The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-10
THE INDIAN WAR.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of TINE HERALD.


Arrcss-Ensctency 81 the CoseSea Troops ca
the Piains-sforc or rsc~ Neet'ea-iadian
Uepredafi0ns Comsxc need Ia Earaest. 49,.
FoRT RuEy, Kansas, August 8, 1881.
The praseni condition OF INDIAN affairs ne smoky
Hill aud in fact thu Plains, bounded on the norA by
the Platte south by tbs Arkansas west by tho foot hits
OF the Rocky Mountains. and east by the solid columns
Of the ''march OF empire skirmts.icrs, which tho
present Union Pacific Railways may bs regarded as
cannot DO comprehendcd until one has gone the
entire ground I have, and the result OF pony
ride OF than two thousand miles shall
be given as simply and clearly possible
In April last General Hancock with thousand men,
horse foot and artillery arrived at Fort Larued poorly
located and fortified barrack Pawnec Fork its
junction with the Arkansas river.
From this place messengers sent by the Indian
agents requesting the chiefs of different tribes
semble at Fort Isrned for tho purpose OF meeting
General Hancock aud holding talk or council with
him The best Informed, aud, as | have since had
abundant opportunity for discovering the most trs-
worthy inen the Ploiasncn thoroughly cooycrsant
with the doings OF Indians and their frieods the
agents-gave as their opinion. Eve shall have ln-
dian this summer, aai tho mos. determined yet
known, 100 if decided steps taken by the
governlnel' 20 prevent II. Tho m ,st complete prepa
la,ions have becn made By thu Indians for this
they hav, made coec.i,n of arms aud anmu.
milton they have in their villages II is all very
well 90 have a.ks with Indians but you will that
indians eau ou.-aik the sh;cwdcd ecaera,s that we
have aud pun the wool over Their eyes ox;cn that
witt when you the result; This extract
from my d lcv, dated l0h of April has been most
petsy proved nv the dcnouemcnt be brief, good
Geueras Hancock, A. j. Smth aud Custer held coun
cA II was not cltirc.y sats ac;oy in us result Gene
raj Hancoc. marched up Pawneo Fork toward village
OF Cheye1nes and Sioux To have perfect under
standing severed that the Indians had lied WITT
gard 10 tue location OF the village, and was met by to
man Nose the tghiin2 Indian oil tho PIa"s who came
with three hundred warriors oate array and ev Ideally
prepared Tor fight. Tho Indians endoavo'cd to per.
suaie General Hancock 10 toward the village
which atcrward discovered was being abandoned al
the moment OF this conference. Believing thai tho In
dams were endeavoring t. deceive him. Genera Han
cock moved toward tho village; when he relcnel us
vicinity he discovered taat the women and children
hal left and the Ipdan warriors only arret FOR
the cover OF night TO depart also. Fearing tina, is
Indians would attack the unprotected stage stations and
the working parties The smoky dill Union l'ici5c
fa'roa5 General Hancock despatched General Caster
after tho Indians al the timc placing guards about
the village 10 prevent any removal or destruction of
perry.
To person vcrsed in InGiau signs there was every
indication and abolt the village that its sbandonen,
meant war
The very first news from the Smoky HiE told as OF
the burning Of stase ranches and roasting OF white
10 punish the Indians for these outraees General Han
cock burned the villages 10 thcn marched 10 Font
Dodge, on the Arkansas where he held COUNCILS with
some chiefs of tho Kiowa and Arapahoe nations. Then
moved 10 Fort Llrncd. couuc, was noid
with Sa-tant head CHIEF of tue Kiowas Saar-n I'M
pressed the General avoraby he Inns pres
ents OF some articles of clothing, MAJOR cercr,ls coa
and straps also hat, with plume OF very consider
able magnitude. Another general officer donated yet
low sash. since then, Sa-tan being and wishing,
doubtless to SHOW his rev garments dressed hiscis up
them and stampedcd nearly every head or stock
Fort Dodge, raising his hat with the fine plume the
garrison he rode oil after stolen aunas There
arc some Indians that you ca. trusl. remarked In
dan agent To me, 'Saan-tlis ono %: them" u nsgy
be. but fan to discover how far the patriot Is charge
able with such confidence would enable me 20 be.
cve that the stock VIII lie returned. All .ta-t.
how could you?
