Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-12-11

November 70, 1865.
Nejor General ~ HsShridana Command.
ig Department Of fhs Missouri;
3 GENERAL--On the morning Of the 26lh
instant, this command, comprising eleven
companies OF the Seventh Cavalry, struck
the trail Of an Indian war party. number.
ipg about one hundred 400 warriors.
The trail was not quite twenty flour hours
old, and was drsl discovered near the point
where the Texas boundary line crosses the
Canadian river. The direction was to-
ward tho southeast. The ground being
covered by over twelve inches Of snow, no
difficulty Was experienced in following the
trail. A vigorous pursuit was at once in.
stituied. Wagons, tents and NIL other iin :
pedimonts to- rapid march were abun-
doned. From daJ light until 0 o'clock at
night the pursuit was unchecked. Horses
aud men we're then allowed one hour for
refrsshmen,, and at 10 r. NJ. the march
was resumed and continued until 1880 A.
NJ. when. our Ossge ,railers reported a
village within less than a mile from our
advanced. sfeta - SOS eH
The column was couniermarched and
Withdrawn 10 a'relirod point, TO prevent
discovery. After reeonpoilering with all
the officers of the command the location Of
the village, which was situated la ~ strip
OF heavy timber, divided tho command
into four columns Of nearly eqnslstrcngthI
the trst consisting Of three companies,
under Major Elliott, was 10 attack Ia the
timber from below llle village The second
column, under Lieutenant, Colonel Myers,
WAS 10 move down thew anhiia aud attack
Ia the timber from above; Breyot Colonel
Thompson, Ia command Of the third
column, was 10 attack from the.crest rotih
Of ihoVllage while iha fourth column
was TO charge the village from tho eres,
overlooking II on The lsi. bank oi the
Washta. .... ss.f ri.sts, ..,4 I.....
The hour al which The fonr eolum :
were 10 charge simultaneously was the
ilrsi dawn OF day, and, poiwilhsia pdiDg the
fact that two OF the columns were com
PEELED 10 march several miles 10 reach
their position, three OF ihcm iuado the at
tack 10 near together a. TO make Il appear
like ono charge. The other column was
only few moments late. There never
was mere complete surprise. My men
charged the village and resol cd the lodges
belole the .lndipns were aware of our
presence. The moment the charge ives
otdcred, the baud struck up pGnfey
Owen" aud With cheers that strongly re-
minded mo of sccDes during the war, every
trooper, ltd.by hts olhccr, rushed toward
the village. hsi as.H tlatI....a
The ludians were caught mapping for
once, aud tho warFipfs rushed from their
lodges aud posted themselves behind tlecF
aud Ia tho deep rayineF, from Which they
began moii determined delenro. The
lodges aud their contents were In our
possession within q few minutes after the
charge was oYdered but The real lighting,
such ~ has rarely n ever, been e,,aaled Ia
Indian warfare, began when attempting
10 elear ont OF kil l+lo Warriors posted 10
the rayines or underbrusb; charge alter
charge was maae, mud most galaulfy too;
but tho lDaians had resolved 10 sell their
lives rs dearly ep possible, After u dor
perale o0ulliot Of several hours, our eilurls
were crowned with tho most complete aud
gratifying euete-s. f baH Ilft
The entire village, numbering forty
seven lodges Of "Bluck Kettles baud OF
ChoJonBeS, two lodges of Arrapahoes aud
two lodges ofSioux fifty one lodges 10 all.
under command Of their principal chief,
BLACK Kettle "-iell iuto our hands. BY
strict aud careful examination after tho
battle, tho following lgules give some Of
the fruits OF our Victory.
The indians left on tho ground and In
our possession tue bodies OF Que hundred
aud three Of tue warriors, Including Black
Kettle himself whose scalp Is now 10 the
possession Of ono OF our Osage guides
We captured IN good condition eight han.
dred aud seventy i've horses, ponies aud
mules, two hundred aud lorty-one saddles.
scme Of very lue aud costly workmanship,
five hundred and lwenly-lhree buIIolo
robes, two hundred aud ten axes, one
bundled aud forty hatchets. thirty five
,egoyefs, luriy-seyen rifles, five hundred
aud hirty'hse pounds OF powder, one
thousand and City pounds Of lead, four
thousaud arrows, ninety bullet mols,
thirty five bows and quiyerstwelve shields,
ihree'hundred pounds Of bullets, seven
hundred aud seyeniy.hse laripls, nine
hundred and forty buckskin saddle bags,
four hundred and seventy blankets, ninety.
three coats, seven hundred pounds Of To-
bacco. In addition, wo captured all their
winter supply Of dried buffalo meat, all
their meal, -four and other provisions, and
In fact everything they possessed, even
driving the warriors from the village with
little or no clothing. We destroyed ev-
erything Of value to the Indians, and
have now in our possession, rs prisoners
Of war, 6ity',hree squaws and their chill
dren. Among the prisoners are the sur.
vivors of "Black Kettles" and the family
Of "Litlle Rock" We also secured two
white children held captive by the In
dians. One white woman who was in
their possession was murdered by her
captors the moment We attacked. A white
boy held captive, about ten years old,
when about TO 10 secured, was brutally
murdered by u squaw, who ripped out his
entrails with knife. eis'
he Kiowas under fSatanta," and ARA.
pahoes under Little Raven" we're en-
camped six miles below "Biack Kettle s.
village, aud the warriors from these two
villages came TO attempt the rescue of the
Cheyennes. They attacked my command
from all sides about noon, hoping 10 re.
cover the squaws aud herds of the Chey-
ennes. In their attack they displayed
great bolduess, and compelled me to use
all my force to ropel them, but tho coun.
ter charge of the cavalry was more than
they could stand; by 3 o'clock we drove /