The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-02


captured In Idaho But the General after Q fight,
and the reader win be satisfied that he Ia the
make the most Of one, give him but half q show. As
last effort befool the natives he marched the COM
mand down Pitt river along old emigant road In day
light as II he were going to the Sacramento Whore the
mountains come into the from the south side he
crossed the stream and again took 20 the timber follow
ing u to the southeast and hgh upon the south fork
But the Indians were watching the ground, andwhen
the soldiers appeared the bald bluffs or foot ills
looking the valley TO the east concentrated
near by In one OF the most remarkable natural fortc
tioDs in the world and awaited coming OF the .boys
In bue with apparently as much Indifference as they
would peace commissioner or missionary. The saga
cous sayages bad been spoit by their intercourse with
the soldiers under Stoughton bottle commanders before
Crook took command, ana had come TO look upon the
west side OF the South Fork, and about twenty miles
south OF the main stream, Ia where the following de.
scrbed Indian Gibraltar can be found:The high table,
land terminates at this point In perpendicular wall
OF basatic volcanic rock between three and four
hundred feet high and succession OF benches running
down the valley take half mile OF this wall and
rocky ridge with scrubby Trees from the south end
there Is ravne or canon, the north side OF which is
jagged with points OF rocks running east to the river
level the summit Of the upper bench the side
earthly ridge studded with loose boulders The ine
southeast side OF which, and running into II and parallel
with each other, are two promontores of rock
one hundred s,s and ny fee, long Atty wide
extreme ends are ARTIFICIAL forts built with the loose
rocks round about they are from fifteen to thirty feet
in diameter, breast high and have portfolios. All para
pots and other approaches TO these forts guarded
by small semcircular breastworks that TO get pos
Ing the almost walls Of the promoniories;
around three sides OF either 10 natural ditch Dcanon,
and both contain hatchway holes running down to
caverns beneath to an unknown Depth Between the
forts and the high wall to the west and the and
rocky ridge the south and north is Of great
Ia network OF artificial breastworxs and altogether
place where thousands Of men could be secreted a
head Here is where General Crook on the astn Of
September inaugurated three days dght with large
band OF well armed and defiant savages and although
the result was not as expected, the affair was q
curious one In Indian warfare and the most
important since the success Of General Conner north
OF Salt Lake. The scouts tracked the Indians into the
rocky retreat about noon, and reported to the General
something Of their discovery He at the head OF
the coumn which had just reached the valley and
turned north along the foot or The bluffs He ,mmed
ately dsmounted half Of Parnells men, and ordered
them to 90 up and form line parallel with the cahon
the south sde and Madigans men TO proceed to the
north side and do the Same without regard to the RIDGE
and both lines to connect the east side ridge, the
scouts occupy the edge OF the high wall overlooking
the scene. The to advance and reconnotre |;
In other words, crawl up towards the forts and get posi-
tons behind boulders, &C., and commence the Siege
Lieutenant r j. EsKridge, acting quartermaster,
ordered 70 put the horses and mules belonging to the
expedition into camp. in the valley and thus
details. About one O'Clock, as some Of Par.
ners were advancing over the ridge
from the four Of them were killed and wounded
further advance that afternoon In the meantime .
constant voey was poured into and around the forts by
the soldiers and scouts and the General engaged in
accommodating on his own hook and putting In q shot
and then with a long spencer rifle which he has
resighed TO suit By tho time he could get good look
at the prospect from every side FIVE p NJ, he
ordered the mon 70 have their regular ratons, picket
p asys and Se b e
time the condition Of "Lol the poor Indian" could
rendered quite low But those artificial BIRDS nest
forts must DO taken at sunrise Of the 27th-next
ing-at all hazards; II would give the soldiers great
vantages over their present position and the sorming
would superstitious effect on the minds of the
gentle savages; It would be new to them, and they
wouldn't know what to next expect SO thought
the General, and ne was rignt, a. usual But
pen in the best regulated human affairs and especially
do they occur in war-even With un,utored savages.
