which was the largest town in New Austin at the time, and began pillaging the stores and houses. Armadillo, which became nearly a ghost town, was also stricken with Cholera at the same time. The Natives reportedly killed over 70 civilians, including women, children, and District Marshal Lewis Ward, who had delayed his escape to allow his family to escape safely. After killing Ward, the Natives captured and slaughtered his wife, and three children.
Realizing that the Natives would have no experience on water, the townspeople fled prudently from the raiders to the safety of the San Luis River. They were saved by a ship captained by Corey H. Stone, which was at anchor in the bay. While safe in the water, the refugees witnessed the destruction and looting of their town, unable to do a thing to thwart the curse upon them.
For that entire day the Natives plundered and burned buildings, draping themselves grandly in top hats and stolen linens. They tied feather beds and bolts of cloth to their horses, and dragged them. They herded large numbers of cattle into pens and slaughtered them. One outraged citizen, Roland 'The Tudisco Kid' Maxwell, a former gunslinger and bank robber, grabbed his gun and waded ashore through the shallow water, and roared and shot at the bemused warriors, killing at least seven, but the Natives captured and chose to spare him, believing him mad. He later found that he had waded ashore to face nearly a thousand Natives with only 20 rounds of ammunition.
At the time of the Great Raids, many trade goods were en route from overseas to West Elizabeth and New Austin; a total inventory valued at over $1,000,000 was reported to be at Armadillo at that moment, including an undisclosed amount of gold bullions. Armadillo's Mayor, Charlie Moss noted that in addition to the cloth and other trade goods usually present in his warehouse at that time were several cases of hats and umbrellas belonging to Christopher Mainse, a Saint Denis merchant. "These the Indians made free with, and went dashing about the blazing village, amid their screeching squaws and `little fucking Indian sons of bitches,' like demons in a drunken saturnalia, with Mainse's hats on their heads and umbrellas bobbing about on every side like tipsy young balloons." After loading loot onto their various wagons and mules, the raiders, finally began their retreat on the afternoon on February 8, 1894.
The Battle of Cholla Springs
Radzikowski's irregulars, and the Defense Force had been trailing the war party for some time, unable to engage them because of their sheer numbers. But the raid on Armadillo at gave the "Cowboys" Militia and Defense Force a chance to gather more troops. Volunteers from West Elizabeth, and New Austin joined up with the Defense Force and the "Cowboys" Militia, including Roland Maxwell. The government forces moved to intercept the Natives. They made contact in the heartlands of Cholla Springs, near Armadillo on February 12th. The Natives, who normally fared about as a fast and deadly light cavalry, were detained considerably by the pace of the captive, slower pack mules and wagons. The normal Native tactic was to ride as fast as possible away from the scene of a victory, but on this occasion they slowed to a gentler pace acceptable to the heavily laden pack mules and wagons. Thus, the Defense Force and the Militia caught the raiders, which normally they found impossible. The Battle of Cholla Springs was really a running gun battle, where the government forces attempted to kill the raiders and recover loot, and the Natives simply attempted to get away. Although only a dozen bodies were recovered, government forces reported killing 80 Natives, and the war party losses were probably higher than normal. But greed saved the Natives in turn; when the "Cowboys" Militia discovered the stolen bullions, they abandoned the fight, divided their loot, and went home.
Conclusion
The Death Raids was the largest Native series of raids on cities in the history of New Austin. The war party literally burned one city to the ground. They took over 3,000 horses and mules, and millions of dollars of other plunder, ranging from gold to cloth and mirrors. Unfortunately for the war party, the sheer volume of loot slowed them down, and made them vulnerable to attack from government forces that otherwise would never have caught them. Equally, the "Cowboys" Militia missed an opportunity to destroy the bulk of the raiding party when they concentrated on recovering and dividing the recovered bullions and other plunder. This left the North American Defense Force to fight for itself, and the Natives escaped east back to Mascalero to recover, in their escape, Radzikowski and his irregulars tracked them to their campsite, which would lead to the Battle of Mascalero, or more commonly known as the Mascalero Massacre.
The Battle of Mascalero
The Battle of Mascalero, or more commonly known as the Mascalero Massacre was an attack by government forces on a Tall Trees Confederacy village and campsite known as Mascalero on February 20th, 1894, during the American-Indian War. It has been described as one of the most horrific frontier massacres of the war. A force of government loyalists and members of the North American Defense Force descended on Mascalero, whose defenders, despite warnings, and being prepared for an attack, were slaughtered. During the raid, government loyalists in particular targeted non-combatants, and reports state that 30 such individuals were slain, in addition to a number of armed defenders.
The attacking forces were under the overall command of General Charles Rostad and under direct command of Captain Mateuszek Radzikowski, who exercised little authority over the loyalists on the expedition. Historian Jordan Davies describes Rostad's command of the expedition as "criminally incompetent". The loyalists were angered by accusations that they had committed atrocities at the Battle of Cholla Springs, and the recent destruction of their towns in New Austin. Rostad's authority with the loyalists was undermined by his poor treatment of Roland Maxwell, the leader of the loyalists. Rostad repeatedly maintained, against accusations that he permitted the atrocities to take place, that he was powerless to restrain the loyalists.
During the campaign, Rostad achieved a reputation for brutality and cowardness. He was not directly present at the Battle of Cholla Springs — although many thought he was — and while Radzikowski held Rostad in high regard, he was left to actively sought to minimize the atrocities that took place in New Austin and Mascalero. Diaries belonging to Defense Force troops during the campaign state the Force as being the butchers and given that Rostad was the overall commander of the expedition, there is controversy with whom actually ordered or failed to restrain the killings. The massacre contributed to calls for reprisals, leading to further battles which drove the Tall Trees Confederacy out of New Austin.
With the Death Raids, the American-Indian War in New Austin became another frontier war. The Armadillo and MacFarlane's Ranch were especially targeted for their fertile soil and large supplies. French-Canadian leaders in the Province of Quebec supported Tall Trees and other Native American partisan fighters with supplies and armaments. During mid-February, Charles Rostad and Radzikowski developed plans to attack the Native settlement of Mascalero. On February 14th, Rostad established a base of operations at Armadillo. He recruited a mix of loyalists estimated to number between two and three hundred by the time he began his campaign in Mascalero. One of his objectives was to acquire provisions for his forces and those of who was planning operations in Hennigan's Stead.
Rostad began his campaign on February 16th with a raid on Twin's Rock, and raided other hostile communities throughout the few days up to the battle. The local gangs and Natives defending the area were ineffective against the attackers, who typically escaped from the scene of the raid before the attackers arrived in full force. After Radzikowski and some of his newly established "Rangers" attacked a German-held gang encampment on February 18th, the Defense Force organized a punitive expedition to destroy the village of Mascalero.
While Radzikowski was active in Pike's Basin valley, Rostad descended with a large mixed force and raided a Native encampment in Greenhollow. This action complicated affairs, for the loyalists in Rostad's force were accused of massacring noncombatants, and a number of loyalist militiamen violated their parole not long afterward, participating in a reprisal expedition against the innocent populace. The lurid propaganda associated with the accusations against the loyalists in particular angered them, as did the destruction of recent settlements. In concurrence, the Twin Rocks attack, even though Radzikowski was not present, fueled among his opponents the view of him also as a particularly brutal opponent.
Radzikowski then joined forces with Captain Devan Cervantez, leading his platoon of Rangers under overall command of General Rostad for an attack on the major Mascalero settlement of Hennigan's Stead. Radzikowski's forces included roughly 20 to 40 experienced irregular veterans. As the force moved toward Mascalero, Radzikowski and Rostad quarreled over Rostad's recruitment of loyalists, whom Radzikowski did not trust. Rostad was unhappy at Radzikowski's successes in this sphere, and threatened to withhold provisions to Radzikowski's irregulars. Ninety troops and volunteers ended up leaving the expedition, and Rostad himself was on the verge of doing so when Radzikowski convinced him to stay. The dispute did not sit well with the loyalist forces, and may have undermined Rostad's tenuous authority over them.
Massacre
Mascalero had a palisaded establishment that surrounded the site. It was garrisoned by over 100 Natives commanded by Black Wolf. Black Wolf and his men were alerted through spies that the Defense Force was moving against Mascalero. He took elementary precautions and readied his troops for battle.
The Defense Force arrived near Mascalero late on February 19th, and established a cold camp to avoid detection. Reconnaissance of the camp identified the weaknesses of Black Wolf's arrangements, and the attacking forces decided to send one force against Black Wolf's headquarters and his command and another against the camp itself. Rostad extracted promises from the loyalists in the party that they would not harm noncombatants in a council held that night.
The attack began early on the morning of February 20th. Some overeager loyalists spoiled the surprise by firing on Natives cutting wood nearby. One of them escaped, raising the alarm. Radzikowski led his irregulars to surround Black Wolf, while the main body surrounded the camp. The attackers killed at least seventy Natives, including women, children and warriors alike, as well as Black Wolf, who was cut down while he was charging towards the attacking forces. Most accounts say Black Wolf was within reach of the attackers, only to stop and shot dead by his pursuer, who may have been Radzikowski. His revolver repeatedly misfired and he was killed by a thrown tomahawk hitting him in the forehead. Red Bear, second in command, also quartered at Mascalero, was taken prisoner. Some Native women and children attempted to run through a hail of bullets to escape the site; but were all killed. Those attacking the site gained entry, leading to hand-to-hand combat inside. After killing most of the native warriors, the loyalists slaughtered the entire village, which was made up of women and children.
The attack on the site was successful—laden heavy weapons, they were able to make significant impressions on the site. After it's capture, the site was then guarded by the Defense Force while the loyalists rampaged through the rest of the settlement. Not a single structure was left standing, and the loyalists, seeking revenge, were reported to have slaughtered anyone they encountered. Rostad and Radzikowski attempted to restrain their actions but were unsuccessful. Radzikowski in particular was horried to learn that a number of families who were well known to him and whom he had counted as friends had borne the brunt of the loyalists rampage.
Capt. Radzikowski, described the attack in his journal:
"Mascalero is littered with bodies, blood and metal. Red is the new color of what was once a beautiful place, which became the stage of a large scale assault.
The air which would normally be full of nature's sounds is now carrying a thick, black smoke and small embers, enough to destroy whatever courage is left in all of us.
We fought each other because of political outrage, but as we won the fight, we also lost it. The dead of their side lay in large groups across the site and the faces of their innocents are hopeful with their muscles tense and anxious and hope in their hearts, that they'd survive.
Some of us have succumbed to hysteria and were no longer capable of moving, while the innocents fought merely for the sake of survival. The toll on morality is devastating.
Everything hurt. It'd probably take a simple and obvious decision to either give up or keep going at this point, but that decision just didn't seem to come. Their entire body was trembling now. Weak and exhausted it costed them all their remaining strength to keep fighting. They longed for their home, but that wasn't an option to them. All they cared about was surviving.
After seeing what people can do, my mind became broken, I felt it. Weak, and beyond repair. I was down on my knees, soon I would have hoped to be down on my back. I wanted to to stand up, but I couldn't. My legs, wouldn't move. My body wouldn't move.
I couldn't breathe. Everything was so heavy. I thought I didn't have the strength to fight anymore after what I had just seen.
Everything was hazy, I couldn't make sense of it all. I have seen war before, but the slaughter of innocents? I couldn't take this."
Radzikowski identified the fatalities of the massacre as Black Wolf, over eighty Native warriors, and fifty civilian inhabitants.
Accounts surrounding the capture of Red Bear report that he was about to be killed, but Radzikowski intervened. "Radzikowski, much to the despise of Rostad, saved the life of Red Bear, who was made prisoner when Black Wolf was killed. It is said Red Bear was let go, but it was told that he had later been executed by the loyalists."
Aftermath
The next morning Rostad sent Radzikowski and some rangers back into the village to complete its destruction. The Rangers took 70 captives from the loyalists, all of them women and children. Radzikowski managed to have all of his captives released, but the rest were distributed loyalists until they were executed. The Mascalero Massacre has been since then known as the "Fury of the Loyalists".
War Chief Tahatan, in justifying the action at Mascalero, wrote to Rostad that "you Burned our Homes, which makes us very angry, so that we destroyed, men, women and Children at the Pacific Union Railroad Encampment." The loyalists then "declared they would no more be falsely accused, or fight the Enemy twice" (the latter being an indication that they would refuse quarter in the future). Radzikowski reported that "notwithstanding my utmost precaution and endeavors to save the Women and Children, I could not prevent some of them falling unhappy victims to the Fury of the Loyalists," but also that he spent most of his time guarding the encampment during the Native raid. Rostad was so upset at Radzikowski's inability to control the loyalists that he refused to see him, writing "such indiscriminate vengeance taken even upon the treacherous and cruel enemy they are engaged against is useless and disreputable to themselves, as it is contrary to the dispositions and maxims of whose cause they are fighting." Radzikowski continued to insist in later writings that he was not at fault for the events of the day.
Legacy
A funeral was dedicated to Mascalero on February 24th, 1894, at the centennial month of the massacre. Radzikowski delivered a dedication address saying:
"I am here today not only to show reverence for the innocent, but to offer my respects and heartfelt gratitude to the living. It is to be hoped that their example will be copied; that the report of these commemorative exercises will move others to like acts of pious duty. Let every son of this soil uncover reverently as this funeral is unveiled, and do reverence to their sturdy patriotism, made strong by their grand faith, their trials, and their sufferings, and show that the blood of innocent children, of wives, of sisters, of mothers, and of brave men, was not shed in vain. Let us show the world that they have added to the value of that noble sacrifice. Thus we shall leave this sacred spot better men and women, with a higher and nobler purpose of life than that which animated us when we entered this domain of the dead."
The violent war of 1894 brought calls for the North American Defense Force to take further action. Cherry Valley, along with the accusations of murder of non-combatants at Wyoming, helped pave the way for the launch of the Tall Trees Expedition, commissioned and directly led by Rostad. The expedition attempted to secure peace one last time, but the expedition was attacked and nearly destroyed. Throughout the expedition, Captain Paige voluntarily sent himself to the Native homelands of Tall Trees and attempted to secure peace. Both attempts failed, however, to stop the war, which continued with renewed severity.
The Tall Trees Expedition
The Tall Trees Expedition was a pivotal operation of the American-Indian War to end the war by both the Tall Trees Confederacy and the North American Defense Force. The expedition led directly to the loss of Cochinay and the remainder of Tall Trees the following year.
The United States government realized that with Tall Trees under Native control, the United States could not push against the Natives without being unmolested for an attack. After previous peace treaties were turned back due to a strong Native and refusal for peace, the North American Defense Force under the leadership of Charles Rostad resolved to try an attempt at peace one last time.
Rostad assigned the task of security of the expedition to Captain Radzikowski. At this time, Captain Cody Paige volunteered to infiltrate the meeting area to assist in establishing peace, with Rostad approving. As they had previously, the Defense Force planned to operate in a defensive capacity. It was also to the expedition that the "Cowboys" Militia were responsible for maintaining security and peace within the region to prevent any further bloodshed. Radzikowski, realizing the militia was untrustworthy due to their previous actions, strengthened the security of the expedition,
The Tall Trees Confederacy consequently abandoned their attempt to reinforce peace previously, and only resorted to violence. Most of the Native men were gathered to block unwanted entrance. On March 6th, a Native war party tried to slip out of Tall Trees under the cover of a dense fog, but was intercepted and seized by the U.S. Army before being allowed back to their region.
The Defense Force assembled at MacFarlane's Ranch where the units spent their time training together as the expedition came together. After the large gathering was announced at Nekoti Rock, on March 7th, the Expedition departed from MacFarlane's Ranch for Tall Trees.
The expedition consisted of 50 troops, most whom were men-of-war. Housed in reserve at MacFarlane's Ranch were almost all of the rest of Regulars, as well as Rangers. The expedition was divided into three section: Red, commanded by Mateuszek Radzikowski, Blue, commanded by Charles Rostad and White commanded by Devan Cervantez. On early March 8th, the Expedition anchored the Pacific Union Railroad Camp.
Tahatan had at his disposal some between 100 and 1,500 Natives as well as approximately multiple French-Canadian troops. Unlike the previous battles, the Defense Force was unable to assemble in significant numbers, leaving the Expedition outnumbered five to one by the Natives.
Ambush
At 16:00 on March 8th, the Defense Force moved inland to the meeting site at Nekoti Rock over forest and mountainous terrain. When the column passed Manzanita Post, they were stopped by two of the militiamen from the "Cowboys" Militia, who told the Expedition that a peace meeting was underway and the Natives did not wish to be interrupted. As the column was halted, over 100 native warriors were moving into position for ambush. The Natives wore concealed garment and were armed with tomahawks, knives, bows and Buffalo Rifles. The Defense Force had swords and carbine rifles. The battle began when the Natives ambushed the Defense Force, attacking enmass. Realizing something was not right, Radzikowski yelled "ambush!" as he spotted the Native party preparing to engage. The ambush shook the Defense Force and many troops were killed by rifle fire. Radzikowski ordered the troops to dismount and fight, but after realizing that they were in a losing battle, ordered his troops, including a shocked Rostad to mount their horses and retreat while he provided cover fire. During the retreat, Radzikowski chose to stay behind and performed a flanking maneuver on the left side of the mass of warriors towards a deadzone. This forced the Natives they dispersed themselves amongst the forest. At this time, the expedition successfully retreated from Tall Trees back towards Hennigan's Stead, with Radzikowski saving Rostad from "burning at the stake".
Radzikowski, with limited ammunition, decided to acquire friendly and enemy weapons, including ammunition to continue holding off the Natives. Using the knowledge of frontier warfare, Radzikowski managed to repulse a final attack from the Natives after they had regrouped. Reportedly, Radzikowski killed approximately 45 Native warriors, including the two chiefs, after a fierce half an hour battle. At least 36 others were wounded. Radzikowski was wounded by multiple shots, hurt badly, but continued to fight before being hit in the leg with a tomahawk and passing out. Radzikowski survived the encounter and woke up during the late night, with the Natives believing him dead. Radzikowski, under the cover of darkness, was forced to find medical herbs and items, as well as attempt to find a way to escape while simultaneously avoiding Native patrols. Radzikowski managed to fixate his wounds and sneaked up towards a small Native encampment which was filled with supplies and horses, he encountered two Native warriors and reportedly killed all of them with his tomahawk before stealing a horse, making his escape past Tanner's Span towards Hennigan's Stead while under heavy fire.
