Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-09-05
The Indian War.
OMAHA. NEBRASKA.

Wednesday, Aug. %, 1867.
Msjor Gen. Augur, attended by his
staff, left for the West this morning to
superintend personally the operations
against the Indians. Before he departed
he caused the following order to be
issued.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PLATTE,
OMAHA, Aug 81, 1867.
GENERAL ORDERS No. 39.-The General
commanding takes pleasure in announc-
ing to his command the following de-
cided successes on the part of troops
serving in this Department against
greatly superior numbers OF hostile
Indians:
On the 26th June last, war party Of
Sioux and Cheyennes combined num-
bering between 500 and 600 warriors,
under the leadership of Roman Nose,
surrounded and attacked train of sup
plies escorted by 48 men of the Seventh
Cavalry, Temporarily serving In the
DEPARTMENT. under Lieuts. s. NJ. Rob-
bins and w. W. Cook. The Indians
surrounded the trains for three hours,
making desperate efforts to capture it,
but were CALAMITY resisted, and event
ually repulsed with loss of five warriors
killed and several wounded. Our loss,
two men slightly wounded. The officers
and men engaged are commended by
their commanding officer for good con-
duct in this their first engagement with
hostile Indians.
On the I'd Of August Brevet Major
James Powell, Captain Twenty-Seventh
United States Infantry, with twenty-five
men OF his company and five citizens,
employed in getting wood five miles from
Fort Philip Kearney, found themselves
cut of from the fort by heavy force of
Indians, estimated by cool heads to be
two thousand.
They took position in small corral,
constructed Of wagon-beds and OK.
yokes, and in this little hsstily-extem-
ported work these thirty men most gal
lantly and determinedly defended them
selves for three and half hours against
overwhelming odds.
In their first assaultithe Indians were
mounted. Driven back they dismounted,
took their horses to the rear, stripped
themselves, and returned TO the assault.
only to be again repulsed with great
loss. Major Powell's party were re.
lieved by the arrival Of Brevet Lieut..
Col. B. F. Smith, Major Twenty seventh
United States Infantry with two COM
panies of infantry and some artillery.
L" Fortunately, Major Powells party
had just received the new breech loading
rifles" as Major Smith reports. Had
they been armed with the old muzzle-
loading arm they must all have been
massacred before relief could have
reached them"
Major Powell modestly claims sixty
Indians killed, and one hundred and
twenty wounded. 1t is just, however,
to state that reliable citizens and others,
well informed as to result and indica-
lions, assert their firm conviction that
not less than three hundred Indians
were killed or disabled. Major Powell,
by his GOODNESS and firmness in this most
creditable affair, has shown what few
determined men can effect with good
arms and strong hearts, even with such
temporary defensive arrangements as are
almost always at hand, and it is always
SsASij AS"fAhS ouU VIC NucsLlUUS Ol uuLy
and professional honor, to stand and
fight Indians than to retreat from them,
Had this party attempted to fall back,
every one would have persisted. AS it
was, it lost but one officer and two en-
listed men killed.
Lieut.. JeDness, 4 most excellent young
officer, fell while affording to mis- men
ine example OF GOODNESS and daring 10
the performance OF his duty. His loss is
regretted by his command, by whom he
was greatly esteemedtand loved.
On the 18th inst, Lieut.. Davies, of the
Pawnee Scouts, sent out with twenty
men to reconnoitre near Plum Greek,
Nebraska, fell in with a greatly superior
force OF hostile Indians. He gradually
fell back until reinforced by Capt. Murie
and thirty men Of his Pawnees, when
they recrossed the Platte River and were
soon attacked by over hundred Chey-
ppups and Sjopy