About daylight the General organized sorming party,
under shelter Of the ridge the side OF the pro-
montories, consisting OF twenty men from each COM
pany-Madigan on the left, Parnell on the right. At
the word Forward the mon were to rise up, start
with yell and keep going and yelling until the ditch
smnrI.o tns ord was ~ysn and ohsysd to The stsa
but 1t hard road 10 travel (as your correspondent
will always vivdly bear in mind although short one
were knocked out Of time, and Two Of Parnels killed
The General stood on the ridge where Madigan fell and
put in several shots at the indians in the forts the
heads OF the men when crossing the ditch. He
cannot let an opportunity pass h0wevor great the
in the cast fort dropped their guns and slid down
the gorge between the promontores Ike so many lizards
and thence into caverns beneath. But they badly
demoralized and from the assures and shelves in and
around the they returned few voeys and
scattering shots, and by noon they were silent the
y
what could only be surmised. Every precaution was
taken 70 allow mono TO escape Detatchmsnts OF men
the with snd
looked satisfactory settlement Of the Indian quos-
ton in that CASE but alas the Indians knew those rocky
exits and entrances better than the soldiers, on
tho night Of the 9th wormed out under the feet Of
the pickets the southwest side, through sub.
terranean passages many feet deep and leading the
canon They left their squaws and pappoosss 70 shift for
themselves, besides the wounded in the caverns
Is ascetaned that such the until late
iys ho m fba ali HIND {vfr
an exam nation Of the cratsr.foriress. One was
killed by a wounded Indian, which deferred the men
from making thorough exploration OF the caverns but
some fifteen dead bucks found, including an i'm
porlAnt chief and many bows and arrows, guns,
OF powder, caps, &C. showing how well they had been
supplied through the vllanies Of white men in Nevada
and California. Some eight or ten horses saved
oul OF the hight When the saucy hends saw the des-
perate OF the affair they had invited they turned
loose their horses, which they had corraed between
the promontores. II was not the desire General
after the escape OF the bucks definitely ascsr-
pappooses SO 90 the 18th things were got in
order again for the march. Captured squaws
told interesting tales regarding their "people'-
item, that they had within six months captured
OF horses and mules, which they had killed and
the Nevada aud California reservations and that the
band In the light was composed OF Piute and Pitt river
armed warriors The Generals preconcsved notions
were found remarkably correct Perrys part OF the
expedition did not discover single fresh "srgn" Of
Indians their round to the northeast
Tho following are the names OF some OF the men
killed Company II, First United States cavalry,
Lieutenant John Madigan Temporarily command ing
Company D. Iwenty-ihird infantry native Of Jor
sey City, n. j.. Sergeant Charles Barchet, German,
formerly with the seventh Vermont unteers sergeant
Michael Meara, born In Galway Ireland brought up in
Boston, Mass, and tue United States Army in which
he served eighteen years; Willougnby Sawyer
native OF Canada West; James Lyons, has father and
brother living in Place Dale, r. L. James Carey lived
several years New Orleans; Carl Bross German Com
pany ID, Tweniy-thrd infantry, has q wife in Newark
N j. no vas accidentally killed in the fight There
we're nineteen soldiers killed and wounded The six
prvates buried In the valley north OF the night
half a mile. Lieutenant Madigan's body taken TO
the north bank Of Pitt river and buried a rods be.
low the junction of the south Fork After securing the
country round the east Of Goose Lake
that The Indians had mostly scattered to the
tains and that the campaign for the summer
The command returned 10 Camp Warner, whsro tue
General Is busly at work preparing for an extensive
winter campaign which must but prove unusually sue
cessful as he has now q good knowledge Of the
topography Of his dstrict and tho exact plans OF the
enemy and their winter retreats all down 10 a scratch
No man any business studies harder works with
determination than does General George Crook
In operating against the sayagss and the before
him "nnety days" affair
The number OF Indian fortncatons already found in