After the ambush, Radzikowski returned to MacFarlane's Ranch where Rostad was waiting. He spread the news of a possible betrayal by both Paige and the Militia. Radzikowski noted that the Militia and Paige were founded assisting the Natives but not directly engaging the Defense Force, he also noted that dozens of weapons, horses and equipment was lost during the ambush, and a large amount of ammunition was used in battle. Radzikowski received much credit for his heroic acts which was considered one of the most impressive acts to ever be performed by an individual. He was promoted to the rank of Major once more and was offered the Victoria Cross for his bravery but respectfully declined, claiming he didn't deserve it.
Recuperation and Preparation
After the infamous ambush, Rostad and Radzikowski reorganized and prepared for a major offensive. The preparation took nearly one year and was focused on standing up new companies of the North American Defense Force to assist in neutralizing the Tall Trees Confederacy. Weather conditions from March to May made any assault impossible and the Defense Force was only able to mount a bombardment of the improvised defenses of Tall Trees from a distance. However, throughout the months, conditions improved, and at daybreak on June 8th, Radzikowski led a small-scale raid using only melee weapons and pistols. His task was to test the defenses of the Tall Trees Confederacy. During the raid, defenses were initially successful and after gathering enough information, Radzikowski ordered a retreat. However, at the last minute, a load of light infantry, particularly members of his Ranger pocket found a rocky inlet protected from Native fire and secured a fighting front. Radzikowski finally redirected his troops to retreat. Outflanked, they retreated rapidly back to Hennigan's Stead.
Continuing heavy weather and the difficulty inherent to moving siege equipment over boggy terrain delayed the commencement of the formal siege. From June 12th to January 27th, the North American Defense Force stood up four companies to seize Bearclaw Camp, which dominated the entrance to Tall Trees. This they did on March 12th, 1895. After eleven days, four of the six companies were placed on reserve as per Rostad's orders. The remaining companies were in position and the orders were given to open fire on the Natives. Each company consisted of 200 troops, which totaled to 400 troops to fight in Tall Trees. Within hours, the troops had taken over the camp and established a temporary outpost before being forced to retreat back to Hennigan's Stead on April 7th after a large Native assault drove them from the region. After this, the campaign stalled and took several months before the continuity of the campaign was ensured. Most of the previous engagements were minimal centered around minor battles between the regions. On August 15th, 1895, Radzikowski was given the go-ahead to launch a scouting raid. Radzikowski took several of his troops to scout Tall Trees in anticipation of the final attack. The men dressed in concealed uniforms and slowly pushed into the forest, originally to provide intelligence but were later rechristened with "Kill Orders" directly at night. Eventually an enemy scout fired on them, but the intelligence they gathered was the factor that later led to a successful siege. During the retreat of Radzikowski and his scouts, a small engagement struck French-Canadian Abraham Gerin. A stiff breeze fanned the fire, and shortly after the engagement, two other French-Canadians, Moise Levette and Theo Bernier, had also caught rounds from the scouts' rifle. The French-Canadians were all killed upon impact, depriving the Natives of their most experienced foreign allied commanding officers.
The next major blow to Natives morale came on the evening of August 21st, at 10:00. A Ranger "hot shot" sniper killed Wyome. Wyome was the Chief of Medicine and prime Bonesetter for the Tall Trees Confederacy. Her death eroded confidence and reduced morale in the Native troops and their hopes to lift the siege.
Most historians regard the actions of August as the "straw that broke the camel's back". On September 10th, using thick fog as cover, Major Radzikowski sent out a cutting party to kill two major Native chiefs, Linwanu and Tsela. The raiders eliminated these two chiefs, capturing and burning Bearclaw Camp, thus clearing the way once more for the North American Defense Force to enter the Tall Trees. Otis Tanner, who later became famous as a gunslinger, took part in this operation and recorded it in his log book. On September 10th, the North American Defense Force launched an assault on Tall Trees.
Battle of Tall Trees
The Battle of Tall Trees, was a battle of the American-Indian War, fought on September 10th, 1895, between the Tall Trees Confederacy and the North American Defense Force at Tall Trees. Part of the Tall Trees Campaign, it was the first field army–level engagement in the theater of the American-Indian War to take place on United States soil. It was the bloodiest day in Native American history, with a combined tally of 2,884 dead, wounded, or missing.
After pursuing Tahatan into Tall Trees, Gen. Charles Rostad launched attacks against Tahatan's Native force, in defensive positions at Tall Trees. At dawn on September 10th, Rostad ordered Radzikowski to mount a powerful assault on Tahatan's right flank. Attacks and counterattacks swept across Manzanita Post, and fighting swirled around Bearclaw Camp. Assaults against the Natives eventually pierced the center, but the Federal advantage was not followed up. In the afternoon, Rostad entered the action, assisting in capturing Tall Trees and advancing against the Natives. As the attacking force moved in on Cochinay, at a crucial moment, Tahatan launched a surprise counterattack, driving back Rostad and ending the battle. Although outnumbered two-to-one, Rostad committed his entire force, while Tahatan sent in half of his troops, enabling the Defense Force to fight the Natives to a standstill. During the night, both armies consolidated their lines. In spite of crippling casualties, Tahatan continued to skirmish with Rostad and Radzikowski throughout September, while removing his battered south of the Nekoti Rock.
Despite having superiority of numbers, Tahatan's attacks failed to achieve force concentration, which allowed Rostad and Radzikowski to counter by shifting forces and moving along interior lines to meet each challenge. However, despite ample reserve forces that could have been deployed to exploit localized successes, Rostad failed to destroy Tahatan's army. Inturn, Radzikowski's persistent but erroneous belief that he was outnumbered contributed to his cautiousness throughout the campaign.
Tahatan had previously halted the Defense Force's invasion of Tall Trees, but was forced to withdraw his force to defensive posture due to interference from the cautious Radzikowski. Although the battle was tactically inconclusive, the Natives had lost more troops and objectives and retreated first, making it ultimately a strategic victory. It was such a significant victory to give President Alfred Macalister the confidence to announce his Proclamation of Savage Surrender, which discouraged any faction from pursuing any potential plans to recognize or assist the Tall Trees Confederacy.
Tahatan's force—retreated back to the state of West Elizabeth following the Defense Force's victory at Mascalero in February, 1894. Emboldened by success, the government leadership intended to take the war into enemy territory. Rostad's invasion of Tall Trees was intended to run simultaneously with an invasion of Cochinay by Radzikowski. It was also necessary for logistical reasons, as most farms had been stripped bare of food. Based on events such as the Blackwater Riots and the fact that President Macalister had to pass through the city in disguise en route to meet Governor Johns, Native leaders assumed that West Elizabeth would welcome the Natives warmly. But pro-Government sentiment was winning out, especially in the western parts of the state. Civilians generally hid inside their houses as Natives passed through their towns, watched in cold silence, or attacked them outright, while the North American Defense Force was cheered and encouraged. Tahatan believed that the prospect of foreign recognition would increase if the Tall Trees Confederacy won a military victory on government soil; such a victory might gain recognition and financial support from other factions, although there is no evidence that Tahatan thought he should base military plans on this possibility.
While Rostad and Radzikowski's mixed force was moving to takeover Tall Trees and intercept Tahatan, two Defense Force soldiers (Corporal Luca Sutton and Sergeant James Cameron) discovered a copy of Tahatan's orders on a deceased Native courier. The order indicated that Tahatan had gathered the rest of his force in Tall Trees and dispersed portions geographically (Aurora Basin, Manzanita Post, Tanner's Reach and Nekoti Rock), thus making each subject to isolation and defeat if Rostad and Radzikowski could move quickly enough. Rostad waited about 18 hours before deciding to take advantage of this intelligence and reposition his forces, thus squandering an opportunity to defeat Tahatan decisively.
There were two significant engagements in the Tall Trees campaign prior to the major Battle of Tall Trees: United States Army Maj. Gen. Finley Henderson's capture of Beecher's Hope and Radzikowski's assault through Bearclaw Camp. The former was significant because a portion of Tahatan's force was at Beecher's Hope from the start. The latter because stout Native defenses at Bearclaw Camp would delay Rostad's advance enough for Tahatan to concentrate the remainder of his forces at Tall Trees.
Prelude to Battle
In Tall Trees, Tahatan deployed his forces throughout the forest, starting on September 4th. While it was an effective defense, it was not an impregnable one. The terrain provided excellent cover for his Natives, with trees, outcroppings of rocks, and little hollows and swales. Their lack of man-made cover was only a minor barrier, but their abundance of natural cover was fordable in places. It was also a precarious position because the rear was blocked by the tall mountains and no single crossing point, other than the Upper Montana River, which was impossible to cross, was nearby should retreat be necessary. On September 5th, the force under Tahatan's command consisted of no more than 1,000 men.
The two Defense Force companies arrived on the afternoon of September 4th. Although an immediate attack on the morning of September 5th would have had an overwhelming surprise, Rostad's trademark caution and his belief that Tahatan had as many as 100,000 men caused him to delay his attack for two days. This gave the Natives more time to prepare defensive positions. Radzikowski was tasked with attacking the left (western) flank, anchored on the Lower Montana River, Cervantez on the right (eastern) flank, anchored on the Upper Montana River (As the battle progressed, the boundaries overlapped considerably.)
On the evening of September 6th, Rostad ordered Radzikowski and his irregulars to cross Tanner's Span and probe the enemy positions. Radzikowski's element cautiously attacked Tahatan's troops near Bearclaw Camp. After darkness fell, explosive fire started as Rostad positioned his troops for the next day's fighting. Rostad's plan was to overwhelm the enemy's left flank, although Radzikowski considered the enemy's right flank to be more worthy of overwhelming. Rostad arrived at this decision because of his assumption of enemy troops in the area. The left flank was dominated by Native positions. The right flank, was not as defended but still boasted an incredible amount of resistance. But the center was heavily defended by sharpshooters, making an attack on the center first suicide. Radzikowski planned to commit more than half his troopsto the assault, starting with two companies, supported by a third, and if necessary a fourth. However, Rostad declined his request to gather more companies. Radzikowski intended to launch a simultaneous diversionary attack against the left and right flank with his companies, but since he was declined his request, he was prepared to strike the flanks and center with his own element if necessary. The skirmish at Bearclaw Camp served to signal Rostad's intentions to Tahatan, who prepared his defenses accordingly. Rostad shifted men to the Pacific Union Railroad Camp and sent urgent messages to the United States Government who was unaware of the battle, informing them of "a thunderous strike against the savage people".
Rostad's plans were ill-coordinated and were executed poorly. He issued to each of his subordinate commanders only the orders for his own troops, not general orders describing the entire battle plan. The terrain of the battlefield made it difficult for those commanders to monitor events outside of their sectors, and Rostad's headquarters were more a mile to the rear, making it difficult for him to control his separate detachments. Therefore, the battle progressed the next day as essentially three separate, mostly uncoordinated battles: morning in the western end of the battlefield, midday in the right, and afternoon in the center. This lack of coordination and concentration of Rostad's forces almost completely nullified the usual tactical advantages the Defense Force enjoyed and allowed Tahatan to shift his defensive forces to meet each offensive. Radzikowski became aware of this issue and restablished a better chain of coordination and plan to neutralize the enemy sectors.
Morning Phase
The battle opened at dawn (about 5:30 a.m.) on September 10th with an attack up the Aurora Basin by the Rangers under Radzikowski. Radzikowski's objective was to capture Bighorn Trail, Tanner's Reach and the Aurora Basin itself. Radzikowski approximately had 50 men, much less than the rest of attacking force, and this slight disparity was more than offset by the Native's strong defensive positions. Cervantez's company moved on Radzikowski's far right, which made assistance difficult. Radzikowski's troops moved on to secure the Bighorn Trail while encountering Native defenses consisted of sharpshooters from Tanner's Span.
As the Rangers emerged victorious from the Bighorn Trail and moved to Tanner's Reach, a rifle duel erupted. Native fire was from sharpshooters to the east on high ground across the pike from Tanner's Reach. Ranger return fire was from nine effective shooters on a ridge behind the Bighorn Trail with Carcano Rifles. The conflagration caused heavy casualties on the Native and was described by Tahatan as "Fires from the Sanctum of Hell."
Seeing the glint of knives and tomahawks concealed in bushes, Radzikowski halted his infantry and brought up four bombardiers, which fired explosive rounds and grenadies over to the enemy troops in the bushes. A savage battle began, with considerable melee action with rifle butts, tomahawks, and bayonets due to short visibility in the forest. Radzikowski was heavily engaged with only a handgun and a sword. Rifles became hot and fouled from too much firing; the air was filled with a hail of bullets and shells and the Rangers defeated the Native troops with even more savagery in the melee fighting.
A force of Natives led by Nikan, began advancing through the eastern flank and exchanged fire with Radzikowski's troops. As Radzikowski men forced Nikan's back. Radzikowski's element then entered Tanner's Reach, also to tear up another Native assault. A Native counter attack charged directly into volleys from the Rangers. Enduring heavy fire from a range of 200 meters and gaining no advantage because of a lack of reinforcements, the counter-attack was destroyed.
The reinforcements that Nikan had expected—had difficulties reaching the scene. A key element of Native fighters were wounded by an explosive round, and dismounted and fled to the rear in terror. When another Native element was rallied and advanced towards the Rangers, they met the fate as their predecessors. As the superior Native numbers began to tell, Radzikowski's took a element of select Rangers with him, who later was given the nickname of "White Devils" after he led a charge into a fray of Native troops and forced them back to the eastern sector of the forest. The casualties received by the Natives, 67%, were the highest compared to the damage by any other unit that day. Radzikowski's Rangers were given many nicknames, such as "Wardevils", "Wolfmen", and "Hellhounds". The Natives launched another counter-assault but were beaten back eventually when the Rangers brought up more ordnance for their rifles and rolled directly into the counter-attack, point-blank fire that slaughtered the Natives, who lost 323 men.
"The most deadly fire of the war. Knives, Bows, Tomahawks, and Rifles were battered in the hands of the Natives, as they were riddled with bullets, the dead and wounded went down in scores..."
After the successful capture of Tanner's Reach, Major Radzikowski moved on to attack Aurora's Basin.
Aurora's Basin remained a bloody stalemate, with the Rangers being more successful. Radzikowski led his troops to capture Aurora's Basin and established a defensive perimeter as Native troops began advancing down and astride the turnpike, into the Basin. They were halted by leveling fire from the Rangers just 30 meters. The Natives withdrew after being exposed to fierce fire from the Rangers but left some of Rangers mortally wounded. The Natives, aware of the Ranger advance, resumed the assault and nearly cut a large gap in Radzikowski's defensive line, but teetered near collapse. Although the cost was steep and the ammunition for his troops were running low once more, Radzikowski and his Select Company of Rangers were making steady progress.
Allied reinforcements arrived just after 8 a.m. A platoons of forty men under Sergeant James Cameron and Lieutenant Ethan James arrived following the capture of Aurora's Basin. Around 8:15, General Rostad gave Cervantez the permission to assault the right flank to aid Radzikowski. At 9 a.m., Radzikowski and his Ranger troops were tasked with taking MacReady Rise, which was a small rise near the Aurora Basin that was held by Native sharpshooters. It was particularly named MacReady Rise after explorer Tyson MacReady found this parcel of land in the 19th Century. The Rangers attacked with particular ferocity because as they were called to attack, they were forced to interrupt the first hot breakfast they had had in days. They were aided by Ethan James' platoon, pushing through to the Rise from the Basin, where the Natives had been supporting their counter-attacks. James' rallied the troops, and himself saw to it that his unit did not lose a single man. Radzikowski's men bore the brunt of the fighting, however, James' platoon paid a heavy price—60% casualties—but they were able to prevent the assault line from crumbling and killed the Natives. When asked by Rostad where his fellow officer Ethan James and his platoon was, Radzikowski replied, "Dead on the field."
Due to lack of ammunition, Radzikowski's men were not able to achieve his objective of Nekoti Rock. After two hours, they were back where they started. Tall Trees, was a scene of indescribable destruction. It was estimated that Tall Trees changed hands no fewer than 15 times in the course of the morning. Sergeant James Cameron, who assumed command of Ethan James' platoon during the battle, later compared the fighting around Tall Trees with the previous battles, insisting that the "Battle of Tall Trees surpassed them all in manifest evidence of slaughter."
"Every bush, every man, every greater part of the field was cut as closely as could have been done with a knife, and both sides slain lay precisely as they had stood in their position a few moments before." - Maj. Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski
Half of James' men were raw recruits, and James' was also inexperienced, having taken command only two days before. Although Cameron was a veteran of five years' service with Rostad, he had never led large numbers of soldiers in combat. He was replenished with a new batch of twenty troops. Concerned that his men would bolt under fire, Cameron marched them in a formation that was known as "column of companies, closed in mass," a bunched-up formation in which a regiment was arrayed ten ranks deep instead of the normal two. As his men reentered the battle, they were presented with an excellent target. Cameron led an assault towards a Native-held encampment but Cameron himself was shot in the chest and was forced to retreat, leaving Corporal Alexander Williams in command.
While Cameron's assault was significant, it did not produce such results to damning the Natives. The Natives themselves made no progress against Radzikowski's line, which was reinforced by man-made cover. A Native war party, supported by the "Cowboys" Militia, however, led by the experienced German veteran Tobias Kahler broke through Radzikowski's line, who fled under the belief that they were about to be trapped by a flanking attack. This breach of the line forced Radzikowski and his men, outnumbered, to perform a fighting retreat back to Aurora's Basin. Radzikowski was then able to remount an effective counter-attack on the rise and reafirm his original objective. His troops drove off Kahler's force and brutally slaughtered the "Cowboys" Militia for their betrayal. The Rangers held most of the ground to the west of the turnpike.
Kahler attempted to gather the scattered remnants of his troops to continue the counter-assault, but a Ranger sharpshooter spotted and shot Kahler through the skull. Command fell to James McKee, since the majority of foreign allies were also wounded or killed. But with Kahler dead in the field, McKee lost faith in the battle and deserted.
In an effort to relieve the pressure on Radzikowski and his troops, Captain Devan Cervantez was ordered into battle at 11 a.m. Cervantez's troop consisted of some 100 men and was first tasked to ford the eastern flank, and they entered the eastern woods with the intention of forcing the Natives to retreat by assaulting Manzanita Post. But the plan went awry. Cervantez launched the attack with an unusual battle formation. They assaulted first with grenades and explosive guns a and then from three sides were ambushed by a large Native counter-attack, and in less than half an hour Cervantez men was forced to hold to his ground in great disorder. Cervantez has been condemned by most historians for his "reckless" attack, his lack of coordination with Radzikowski and headquarters, losing control of the established line, failing to perform adequate reconnaissance prior to launching his attack, and selecting the unusual battle formation that was so effectively flanked by the Native counterattack. Radzikowski's recent scholarship, however, has determined that Cervantez, being an experienced cavalry officer but rather inexperienced infantryman, did perform appropriate reconnaissance and his decision to attack where he did was justified by the information available to him.
