Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1855-10-18
Official Report of General Harney.

dians. II is dated "Head-quarters Sioux
Expedition, Camp on Blue Water Creek,
Nebraska Territory, September 5, 1867
and is as follows:
CoLoYEL have the honor to report for
the information Of the General-in- Chief, that
on my arrival at Ash Hollow on the even
ing of the I'd inst, ascertained that large
portion of the Brule band of the Sioux ma
ton, under Little Thunder" was encamped |
on Bluewater Creek. (Mee .na-to-wak- pah) ,
about six miles Northwest of Ash Hollow,
and four from the left bank of the North |
Platte.
Having no doubt, from the information .
have received from the people of the coun-
try had previously met on the road, and
from the guides accompanying me, of the
real character and hostile intentions of the |
party in question, l at once commenced
preparations for attacking it. ordered .
Lieutenant COL P. St. George Cooke, sec
ond dragons, with companies L and X Of
the same regiment, light company G fourth |
artillery, and company E tenth infantry, all
mounted, to move at three o'clock, A. NJ. on
tn. 81 instant, and secure position which
would cut of a retreat Of the Indians 10 the
Sand Buttes, the repued strong hold Of the
Brules. This movement was executed in a
most faultless and successful manner-not
having apparently attracted the notice or
excited the suspicion Of the enemy up TO the
very moment Of the encounter.
At A o'clock A. NJ. left my camp with
companies A, Z, II, |, and X, sixth infan-
try, under the immediate command of Ma
jor A. Cady, of that regiment and proceed
ed toward the principal village Of the
Brules, with view Of attacking it openly, in
concert with the surprise contemplated
through the cavalry; but, before reaching it,
the lodges were struck, and their occupants
commenced rapid retreat up the valley Of
the Bluewater, precisely in the direction
from whence expected the mounted troops
They halted short of these, however, and a
parey ensued between their chief and my
self, in which | stated the causes of the
. dissatisfaction which the Government felt
towards the Brules, and closed the interview
. by telling him that his people had deprcdo-
ted upon and insuled our citizens whilst
moving quietly through our country; that
. they had massacred our troops under most
,al -. ,,,1 lot Il,
day of retribulation ha come; that did not
wish to harm HIM personally. as he profess
. ed to be friend of the whites; but that he
must either deliver up the young men, whom
he acknowledged he could not control, or
they must suffer the consequences Of their
=. past misconduct and take the chances Of a
battle. Not being able, Of course, however
/" willing he might have been, 10 deliver up
all the butchers of our people, Little Thun-
der returned to lis band TO warn them Of
my decision and to prepare them for the
contest that must follow.
Immediately after his Disappearance from
my view ordered the infantry 10 advance
= the leading company (Capt. Todd'>) a,
skirmishers, supported by company II, ,iXtl
infantry, (under Lieut.. McCleary;) the re,
naming companies Of the sixth being held
in hand for uleror movement. The sllr.
mishers under Capt.Todd, opened their fire
crowned the bluffs on the right bank of The
stream (where the Indians had taken W
y their last position) in very spirited ant
and gallant manner, driving the savage,
thereGrom into the snare laid for them by
the cavalry, which last troops burst upol
them 50 suddenly and so unexpectedly as t.
cause them to cross instead Of ascending
the valley of the Buewater, and seek ar
escape by the only avenue now open to them.
though the bluffs of the left bank of that
= stream. But, although they availed them
selves of this outlet for escape from com
plete capture, they did not do so withou
Serious molestation; for the infantry not only
took them in flank with their long range
rifles, but the cavalry made most spirited
charge upon their opposite or left flank anC
rear, pursuing them for five or six mie
$ over very rugged country, killing larg,
number OF them and completely dispensing
e the whole party. This brilliant charge O
the cavalry was supported as far as practi
: cople by the whole body of the infantry, VIII
!. were eager from the first for fray with tn
" butchers Of their comrades of Lieut.. Grat
tan's infantry.
The result of this affair were eighty-si,
killed, five wounded, about seventy womei
II and children captured, fifty mules and po
OF nies taken, besides an indefinite numbe