Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-09-10

Battle Of he Big Bouza, Dead Bsgalo Lrks,
and StoNy Laks-pJsat Of the SioEr-Ci0ss
Of tks Wsr
Correspondence Of he 81 Pasl Prsal, I5'hl

I Bdtfis OF tis Big MOuHf, Dead BHfalo Ersg,
and Stony Laks-Dsfsat Of tie Si0ar-ClOss
/ Of tks Yer.
Correspondence OF the 81 Pssl Prsss, I5taI
TIE BATTLE eF THE BIC MOUND.
On the24th Of July, about ] c'eloez. as the
column was moving along the western base Of a
ball or ridge OF the CotsAu Missouri, scouts who
were IN the advance returned, with the rsp9rt
/ shat wo were IN the imnsdiats vicinity &C a
/ large camp Of Indians Othsr scouts came who
/ had sssn the Indians and believed them 20 be
| preparing in great numbers 10 engage us-lhat
/ they were then collecting IN this rocky raviues
/ behind the ridges OF tho great hill Soon the
/ Indians were seen on the Big Mouad, the high
/ est peak Of tbs hil. The train vas turned off
ts the right little way snd eOrrsued On salt
J lake.
/ Details Of men were made 10 throw % in
I trenehments, SO that q smsll number Of men
could deAnd the train end camp whils the main
! force should be engaged elsewhere. The camp
was eneireled BY sevsral regimsnls, With the sr-
| tillesy placed at intervals between them. 1h8
Big Mound was directly east Of camp, mile
and g quarter distant, a succession of hills, or
the broken side OF ths big hill rising from the
camp to the Big Mound There was e ravins
directly east Of camp, which extended nssriy io
the Big Mound.
The 9th regiment wss placed on the north
1tl1 ~ AA@ LkAeAt - llia AE1tlaiA ha-g laal
the 10Th regiment next to the 6ib, fronting north
east and to the left Of the Teviasi the ga Tsg-
meat on the right Of the l8.h, fronting ssst and
southeast OF the Tavins; the cavalry on the
south side of the camp, with lis right d5nk on
the lake.
These dispositions had hsrily been made be-
fore the report of firearms was heard on the bill
directly in front Of the 9TH regiment Some Of
The scouts had gone part way up the hill. and
were talking with the Indians. DR.. Wsiser
surgeon Of the msuntsd rangers ioins3 them
and shook hands with one or two Indians whom
he had probably known at Shakopes One In
dian advanced aBd shot him through tbs heart
he fell and died without speaking e word
The scouts fed and the Indians fell back be
hind the ridge, returning the FIRE, ono shot tax
ing effect upon Scout Solan Stevens, OF Man
ksto. It proved 70 be but a slight wound in the
hip. The bail had f st passed through his rub
Der blanket, which was rolled up on his saddle
An smbulsucsswss promptly sent out. which
met the body Of Dr. Weise-, being brought IN
on q horse.
The first battalion Of cavalry-Caoj5 Taylor.
Wilson and AndsTsons cOmpsnius-Ea5 prompt
y ordered 70 the scene Of Dr. Wsiser's death,
where tba scouts were skirTnishing wish the In
disns. T.sy found the ground so br3kea that
they dism0unted and sent their horses back TO
eamp. Major Bradley, with Cap.s Stevens and
Gifilsu's companies, Of the 7sh, wers ordered
10 the suppors Of the cavalry. Ths general,
with q six-pounder, advanced 70 q hil on the
left Of tbs rsvina and begln TO shell the In
dams at the head Of the rkvina and about tho
Big mound Capt EjEertou's eomceay, Of the
i0,a supported the gix-poundaT.
The 6ih regiment was dsployed on the foot
hills in ffoat Of its ins, to TIE north and north
east Of csmp, Capt. Banks eompany Of the Tth,
on the right of the 9th reginsnt. Ljsut-CG
Msyshali with the rsmsining five companies Of
the 7lh regiment, C&pts. Kennedy, Willisfou
Hall, Carter sni Arnold, advanced no the ravine
toward the Big mound, and dsplovod on the Iets
Of the dism0unted cavalry snd Major BrsdIey's
line.
The artillery under the Immediate direction Of
the general drove the Indians cut from the head
Of the ravins and from sboct the Bic mound
and into the broken ridges ald rsviaz5 south
ward They had come from Inst quarter, their
camp being found around the hill about fss
miles from 0ur camp.