The final actions in the morning phase of the battle was when Cervantez's forces advanced, only to be confronted by newly arrived militiamen "Cowboys" Militia. They fought in an area between Manzanita Post and Beecher's Hope, with Cervantez prevailing in the battle.
The morning phase ended with casualties on both sides, approximately 400 on the Natives side, including multiple foreign commanders, and 73 on the Defense Force side.
Midday Phase
By midday, the action had shifted to the right of the line. Cervantez had accompanied the morning attack of Radzikowski's platoon, but lost contact with Radzikowski and inexplicably headed east towards his objective. Eager for an opportunity to see infantry combat, Cervantez found skirmishers in his path and ordered his men forward. By this time, Radzikowski, described the terrible fighting in the western woods and relayed an order for him to divert Native attention by attacking their left flank.
Cervantez confronted Natives led by Yahto near his objective. Cervantez's troop had been torn up during the morning combat from taking Mazanita Post. This sector of the line was theoretically the weakest. But Native warriors were in a strong defensive position, atop a gradual ridge, near a sunken road worn down by years of wagon traffic, which formed a natural trench.
Cervantez launched a series of heavy assaults against the Natives improvised breastworks at around 12:30 p.m. The first attack, was by mostly inexperienced troops commanded by Sergeant Haiden Watts and was quickly cut down by heavy rifle fire; neither side deployed unconventional maneuvers at this point. The second attack, more raw recruits under Lieutenant Misley Love, was also subjected to heavy fire but managed to beat back a counterattack by an independent attack from another Native tribe. The third, finally under Cervantez himself, included only veterans, and also fell to fire but quickly taken the line.
Reinforcements were arriving on both sides, and by 1:00 p.m. Rostad sent his final reserves—some 50 men—to bolster Cervantez's line and extend it to the far right, preparing an attack that would envelop Natives left flank. But at the same time, the Native's arrived on Cervantez's left. This was the last of Rostad's available troops, which were sent as he organized the remaining of his forces to be led under Rostad himself. Cervantez's fresh troops struck the first blow.
Leading off the sixth attack of the day against the Natives was Radzikowski. As the Natives advanced with tomahawks and rifles snapping in the breeze, regimental chaplain, Father Steff Marester, rode across to the front shouting words of conditional absolution prescribed by the Roman Catholic Church for those who were about to die but was killed by a tomahawk to the head.
Radzikowski then personally dispatched twenty of his Rangers to assist Cervantez (after being told that Cervantez was at Mazanita Post), and finally the tide turned. The Rangers had been great help to Cervantez, who gave him valuable amounts of intelligence. Natve key leaders were lost throughout the fighting, including the majority of foreign allies, which included French, German as well as Americans amongst others. Throughout his attacks and defense, Radzikowski received 5 serious wounds in the fight, once in his right leg, once in the left arm, once in the chest, once in the neck, and once in the face. He layed unconscious for a brief few moments but did not die, and later told colleagues that he should have smothered in his own blood, except for the act of an unidentified Native, who had earlier shot a hole in his cap, which allowed the blood to drain. Cervantez was wounded in the thigh but was still on the field. The much higher Native losses contributed directly to the confusion of the following events.
"We were killing them like it was an execution. If a bullet missed the mark at first it was liable to strike the further bank, angle back, and take them secondarily."
As Cervantez's troop advanced far around the right flank of the Natives, he saw a weak point in the line and a Ranger recommended that he seize the point. This allowed them to get enfilade fire into the Native line, turning it into a deadly trap. In attempting to wheel around to meet this threat, a command from Rostad was misunderstood by Cervantez. Cervantez then ordered his men to about-face and march away, an order that he thought applied to them. Natives streamed toward the weak point, with their line retaken.
Cervantez realized his mistake and charged back to the weak point, with the Natives in hot pursuit when he drove them back. A Native counterattack led by a young Native named Lallo got around Cervantez's left flank, and as they charged with ferocity, they were driven back by fierce rifle fire and this stemmed the collapse of the center. Reluctantly, Rostad ordered an assembly of troops, with the remaining troops numbering around 200 to prepare for assault. At this time, Cervantez became severely wounded. Despite his wounds, Cervantez would later have an excellent future reputation as an aggressive commander, the unexpected change of command by Rostad sapped the momentum of the government advance but did not falter the assault.
The carnage from 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Tall Trees gave it the name "Dead Man's Thicket". And yet a great opportunity presented itself. A broken sector of the Native line in the center was established. If exploited, Tahatan's force would have been divided in half and defeated. There were ample forces available to do so, which forced Rostad to enter the fold with a reserve of approximately 200 troops of mixed cavalry and infantrymen. The force had just arrived at Bearclaw Camp. Radzikowski, willingly capable of exploiting this breakthrough, was ordered not to by Rostad. Radzikowski appealed to Rostad, but ultimately backed his decision, choosing to focus on fighting the enemy rather than argue with command officer.
Later in the day, Rostad ordered the attack be made in the center. However, Radzikowski is said to have told Rostad, "Remember, Sir, I command an elite force of men willing to unleash destruction upon our men" Rostad demurred and Radzikowski's opportunity was lost.
Afternoon Phase
The action moved to the center of the battlefield. Rostad now finally on the battlefield, leading the center attack, called for Radzikowski and his Rangers to conduct a diversionary attack in support of his assault, hoping to draw Native attention away from the intended main attack in the center. However, Radzikowski was instructed to wait for explicit orders before launching his attack, and those orders did not reach him until 4:00 p.m. With Captain Cody Paige relaying orders for Rostad, Radzikowski discovered he was strangely passive during the battle. He was also disgruntled that Rostad had abandoned a previous arrangement of admissible attack by his Rangers. Previously, Radzikowski had commanded a wing of solely irregulars and now he was responsible only conventional infantry as well after rescuing Cameron's platoon previously. Paige then falsely relayed an order from Rostad to give authority over of the Rangers to Paige him. Implicitly refusing to give up his authority to the person he considered highly untrustworthy, Radzikowski ignored Paige and treated only to Rostad's funneling orders to himself.
Facing Rostad during the battle was a force that had been greatly depleted by Tahatan's movement of units to bolster the right and left flanks. At dawn, between 300 - 800 Native warriors stood in defense, but by 5:00 p.m. almost all of the original defenders were killed, wounded or missing. Tahatan, while attempting to gather more troops, had only about 300 men as the primary response force available to meet Rostad. The Natives guarded the ridges near Tanner's Reach and Nekoti Rock. The 300 Natives under the command of veteran fighter Nantahanken—defended the large center section of the forest that was the northernmost crossing of Tall Trees. It would become known to history as the Red Forest because of the notoriety of the coming battle known as the Battle of Dead Men. The Red Forest was strategically a difficult but tactically an easy objective. The road leading to it was exposed to enemy fire. The forest itself was dominated by rocks, bushes, ridges, and deadzones, making infantry and sharpshooter fire from good covered positions a dangerous impediment to crossing.
This sector was seldom several stretches towards Nekoti Rock. Rostad has been widely criticized for ignoring this fact. However, the commanding terrain made the initial advance a comparatively easy part of a difficult problem. Rostad concentrated his plan instead on storming the forest while simultaneously assaulting Nekoti Rock was Radzikowski's troops, who had identified a weak point in it's defenses and exploited it, but when Rostad's men moved past Manzanita Post, they found the enemy fire too high to negotiate. While Radzikowski prepared to attack the Red Forest to the support of Rostad's element, his troop struggled another Native counter-attack.
Rostad's assault on the forest was led by inexperienced skirmishers who were ordered to clear the bridge for the rest of the troops to cross and assault the sector. After receiving punishing fire for 15 minutes, the skirmishers men withdrew with 25 casualties. Rostad's main assault went awry when his unfamiliarity with the terrain caused his men to reach a line, where they exchanged volleys with Native skirmishers for the next few hours.
While Cervantez and Radzikowski were out of touch, Rostad directed a second assault at the forest. They fell prey to the Native sharpshooters, and their attack fell apart. By this time it was nearly 7 p.m, and Radzikowski, in the process of being attacked by Natives, was losing patience. He sent a succession of couriers to motivate Rostad to move forward. He ordered one aide, "Tell him it'll cost him if he doesn't push past the defenders, he must go now." He increased the pressure by sending a few Rangers, to assist Rostad, who reacted indignantly: "Radzikowski, it appears you think you are in command. I am trying my best to carry this forest; you are not one to judge."
The third attempt to take the forest was at 7:10 p.m. by Rostad told his troops that, with adequate support and a promise that a recently canceled whiskey ration would be restored if they were successful. The troops charged towards the forest and took up positions on the east bank. Maneuvering into better positions, they fired rounds at the enemy and continued holding position. By 8 p.m., ammunition was running low, and word reached Rostad that Radzikowski and his men were overrun and killed, though this later proved to be not true. Another report also stated that an attack was crossing towards the right flank on Cervantez's position. This however, proved to be true. After the failed assault on Cervantez's position, Tahatan ordered a fighting withdrawal. His Natives had cost government forces over 150 casualties by this time, giving up fewer than 128 themselves. And they had stalled Rostad's assault for nearly more than three hours.
Rostad's assault stalled again on its own. His officers had neglected to gather more ammunition, which was itself becoming a bottleneck for his troops. This represented another delay. Tahatan used this time to bolster a massive defense on the Cochinay Trail. He ordered up every available fighter he could. He counted on the arrival of another Native Tribe, but was unable to confer with any other Native Tribes and was left on his own.
The Defense Force were completely unaware that more Native warriors would be facing them. Rostad's plan was to move around the weakened right flank, converge on the Cochinay Trail, and cut the tribe off from any escape route. At 9 p.m., Rostad moved his troops northeast to Cochinay Trail.
An initial assault led on the trail succeeded against the Natives, which was pushed back past Nekoti Rock and the Red Forest to the trail that led up of Cochinay. Farther to the left, Radzikowski's troops dissipated the Native attacks and pushed to regroup with Rostad. While advancing towards the trail, Rostad's troop came under heavy fire from a dozen enemy troops mounted on a ridge to their front, but they kept pushing forward. There was panic amongst the ranks of the attackers, clogged with deserters.
As Rostad was advancing his troops under fire, Tahatan divided his column, with Native sharpshooters to destroy his flanks and the rest preparing for a counterattack. At 9:40 p.m., the Natives counter-attacked Rostad's element. The majority of Rostad's troops, men who had been in service for only three weeks, had their line disintegrated with 43 casualties. At this point, the attacking forces had poor visibility and were disoriented because many of the Natives they were engaging were wearing captured uniforms and simply disappeared. A second Native counter-attack forced Rostad's troop to break and run, leaving the Rangers far out in advance and isolated. They were enveloped and driven back toward Nekoti Rock. A third counterattack by from the elite "Kanawha Wolves" of the Tall Trees Confederacy to take back the strategic locations failed and put the battle into a stalemate.
The Defense Force had suffered casualties of about 90% but with additional companies in reserve, still possessed twice the number of Natives confronting them at this point. Unnerved by the collapse of his flanks, Rostad ordered his men all the way back to MacFarlane's Ranch, where he urgently gathered more men and guns. Radzikowski was left in charge of maintain the shifted line but Rostad was able to provide just one platoon to Radzikowski. He said, "I can do nothing more." In fact, however, Rostad had two fresh companies in reserve, but he was too cautious, concerned he was greatly outnumbered and that a massive counterstrike by Tahatan was imminent. The Defense Force spent the rest of the day guarding the forest they had suffered so much to capture.
Aftermath
The battle halted by 10:30 p.m. During this time, the Defense Force army prepared to defend against a Native assault that never came. Losses from the battle were heavy on both sides. The Defense Force had 278 casualties. Native casualties were over 887. This represented 20% of the Defense Force and 80% of the Natives. Overall, both sides lost a combined total of 1,165 casualties in a single day, roughly more than the amount of losses that had shocked the nation at the Battle of Cholla Springs a year earlier. Of the casualties, 105 government and 294 troops died of their wounds soon after the battle, while 37 government and 25 Native troops listed as missing were later confirmed as dead. Several famed leaders died as a result of the battle, including Ethan James, James Cameron, as well as various others on the government side, and Nikan, Yahto and others, including experienced foreign leaders on the Natives side. Radzikowski, despite his major wounds survived the battle as a result of not seeking proper medical attention, he was weakened heavily. The Battle of Tall Trees in 1895, resulted in the deaths of 2,884 Americans. More Americans died in battle during that week than in any other battle throughout the war. Tall Trees is sometimes cited as the bloodiest day in all of American history. The bloodiest battle in American history was Gettysburg, followed by Copperhead Landing but Tall Trees ranks first in terms of total casualties in the American-Indian War battles.
President Macalister was disappointed in Rostad performance. He believed that Rostad's overly cautious and poorly coordinated actions in the field had forced the battle to a draw rather than a crippling Native defeat. The president was even more astonished that despite repeated entreaties from the War Department and the president himself, Rostad declined to pursue Tahatan across the Montana Ford in 1894, citing shortages of equipment and the fear of overextending his forces. General-in-Chief Davis Rogers wrote in his official report, "The long inactivity of so effective an army in the face of a defeated foe, and during the most favorable season for rapid movements and a vigorous campaign, was a matter of great disappointment and regret." Macalister moved to relieve Rostad of his command of the North American Defense Force but was convinced by Radzikowski and Cervantez that Rostad's ability as a commanding officer was credible and thus granted an extension of his service until the end of the war.
Some students of history question the designation of "strategic victory" for the Defense Force. After all, it can be argued that Rostad performed poorly in the campaign and the battle itself, and Tahatan displayed great generalship in holding his own in battle against an army that technically outnumbered his. Casualties were comparable on both sides, although Tahatan lost a higher percentage of his army. Tahatan withdrew first and lost more ground, the technical definition of the tactical loser in a battle. However, in a strategic sense, despite being a tactical draw, Tall Trees is considered a turning point of the war and a victory for the United States because it ended Tahatan's strategic campaign against the innocent populace and his continued invasions of American territory. British historian George Turner summed up the importance of the Battle of Tall Trees in his book, Revelations of Freedom:
"No other conflict in the war had such momentous consequences as Tall Trees. These were pivotal moments. What was once a peaceful forest took a sharp turn as the sounds of thunderous rifle fire destroyed the side of who held them.
The lost life of young boys was enacted in the name of the government. The Battle sent a strong message, the Government nor the Natives were unable ignore this message nor do anything else but accept it. Certain of the truth in this situation and of the lost lives, the Battle somewhat reluctantly forced a pathway to the stars, it certainly was a mistake, but no option to avoid the battle was possible, the killing was to be done, the Battle had to be chosen.
But what if this Battle is not the end?. Or what if this this Battle was fought for the reasons of Greed and Tyranny? How could a small uprising lead to the biggest Battle in the conflict of the War? Perhaps we shall never know the dark truth behind those killed in the poor, bloody Battle." — George Turner, Revelations of Freedom
The results of the battle also allowed President Macalister to issue another preliminary Proclamation of Surrender on October 7th, which gave Native Tribes states until January 1, 1896, to surrender. Although Macalister had intended to do so earlier, he was advised by his Cabinet to make this announcement after a victory to avoid the perception that it was issued out of desperation.
The victory and Macalister proclamation played a considerable role in dissuading any faction from recognizing the Tall Trees Confederacy or to involve themselves with war; some suspected they were planning to do so in the aftermath of a defeat. When the issue of proclamation was linked to the progress of the war, no faction had the will to oppose the United States, since it's strategic victories were desecrating morale, and the public would not have tolerated such factions militarily supporting a sovereignty upholding the ideals of violence.
Siege of Cochinay
The Siege of Cochinay (October 3rd, 1895) was the final major military action against the Tall Trees Confederacy in the Battle of Tall Trees (September 10th - October 3rd) of the American-Indian War. In a series of maneuvers, the Defense Force captured the majority of Tall Trees on September 10th and drove the Natives led by Tahatan, into the defensive lines surrounding the fortress settlement of Cochinay.
Cochinay was the last major Native stronghold in the war; therefore, capturing it would have ultimately complete the war. When two major assaults against the Native fortifications led by General Rostad were repulsed with heavy casualties, Radzikowski was given command to besiege the fortress on October 3rd, 1893. After holding out for only several hours, with their reinforcement and supplies nearly gone, the garrison was finally eliminated by October 4th.
The successful ending of the Tall Trees Campaign significantly degraded the ability of hostile factions to maintain their war efforts, as described in the Aftermath section of the campaign article. Some historians—suggest that the decisive battle in the campaign was actually the Battle of Tall Trees, which, once won, made victory in the subsequent siege a foregone conclusion. This action yielded overall command of Tall Trees to government forces, who would hold it for the rest of the conflict.
The elimination of Cochinay on October 3rd is sometimes considered, when combined with the defeat at Tall Trees, the end point of the war. Any escape path, especially to northern West Elizabeth were cut off by a large blockade of rocks and boulders, it also cut off foreign and domestic factions from assisting the Natives, effectively splitting the all hostile factions in two for the duration of the war. The victory also permanently severed the ability to challenge the North American Defense Force.
After crossing the Montana Ford and driving northeast, the Defense Force won the battle at Tall Trees and capturing strategic points within the region on September 10th. This forced Tahatan to withdraw northward. Attempts to stop the advance of government forces led to a stalemate but was ultimately unsuccessful. Tahatan knew that the government forces were preparing to assault Cochinay; he had no choice but to fight or surrender. Tahatan burned the bridges over the Cochinay Trail and took everything edible in his path, both animal and plant, as he retreated to the well-fortified settlement of Cochinay.
The Natives attempted to evacuate Tall Trees but found no escapable path, which was occupied by North American Defense Force, and the Natives no longer had to run the guns of Cochinay, now having to dock up by the dozens. The Defense Force could receive supplies more directly than by any previous route, which ran through Hennigan's Stead.
Over half of Tahatan's army had been lost in the Battle of Tall Trees and many in Cochinay expected Walter Krieger, in command of a large German mercenary contracting group, to relieve the Natives—which he never did. Large masses of Defense Force troops were on the march to invest the city, repairing the burnt bridges over the trail; which Radzikowski's forces crossed on October 2nd. Radzikowski sent a note to Tahatan, asking him to sacrifice the fort and surrender to save his people from elimination, something Tahatan refused to do. (Tahatan was probably influenced by his fear of condemnation if he surrendered.)
