The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-12-09


several miles to reach their position,
three of them made the attack so
near together as to make 1t appear
like one CHARGE The other column
was only few moments late. There
never was a more complete surprise.
Ny men charged the village and
reached the lodges before the Indians
were aware of our presence. The
moment the charge was ordered. the
band struck up CAREY Owen, and
with cheers that strongly reminded
me of scenes during the war, every
trooper, led by his officer, rushed
toward the village.
The Indians were caught mapping
for once, aud the warriors rushed
from their lodges and posted them
selves behind trees and IN the deep
ravines. from which they began a
most determined defense. The lodges
and their contents were In our possess
sion within a few minutes after the
charge was ordered; but the real fight
ing, such as has rarely, if ever, been
equaled in Indian warfare, began
when attempting to clear out or kill
the warriors posted in the ravines or
underbrush; charge after charge was
made, and most CALAMITY, too; but the
Indians had resolved to sell their
lives as dearly as possible. After q
desperate conflict of several hours,
our efforts were crowned with the
most complete and gratifying success
The entire village, numbering forty
seven lodges of Black Kettles "
band of Cheyennes, two lodges of
Arrapahoes, and two lodges of Sioux
-ffty-one lodges IN all, under COM
mand of their principal chief, Black
Kettle fell into our hands. By
strict and careful examination after
the battle, the following figures give
some of the fruits of our victory:
The Indians left on. the ground aud
IL our possession the bodies of one
hundred and three of their warriors,
including Black Kettle" himself,
whose scalp is now in the possession
of one of our Usage guides. We
captured, in good condition. eight
hundred and seventy-fve horses,
ponies, and mules; two hundred and
forty-one saddles, some of very fine
and costly workmanship, FIVE hun
dred and twenty three buffalo robes,
two hundred and ten axes, one hun.
bred and forty hatchets, thirty-fve
revolvers, forty-seven rifles, five hun
dred and thirty-fye pounds of pow
der. one thousand and fifty pounds.
of lead, four thousand arrows,
ninety bullet molds, thirty-fve
bows and quivers, twelve shields,
three hundred pounds of bullets, seven
hundred and seventy-fVe lariats,
nine hundred and forty buckskin
saddle bags, four hundred and seven
ty blankets, ninety three coats, seven
hundred pounds OF tobacco. In ad-
dition, we captured all their winter
supply of dried buffalo meat, all their
meal, -four and other provisions, and
10 fact everything they possessed, even
driving the warriors from the village
with little or no clothing. We de-
stroyed everything of value to the In
dams, and have now In our poss-
ession, as prisoners of war, fifty three
squaws and their children. Among
the prisoners are the survivors of
Black Kettles : and the family of
Little Rock" We also secured two
white children held vapsiva hv the
Indians. One white woman, who was
in their possession, was murdered by
her captors the moment we attacked.
A white boy, held captive, about ten
wears old, when about to be secured,
was brutally murdered by a squaw,
who ripped out his entrails with a
knife.
The Kiowas under Satanic" and
Arapshoos under Little Raven"
were encamped six miles below
"BIack Kettles" village, and the
warriors from these two villages came
4 - kh0 ~ fho 1thaxy-
| ennes. They attacked my command
from all sides about noou, hoping to
recover the squaws and herds of the
Cheyennes In their attack they dis
played great boldness, and compelled
me to use all my force to repel them,
| but the counter charge of the cavalry
was more than they could stand; by 3
o'clock we drove them in all direc-
tons, pursuing them several miles.
| I then moved my entire command In
search of the village of Kiowas ind
| Arapahoes, but after a march of 80
miles, discovered they had taken
alarm at the fate of the Cheyenne
/ village and had fed.
| was then three days march from
where | had left my train Of supplies,
and knew that wagons would not fol-
| low me, as the trail had led over a
section of country so cut up by ra-
vines and other Instructions that cav
airy could, with difficulty, move over
it. The supplies carried from the
train Oh the persons of the men were
exhausted. My men, from loss OF
sleep and hard service, were wearied
out; my horses were In the same con-
dition for want of forage. / there
fore began my return march about, s
p NJ, and found my train of supplies
at this point, tit having accomplished
only sixteen miles since L left it, In
the excitement of the fight, as well as
in self defense, it so happened that
some of the squaws and few children
were killed and wounded. The latter
[ have brought with me, and they re-
ceive all the needed attention the cir
cumstances of the case permit. Many
of the squaws were taken with arms
In their hands, and several of my
command are known to have been
wounded by them.
The desperate character of the
combat may be inferred from the fact
that after the battle the bodies of
thirty eight dead warriors were found
in a small ravine near the village In
| which they had posted themselves.
now have to report the loss suf.
fered by my own commando: L regret
to mention among the killed Major
Joel II. Elliott and Captain Louis
W. Hamilton, and nineteen enlisted
men; in wounded includes three Off
GERS and eleven enlisted men, in all
thirty FIVE. OF the officers, Brevet
Lieutenant Colonel Albert Barnitz,
Captain 7th cavalry, is seriously if not
MORALLY wounded. Brevet Lieutenant
| Colonal i w Gustar and Sacnnd