The line Of the 7.h regiment sud the three
companies Of cavalry named advanced stead
ly and rspi1ly, pouring q constant frs INTO kle
Indians, which reached tham before their shorter
range guns could have any ts5ct on our troops
The lett of the 7th crossed the summit range
just 20 the right Of the mouud, sud 1snEing the
right Of the Indians. swept GROUND b the south
ward and pursued. ths E-5iz-a ID AL tI-0ugH
the ridges and Tsyinss on tho e=ss Of tho raggs,
while Major Bradley aud Captains TsYl1r aad
Anderson pressed them h0ly on the Bass side.
Captain Wilson, Of the cavalry, crusssd 70 the
right Of the mound, and pursued scEls Iadians
trs, separated from the main body sni re raslej
more directly eastwg-d.
The Indians were thus pursued soma three or
four miles, and until they were completely dis
lodged and driven from the hills 90 broai plain
southwark. They would Try to hold ridge afe,
ridge, and to cover themselves Ia the rsYinas,
bUt the better weapons iu the hands OF the
whites were too much for them. They were
sparing Of smmunitoB, sHd probably not over
half had firearms Their number exceeded
one thousand warriors.
AS they were precipitstely refreshing down
the rayinss, toward the plain, after the sst
stand, two companies Of cavalry, Captain Aus
tins and Lieut. Bsr.on's under the immediate
command Of Colonel McP5sil, took the advance
and charged the Indians Gang execution. Cor
poral Haslep was shot in the shoulder by su In
dian whom 10 was riding on 10. Col. McPhail
thrust his saber through the Indian. L was
here that stroke Of lightning killed private
John Murphy, OF company B, and iis horse,
and stunned another c2vslrymau. Col DE.
Phsirs grasp was loossned On his sword by the
shock. De thought Ehel had iaileH among
them. This Inomsntsrly checked ths charge
sBd rendered il less effective, tbs Indians get
tiEg cut On the plain where their inlneuse rum
bsrs deferred any fur.har charge until tho cav
slrY could be reinforced.
Lieutenant Colonel Marshall had lee his Ijpe
for momsnt and, taking care Of Colonel Ne
Pbsirs right dauk, charged dogn the hin with
the rangers. N an effort 20 cut off some In-
disnS to the right he got into rather close qusr-
ters with some of them. Toe thun1sr-sjroke
checked the eavalymsn thst he thought were
following bin in the dash H wheeled his
horse ia time TO avoid sjugls-hsad33 eneouu-
ter with dossn warriors.
While the di5mounted companions Of cavalry
we're gsttiug their horses from camp, an3 CaB
tains Rablos and Days, and Lieut.. JlhHsou's
companies, thss had been the right OF lbe
bill, with Major Bradley, were being form d for
the pursuit tho indians hsd cot three or four
miles sway. Thsir families were covering the
rear OF the train. Tha cavalry pursued, and
/ the 7.b regiment followed ON. Lieut. Whippls's
section Of the battery was ssnt- f3rWArd, and
company 3. Of thu l0sh, to support f. Toe
cavslry reached the Indians before dark, and
made Eve successive charges % thsir rear, kili-
/ ing great uHuhar. The battarv- and the 7th
/ regiment we're EOt mp in time 20 tsCaa a hand.
/ Tne Iadia1s fought desperately OIe sal
/ wart warrior, with an AneIica& Tag Wranns1
ssouRd him theatriea'ly, fred tRics while the
1 csvslTY were within tweasY rods, ChaTsiag up8u
/ him. bis hRhs takipg eflsci 10 the 0varo7sB aud
saddle Of Private Gtsen, and mb5ele blanket 81
Caylson, of.eOmpsRy I. The Indian F2E TIE
powder down but not ths ball foE tie third cad,
WHICH he discharged a. the bfes8t OF Arch 1c-
| Nee Of Company 2, Of course wlh5ut stf ct.
| He theu clgbbsd his gun and struck Csrson,
Rssriy Hahorsing MIN, A dlzau- -caEbiue balls
] were put into him, and tasa be had 20 be sebTed
to fnishahiIn.
The cavalry boys teok twentgons scsIp5 IN
/ this charge.
Col MePhail had told them that it was very
| bAIhaTous to take scslps, but that he Woul3n't
believe any man h&d killed au Indian unless
he showed the hair, and enough of is 90 that
two locks could not be taken from tho same
! hesd.
The tTal OF the Indians wss strswed with
1 tons Of dried buffalo mOal, psnlrnieAn, robss
/ nrd mn 1rassa1 hnHaln skins- haeilas eann- tn.