"Tahatan, trying to please his infuriated people, insisted that Cochinay must be held, and thought the place worthy, had been caught, a victim of a convoluted system and his own indecisiveness. Too dispirited to think clearly, he chose to back his bedraggled army into Cochinay rather than surrender and evacuate the city and where he and his people would survive under better conditions guaranteed by me. But when he chose to fight, Tahatan sealed the fate of his people and the settlement he had been determined to defend."
— Cochinay, Lieutenant-General Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, 1897.
Fortifications
As the Defense Forces approached Cochinay, Tahatan was only able to put only 250 troops on the line. At this point, the Defense Force had over 500 troops, with more on the way. However, Tahatan had the advantage of terrain and fortifications that made his defense nearly impregnable. The defensive line around Cochinay was based on terrain of varying elevations that included hills and knobs with steep angles for an attacker to ascend under fire. The perimeter included many gun pits, forts, trenches, redoubts, and lunettes. The major fortifications of the line included a high bluff south of the settlement; dominating the approach to the settlement.
Rostad assaults Cochinay
Rostad wanted to overwhelm the Natives before they could fully organize their defenses and ordered an immediate assault against Cochinay for on September 17th. Troops from Rostad's element had a difficult time approaching the position under rifle and artillery fire—they had to negotiate a steep ravine protected by abatis and cross a ditch before attacking the outskirts of the fort itself. This first attempt was easily repulsed. Rostad ordered sappers to bombardment and soften the defenses and at about 2 p.m., tried again, but only a small number of men were able to advance even as far as the ditch below the redan. The assault collapsed in a melee of rifle fire and hand grenades lobbing back and forth.
The failed assaults damaged government morale, deflating the confidence the soldiers felt after their string of victories across previously. They were also costly, with casualties of 94 killed, 77 wounded, and 8 missing, versus Native casualties of 8 killed and 12 wounded. The Natives, assumed to be demoralized, had regained their fighting edge.
Rostad planned another assault for September 19th, but this time with greater care; they would first reconnoiter thoroughly and soften up the defenses with gunfire. The lead units were supplied with explosive rifles and grenades. Rostad did not want a long siege, and this attack was to be by his entire force across a wide front.
Despite their bloody repulse previously, government troops were in high spirits, now well-fed with provisions they had foraged. On seeing Rostad pass by, a soldier commented, "We Fight!". Soon all the troops in the vicinity were yelling, "We Fight! We Fight!" The government troops were served beef, beans, and coffee the night of September 18th. Everyone expected that Cochinay would fall the next day.
Rostad's forces bombarded outskirts all night, from explosives pieces, and while causing little damage, they damaged Native morale. The defenders were bombarded again for four hours before Rostad attacked once more along the front at 10 a.m.
Rostad attacked once again down the road, with 150 volunteers leading the way with repeaters, arranged in a long column, hoping to achieve a breakthrough by concentrating their mass on a narrow front. They were driven back in the face of heavy rifle fire. Rostad and his troops made it as far as a ridge 100 yards from the outskirts, the southern edge of the entrance, from where they poured heavy fire into Native positions, but to no avail. Waiting its turn to advance, Rostad's element originally did not have an opportunity to move forward and spent the morning attempting to get into position through a ravine.
Rostad assigned two platoons to attack the flanks along the Road. On their right flank, a platoon lead by Lieutenant Dimand Alcatraz advanced to within 100 yards of the Native line, but halted to avoid dangerous flanking fire. On the left flank, another platoon lead by Lieutenant Issac Gray was assigned to assault. The platoons made it as far as the slope of the redan, but huddled there, dodging grenades until dark before they were recalled. Radzikowski sent several irregulars to assist in the attack, but were forced halt for hours while Rostad engaged in confused discussions.
By 12 p.m., it was clear that a breakthrough was not forthcoming and the advances by Rostad resulted in failures. Just then, Rostad received a message from Cervantez, which stated that he was heavily engaged, a Native war party was attacking, and he requested a diversion on his right from Rostad's troops. Rostad initially refused the request, telling Cervantez to use his own reserve forces for assistance; Rostad was mistakenly under the impression that Cervantez had been lightly engaged and Alcatraz heavily, although the reverse was true. Cervantez followed up with a message that was partially misleading, implying that the had nearly captured Manzanita Post but —"Our Flag is still flying over it."—and that another push along the line would achieve victory for the Defense Force. Although Rostad once again demurred, he showed the dispatch his troops, and advanced again. Rostad, reconsidering, then ordered Radzikowski to aid Cervantez.
"As our battle started and before our yell had died upon the air the Native fortifications in our front were completely crowded with the enemy, who with an answering cry of defiance, poured into our ranks, one continuous fire, and the fort in our front and both sides, were pouring in to our line, an unceasing fire of shot and shell, with fearful results, as this storm of fire sent us, intermixed with the bursting shells and that devilish Native yell, I could compare to nothing but one of Dante's pictures of Hell, a something too fearful to describe." - Private Roy Fields, North American Defense Force
Rostad ordered two more assaults. At 2:15 p.m., George Goodman and William Harmon moved out and were repulsed immediately. At 3 p.m., Goodman's element suffered so many casualties in their aborted advance that Rostad told Goodman, "This is murder; order those troops back." By this time, Harmon's troop had finally maneuvered into position on Rostad's right, and at 4 p.m., Harmon gave the order to charge against the Natives. They had no more success than any of Rostad's other assaults.
In Cervantez's sector, Natives made a thrust down towards Manzanita Post at about 2 p.m., but met with heavy losses and the attack was called off. The natives attacked again, reinforced by members of the "Cowboys" Militia, but with no success. At this Native casualties were not reported directly, but were estimated to be under 100. Rostad blamed Cervantez's misleading dispatches for part of the poor results of the day, storing up another grievance against the political general who had caused the troops many aggravations during the campaign.
Siege Operations
Historian Thomas Pearl wrote that Rostad "did not regret having made the assaults; he only regretted that they had failed." Rostad reluctantly settled into a siege. On September 22nd, Rostad issued special orders for his troops: "Troops will immediately commence the work of reducing the enemy by regular approaches. It is desirable that no more loss of life shall be sustained in the reduction of Cochinay, and the capture of the Garrison. Every advantage will be taken of the natural inequalities of the ground to gain positions..." Rostad wrote in his memoirs, "I now determined upon a regular siege—to 'out-camp the enemy,' as it were, and to incur no more losses."
Government troops began to dig in, constructing elaborate entrenchments that surrounded Cochinay and moved closer and closer to the enemy fortifications. With their backs against the impassable river, the Natives alike were trapped. Tahatan was determined to hold Cochinay as long as possible, hoping for relief from allied factions or elsewhere.
A new problem confronted the Natives. The dead and wounded of Rostad's army lay in the fields, the odor of the deceased men and horses fouling the air, the wounded crying for medical help and water. Rostad first refused a request of truce, thinking it a show of weakness. Finally he relented, and the Natives agreed to hold their fire while the Defense Force recovered the wounded and dead, troops from both sides mingling and trading as if no hostilities existed for the moment.
After this truce, Rostad's army began to fill a ring around Cochinay. In short time it became clear that the Defense Force would not be able to effect a complete encirclement of the Native defenses. Tahatan's outlook on escape was pessimistic, but there were still roads leading south out of Cochinay unguarded by government troops. Rostad found help from Major Radzikowski. Radzikowski quickly began to shift his troops to meet Rostad's needs. Government reinforcements arrived to Tall Trees and was designated as the Army of the Frontier. They were attached to General Rostad and took up position on the far south.
In an effort to cut Rostad's supply line, Native raiders sneaked past a Defense Force outpost and attacked Blackwater down the Upper Montana River on September 23rd . This was mainly defended by the Blackwater Police Department. Despite having inferior weaponry, they fought bravely and finally repulsed the Natives with help from gunboats, although at horrible cost; the defenders lost 252 to the Native 23. The loss at Blackwater left the Natives with no hope for relief but from the cautious Walter Krieger.
"We are pulled up so close to the enemy that we can throw hand grenades over into their forts. The enemy do not dare show their heads above the parapet at any time, so close and so watchful are our sharpshooters. The fort is completely invested. My position is so strong that I feel myself abundantly able to leave it so and go out twenty or thirty miles with force enough to whip two such garrisons." - Rostad, writing to Alfred Macalister, September 22nd 1895.
Tahatan was boxed in with lots of munitions and little food. The poor diet was showing on the Natives. Scurvy, malaria, dysentery, diarrhea, and other diseases cut their ranks. At least one fort resident had to stay up at night to keep starving warriors out of his food section. The constant attacks did not bother him as much as the loss of his food. As the siege wore on, fewer and fewer horses, mules, and dogs were seen wandering about Cochinay. Shoe leather became a last resort of sustenance for many adults.
During the siege, the Defense Force lobbed explosives into the outskirt defenses and rifle fire was even heavier. As the barrages continued, suitable defenses in the outskirts was reduced to a minimum. A ridge, located between the fort and the defense line, provided a diverse citizenry with lodging for the duration. Caves, known locally as "bombproofs," were dug into the mountain hills of Cochinay. Whether houses were structurally sound or not, it was deemed safer to occupy these dugouts. People did their best to make them comfortable, with rugs, furniture, and pictures. They tried to time their movements and foraging with the rhythm of the battle, sometimes unsuccessfully. Because of the citizens' burrowing, the government troops gave the fort the nickname of "Broken Man Village" Despite the ferocity of the government fire against the defenses, fewer than a dozen civilians were known to have been killed during the entire siege.
Command Changes
One of Rostad's actions during the siege was to settle a lingering rivalry. On September 25th, Major Radzikowski wrote a adulatory note to his troops, giving them much of the credit for the soon-to-be victory. Rostad had been waiting many months for him to slip, ever since they clashed early in the campaign. Despite his convictions, Rostad gave permission to allow Radzikowski to take charge of the siege after his unsuccessful assaults but he waited for an unequivocal provocation. Radzikowski finally relieved Rostad in taking command of the siege on September 26th. Radzikowski so diligently prepared his actions for the siege that Rostad was left without recourse. Command of the siege was turned over to Maj. Mateuzek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, recovered from wounds sustained in the previous battles. At the same time, Rostad took command of support operations in the Great Plains, hoping Radzikowski would fail. Radzikowski, after taking command, made significant changes to the siege as well as relieved Captain Cody Paige from any form of command or combat role, arising to his distrust.
Another command change occurred on September 26th. In addition to Tahatan at his front, Rostad had to be concerned with hostile forces in his rear under the command of Walter Krieger. Rostad stationed his section in the vicinity of the Great Plains and reconnoitered as far west and south as possible, primarily to act as a covering force. Radzikowski spared some of his troops to assist Rostad. These troops, experienced frontiesmen, under Cpl. Jaxson Cadler, was transferred to Rostad command. This troop became the nucleus of a special task force whose mission was to prevent Krieger and other forces from interfering with the siege. Rostad took command of this task force. While Krieger did not attempt to relieve the Natives, a mixed force of raiders and gang members eventually began moving to relieve Tahatan and reached the Lower Montana River on September 27th, but delayed a potentially difficult encounter with Rostad until it was too late for the Cochinay garrison, and then fell back to Thieves Landing. Rostad would eventually pursue them and capture Thieves' Landing on September 29th.
Great Plains Operations
Throughout the siege government and hostile forces kept busy in a supporting role in the Great Plains. Former Lt. Gen. Derien Valeri, commander of the Slavers, received a telegraph from Tahatan requesting a movement against Rostad's lines along the Upper Montana River. Rostad, along with the United States Army, had established important supply depots at the Great Plains within his jurisdiction, but Rostad failed to recognize the importance of Pemberton's situation. It was not until September 29th when Valeri finally decided to take action on Tahatan's request, directing him to "do something" in favor of the Cochinay garrison. Valeri developed a three-pronged campaign against Rostad's supply depots. All three of Valeri's assaults were defeated at the Battle of the Great Plains.
In response to the growing hostile activity in the area, Rostad decided to dispatch troops from Cochinay to the Great Plains. The presence of the Slavers was of particular concern; its presence could possibly aid a Native escape from Cochinay. Therefore, troops from Rostad's were ordered to the vicinity of Tall Trees and Blackwater. The troops were to cooperate against the Slavers, which were stationed in the vicinity of Thieves' Landing. Near Thieves' Landing, at the Pacific Union Railroad Camp happened to be an important supply line providing troops with supplies. On September 28th, Rostad defeated the Slavers.
Additional hostile activity was spotted near the Wreck of Serendipity at Quaker's Cove. A gang of raiders attacked a military training center. The raiders destroyed the camp and killed over fifty troops before disengaging in the face of the United States Marines. Raids such as these were disruptive and caused damage, but they were only minor setbacks and could cause only momentary disturbances in the area.
Continuation of the Siege
Later in the siege, government troops assaulted the established defensive line with explosive ordinance. The explosion blew apart the Native lines on October 1st, while an infantry attack, followed the blasts. The 4th Cavalry, under Captain Devan Cervantez, charged into the defense with ease, but were stopped by recovering Native troops. The cavalrymen became pinned down while the defenders also rolled dynamite with short fuses into the pit with deadly results. Radzikowski sent irregulars to work up a casemate in order to extricate the Natives, and soon the Native warriors fell back to a new defensive line. From the fighting on the original line, Radzikowski's troops worked to launch another assault. The new defense line was engaged by rifle fire but no infantry attack followed. Troops worked throughout the to widen the initial line large enough for an infantry assault to pass through for future anticipated assaults. However, events the following day negated the need for any further assaults.
The Assault
Sieges and the assault of fortified positions are probably the most complex and demanding of military operations. The foremost authority on these matters in the American-Indian War was considered to be French engineer, the Marquis de Vauban, who designed many European fortification systems, and organized many successful sieges of the seventeenth century. The earthworks of Cochinay, and their use of lunettes show his influence, and corresponding attacks on such systems would have benefited from his theories. Considering this store of information, Radzikowski utilized this noticed and chose to attack the fortress with his infantry, using unconventional tactics. He did not do so immediately however.
Tahatan chose to reinforce the picket lines shielding the outskirts because he did not consider the siege to be successful, and had not fortified the interior perimeter. Other troops, mostly Natives, and some consisted of former Partisan Rangers, remained outside the fortifications. These troops slowed the encirclement of the assaulting troops, and prevented them from discovering more weaknesses in the defenses. Due to these delays, the infantry assault was scheduled for October 3rd, several days after the encirclement.
First Phase
Radzikowski had set up his headquarters at Nekoti Rock and planned the attacks with his staff and commanders. Many were opposed to the idea of trying to overwhelm the fort with a simple, though irregular assault, but Radzikowski wanted to end the siege as quickly as possible in order to support Rostad, and felt that the troops available to him would easily force the surrender of the Natives, a four to one advantage. Four different assault groups were organized, under the commands of Captains Devan Cervantez, Kenneth Norton, Amos Wallace, and Paul Fredrick. Radzikowski did not choose a specific time for his intended simultaneous assault however, ordering his commanders to "…commence at the earliest hour practicable."
The effect of this was to break up the defense, with Radzikowski and Cervantez attacking as primary during the first phase, and the remaining commanders attacking during the second phase. The first phase consisted of reaching the fortress outskirts itself and dig in fighting holes, and the second phase consisted of assaulting and neutralizing the fortress itself. Bombardment began the night before the attack, explosive rifles and dynamites firing most of the evening. Radzikowski began the attack at 4 am, advancing through the densely forested ravines bordering the valley of the Upper Montana River. This valley led the assault into a salient formed by a fortified ridge known as the "bull pen" where the defenders became slaughtered like cattle, and a lunette on a ridge nicknamed "Fort Desperate" had been hastily improvised to protect Cochinay.
Upon advancement, assaulting troops were caught in a crossfire, and held in place by dense vegetation and obstacles placed by Native troops briefly halted their advance. The combination of rugged terrain, a crossfire from three sides, and rebel sharpshooters inflicted several casualties but managed to recover. Seeing that his advance had been stopped, Radzikowski lead his irregulars to attack. These troops were not intended to take part in the attack due to the general prejudice against irregular troops on the part of high command. Radzikowski was determined to break through the Native fortifications however, and committed them to the attack at 5 am. Since they had been deployed as irregulars, experienced with devastating raids, these troops were in the best possible position for an attack of all the units in Radzikowski's assault.
The irregulars first had to advance over the small bridge, with a fortified ridge to their left manned by Natives, and the Upper Montana River to their immediate right. Despite the heavy crossfire from rifles, the irregulars advanced with determination, skill and courage, led by Radzikowski. Giving orders constantly, Radzikowski led the irregulars forward until they've driven back the Natives. Taking heavy losses, the Natives were forced to retreat to avoid annihilation. This fearless advance did much to dissipate the belief that irregulars were unreliable under fire.
In an attempt to support the assault, Radzikowski, commanding the attack on the fortress, called for two platoons of regulars to assault Fort Desperate. This group had gained success in securing the outer flanks but failed to capture Fort Desperate itself so Radzikowski sent irregulars to harass the troops defending the fort. These piecemeal and sporadic efforts were successful, and the fighting ended on the eastern edge of the fortress by 7 am.
Second Phase
While the remaining captains were to lead their respective attacks in the second phase, Radzikowski sought best that he continued to lead in order to "avoid any chance of death of such fine men, especially as the attacks were going well..." infantry attacks raged against the eastern section of the fortress, Radzikowski lined up his troops and conducted a steady rifle bombardment of the Native works and positions, supported by sharpshooters aiming for Natives. This effort had relative success, but Radzikowski, upon hearing no rifle fire from the center, visited Cervantez and threatened to relieve him of command unless he advanced his troops. Cervantez then began the attack on the eastern edge of the fortress works at about 8 am.
These attacks included the troops of Cervantez as well as his own, and had less in the way of natural terrain obstacles to contend with, but in this area the Natives had more time to construct fortifications, and had put more effort and firepower into defending them. One feature of the earthworks in this region was cut down trees in front of a parapet.
Tahatan commanding, had also removed all the weapons from the hospital that had been left by the sick and wounded. He was thus able to equip each of his troops with three weapons, greatly increasing their firepower. When the attacking infantry closed within 200 yards they were met by a hail of rifle and canister fire, and few made it within 70 yards of the Native lines. Commanders Radzikowski and Cervantez were wounded in these attacks. Radzikowski, while wounded, retreated the troops approximately 20 meters, behind more strategic cover to continue the assault.
