The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-01 00:00:00

CHASING THE SIOUX.

A correspondent, of the New York Times, who has been
accompanying a surveying party along the banks of the
Yellowstone River in search of the best track for a railroad,
gives the following account of an affair early in March-with
a party of Sioux from the Sitting Bull camp on the
Missouri :
"The Indians did not want to fight, but only to
seize a fresh supply of horses. General Miles,
learning that there was a raid in the Rosebud Valley,
despatched troops to the sipot, and on the Bth some
mounted men of the infantry, under Leiutenant
Miller, came suddenly upon 17 Sioux in the valley,
who were soon compelled to 'skin out.' Leiutenant
Miller recaptured nine horses. So precipitate was the
flight of the Sioux that they left behind them blankets,
saddles, bridles, and all their impedimenta, so that in
escaping with he horses they were literally naked.
Lieutenant Miller burnt all the captured property,
only reserving as personal trophies a Sioux war
bonnet and a Sabbath-school book, which, strangely
enough, was found in a Sioux medicine bag.' Its
title is 'Life Illustrated,' and on the fly-leaf is
written. 'Percy, Walker, from his Aunt Lydia.
Christmas, 1866.'
"Lieutenant Lieutenant Miller's men and horses being exhausted,
he was unable to pursue the fugitives; but Captain
Baldwin, of the sth Infantry, with his party, coming
up, started in pursuit, and shortly after daybreak
next morning they had the satisfaction of seeing their
enemies leading their horses across the prairie about a
mile in advance. They were themselves instantly
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in having several horses apiece, and their expertness
in jumping from one to another without slackening
their impetuous gait would afford great satisfaction to
a Jerome Park audience. Occasionally a broken-down
steed would be dropped from the retreating column,
which was now actuated by the single desire to escape
with life. For 30 miles the pursuit was kept up, during
which
.the Indians gained about three miles. The
prairie was crossed and the hill land entered, when it
chanced that the Indians' trail was lost, close by a lofty,
level, stone-capped butte with particularly steep sides.
While searching for it the advance guard were suddenly
saluted with a shower of bullets from the fugitives, now
securely planted on the summit of the hill, about 200
yards distant. The Indians had an almost perpen-
dicular fire upon their pursuers, but, strange to say,
our men were able to get out of range without re-
ceiving a wound. The Sioux were now seen, fourteen
in number, their tawny, naked skins standing in bold
relief against the gray sky as they bustled about on
tho hilltop constructing breastworks of stone. Below
them, within the range of their rifles, the ponies and
horses were picketed, in full sight. Captain Baldwin,
arriving at the spot, decided that it would be fool-
hardy to charge upon the Indians, thus at bay and
so securely intrenched, with his small force, which
;numbered only twenty-five, including officers and
citizens. His only course was to 'corral' them where
they were tintil Lieutenant Borden's arrival with
reinforcements, which was momentarily expected.
Pickets were accordingly posted round the hill, ob-
serving which some of the Indians challenged them
in very good English; though very bad lan-
guage, to come up. and take them. After two
hours, however, of this watch the savages were
seen to be examining something at a distance on the
F*Spy-glasses were levelled in the direction ,
from which the morning's chase had headed, and
suddenly every Indian disappeared. For a moment
there was some rapid firing at one of the further
picket-posts, and a man rode hurriedly to Captain
Baldwin and reported that the Indians had plunged
headlong down the bluff on that side, each with only
the horse he rode, and had disappeared in the bai
lands almost in an instant. Simultaneously with this
announcement, Lieutenant Borden's company, all
mounted on white ponies drew in sight, having
evidently been yen by the Indians in time to prepare
for their final rush. And so they escaped, riding pell-
mell over breakneck paths into a blinding snowstorm,
which burst upon the spot just as they left. It was
impracticable to pursue them, Captain Baldwin's men
being thoroughly exhausted.
"Early next morning, Captain Hamilton's cavalry
company arrived, and proceeded rapidly in pursuit of
the Sioux. Captain Baldwin' with seventeen horses
abandoned by the latter, started immediately for Fort
Keogh, suffering severely from violent snowstorms
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which had fallen since their escape. The command
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of Sioux. How the latter fared in their ride of 200
miles, without clothes or blankets or even bridles,
with the mercury ranging, as it did, from zero to
35deg. below, can only be conjectured: That they
had already suffered severely was testified by the
blood-stained condition of some of the ponies'
backs, the animals themselves being uninjured when
,ptured."

A large church is now being built for the monks of
the Order of St. Francis in Cumberlaud-street, Glasgow, from
the deigns of Neon. ugin.