noon
The top of the cliff was covered with boulders of all sizes , and the men at once conceived the idea of dropping boulders down on to the Indians beneath . This forced them to take refuge from the flying rocks , by retiring farther into the cave . When they did this the ricochette fire from the soldiers became more deadly and the end was not far off . By noon the firing of the Indians had ceased . No sounds but the cries of the squaws or groans of wounded came from the interior of the cave . Brown now prepared for a charge believing that the cave could be stormed without much if any loss . Corporal Hanlon of G-Troop , 5th Cavalry , was the first man over the stone-wall , the rest following him as rapidly as they could .