The successful defense of their lines brought a renewed confidence to Tahatan and his garrison. They felt though a combination of well planned defensive earthworks and the skillful and deliberate reinforcement of threatened areas, the superior numbers of attackers had been repulsed. Learning from his experience, Tahatan organized a more methodical system of defense. This involved dividing the fortifications into a network of defense zones, with an experienced Chief in charge of strengthening the defense in each area. For the most part this involved once again charting the best fire for positions, improving firepower concentrations, and digging protective pits to protect them from enemy bombardment. Rifles captured from the government troops or taken from hospitalized Natives were stacked for use by troops in the trench lines.
Sniper positions were also prepared at high points in the works for sharpshooters. These methods improved the defense, but could not make up for the fact that the garrison was short of everything except gunpowder. The food shortage was a drag on morale, and resulted in a significant level of desertion to the enemy. This drain on manpower was recorded by Radzikowski ho wrote, "Their most serious and annoying difficulty is the unreliable character of a portion of their troops. Many have deserted to us, giving us information of their real condition; yet in the same regard, they have some of the great men." A young Native warrior, Nakai was considered the greatest offender.
On Radzikowski's side, astonishment and chagrin were near universal in reaction to the repulse of the infantry assaults. Radzikowski was determined to win the siege in view of the fact that his military career would be destroyed by a withdrawal. The resources of his entire command were called into play, and men and material poured into the encirclement. One hundred additional troops appeared in the lines. Captured weapons were brought into action, and explosive guns were added to the dynamite bearing on the fortress.
The second assault began with a sustained rifle shelling of the Natives works beginning at 1 p.m and lasting an hour. Radzikowski then sent a message to Tahatan demanding the surrender of his position. Tahatan's reply was, "My Duty, requires me to defend my people from your evil ways, and therefore I decline to surrender". Radzikowski continued the bombardment, but only gave the order for what was to be a simultaneous three prong infantry attack the next day. The attack finally began at 10:00 am the next day, with the agreed upon plan, a heavy fog disordered the defenses as it began. Radzikowski's column struck the line at "Fort Desperate", and the same formidable terrain combined with the enhanced attack stopped the effective defensive fires from the Native works. Radzikowski retreated back to thee more strategic position after determining an exploit to the Native defenses.
After the infantry assault, Radzikowski assembled some of his troops and thanked them for their previous efforts and sacrifices. He also asked for more volunteers for a special attack group to be trained intensively to breach the line. His speech generated much enthusiasm, and approximately two new irregular companies were formed and removed to a training camp in the rear to prepare for the attack. There they trained in the practices of irregular fighting and managed to learn and adapt to Radzikowski's unconventional techniques fairly quickly. Sergeant Thomas Graves, one of Radzikowski's most trusted irregulars, was promoted to Captain to lead the assaults.
After his last attempt at gathering a peaceful ending the fighting resulted in failure, Radzikowski ordered the Fort to be reduced to nothing but ashes. A raiding platoon assaulted the fort and intended to suppress the Natives position by superior firepower. Radzikowski led raids on opposing lines, to enhance their own trench lines and disable enemy firepower capabilities. Radzikowski armed his irregulars with repeaters, which gave them a rapid fire edge in the raids. Later, at around 11 am a general hail of raids began, disabling or suppressing what remained of Native sharpshooters and strategic positions. At this point a full assault would be launched, which would result in overrunning the entire fortification.
The Natives responded to the siege techniques with increased efforts of their own. Expended rifle and explosives shells were salvaged for reuse by the defense, small arms shot being recast for making new cartridges, explosive rounds reused and distributed as mines and grenades. Additional obstacles were added to the threatened bastions, making them more difficult to bombard, infiltrate, or overrun.
Various raids against the assaulters were also conducted. The Natives launched a raid against the government forces, taking four, killing seven, and capturing weapons and supplies. Native raiders and defenders were adept at constructing and using improvised hand grenades. Raids by a Native cavalry were also made against government positions outside the siege lines at the Great Plains. An advance by Rostad's cavalry against a small Native encampment in the Great Plains was repulsed. Other raids struck government foraging parties returning from New Austin. The biggest raid set fire to the Defense Force supply center near Blackwater. These raids were annoying to Radzikowski, but could not break the siege. At around 12 pm, a counterraid was conducted against the Native line. This collapsed the line and surprisingly did not cause any government casualties. The defenders could not compensate for the constant losses of personnel resulting from starvation, disease, particularly scurvy, dysentery, and malaria, sniping, shell fragments, cold and desertion. The use of mule meat and rats as rations could not maintain the health of the Natives left standing, and was a further drain on morale.
The siege created hardships and deprivations for both the Defense Force and the Natives, but the Natives were in much worse shape. They had exhausted practically all of their food supplies and ammunition, and fighting and disease had greatly reduced the number of men able to defend the fortress. When Tahatan learned that his tribe would not receive any help, he realized that his situation was hopeless and that nothing could be gained by surrendering, he ordered all of his people to fight until they have met their untimely demise.
At 1 pm, the attackers pushed through the initial line of defense but encountered the more effective Last Line. The nature of the terrain made it difficult to determine the exact disposition of the Native forces. Radzikowski correctly estimated that the Natives had only between 50 - 100 troops remaining in the defensive line. It has been claimed that Tahatan attempted to deceive by moving infantry and artillery in a noisy, ostentatious manner to make the defenders seem a much larger forces than their actual numbers. However, his reports do not mention this and no reference can be found claiming this.
Radzikowski had five companies available and advanced in irregular fighting columns. The irregular companies under Thomas Graves provided cover and close combat capabilities, whilst the regulars advanced and pushed forward. The lead company under Graves contacted the defensive positions in the early afternoon and committed an assault. Graves had experienced troops to hand and attempted to suppress the superior enemy defenses. He won the firefight and despite a Native attempted counter-attack, Graves managed to withdraw back to the recently breached line of defense without losing any casualties.
Radzikowski then ordered his irregulars to fight across the entire frontage of the enemy line, primarily to neutralize and finalize the attack, as well as provoke enemy fire. Radzikowski took the first company of irregulars and Graves took the second, with the regular columns to follow after the attack. This proved that there was no break in the fort that could easily be assaulted. At 3 pm, a major storm started, and Radzikowski shut down regular troops. Recces were ordered in order to find a weak point to attack, and performed reconnaissance around the final line of defense, where Tahatan had widened the line to create a much larger obstacle. The new Defensive line was along the large mountains on the western side of the fort. As a Native counter-attack was attempted, Radzikowski drove off the enemy and took some prisoners but later killed them all. Radzikowski noted that the only place in the fort where the ground was breachable was the main gate, and hence was vulnerable. Rostad later chided Radzikowski for not taking an opportunity to attack stating "if you had gone and succeeded, you would have been a Major General". Radzikowski considered this area a weak spot for attack in the line, so he treaded carefully in his plans. Radzikowski believed that the Last Line fortifications could not be carried by a conventional assault and so informed Rostad.
During this phase, upon breaching the initial line, many innocent Natives were killed in the fighting. While some Natives attempted to defend themselves, others were attempting to hide and surrender but with little success. Radzikowski and his troops slaughtered every person in the fort, as his ethical beliefs were no longer of concern to him due to his rage of Tahatan's refusal to surrender.
It was to the awe of the Natives, and the amazement of President Alfred Macalister that Radzikowski made such a ferocious assault. Though his further attacks were slowed as wished to strategize an assault that would stand a reasonable chance of success, his capture of the fort was nevertheless successful. At around 4 pm, scouts reported that the weak point would stand relatively little success against an irregular blitz of troops. Radzikowski developed a plan of attack at that point. Initially, the irregulars would utilize explosives to dismay and disorient the defenders and then secure a fighting point. This would prevent the Natives conducting an effective defense and ultimately prevent a counterattack on the assembling assault forces. He would then assemble a large force behind the walls and assault the Native fortifications. Orders were sent to his personnel to occupy the area and probe the constructed caves to see whether there was a clearing behind the fort.
Radzikowski's operations were frighteningly successful. Wildly successful in seizing the majority of the fortress and advancing a small force to destroy the final position, Radzikowski considered the task near completed, and arranged the assaulting units to move into position. Radzikowski then launched the final advance against the Last Line. They were immediately engaged by the remaining Natives but successfully returned fire and came down on Natives, forcing the Natives to be driven back even further. In the process they collapsed the majority of the line, and destroyed the remaining structures. The attackers pushed forward and assaulted with bayonets and tomahawks. This rendered the defense now impossible. The remaining Natives, along with Tahatan fought in the battleground of the Last Line and was killed by Radzikowski in unforgiving melee fighting. During his encounter with Tahatan, Radzikowski was seen approaching his target, quickly parrying Tahatan's attacks before grabbing him by the back of his head with one hand and pushing his tomahawk through the soft flesh underneath the jaw and the inside of his skull, piercing his brain. Over 98% of the Natives were killed in the battle, which left only members of the innocent population to be condemned. Radzikowski led the irregulars through the established cave system throughout the fort and dispatched the remaining Native warriors.
Capture - Capitulation - Aftermath
At 6 pm, Cochinay was captured. Radzikowski, as he had previously demanded surrender, reconsidered. Left with many prisoners of the innocent populace, angry and not wanting to feed the hungry Natives, he executed most of the remaining civilians and pardoned the rest. Considering their destitute state, dejected and starving, he never expected them to fight again; he hoped they would carry home the stigma of defeat to the rest of all who opposed. In any event, it would have occupied his army and taken months to ship that many prisoners south, to be forcefully put in reservations and left to die if the United States Army had chosen not to execute them anyway. Most of the Natives who were pardoned sought revenge against the United States Government and planned on retaking back what was lost to them. Radzikowski finalized the security of the region and were sent back to Blackwater for recuperation for their next assignments. Radzikowski was given the order resemble and assimilate his troops with Rostad for their next assignment. The United States Government protested the validity of Radzikowski's paroles on technical grounds and the issue was referred to Rostad. The dispute effectively ended all further prisoner capturing during the war except for hardship cases.
The capitulation was finalized on October 8th, a day Radzikowski hoped to bring more sympathetic terms from the United States. Although the war continued with other actions, the fortress settlement had fallen and, with the neutralization of the Tall Trees Confederacy, Tall Trees was firmly in government hands and the major enemy destroyed. President Macalister famously announced, "The Father of War again goes to the fires and comes out with a breeze."
Having fought a spirited defense, the Natives were accorded the honors of war by Radzikowski as compensation for his brutality. However, Rostad refused, tales of the atrocities supposedly committed by Radzikowski and his troops at Cochinay probably fresh in his mind. Although the atrocities, Radzikowski was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel for his successful assault on the fortress, but was placed on disciplinary leave for nearly one month for his unnecessary killing of innocent Natives during the battle. The remaining Natives were ordered to surrender all of their arms, equipment and flags. These actions outraged the Natives and refused to honor the terms of surrender, continuing attacks rather than hand them over to the victors.
Government casualties for the battle of Tall Trees and Siege of Cochinay were 635; Native were 2,249 (100 surrendered). The full campaign, since January of 1894, claimed 2,142 Government and 9,591 enemy killed and wounded.
Aftermath
The loss of Cochinay deprived the Natives of any form of home establishment. Cochinay was used as a staging point for the Union against the famous Siege of MacFarlane's Ranch in 1862. Following the capitulation, government forces and engineers set about methodically destroying the fortress with explosives, ensuring that it could not return to Native possession a second time in any eventual peace treaty. By December of 1895, the entire fortress was reduced to mounds of rubble and rock.
Cochinay had held out long enough to allow other Native tribes to form. However the fall of the fortress led to the loss of Native territory across West Elizabeth. From Cochinay, government forces spent the following year routing and eliminating hostile forces and occupying untamed lands. The wave of the Hostile Removals began.
The Hostile Removals
The Hostile Removals, also known as the Great Extermination and the Expulsion of the Natives was the forced removal and elimination by the United States Government of hostile factions from New Austin & West Elizabeth. The Removals occurred during the American-Indian War and was part of the military campaign against the hostile factions residing in the Frontier States. The Defense Force was primarily responsible for eliminating these factions, though the United States Government was also involved.
During the American-Indian War, the Defense Force captured Cochinay, the capital of the Tall Trees Confederacy, in a siege. The siege concluded the majority of the conflict, which was the focus of the United States Government. However, several hostile factions refused to sign an unconditional surrender or treaty of peace to the United States. During the same period, the factions also participated in various operations against the United States Government, and maintained supply lines to Cochinay prior to it's destruction. As a result, the United States sought to eliminate any future threat posed by the hostile factions, dubbed as the Anarchists.
Without making distinctions between the factions who had been neutral and those who had resisted the occupation of the United States, President Alfred Macalister ordered them to be exterminated. In the first wave of the removals, hostile factions were targeted. During the second wave, neutral factions were targeted. Remnants of the existing gangs fled initially to Canada, or Ambarino. During the second wave of the removals, these factions were mostly either imprisoned or deported.
Along with the Defense Force achieving their military goals of defeating the Tall Trees Confederacy and weakening of opposing factions, the result of the Removals was the devastation of both a primarily civilian population and the economy of the region. Thousands of Anarchists died in the Removals, mainly from executions and lack of food. The United States government passed an order-in-council to permit neutral factions to legally return to the territories, provided that they take an unqualified oath of peace. The American historian Clarence Burris memorialized the historic event in his poem about the plight of the fictional character and made the Removals well known.
After the United States officially gained control of Cochinay, the remaining Anarchists, refused to sign an unconditional oath of surrender to end the war. Instead, some attempted to negotiate a conditional oath that promised neutrality. Some factions remained neutral and refused the unconditional oath. The difficulty was astounding, as the Anarchists presumed that the United States would persecute and eliminate them even in surrender. They also worried that signing the oath might commit the United States Government to take their property, and that it would be perceived by their Native neighbours as an acknowledgement of the United States claim to Tall Trees, putting even more villages at risk of attack from the Natives.
Most Anarchists refused to sign the unconditional oath because they were anti-Government. Various historians have observed that some Anarchists were labelled "neutral" when they were not. By the time of the Removals, there was already a long history of political and military resistance by Anarchists and Native confederacies to the United States. The Natives and the Anarchists were typically allies through their support against the government. While the Anarchists were the largest population, the Natives held the majority of the fighting strength even after the United States conquest. They resisted the United States occupation and were joined on numerous occasions by Anarchists. These efforts were often supported and led by infamous outlaws in the region. The Natives, primarily the Big Valley Tribe, and Anarchists fought against the United States Government in six wars, including the Insurrectionist War, Second Mexican-American War, and the American-Frontier War, over a period of six years.
American-Indian War
During the war, the primary objective was to defeat the Native fortification at Cochinay and to prevent future attacks from the Tall Trees Confederacy, other Native groups and the Anarchists in the United States. The United States Government saw the Anarchists allegiance to the Natives and the Tall Trees Confederacy as a threat. The American-Indian War had created the conditions for total war; prisoners & civilians had not been spared and, as the United States Government saw it, Anarchists had provided intelligence, sanctuary, and logistical support to the Tall Trees Confederacy while others had directly fought against the Government.
After the capture of Tall Trees, the plans to capture Cochinay included cutting trade to the Fortress in order to weaken the Fortress and, in turn, weaken the Anarchists ability to supply the Natives in their warfare against the Government. According to historian Oliver Flecther, more than any other single factor – including the massive assault that eventually forced the surrender of Cochinay– the supply problem brought an end to Native power in the region. President Alfred Macalister realized he could reduce the threat and weaken the Natives by eliminating the Anarchists, thus cutting off supplies to the Natives. During the removals, famous outlaw Roy Byers led the Natives and the Anarchists in a guerrilla war against the Defense Force and the United States Government. According to account books, the Anarchists had regularly dispensed supplies to theNatives. From the start of the war, the Anarchists made regular payments to various Natives for Government scalps.
Extermination Campaigns
The campaigns began in January 1896. Throughout the removals, Anarchists and the Big Valley Tribe continued a guerrilla war against the United States in response to government aggression which had been continuous since 1894.
Attack on the Chanceless Campaign - January 1896
The first wave of the removals began on January 1st, with the West Elizabeth campaign during the American-Indian War. The United States ordered the extermination of the Anarchists after the Siege of Cochinay. The campaign started at the Great Plains and then quickly moved to Thieves' Landing.
On January 1st, 1896, U.S. Army Major Hubert Branch took 700 troops, attacked the Drovers at Quakers Cover, killed nearly fifty members, arrested and executed the remaining members to start the fight against the Anarchists. Some of the Drovers tried to escape the attack by retreating to Hennigan's Stead, the Drovers informed the rest of the Anarchists and Natives and the war escalated. The United States cleared the Anarchists from these areas in later campaigns.
The Anarchists and Natives resisted in the Hennigan's Stead region and were victorious in the Battle of Brittlebrush Trawl. On January 2nd, a wood-gathering party from Fort Mercer was ambushed and nine were scalped. The same band of Anarchists and Native partisans raided Fort Mercer, killing and scalping two men and taking two prisoners. On the same day, Natives killed 23 and captured two New Austin Rangers outside Fort Mercer. On January 3rd, forty Anarchists and Natives attacked a small boat on the San Luis River and killed its master and two sailors. On January 4th, a Native war party ambushed five American soldiers on patrol while they were crossing Mason's Bridge near Thieves' Landing. They were ritually scalped and their bodies mutilated as was common in frontier warfare. During that night of January 4, a force of Anarchists captured a large Army convoy. At dawn they attacked a selection of Defense Force troops near Manzanita Post and fought for five hours. Although the Defense Force was victorious, over forty percent of the troops in that battle were killed and wounded. This incited the Defense Force to enlist into the Removals.
On January 8th, a group of 50 Rangers led by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski ambushed a party of one hundred Anarchists and Natives who were working up a plan to attack a Defense Force encampment. Seven were taken prisoner and the rest were eliminated by the Rangers. On January 10th, a band of Anarchist and Native partisans raided a warehouse in Blackwater, killed thirteen Army soldiers, took what provisions they could carry and set fire to the building. Days later, the same partisans raided Fort Mercer once more. Famous outlaw Roy Byers wrote about the difficulty of recapturing Fort Mercer: "Those godforsaken Army boys have deprived us of a great advantage by removing their families that were settled near there; thus we would have to find new people to kill."
The Anarchists and Natives fought in the Thieves' Landing region. They were victorious in the Battle of the Devil's Marsh. Neutral Anarchists being arrested rebelled against their captors and escaped and resulted in all Anarchist or unknown factions considered hostile, regardless of neutrality. On January 9th, while cutting firewood at the Pacific Union Railroad Camp, U.S. Army Private Robert Grant was captured by Natives—presumably the Big Valley Tribe— and was carried away to the mouth of the San Luis River, where he was drowned.
