Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-12-29
Genera, onstar,s battle.


prised Black Kettle IS band in their vii
lage. We had marched for days through
sage weeds, wooda, morass, and sand,
tediousIy perseveringly. We had faced
the pelting storm of snow, wadinS
YEARLY through its increasing depth
from its first fall and had taken brief
snatches of sleep upon its soft cold bed
at mig ht. We had finally abandoned
our train and supplies, and had march
ed all day on the enemy's trail and,
turning our backs uhon the sett ing
sun at night, steadily and vigorously
pushed on at times nearly falling
from our saddle with Sudden sleep. 1t
was after midnight, when two Usage
Indian scouts in the advance, announc-
ed that they smelt the smoke of u wood
fire, fire which we came upon after
goidg about mile further. Around it
were traces of Indian boys who had
been herding ponies. On we pushed
again, the criip-frozen snow rustling
softly under the horses feet, and our
long, dark column winding through
the valley like hugh monster. Not q
voice could be heard. Ten miles were
passed. and the scouts, who were as
cending elevated ground suddenly
wheeled their horses and quickly NOV
ed to the rear, reporting that ponies
we're grazing a mile ahead Of us, and
that village was doubtless in the
woods beyond, which skirts the stream
in the valley. Strict silence was OBJ
served, bat no white man who looked,
could, by the utmost straining of the
eyes, see living object where the tele-
scopic vision of these Indian scouts
had discovered SO much. Soon a night
glass verified the presence of the ami
mails. The officers were assembled by
Gen. Custar, and all cautiously crept
ND to the crest of the hill overlooking
the valley below, and the surroundings
were carefully noted 1t wasa moment
of exuItation,. and the Generals fnthu-
STA, tic Instructions wele quickly aud
eagerly given and received. The hour
was about 2 o'clock a m. Quietly the
squadron marched around to their re
spective positions, and there rested for
the signal for the first gray tints of
morning. It came at last; and, as the
band struck mp "Garry Owen" the
platoons swept down with a yell
from every side upon the doomed vii
lage. The savages sprang into bitches
and holes. and behind trees and bushes,
and opened a raking fire from every
direction with bullets and arrows.
Some fed with the terror stricken
squaws and papooses, fig hting as they
ran. These strove hard to reach the
ponies to mound; but very few succeed
ed in doing so. Sharp and loud rang
the rattling carbines, echoed back by
the hills and bluffs on every side.
Swift and sure rode the troopers, whose
lines soon extended across the valley,
furiously tearing after the flying enemy
many OF whom bit the snow-miles
beyond their village, where their bodies
were not afterward seen nor counted.
Two platoons were dismounted to fight
to better advantage among the bushes.
Gradually all the Indians were hunted
f1om their cover like wild animals
whose escape is cut off, and the fire was
slackened. One hundred and three
bodies we're found around the village
proper, but many wounded escaped. A
few of the squaws took part in the fight,
using pistols. Others were spared, eX-
cept those who had been seen to muir
der white captive children in their
hands These instantly met the fate Of
fheir warrior braves. The ground was
strewn with blankets, robes, and cloth
ing, shed by the fugitives. Nearly
1000 animals (horses, ponies, and
mules) were surrounded and driven
in by detachments when the fight
opened. A great many rifles, pistols,
saddles, lariats, brides, robes, ETC.,
were taken also, large quantities of
ammunition, dried meat, and other
food, all Of which we destroyed, togeth-
er with the fifty-one lodges. When the
squaws and children were overtaken,
collected together, and turned back in
their flight, they defantly and resign
eddy chanted their war or death songs.