Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-12-10
THE INDIAN WAR.
Battle of the Washita--Gen. Custar.s
Report TO Cen. Sheridan.

/
| November %, 1868.
Major General p H Sheridan Com
nadnding Department of the Missouri:
GENERAL-On the morning of the 26th
! instant, this command, comprising
eleven companies OF the Seventh Cav
airy, struck the trail of an Indian wal
party, numbering about one hundred
| (100) warriors. the trail was not quite
twenty-four hours old, and was first dis,
covered near the point where the Texas
boundary line crosses the Canadian
river. The direction was toward the
southeast. The ground being covered
by over twelve inches of snow, no diff
Guilty was experienced in following the
trail. A vigorous pursuit was at once
instituted. Wagons, tents and all other
Iimpediments to a rapid march were
abandoned. From daylight until 9
o'clock at night the pursuit was un-
checked. Horses and men were then
allowed one hour for refreshment, and
at 10 P. NJ. the march was resumed and
continued until 1:3O A. NJ, when our
Usage trailers reported village within
less than mile from our advance.
| The column was eountermareheda and
withdrawn to a retired point, to prevent
discovery. After reconnoitering with
ton of the village, which was situated
ill a strip of heavy timber, I,,divided The
command into four columns of nearly
equal strength; the first consisting of
three companies, under Major Elliot,
was to attack in the timber from below
the village; the second column, under
Lieutenant Colonel Myers, was to move
down the Washita and attack in the
timber from above; Brevet Colonel
Thompson, in command of the third
column, was to attack from the crest
north of the village, while the fourth
column was to charge the village from
the crest overlooking it ON the left bank
on the Washita
The hour at which the four columns
were to charge simultaneously was the
| first dawn of day, and, notwithstanding
the fact that two of the columns were
compelled to march several miles to
reach their positions, three of them
make the attack so near together as to
make it appear like one charge. The
other column was only 4 few moments
late. There never was more complete
surprise. My men charged the village
and reached the lodges before the In
dians were aware of our presence. The
moment the charge was ordered, the
band struck up "Garrey 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, and the warriors rushed from their
lodges and posted themselves behind
trees and the deep ravines, from which
they began a most determined defense.
The lodges and their contents were in
our possession within few minutes
after the charge was ordered; but the
real fighting, such as has rarely, if ever,
been equaled in Indian warfare, began
when attempting to clear out or kill the
warriors posted in the raviues or under
brush; charge after charge was made,
and most gallantly too; but the Indians
had resolved to sell their lives as dearly
as possible. After desperate conflict
! of several hours, our efforts were crown
ed with the most complete and crafty
| ing success.
The entire village, numbering forty
seven lodges of BLACK Kettles" band of
Cheyennes, two lodges of Arrapahoes,
and two lodges of fSiouX-fifty- lodges
in all, under command Of their principal
chief, BLACK Kettle"-fell into our
hands. By strict and careful examin-
alton after the battle, the following fig
ures give some of the fruits of our vic
tory:
The Indians left Oh the ground and in
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-five horses,
Irnh ri
forty-one saddles, some of very fine and
costly workmanship, five hundred and
twenty-three buffalo robes, two hundred
and ten axes, one hundred and forty
hatchets, tEirty-five revolvers, forty-sev-
ell rifles, five hundred and thirty-five
pounds of powder, one thousand and
fifty pounds Of lead, four thousand ar
rows, ninety bullet molds, thirty-five
bows and quivers, twelve shields, three
hundred pounds of bullets, seven hund
red and seventy-five lariates, nine humid
red and forty buckskin saddle bags, four
hundred and seventy blankets, ninety
three coats, seven hundred pounds of
tabacco. In addition, we captured all
their winter supply of dried buffalo
meat, all their meal, -four and other pro-
visions, and in fact everything they pos
sessed, even driving the warriors from
the village with little or no clothing
We destroyed everything of value to the
Indians, and have now in our posses
sion, as prisoners of war, fifty-three
sguaws and their children. Among the
prisoners are the survivors of "Black |
Kettles" and the family of Little
Rock.n We also secured two white
children held captive by the Indians
One white woman who was in their pos
hx-h l,at
moment we attacked. A white boy
held captive, about ten years old, when
about to be secured, was brutally MUIR /
dered by squaw, who rippied out his
entrails with knife.
The Kiowas under "Satanta." and !.
Arapahoes under Little Raven" were
encamped six miles below "Black Ket-
ties village, and the warriors from these
two villages came to attempt the rescue |
of the Cheyennes. They attacked my
from all sides about noon,
hoping to recover the squaws Ond herds |
of the Cheyennes. In their attack they
displayed great beldness, 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 o'clock |
we drove then i'm all directions, pursuing |
them several miles. 1 then moved my |
entire command in search of the village |
of the Kiowas and Arrapahoes, but after
a march of so miles discovered they had
taken alarm at the fate of the Cheyenne
village and had fed.
1 was then three days march from
where 1 had left my train of supplies. |
and knew that wagons would not follow
me, as the trail had led me over a sec
ton of country so cut up by ravines and
other distractions that cavalry could, |
with difficulty, move over it. The sup
plies carried from the train on the per-
sons of the men were exhausted. My
men, from loss of sleep and hard service,
were wearied out; my horses were in the
same condition for want of forage.
therefore began my return march about
8 P. NJ, and found my train of supplies
at this point lit having accomplished