Raids on Plainview
Approximately 55 Anarchists, who escaped the initial extermination at Thieves' Landing, were reported to have made their way to the Rio Bravo region—which included Plainview—from where they participated in numerous raids on. The Anarchists and Natives raided the Plainview settlement nine times over a three-week period during the beginning of the war. Roy Byers ordered the first Raids on Plainview in the first week of January. In the second week, the second raids on Plainview occurred, in which twenty-five people were killed. The following week, there was a final series of raids on the Rio Bravo Peninsula where thirty-five people were killed. By the end of January, most of those at Plainview had shut it down and abandoned the settlement and retreated to the protection of the fortifications around Fort Mercer.
For those who did not leave Rio Bravo, the number of raids intensified. There were four raids on the Rio Bravo Peninsula. On February 3rd, 1896, seventeen people were killed. The next raid happened at Repentance Rock, on February 3rd, when the Anarchists and Natives attacked the Ranger force led by Radzikowski who were tracking them. They killed three Rangers in the attack, but were unsuccessful in taking out the Rangers. Two days later, twenty of the Anarchists were killed in a raid at a blockhouse by the Defense Force in Rio Bravo. On February 10th, the remaining Anarchists and Natives in the region performed their last raid at Fort Mercer, where the Defense Force surprised and eliminated the opposing belligerents with killing fires.
The Burning Plains Campaign - February 1896
The Burning Plains campaign involved the United States Government in the Hennigan's Stead region. On February 11th, Major Hubert Branch and his troops, on their movement, encountered and raided an Anarchist encampment near the Old Bacchus Place and killed 72 men, women and children. On February 12th, Major Hubert Branch led the 35th Infantry Regiment, supported by a company of Rangers led by Radzikowski to Pikes Basin. He cordoned off the Basin and sent his men through it. Thirty five Anarchists were killed, and forty were captured while about 50 Anarchists and Natives escaped. The prisoners were taken to makeshift prison pens in MacFarlane's Ranch.
En-route to New Austin, General Rostad sent Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski, to eliminate the remaining Anarchists in Hennigan's Stead. On February 14th, Radzikowski sent Rangers to eliminate the remaining Anarchists near Manteca Falls, which was made up of the Neuvo Parasio Raiders. The gang members were all killed in a crossfire at their established encampment. On February 16th, Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski and his Rangers arrived to eliminate the remaining Anarchists, however instead imprisoned most of them. February 18th saw the execution of the remaining Anarchists by the Defense Force and United States Army. On February 22nd, in Cholla Springs, U.S. Army troops led by Major Hubert Branch arrived and were fired upon by 100 Anarchists and Natives.
Second Wave of Removals
The second wave of the removals began with the Anarchist defeat at Hennigan's Stead. Hundreds of Anarchists were arrested and killed. The following Poisoned Minds Campaign resulted in the largest percentage of deaths of the Anarchists. The United States Army and Defense Force marked the highest numbers of fatalities during the removals. By the time the second wave of the removals had begun, the United States Government had discarded their policy of imprisoning the Anarchists and had begun killing them directly.
Poisoned Minds Campaign - March to May 1896
The Posisoned Minds Campaign was a series of military operations that occurred from May to March 1896 to eliminate the Anarchists who either lived along Cholla Springs or had taken refuge in Mexico from earlier eliminations. Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski and his Rangers, as well the United States Army and the North American Defense Force carried out the operation. Contrary to General Rostad's direction, Radzikowski engaged in frontier warfare against the Anarchists. On May 1st, Radzikowski began to pursue the Anarchists on the San Luis River. They arrived at Manteca Falls and Radzikowski's Rangers ambushed a gang of Anarchists known as the "Dirty Thirty" who were led by Adam Grant. The Anarchists were driven into the river where nearly all of them were killed and scalped, while some were captured. Grant was killed by Radzikowski in close fighting, with Radzikowski running at his target from the front, stunning Grant with a quick jab and attacked behind with his knife drawn, he swiftly slashed it diagonally across Grant's spine. As Grant was about to react, Radzikowski spun the blade skillfully in his hand and cleanly stabbed him up through the back, impaling his victim's heart and spine from behind and causing him to collapse to the floor, where he died of blood loss. Radzikowski reported that the scalps were for sale and received payment for them. Thereafter, he went down in local lore as "The most frightening and brutal" of the Rangers.
General Rostad led a force of 1,150 soldiers to destroy the Anarchist establishments along the banks of the San Luis River until they reached the largest settlement of Fort Mercer, where they were executed. Rostad was accompanied by the United States Army. The force started at the upper lip of the river, raiding and killing. Then they moved down the river and raided many settlements and finally reached Armadillo.
Contrary to General Rostad's direction, Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski engaged in frontier warfare against the Anarchists in what has become known as the "Cholla Springs Massacre". On March 15th, Radzikowski and about fifty men arrived at the southeastern edge of Cholla Springs. The Rangers killed 147 hostiles Anarchists. The Rangers burned many establishments, mostly containing large quantities of hay, wheat, peas, oats and other foodstuffs, and killed 212 horses, about five head of cattle and a large number of hogs. They also burned out Two Crows. The Rangers tortured and killed some remaining members of the Tall Trees Confederacy and were reported to have killed a woman with "donkey-like" features. The Rangers also took twenty-five prisoners.
In April of the Campaign, also known as the Broken Expedition, government forces ransacked several settlements in Cholla Springs suspected to have been harboring Anarchists. Rostad led a force of 1500 troops to the outskirts of Armadillo, arriving there on April 5th. From there they dispatched troops to the town and killed about 200 suspected Anarchists and took about 100 prisoners.
After the Anarchists defended Ridgewood Farm against the United States Army on April 6th, the success galvanized both the Anarchists and the Natives, who gathered in large numbers at various points throughout the region and behaved in a confident and, according to the United States Government, "insolent fashion". Officials were especially alarmed when Natives gathered close to the two principal towns in the province, Armadillo and Blackwater, where there were also fairly large groups of Anarchists. The government organized an extermination of 1,300 Anarchists.
Anarchist resistance was evident in the Cholla Springs region. On April 17th, Ethan Walton, son of the infamous outlaw, Robert "Blackjack" Walton, led Native warriors on three raids against the innocent populace of the Cholla Springs region. In each raid, Walton took prisoners, heads or both. Their last raid happened in Armadillo and Walton went with four Natives, and killed and scalped two sheriff's deputies and went on to participate in the Battle of Restored Land.
Four companies of Rangers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski were operating in Cholla Springs, there they scoured the lands to stop raids on Armadillo. In May, Anarchists and Natives were killed in attempt to raid Armadillo, opposing Radzikowski and his Rangers. By late May, the Anarchists had to be completely withdrawn from Cholla Springs because a large number of raids were prevented by stationed Rangers. In nearby Cholla Springs, another Native attack was launched on Fort Mercer, in which five soldiers were killed. Before the elimination, the Anarchist population was estimated at 5,000 or more in the Cholla Springs region. Most were killed, but some escaped, hid among the Natives in the countryside, or blended in with the local populace to avoid elimination until the situation settled down.
Retribution
On May 29th, a mixed Anarchist-Native gang made up of previous war veterans, known as the "Leathermen" raided numerous military outposts and establishments. They raided Radzikowski's encampment, killing thirteen of his men before being driven off. Next they appeared near Armadillo and went through the neighboring town killing Defense Force regulars stationed there. On June 2nd, they raided MacFarlane's Ranch where they killed twenty-seven people and burned down a large barn. The same day they raided Thieves' Landing and took five prisoners. Two people were killed in Blackwater on June 3rd and one taken captive. The gang shot one person at Manzanita Post and took four prisoners. During this period, the Big Valley Tribe and the Millsesani Indians were the only tribes who were able to fight.
On June 10th, General Rostad, accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski and United States Army General Knox Lambton, with 500 soldiers marched to a suspected Leatherman encampment in Rio Bravo and raided the settlement where they wounded thirty-five gang members and killed the rest in what was known as the Battle of Restored Land. Amongst the gang members, Ethan Walton and his Native troops were found among the expedition; it was suspected they joined up with Leathermen sometime after his initial raids.
Final Campaigns - June to September 1896
In the final campaigns, more that 600 Anarchists were eliminated in Cholla Springs and Gaptooth Ridge. For over the course of several months, General Rostad, had ordered their exterminations and had not allowed the remaining to surrender. Mexico also prepared for the arrival of 700 Anarchists. The legislature declared that "the Anarchists be made welcome, helped and settled under the most advantageous conditions."
The elimination of the 600 Anarchists were mainly by surprise. Because the Defense Force attacked so unexpectedly, the Anarchists were shaken by the attacks. General Rostad refused to accept surrender of the Anarchists on grounds that they were unable to accommodate for them. Some were detained by later died from disease and malnutrition.The Anarchists who had offered the most resistance to the Government—particularly those who had been at Cholla Springs—were reported to have been all eliminated by August.
Under the leadership of Dominic Bailey, a former governor, the majority of fleeing Anarchists received passports to be able to go to Mexico. Without such passports, travel between borders was not allowed. As soon as the Anarchists bearing passports reached Mexico, the granted passports allowed Anarchists in their territories. Along with these papers, the Anarchists were refugees. After the remaining Anarchists arrived in Mexico in September, a special task force led by Lieutenant Colonel Radzikowski tracked them down and imprisoned them under humane conditions under orders of the United States Government. Those who managed to return to the United States were authorized to return to their homes after signing an unconditional surrender.
After the majority of Anarchists were eliminated, the United States Government began to consider them as low threats. Some Anarchists who were imprisoned were sent to Sisika Penitentiary but never reached their destination. Almost 100 prisoners died on board a prisoner ship transporting the Anarchists and later sank due to unknown causes. The remaining refugees eventually gathered back in Cholla Springs and went to Armadillo. Many Anarchists who returned were subject to plagues due and close conditions, while others were allowed to join communities and live normal lives.
The Fate of the Removals
On September 4th, the United States Government passed an order-in-council to end the Removals, provided that the Anarchists take an oath of peace. Under the extermination orders, Anarchist land tenure had been forfeited to the United States Government and the returning Anarchists no longer owned land. Much of their former land was distributed under grant to new settlers. The lack of available farmland compelled many Anarchists to seek out a new livelihood as fishermen in the state of Lemoyne. The American-Indian War was over by September 6th, 1896. The Defense Force was then placed at a military establishment in Blackwater for it's remaining lifespan.
According to historian Edward Ashtar Young, the religious and ethnic dimensions of the Hostile Removals are in addition to, and deeply connected to, the military exigencies cited as causes for the Removals. There is significant evidence in the correspondence of military and civil leaders for peace. Young writes, "The first session of the New Austin Assembly ... passed a series of laws intended to institutionalize Anarchy elimination & dispossession" including an act titled "An Act for the Possessions and Elimination of Anarchist Citizens and Factions." In it and two subsequent acts Anarchists was made an official title of "any person who seeks against the ideals and prosperity of the government". These acts granted elimination of any person considered an Anarchist. It also empowered the authorities to seize all property for the government and barred former Anarchists from entering or residing in the province, as they wanted no repeat of the American-Frontier War and that type of war. In addition, Young concludes "These laws—passed by a popular assembly, not enacted by military fiat or the federal government—laid the foundation for the removal of Anarchists."
Markus Lake hoped to assimilate the Anarchists into the government fold. He did so by trying to encourage (or force) Anarchists to join the government. This was linked to larger anxieties in the realm over New Austin in general—as Lake led a rebellion against the government previously. Lake, who in part was responsible for the Removals, according to historian Nixon Bainn, "recommended using military force to expel the most 'obnoxious' Anarchists and replace them with less savage people." Lake wanted "peaceable loyal subjects" and specifically, in his own words, "good obedient ones."
Young compared the Removals to contemporary ethnic cleansing. In contrast, numerous leading historians have agreed to this characterization of the Removals. Historian Leonardo Till asserts that Young perfectly states the motivation for the Removals but obscures the fact that only New Austin supported the exterminations. Till writes that Young "States his case well; his focus on the grand derangement as an early example of ethnic cleansing carries great emotional weight but in-turn overshadows much of what the United States Government reached. As well, the United States was clearly not concerned that the Anarchists were supporting the Natives, given they were working with the Natives during the war.
While clearly there was animosity during this time period, many historians point to the overwhelming evidence which suggests the motivation for the Removals was military. The United States wanted to cut off supply lines to the Natives in the war. They also wanted to end any threat the Anarchists posed. Hugo Merritt wrote that the evidence for the removal of the Anarchists indicates the decision makers thought the Anarchists were a military threat, therefore the deportation of does not necessarily qualify as an act of ethnic cleansing. Leonardo Till argues that the United States continued the removals after 1896 for military reasons: some areas remained contested territory between the government and the Natives, and the Natives wanted to make sure that government negotiators would be unlikely to give up the region to the government as was such with the Tall Trees Confederacy.
Other historians have observed that it was not uncommon for nations during this time period to remove their populations. For several historians, he event is comparable with other removals in history, and should not be considered ethnic cleansing. Historian Peter Rale writes that "the removals, as a government action, was a pattern with other contemporary happenings." The Removals have been compared to similar military operations during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Germany carried out exterminations when they occupied southeastern Mexico, burning every settlement and exiling over 5,000 inhabitants during the Mexican-German War. Leonardo Till notes that in 1868, United States authorities forcibly killed nearly 800 Native inhabitants in the North West, and compares the Removals to the fate of another North American removals, which was the Indian Removal of the 1830s, in which Native Americans from the South-East United States were removed from their traditional homelands.
Further, other historians have noted that civilian populations are often devastated during wartime. For example, there were five wars fought along the New Austin and West Elizabeth regions over the years prior to the Removals. During these wars, both government and opposing forces conducted numerous military campaigns killing civilians and taking them captive.
Historian Anika Davies writes that the term "'genocide'... does not apply at all to the grand derangement of the Removals. Many of the Anarchists were hostile against the government and to compare resistance and the killing fields of New Austin is a complete and utter trivialization of the many genocidal horrors of contemporary history." Concerning the use of late 19th century terms such as "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide" to understand the past, historian Seth Richardson states, "I'm not sure that it's the best way to understand realities...What happened in the past is a process of resistance and expansion that was ruthless at times, that cost lives...But to my mind, you can't just transfer concepts between events like that."
Final Months of the North American Defense Force
When the American-Indian War was officially over, the North American Defense Force was placed on a military establishment in the Great Plains. The joint governments of Canada and the United States became concerned that national security still might be threatened, but were losing large amounts of currency due to the funding of the North American Defense Force. The authorities introduced new regulations, including the establishment of the North American Defense Force as a regional security force. The responsibility for tackling security tasks was maintained by the Defense Force but because of their lack of funding, they lost the majority of their resources and were left very limited; indeed, they often had to train most of the troops in frontiersmanship. The North American Defense Force therefore delegated much of their responsibilities to Radzikowski and his Rangers, which became revisioned as a frontier police force known as the West Elizabeth Mounted Police. After the revisions, Radzikowski was promoted to Lieutenant General as commendation for his overall service and took direct command of the Defense Force under Rostad's supervision.
The Defense Force initially began their operations by focusing on the activities of immigrants and carrying out regional security, but quickly widened their operations. Unlike during the previous wars, the Defense Force was forbidden to volunteer for war duties, and the size of the force decreased to 500 men due to lack of reenlistments. The force investigated rumors of conspiracies associated with another insurrection, but, since most mounted police did not have links within the relevant communities, they instead used secret agents and informants to gather intelligence, supported by a few undercover officers. Meanwhile, tensions grew between temperance campaigners and soldiers over the implementation of newly established laws. The Defense Force barracks in Blackwater was attacked on October 17th by a crowd of over two hundred soldiers and civilians, who were trying to release six soldiers arrested for alcohol offenses. Public opinion of the Defense Force decreased and soon, the Defense Force was vilified.
The demands of the force's new security role, combined with its traditional military responsibilities, soon overstretched the force's resources. Lieutenant General Radzikowski raised his concerns about the situation with the government and in response the United States Government began the closure of over 80 Defense Force posts. Radzikowski argued that the force had previously "largely finished the work for which it was called into existence" and now was no longer possible to do so. Radzikowski proposed that the Defense Force should instead focus on supporting military efforts, threatening to resign if the Defense Force was not allowed to maintain it's original purposes. Despite complaints from the military that there was no longer any requirement for the Defense Force to exist, a force of 200 troops were sent to form "A" Squadron, and were deployed to Guarma to support American forces engaged in an effort to eliminate the corrupt Guarma Government. By November, there were only 200 members left, primarily focused on border and city protection.
By December, pressures for social change, and rapid decline of the remaining workforce was commonplace. While concerns about national security threats declined, fears grew in government that Mexico might be covertly orchestrating a campaign of strikes across New Austin and Mexico. In response the Governor Nate Johns, created a Public Safety Branch led by Charles Rostad. Rostad envisaged transforming this organization into a much larger secret service and planned to retire his post from the North American Defense Force, but he soon fell out with Johns and ultimately resigned from the Public Safety Branch.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Radzikowski had put forward four outcomes for the future of the Defense Force: the force would be absorbed into the Canadian or American military; the remit of the force would be reduced to simply policing the far north; the force would receive it's original funding and assigned back it's previous duties across the whole of the United States and Canada; or the force would be shutdown. Radzikowski promoted the third option and Darius Parrey, the acting Attorney General for Justice of West Elizabeth, therefore proposed merging the North American Defense Force and the United States and Canadian Armies, placing them under one single command structure. This idea was turned down by President Macalister, who believed, that the merger would be unacceptable and uncoordinated and wanted a policing future for the force.
Instead, in December, President Macalister reorganized the security system by splitting the policing of the two countries geographically, with the West Elizabeth Mounted Police running the American half and reporting to the President and the remaining Defense Force running the Canadian side. The establishment of the new proposal was to be permanently kept at 1,200 men, creating a huge demand for manpower: with the member base rapidly declining. The proposal was turned down by the Canadian Government, which no longer saw any necessary reason to keep the Defense Force operational. The United States assimilated the Defense Force and kept it with plans to rename it permanently to the West Elizabeth Mounted Police. The force began to recruit new networks of secret agents, whom Rostad tasked to investigate "foreign settlements" to identify "the least indication of hostile tendencies and doctrines", and the force embraced new laws allowing for the deportation, without trial, of persons suspected of holding extremist views. The operations were well run, although no significant evidence of any extremist plot was actually discovered.