From La,ncd General Hancock marched {, the
SmoSy AMI crossed tort Layes ~och pace
he camped for cw days. Custer already there
waiting for the Qaarte ruastcrs Department send him
food for his aud hDrscs. Leaving the ca:ary
and battalion OF tie rnry seventh infantry, General
Hancock departed with Tue battery for Fort Riley,
thence Fort Lcavcn worth where the at present
Gated. The rhry-scvcnih infantry presently iei for
Now Mexico. leaving General a. j. Smith wiki Custer
and his four hundred men "a tue force VITA which to
hoid the Indians m check along tho smoky Hill Day
after day passed By. The grass was better at any point
along tho smoky than it In the Immediate vicinity Of
Fort Hayes Tho ponies OF the Indians werc growing Fat
each day. Tho Indians themselves basy stealing
stool, along the route and making an OCCASIONAL attack
on n stage ranch. The men of General Cus!ers COM
mand poorly fed tna the scurvy broke out. and
only stayed By the provision procured by the officers
aceut food of proper KIND was one OF tho reasons
given by the rncn for their desersoa Fifty mon IN
single month from command numbering about four
hundred rather tall. 10 say tho least Genera; Han
says that he made every effort his power to &c.
the command in a shape To move I am sure that
did, bu, know for a ceriany that the command was
first rate condition 10 move when, on tho lst "
june General Custer lett Fort Hays with three hunired
mon for campaign the country between tho
Smoky Hill and Platte I know, TOO. that the little
articles lacking had been stated reqastons seq
weeks previous.
rhs grass was by this time Of sufficient hsisht 70
enable the horses sabsist almost entirely upon tho
grazing that each new camp Afforded Ths tins had ar
rived when the Indians could move. and no person cog
INFANT with the facts or the could doiot but what
they were the move. General Custer, certainty was
aware that they would move, and exp,ctst thcrn 10
attack the line the OF his route Not man Sho
started with him expected any Indians until on
the return march from the Platte toward Fort Wlscc. II
was strange dance, that to he Platte. |, vas
said be FOR the purpose Of filling tho place OF troops
that had moved 10 the north on an Indian campaign.
Wha protect tho smoky Hit route during the
absence Of this force' This frequent query OF
the and officers of the Seventh cavarv This route
has always been the favori,e line for the Indian sacks
General Custer reached the Platte, purposing 60 re-
main just long enough 10 obtain PROVISIONS whsn BIO
would start on his march toward Fort Waace on tne
Smoky Hill. But he detained oy higher authority,
and acovrse marked out for him. He was 10 march 70
the Republican Forks. aud fryln thence make some
movements that would maze the Indians aware OF tho
presence OF trooDs in their country may 10 well to
remark that no body OF troops moved day
after day through Indian country without Indians
being aware OF their location 1t momcn. OF tle
march. Before going to the Republican General Custer
had an interview with pawnee Killer, sioux chief,
who came to his camp with several warriors 10 have
talk and get some food. The gist Of tho talk may DO
said to consist OF Statement OF pawnee Killer that
he anxious Tor pence and ready 10 como 10 and live
post while the with Chcysnucs continued
He particularly ANXIOUS 10 discover what General
Custer was gong 10 do. hut MS most persistent inquiry
falied to discover the desired Information He and his
warriors departed, with their ponies ad,n with food
General Custer was not encamped ths Republican
but two days before this Pawnee Killer attempted
10 stampede his cavalry horses The wourding Of one
AID carrying OF Of his carbine and ammunition
was all the benefit derived by the gcntc savsgss
in this performance. General Custer was
DESTROYS Of discovering whether IL Pawnee Killer
who had made the attempt he q toward the
Indians who had collected hillside BY means
OF sga the scout communicated with the Indians,
who said that they would talk only five six OF
people toward theni When they would meet them
| with an equal number. The meeuqy took piacs at q
distance of mile from our camp ground. The Indians
with their customary good ain. brought about twenty
Indians instead Of i've and for this Gene
raj Custer unable 10 deian Pawnss Killer
hostage for the future good behavior Of his band winch
he had purposed doing.
Pawnee Killer would give satisfactory answers "a
questions He simply asked for prov and
| lion. He got neither He tried to obaIa promist
from General Custer that he would not from his
camp bat did no. succeed Few persons have any idea
Of the depth Of the Indian, not only IN his council
| but IN bis plans for campaign When no goe
| on the war path there Is . we'll considered piar
| thai enacted with prompsness that mani