Book descended the hill with a fierce expression, keeping his right hand behind his back all the while.
When he got about ten paces from the Indians, he suddenly drew his pistol and shot the man wearing red feathers on his head, then shouted to his officers below, "Kill them, quickly!"
Though the Indians were fierce, they were no match for the Black officers who had just experienced the brutality of battle; half were instantly killed.
The remaining six or seven men held on for a few minutes before they too were reduced to corpses.
Facing the puzzled looks of his subordinates, Book pointed towards the opposite hill and said coldly, "These damned Indians deserve to be cursed just like the white devils!"
In fact, these Indian tribes bordering the United States had already begun to learn "civilization" and "enlightenment" from the Westerners. They had learned to ride horses, to use firearms, and even to set up Congress-like assemblies among their tribes.