Termination of the North American Defense Force
On December 12th, the General Strike against the continuation of the North American Defense Force broke out in Blackwater, creating a national crisis which feared would lead to a revolution. The West Elizabeth Mounted Police was deployed to maintain public order and generate intelligence on the strikers; 50 mounted police were sent into the city, supported by four machine guns mounted on wagons. On December 17th, which became known as Bloody Sunday, former military veterans of the Defense Force, including former Captain Cody Paige marched through the city in support of the strikers; the authorities called in the Defense Force to break up the marchers. By the time the Defense Force, this time led by General Rostad, arrived, the protesters had begun to attack and the Defense Force carried out two charges. The Defense Force then concluded that they were losing control of the situation and fired their rifles into the crowd, killing thirty men and injuring others. The marchers fled and the strike collapsed.
The events in Blackwater highlighted the chaotic and ill-coordinated management of security issues across West Elizabeth, the artificial division between the organization, and the order of a single senior leader to fire into the crowd. Radzikowski considered leaving the force, along with Rostad. Governor Nate Johns recommended creating a new federal force, ideally by amalgamating the Defense Force into an existing police force but this was not until 1899 that this was officially recognized and established. The West Elizabeth Mounted Police, which was reformed from Radzikowski's Rangers, Radzikowski argued, were much more skilled, militarized, experienced and had a proven capacity to carry out secret intelligence work. They were also free from union influence and enjoyed high prestige among the public rather than the entirety of the Defense Force itself.
Due to the shortages of personnel, lack of purposes, and the recently vilified reputation of the North American Defense Force, President Alfred Macalister amended a legislation on December 25th, terminating the establishment of the North American Defense Force, with proposals of creating a new force responsible for federal law enforcement and national security across the United States under the command of Matueszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, who would not go on to lead this force until 1899. The legislation came into effect on January 1st, 1897, officially marking the end of the North American Defense Force.
"We yodelled well, and our pickings were swell. We played so hard for the folks in Hell. But they saw nothing, nothing at all. Chains to the legs, bolts to the ground. Us boys didn't leave 'til the crowd turned around. The colder the night, the hotter the lights. Our sweat dripped down and the crowd started fist-fights...But the air on stage burned our lungs, and we all went deaf from the beating drums, and we couldn't see a thing for all the blood, and sweat in our eyes. Yeah we fought 'til we died, and now we're all dead, but the man said 'You gotta get up there again; and you can't come down 'til the brimstone turns to ice'. We couldn't sing a note for the dust in our throats, we're ran empty and lost all hope. Welcome to hell, ladies and gent's. We sinned and fell, no time to repent. 'Cause they heard nothing. Nothing at all" - Lieutenant General Mateuszek Jaskulska-Radzikowski, Ballad for the Dead
Mexican Revolutionary War (1897)
The Mexican Revolutionary War was a major armed struggle in which that radically transformed Mexican culture and government. Its outbreak resulted in the involvement of the newly establishment Blackwater Militia. This meant there was a political crisis amongst the opportunity for agrarian insurrection.
The origins of the conflict were broadly based in opposition to the Bienvenida presidency, with the 1896 election becoming the catalyst for the outbreak of rebellion. The revolution was begun by elements of those hostile to Abraham Bienvenida, led by the rechristened Cody Paige. It was discovered that Bienvenida was overwhelmingly elected in a free and fair election. Opposition to his regime then grew from both former troops, who saw him as too weak and too liberal, and from former political figures and the dispossessed, who saw him as too conservative.
Rostad and his second in command Radzikowski were sent to the Mexico under orders of the United States Government to quell Bienvenida's opposition in order to maintain a free democratic country. The revolutionary regime of General Cody Paige came to power, backed by business interests and other supporters of the remnants of many Native and Anarchist groups. Paige fought against the Bienvenida regime until he was killed in the Battle of Rathskellar Fork by Radzikowski. The Blackwater Militia under Charles Rostad emerged as the victor, defeating the revolutionary forces of Cody Paige and forcing revolutionary forces to dismantle.
The armed conflict lasted for less than five months. Over time the Revolution changed from a revolt against the established order under Bienavenida's to a multi-sided civil war in particular regions, with frequently shifting power struggles among factions in the Mexican Revolutionary War. Although the conflict was primarily a civil war, foreign powers that had important economic and strategic interests in Mexico figured in the outcome of Mexico's power struggles. The United States, particularly the Blackwater Miltia played an especially significant role.
This armed conflict is often characterized as one of the most greatest upheavals of the late 19th century; it resulted in the disbandment of the Blackwater Militia and put an end to Radzikowski's service for several years.
Battle of Butter Bridge
The Battle of Butter Bridge refers to two engagements fought on June 6th, 1897 and June 7, 1897, near the end of the War Campaign of the Mexican Revolutionary War about 8.5 km northeast of Escalera.
On June 6, 1897, the newly established Blackwater Militia under pending-General Charles Rostad fought stubbornly to secure Butter Bridge over the Manteca Falls near Hennigan's Stead. A large rebel raiding party intended to destroy the bridges to prevent the Blackwater Militia from crossing to the south. Both sides had several officers killed and wounded. The raiding force suffered 42 killed and wounded. The Blackwater Militia suffered about 28 casualties. Major Johnathan "Woodman" Victory and pending-General Charles Rostad (often identified as a general but his appointment was never confirmed) were mortally wounded in the engagement.
On June 7th, 1897, Commander Cody Paige's rear guard attempted to burn the bridges that in order to prevent the Blackwater Militia from following them across. Troops led by Radzikowski fought the rebels assigned to burn the bridges in an effort to drive off the rebel forces and save the bridges. Part of the railroad bridge burned and was rendered unusable but the Blackwater Militia was able to save the bridge over which the Blackwater Militia crossed in pursuit of Commander Cody Paige's "Combined Military Forces". Failure to destroy this bridge enabled U.S. forces to catch up with the rebels at Torquemada.
During the retreat of Commander Cody Paige, the rebels had moved further south of the San Luis River, except for a rear guard provided by Johnathan "Woodman" Victory on the southern bank. The bridges had to be protected on June 6th and then destroyed on June 7th to delay the pursuit of the rebels by U.S.-backed forces under pending-General Rostad.
On June 6th, Victory dispatched 50 rebel sharpshooters under Blasco Manual to protect the bridges from attacking forces. Rostad, commanding the Blackwater Militia, sent about 20 men under reinstated-Captain Radzikowski to destroy the opposition. This force consisted of the Company of Select Marksmen. Radzikowski and his troops reached the bridge before the main rebel force, eliminated some poorly armed home guards, and secured the northern end of the bridge.
Battle
While Radzikowski prepared to cross the bridge, rebel sharpshooters supported by cavalry forces arrived and conducted a dismounted attack against the advancing forces, which was waiting near the Old Bacchus Place. Hearing sounds of battle, Rostad and his troops joined Radzikowski, it was during this time that both sides were engaging each other from both sides of the bridge. Unaware that he was facing a much larger force, Radzikowski ordered a fighting charge across the bridge. The ferocious charge forced through the rebel and dissolved into hand-to-hand combat. Manual exchanged gunfire with Radzikowski during the fighting and was killed. Witnesses describe Radzikowski facing Manual in close combat, pulling out one of his pistols and leveling it at Manual's face, to which the latter manages to react quickly enough to snatch it out of his hand. Undeterred, Radzikowski spun around and used his second pistol to shoot his victim in the head, killing him. As Manual flew back from the blow, the stolen weapon flew from his hand and was neatly caught by Radzikowski. Rostad was mortally wounded and Victory was also mortally wounded. The rebels counterattacked and separated Rostad from supporting Radzikowski. The Militia was surrounded, and were all wounded, with several troops killed. Many veterans, including Sergeant Marvin Scott were killed in the attack. On the verge of defeat, Radzikowski and his remaining troops managed to withhold and break through the counterattack before making it to an overlook position and eliminating most of the rebels.
The survivors of the rebel forces, escaped from their defeat and retreated from Butter Bridge to Torquemada while the Blackwater Militia managed to retake and secure the bridge. The rest of Paige's force moved on to El Presidio.
Early on June 7th, a rebel raiding party men were attempting to destroy the Bridge. As the raid commenced, Rostad's troops quickly arrived on the scene. Rostad's second troop under Radzikowski, including the New Austin Volunteer Infantry, charged the burning structure and saved a large section of the railroad bridge, preventing major damage. They then crossed to move on Victory's flank and forced the hungry rebels to resume their retreat before re-provisioning themselves.
Aftermath
With 28 Blackwater Militia killed (plus 57 wounded) versus only about 100 rebel casualties, the first battle on the bridge seemed to favor the rebels. However, the second battle, in which U.S. troops successfully extinguished the fire, crossed the bridge, and forced the rebels to flee along a specific path, proved to be a decisive tactical victory, and may have shortened the war significantly.
As a result, Paige was forced to continue his march to the west under pressure, depriving some of his men the opportunity to receive rations that they desperately needed. On the night of June 7, Paige received from Rostad a letter proposing that his rebels should surrender. Paige demurred, retaining one last hope that his army could get to El Presidio before he was trapped. He returned a noncommittal letter asking about the surrender terms "Unconditional Surrender" Rostad might propose.
The next morning, Paige's troops moved toward El Presidio towards the west where a ration train was expected to be waiting near Casa Madrugaga. U.S. forces were, however, already moving to capture El Presidio...soon after they would capture Torquemada.
Battle of Torquemada
The Battle of Torquemada was a siege that occurred during the Mexican Revolutionary War in what is now known as the Clash of the East. The Battle was a series of military skirmishes that ended with both sides claiming victory, and the victor of the battle is still debated. On June 10th, 1897 General Rostad, along with a small detachment of U.S. forces led by a veteran Mateuszek Radzikowski, engaged a small contingent of Mexican rebel forces known as the Los Galgos (The Greyhounds), led by Major Ruy Moya. After U.S. reinforcements arrived, Rostad's troops were able to capture Torquemada.
Background
Following a clash of U.S. forces with Mexican rebels forces at the Battle of Butter Bridge, Charles Rostad was given the appointment of brigadier general with Radzikowski appointed as Major and were tasked with multiple objectives to include the seizure of rebel-occupied territories, re-establish the newly democratic Mexican government within seized territories, disrupt rebel trade, and to "act in such a manner as best to conciliate the inhabitants, and render them friendly to the United States". Rostad's initial force consisted of 300 regular volunteer soldiers, and approximately 50 irregulars. After the Battle, Rostad first attempted to capitulate the Neuvo Paraiso region without any further conflict but to no avail. While en-route to Torquemada, Rostad established Camp Cameron, named after Sergeant James Cameron, as a memorial for the renowned veteran. Rostad was the ordered to move his force southwestward.
En route from Butter Bridge, Rostad's force clashed with the Madrugada tribe, and captured a rebel courier with news of American activities in Mexico, with the news stating that Butter Bridge had capitulated. Forces under Commodore Hunter Christensen had taken control a significant portion of north-eastern Neuvo Paraiso. Christensen had orders to assume command of U.S. forces in Mexico with his, but was sent back with most of his force to Hennigan's Stead after hearing of the seizure of Butter Bridge by General Charles Rostad. Under new orders, the Blackwater Militia formed into the 1st Blackwater Dragoons with now maintaining only two Companies, A & B with about 100 men. At that time with a force of 350 men, learning of escalating issues with Native Mexican tribes, Rostad had the belief that a smaller force could move faster and ordered 200 troops back to the United States. Rostad's force, guided by Radzikowski, reached the outskirts of Mesa Del Sol in the Neuvo Paraiso on June 9th, in a greatly weakened condition. They had just completed a hell march, considered to be one of the toughest marches in history.
Major Ruy Moya and Captain Diego Murillo took a force with the intention to interdict and keep in check General Rostad after his departure from the United States. Later, Major Ruy Moya, after a failed search for a detachment of the U.S. soldiers, joined forces with another company and took command of Torquemada. These officers led a force consisting of landowners, sons of landowners, and vaqueros, many with well known and respected family names in the community.
Prelude
A dragoon patrol under Lieutenant Lewis A. Jackson, guided by Major Mateuszek J. Radzikowsk reconnoitered Major Ruy Moya's force along the road near Torquemada.
While the patrol sneaked along the trail, Radzikowski and Jackson became suspicious they were being set up for an ambush and rode the dragoons into a nearby rebel camp, where they spoke with a Native they found sleeping in a hut. In a coincidence that has never been fully explained, a guard under the command of Moya, the brother of a brother-in-law and future father-in-law, Captain Diego Murillo challenged the dragoons and alerted the camp to their presence. While the dragoons quickly ran back to more strategic positions, Murillo sounded the alarm but was dismissed by Major Moya, until a U.S. Army blanket and dragoon coat were discovered on the edge of camp by Private Jose Alvaraez. Regrouping with Capt. Arturo Lopez, Captain Carlos Pardo, Major Moya chased the dragoons to the top of the next ridge with the battle cry of "Viva Mexico!". Paige was alerted, and Torquemada prepared for the dragoons to attack.
Rostad had planned a surprise attack at daylight, despite the damp weather wetting down their ammunition and the extremely poor state of the soldiers' equipment and mounts — mostly mules, as the horses had died on the preceding march.
Battle
Having lost the element of surprise, at midnight Rostad ordered an immediate advance. It had rained that night. Men, rifles, pistols and equipment were wet and cold, but the troops were eager to engage the rebels. Early in the morning of June 10th, 1897, the column proceeded by twos across the ridge towards Torquemada. During the descent, while it was still dark and with a low-lying fog, Rostad's force became strung out and were caught in a disadvantageous position by Major Moya's strategic positions. Radzikowski gave the plan of battle prior to proceeding down into the valley, to keep all casualties to a minimum, to encircle Torquemada to capture fresh mounts.
Captain Devan Cervantez's advance guard, while still three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km) from Moya's forces, was ordered by Radzikowski to "Trot!", which Cervantez misunderstood as "Gallop!". Forty of the best mounted pulled far ahead of the main body of the force. The mules pulling the howitzers bolted, taking the guns with them. Moya's force steady in face of the advancing U.S. forces. The U.S. forces had superior horsemanship allowed them to outmaneuver and lead the advance group of rebels away from the main force. The rebels had a distinct advantage over the U.S. soldiers in their knowledge of the terrain. A separation developed and twenty-eight dragoons, including Rostad, were separated. Damp carbines reduced the effectiveness of carbines to clubs and pistols to hammers, as described by a native woman that witnessed the battle. The rebels were armed with long rifles and swords, which they used with great effect. As a consequence, Cervantez's charge was unsupported but his dragoons did not withdraw.
As the leading element of the U.S. force's attack drew close to Torquemada, the rebels wheeled back and fired their firearms. At this time Captain Cervantez was wounded by a bullet. Moya then withdrew to higher ground.
A second charge ordered by Radzikowski proved to be more effective, and the rebels met his dragoons with a counter-charge by lancers. The counter-charge was quickly stopped, and Captains Lopez & Pardo were killed. Rostad arrived within fifteen minutes with more troops. Mules are reluctant to wheel, resulting in Radzikowski and his troops to dismount and fight with rifles. The troops quickly managed to outflanked the rebels and captured a series of unattended horses. Radzikowski's men pushed and besieged Torquemada — using Sun Tzu's and Carl Von Clausewitz's war strategies. Radzikowski and his troops battled over pieces of dismantled cover, killing several rebel troops before making it into the fortress, with Radzikowski using his pistol and rifle to fight off a vicious personal attack made by a group of rebels in revenge for his previous actions in the Battle of Butter Bridge, his successes in the Second Mexican-American War, and the broken agreement to cease his service. He took a knife thrust just over the heart that nearly pierced a lung. The dragoons entered in further vicious close fighting with knives and handguns, but managed to kill the remaining rebels with several casualties and then secure the fortress. The securing of the fortress resulted in the deaths of Lieutenant Jackson & Captain Murillo both of whom died fighting each other in close combat, while Major Moya was found to not have been present at the fortress itself. Either this action (traditional U.S. view) or the unusual degree of bloodshed (traditional rebel view), prompted Moya to withdraw his remaining forces. Radzikowski was wounded when he was attacked, and other dragoons were worked on by teams of rebels who, with fresh mounts, would yank dragoons off their mounts, hog-tie them, and then kill them. The U.S. Forces, having utilized the fortress to their advantage, scattered the off rebel counterattack, burned the fortress to the ground, then established a fortified camp on a low hill north of the valley, initially placing their dead on mules before burying them outside of the camp under cover of darkness.
Summarizing the battle, Historian Finlay Kaur writes:
"The Americans fought bravely against heavy odds, for their mules were unmanageable, and their sabers too short to cope effectively with the long lances of the rebels."
Aftermath
The next day, June 11th, 1897, after assurances by Dr. Alfred Turner that the worst of the injured could be moved, Radzikowski marched the column toward El Presidio. Rebel troops established a blocking position near what is now known as the "Red Hill". Major Radzikowski ordered Lieutenant Jasper McGuire and a squad of dragoons to engage and drive off the menacing rebels. With dry carbines, the dragoons easily neutralized the rebels, inflicting twenty-five dead among the rebel. That evening Rostad regained his command, established a strong defensive perimeter and then sent dispatches requesting urgent reinforcements, carried to Commodore Christensen by Lieutenant Aiden George, Nico Martines and a young guide named Benjamin Cabal. Under cover of darkness they each took different routes to the commodore's headquarters, to the north-northwest. Christensen quickly dispatched a unit of over 200 sailors and marines, whose arrival caused the rebels to disperse. Rostad had already determined the night before (June 9th) to continue the march the next morning. Christenen's unit then escorted Rostad battered troops to Camp Canton to recover, where they arrived June 12th before marching out to neutralize El Presidio on June 15th.
Dr. Alfred Turner, Rostad's surgeon, reported that the Americans had lost 22 killed and 20 wounded out of the 50 officers and men who engaged Moya's rebels. They buried the dead in a mass grave on the battlefield. When they arrived at Cant Canton, the wounded survivors were treated by their guide's sister, Nurse Alessandra Martines, known as the Florence Nightingale of Neuevo Paraiso for her charity work for the oppressed peoples in the region.
General Rostad's official report states: "On the morning of the 7th, having made ambulances for our wounded . . . we proceeded on our march, when the enemy showed himself, occupying the large castle on the hills in our front, which they engaged as we approached, till we, a party of less than 100 men then took possession of it and maintained their position until attacked by a rebel advance, who then quickly drove them off, killing and wounding with little loss on our part." Some time after the battle, General Rostad wrote that the U.S. had achieved victory in Torquemada since the rebels had "fled the field," but the rebels saw the engagement as their victory.
The battle is unique, as it was one of the few military battles in the United States that involved elements of the Army, Navy, Marines, and civilian volunteers, all in the same skirmish. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, historians debated which force won or lost the battle. Clearly, Rostad retained the battle area, the ability to operate and maneuver, and also the initiative, and his losses were significantly lower, however, he did not implement his battle plan, his ammunition was compromised, and he outran his artillery and supply line. According to Evan Hudson:
"It had been a thoroughly bad battle from the American point of view. It has been claimed in Rostad's defense that because Moya abandoned the field the Americans were thereby victorious, but it is a ridiculous assertion."
Rostad had begun his march to El Presidio on June 14th 1897. It consisted of a mixed force of mainly Blackwater Dragoons, with Navy sailors, Marines, volunteers and artillery as subsidiary forces. Although there was contention on leadership of U.S. forces in Mexico, this and Christensen's combined forces went on to engage the rebels at the Battle of Mesa de la Luna, resulting in a rebel retreat. The following day the Battle of Alta Cabeza resulted in another rebel defeat, leading to the surrender of the eastern quadrant of Neuvo Paraiso and later the signing of the Treaty of Paraiso. Lt. Colonel Ronald Combs writes:
'The combat losses at the Battle of Torquemada often overshadow the success of the overall campaign.'
TO BE CONTINUED
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Second Siege of El Presidio
Battle of El Matadero
Siege of Escalera
Battle of Rathskellar Fork & End of Service
The origins of the conflict were broadly based in opposition to the Bienvenida presidency, with the 1896 election becoming the catalyst for the outbreak of rebellion. The revolution was begun by elements of those hostile to Abraham Bienvenida, led by the rechristened Cody Paige. It was discovered that Bienvenida was overwhelmingly elected in a free and fair election. Opposition to his regime then grew from both former troops, who saw him as too weak and too liberal, and from former political figures and the dispossessed, who saw him as too conservative.
Rostad and his second in command Radzikowski were sent to the Mexico under orders of the United States Government to quell Bienvenida's opposition in order to maintain a free democratic country. The revolutionary regime of General Cody Paige came to power, backed by business interests and other supporters of the remnants of many Native and Anarchist groups. Paige fought against the Bienvenida regime until he was killed in the Battle of Rathskellar Fork by Radzikowski. The Blackwater Militia under Charles Rostad emerged as the victor, defeating the revolutionary forces of Cody Paige and forcing revolutionary forces to dismantle.
The armed conflict lasted for less than five months. Over time the Revolution changed from a revolt against the established order under Bienavenida's to a multi-sided civil war in particular regions, with frequently shifting power struggles among factions in the Mexican Revolutionary War. Although the conflict was primarily a civil war, foreign powers that had important economic and strategic interests in Mexico figured in the outcome of Mexico's power struggles. The United States, particularly the Blackwater Miltia played an especially significant role.
This armed conflict is often characterized as one of the most greatest upheavals of the late 19th century; it resulted in the disbandment of the Blackwater Militia and put an end to Radzikowski's service for several years.
Battle of Butter Bridge
The Battle of Butter Bridge refers to two engagements fought on June 6th, 1897 and June 7, 1897, near the end of the War Campaign of the Mexican Revolutionary War about 8.5 km northeast of Escalera.
On June 6, 1897, the newly established Blackwater Militia under pending-General Charles Rostad fought stubbornly to secure Butter Bridge over the Manteca Falls near Hennigan's Stead. A large rebel raiding party intended to destroy the bridges to prevent the Blackwater Militia from crossing to the south. Both sides had several officers killed and wounded. The raiding force suffered 42 killed and wounded. The Blackwater Militia suffered about 28 casualties. Major Johnathan "Woodman" Victory and pending-General Charles Rostad (often identified as a general but his appointment was never confirmed) were mortally wounded in the engagement.
On June 7th, 1897, Commander Cody Paige's rear guard attempted to burn the bridges that in order to prevent the Blackwater Militia from following them across. Troops led by Radzikowski fought the rebels assigned to burn the bridges in an effort to drive off the rebel forces and save the bridges. Part of the railroad bridge burned and was rendered unusable but the Blackwater Militia was able to save the bridge over which the Blackwater Militia crossed in pursuit of Commander Cody Paige's "Combined Military Forces". Failure to destroy this bridge enabled U.S. forces to catch up with the rebels at Torquemada.
During the retreat of Commander Cody Paige, the rebels had moved further south of the San Luis River, except for a rear guard provided by Johnathan "Woodman" Victory on the southern bank. The bridges had to be protected on June 6th and then destroyed on June 7th to delay the pursuit of the rebels by U.S.-backed forces under pending-General Rostad.
On June 6th, Victory dispatched 50 rebel sharpshooters under Blasco Manual to protect the bridges from attacking forces. Rostad, commanding the Blackwater Militia, sent about 20 men under reinstated-Captain Radzikowski to destroy the opposition. This force consisted of the Company of Select Marksmen. Radzikowski and his troops reached the bridge before the main rebel force, eliminated some poorly armed home guards, and secured the northern end of the bridge.
Battle
While Radzikowski prepared to cross the bridge, rebel sharpshooters supported by cavalry forces arrived and conducted a dismounted attack against the advancing forces, which was waiting near the Old Bacchus Place. Hearing sounds of battle, Rostad and his troops joined Radzikowski, it was during this time that both sides were engaging each other from both sides of the bridge. Unaware that he was facing a much larger force, Radzikowski ordered a fighting charge across the bridge. The ferocious charge forced through the rebel and dissolved into hand-to-hand combat. Manual exchanged gunfire with Radzikowski during the fighting and was killed. Witnesses describe Radzikowski facing Manual in close combat, pulling out one of his pistols and leveling it at Manual's face, to which the latter manages to react quickly enough to snatch it out of his hand. Undeterred, Radzikowski spun around and used his second pistol to shoot his victim in the head, killing him. As Manual flew back from the blow, the stolen weapon flew from his hand and was neatly caught by Radzikowski. Rostad was mortally wounded and Victory was also mortally wounded. The rebels counterattacked and separated Rostad from supporting Radzikowski. The Militia was surrounded, and were all wounded, with several troops killed. Many veterans, including Sergeant Marvin Scott were killed in the attack. On the verge of defeat, Radzikowski and his remaining troops managed to withhold and break through the counterattack before making it to an overlook position and eliminating most of the rebels.
The survivors of the rebel forces, escaped from their defeat and retreated from Butter Bridge to Torquemada while the Blackwater Militia managed to retake and secure the bridge. The rest of Paige's force moved on to El Presidio.
Early on June 7th, a rebel raiding party men were attempting to destroy the Bridge. As the raid commenced, Rostad's troops quickly arrived on the scene. Rostad's second troop under Radzikowski, including the New Austin Volunteer Infantry, charged the burning structure and saved a large section of the railroad bridge, preventing major damage. They then crossed to move on Victory's flank and forced the hungry rebels to resume their retreat before re-provisioning themselves.
Aftermath
With 28 Blackwater Militia killed (plus 57 wounded) versus only about 100 rebel casualties, the first battle on the bridge seemed to favor the rebels. However, the second battle, in which U.S. troops successfully extinguished the fire, crossed the bridge, and forced the rebels to flee along a specific path, proved to be a decisive tactical victory, and may have shortened the war significantly.
As a result, Paige was forced to continue his march to the west under pressure, depriving some of his men the opportunity to receive rations that they desperately needed. On the night of June 7, Paige received from Rostad a letter proposing that his rebels should surrender. Paige demurred, retaining one last hope that his army could get to El Presidio before he was trapped. He returned a noncommittal letter asking about the surrender terms "Unconditional Surrender" Rostad might propose.
The next morning, Paige's troops moved toward El Presidio towards the west where a ration train was expected to be waiting near Casa Madrugaga. U.S. forces were, however, already moving to capture El Presidio...soon after they would capture Torquemada.
Battle of Torquemada
The Battle of Torquemada was a siege that occurred during the Mexican Revolutionary War in what is now known as the Clash of the East. The Battle was a series of military skirmishes that ended with both sides claiming victory, and the victor of the battle is still debated. On June 10th, 1897 General Rostad, along with a small detachment of U.S. forces led by a veteran Mateuszek Radzikowski, engaged a small contingent of Mexican rebel forces known as the Los Galgos (The Greyhounds), led by Major Ruy Moya. After U.S. reinforcements arrived, Rostad's troops were able to capture Torquemada.
Background
Following a clash of U.S. forces with Mexican rebels forces at the Battle of Butter Bridge, Charles Rostad was given the appointment of brigadier general with Radzikowski appointed as Major and were tasked with multiple objectives to include the seizure of rebel-occupied territories, re-establish the newly democratic Mexican government within seized territories, disrupt rebel trade, and to "act in such a manner as best to conciliate the inhabitants, and render them friendly to the United States". Rostad's initial force consisted of 300 regular volunteer soldiers, and approximately 50 irregulars. After the Battle, Rostad first attempted to capitulate the Neuvo Paraiso region without any further conflict but to no avail. While en-route to Torquemada, Rostad established Camp Cameron, named after Sergeant James Cameron, as a memorial for the renowned veteran. Rostad was the ordered to move his force southwestward.
En route from Butter Bridge, Rostad's force clashed with the Madrugada tribe, and captured a rebel courier with news of American activities in Mexico, with the news stating that Butter Bridge had capitulated. Forces under Commodore Hunter Christensen had taken control a significant portion of north-eastern Neuvo Paraiso. Christensen had orders to assume command of U.S. forces in Mexico with his, but was sent back with most of his force to Hennigan's Stead after hearing of the seizure of Butter Bridge by General Charles Rostad. Under new orders, the Blackwater Militia formed into the 1st Blackwater Dragoons with now maintaining only two Companies, A & B with about 100 men. At that time with a force of 350 men, learning of escalating issues with Native Mexican tribes, Rostad had the belief that a smaller force could move faster and ordered 200 troops back to the United States. Rostad's force, guided by Radzikowski, reached the outskirts of Mesa Del Sol in the Neuvo Paraiso on June 9th, in a greatly weakened condition. They had just completed a hell march, considered to be one of the toughest marches in history.
Major Ruy Moya and Captain Diego Murillo took a force with the intention to interdict and keep in check General Rostad after his departure from the United States. Later, Major Ruy Moya, after a failed search for a detachment of the U.S. soldiers, joined forces with another company and took command of Torquemada. These officers led a force consisting of landowners, sons of landowners, and vaqueros, many with well known and respected family names in the community.
Prelude
A dragoon patrol under Lieutenant Lewis A. Jackson, guided by Major Mateuszek J. Radzikowsk reconnoitered Major Ruy Moya's force along the road near Torquemada.
While the patrol sneaked along the trail, Radzikowski and Jackson became suspicious they were being set up for an ambush and rode the dragoons into a nearby rebel camp, where they spoke with a Native they found sleeping in a hut. In a coincidence that has never been fully explained, a guard under the command of Moya, the brother of a brother-in-law and future father-in-law, Captain Diego Murillo challenged the dragoons and alerted the camp to their presence. While the dragoons quickly ran back to more strategic positions, Murillo sounded the alarm but was dismissed by Major Moya, until a U.S. Army blanket and dragoon coat were discovered on the edge of camp by Private Jose Alvaraez. Regrouping with Capt. Arturo Lopez, Captain Carlos Pardo, Major Moya chased the dragoons to the top of the next ridge with the battle cry of "Viva Mexico!". Paige was alerted, and Torquemada prepared for the dragoons to attack.
Rostad had planned a surprise attack at daylight, despite the damp weather wetting down their ammunition and the extremely poor state of the soldiers' equipment and mounts — mostly mules, as the horses had died on the preceding march.
Battle
Having lost the element of surprise, at midnight Rostad ordered an immediate advance. It had rained that night. Men, rifles, pistols and equipment were wet and cold, but the troops were eager to engage the rebels. Early in the morning of June 10th, 1897, the column proceeded by twos across the ridge towards Torquemada. During the descent, while it was still dark and with a low-lying fog, Rostad's force became strung out and were caught in a disadvantageous position by Major Moya's strategic positions. Radzikowski gave the plan of battle prior to proceeding down into the valley, to keep all casualties to a minimum, to encircle Torquemada to capture fresh mounts.
Captain Devan Cervantez's advance guard, while still three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km) from Moya's forces, was ordered by Radzikowski to "Trot!", which Cervantez misunderstood as "Gallop!". Forty of the best mounted pulled far ahead of the main body of the force. The mules pulling the howitzers bolted, taking the guns with them. Moya's force steady in face of the advancing U.S. forces. The U.S. forces had superior horsemanship allowed them to outmaneuver and lead the advance group of rebels away from the main force. The rebels had a distinct advantage over the U.S. soldiers in their knowledge of the terrain. A separation developed and twenty-eight dragoons, including Rostad, were separated. Damp carbines reduced the effectiveness of carbines to clubs and pistols to hammers, as described by a native woman that witnessed the battle. The rebels were armed with long rifles and swords, which they used with great effect. As a consequence, Cervantez's charge was unsupported but his dragoons did not withdraw.
As the leading element of the U.S. force's attack drew close to Torquemada, the rebels wheeled back and fired their firearms. At this time Captain Cervantez was wounded by a bullet. Moya then withdrew to higher ground.
A second charge ordered by Radzikowski proved to be more effective, and the rebels met his dragoons with a counter-charge by lancers. The counter-charge was quickly stopped, and Captains Lopez & Pardo were killed. Rostad arrived within fifteen minutes with more troops. Mules are reluctant to wheel, resulting in Radzikowski and his troops to dismount and fight with rifles. The troops quickly managed to outflanked the rebels and captured a series of unattended horses. Radzikowski's men pushed and besieged Torquemada — using Sun Tzu's and Carl Von Clausewitz's war strategies. Radzikowski and his troops battled over pieces of dismantled cover, killing several rebel troops before making it into the fortress, with Radzikowski using his pistol and rifle to fight off a vicious personal attack made by a group of rebels in revenge for his previous actions in the Battle of Butter Bridge, his successes in the Second Mexican-American War, and the broken agreement to cease his service. He took a knife thrust just over the heart that nearly pierced a lung. The dragoons entered in further vicious close fighting with knives and handguns, but managed to kill the remaining rebels with several casualties and then secure the fortress. The securing of the fortress resulted in the deaths of Lieutenant Jackson & Captain Murillo both of whom died fighting each other in close combat, while Major Moya was found to not have been present at the fortress itself. Either this action (traditional U.S. view) or the unusual degree of bloodshed (traditional rebel view), prompted Moya to withdraw his remaining forces. Radzikowski was wounded when he was attacked, and other dragoons were worked on by teams of rebels who, with fresh mounts, would yank dragoons off their mounts, hog-tie them, and then kill them. The U.S. Forces, having utilized the fortress to their advantage, scattered the off rebel counterattack, burned the fortress to the ground, then established a fortified camp on a low hill north of the valley, initially placing their dead on mules before burying them outside of the camp under cover of darkness.
Summarizing the battle, Historian Finlay Kaur writes:
"The Americans fought bravely against heavy odds, for their mules were unmanageable, and their sabers too short to cope effectively with the long lances of the rebels."
Aftermath
The next day, June 11th, 1897, after assurances by Dr. Alfred Turner that the worst of the injured could be moved, Radzikowski marched the column toward El Presidio. Rebel troops established a blocking position near what is now known as the "Red Hill". Major Radzikowski ordered Lieutenant Jasper McGuire and a squad of dragoons to engage and drive off the menacing rebels. With dry carbines, the dragoons easily neutralized the rebels, inflicting twenty-five dead among the rebel. That evening Rostad regained his command, established a strong defensive perimeter and then sent dispatches requesting urgent reinforcements, carried to Commodore Christensen by Lieutenant Aiden George, Nico Martines and a young guide named Benjamin Cabal. Under cover of darkness they each took different routes to the commodore's headquarters, to the north-northwest. Christensen quickly dispatched a unit of over 200 sailors and marines, whose arrival caused the rebels to disperse. Rostad had already determined the night before (June 9th) to continue the march the next morning. Christenen's unit then escorted Rostad battered troops to Camp Canton to recover, where they arrived June 12th before marching out to neutralize El Presidio on June 15th.
Dr. Alfred Turner, Rostad's surgeon, reported that the Americans had lost 22 killed and 20 wounded out of the 50 officers and men who engaged Moya's rebels. They buried the dead in a mass grave on the battlefield. When they arrived at Cant Canton, the wounded survivors were treated by their guide's sister, Nurse Alessandra Martines, known as the Florence Nightingale of Neuevo Paraiso for her charity work for the oppressed peoples in the region.
General Rostad's official report states: "On the morning of the 7th, having made ambulances for our wounded . . . we proceeded on our march, when the enemy showed himself, occupying the large castle on the hills in our front, which they engaged as we approached, till we, a party of less than 100 men then took possession of it and maintained their position until attacked by a rebel advance, who then quickly drove them off, killing and wounding with little loss on our part." Some time after the battle, General Rostad wrote that the U.S. had achieved victory in Torquemada since the rebels had "fled the field," but the rebels saw the engagement as their victory.
The battle is unique, as it was one of the few military battles in the United States that involved elements of the Army, Navy, Marines, and civilian volunteers, all in the same skirmish. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, historians debated which force won or lost the battle. Clearly, Rostad retained the battle area, the ability to operate and maneuver, and also the initiative, and his losses were significantly lower, however, he did not implement his battle plan, his ammunition was compromised, and he outran his artillery and supply line. According to Evan Hudson:
"It had been a thoroughly bad battle from the American point of view. It has been claimed in Rostad's defense that because Moya abandoned the field the Americans were thereby victorious, but it is a ridiculous assertion."
Rostad had begun his march to El Presidio on June 14th 1897. It consisted of a mixed force of mainly Blackwater Dragoons, with Navy sailors, Marines, volunteers and artillery as subsidiary forces. Although there was contention on leadership of U.S. forces in Mexico, this and Christensen's combined forces went on to engage the rebels at the Battle of Mesa de la Luna, resulting in a rebel retreat. The following day the Battle of Alta Cabeza resulted in another rebel defeat, leading to the surrender of the eastern quadrant of Neuvo Paraiso and later the signing of the Treaty of Paraiso. Lt. Colonel Ronald Combs writes:
'The combat losses at the Battle of Torquemada often overshadow the success of the overall campaign.'
TO BE CONTINUED
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Second Siege of El Presidio
Battle of El Matadero
Siege of Escalera
Battle of Rathskellar Fork & End of Service
After Service