The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-01-28
THE INDIAN WAR.
Dispatches from General sherIdan.
Tho savages Terribly DcmoralIzcd.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.
The following dispatches have just
been received at the head quarters OF
the army from Fort Cobb, Indian ter
ritory, through Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan:
FORT COBB, Dec. 81.
"Lic1tt. Gen. Sherman, U. S. Il.
"MY DEAR GENERAL:-1 notice The
papers in stating that Black Kettles
camp was destroyed by General Custer,
say that they were peaceable Indians
on their way to their reservations. In
his talk with me some five or SIX days
before he was killed, Black Kettle stat
ed that many of his men were then on
the war path, and that their people did
not want peace with the people above
the Arkansas. His people were those
who were engaged in the trouble on the
Solomon, and their reservation was
not in this section of the country at all.
Very truly, w. 3. HAZEN.
General Sherman forwards to the
army headquarters the Following dis
patch from General Sheridan:
"H'DQ'Rs IN.THE FIELD, Dec. 81. '6S. !
SPECIAL MEs'NGER TO LAWRENCE, KS
JANUARY IS.
BreUt. Maj Gen. ". Il. Nichols Il. Il.
G.:
"GENERAL-I have the honor to re-
port for the information of the Lieuten-
ant General the operations of the COL
umn from Fort Baseom under COM
mand of Col. n. w. Evans of the cav
airy.
ut left Bascom on the 10Th of No
vember, establishing its depot on the
main CadRlaw at the mouth of Monu-
ment creek, east from Bascom, 1855 miles
from this depot. On the 9TH of Deem
Der, Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Evans
marched with n detachment of COM
panies A. G. D. +. @. and f, OF cavalry,
and Company /, 9TH Infantry, travelling
in the direction of Antelope Hills.
| On reaching point near kiOWa Creek,
forty one miles east of the depot, n trail
of about thirty lodges of Cheyenne In
dams was struck, which was followed
over to the North Fork of the Red
river, thence down that stream, the
trail constantly increasing, until it be-
came very large. The trail was hotly
pursued. The Indians abandoned all
their surplus property. The trail led
into q canon, near the junction of Elm
creek, and the Salt Fork of the Red
river, when Col. Evans made detour
to pass around the canon into which the
trail led, which brought him at noon,
on Christmas day, into large village
OF the COmanches, of sixty lodges, just
south OF this junction of Salt Fork with
Elm creek which was totally destroyed.
"The Indians attacked his advance,
but were driven from their village with
the loss of everything it contained, the
| women and children escaping by being
hastily put on the horses of the war
riOrs, in some cases as many as four on
n horse. The village was very rich,
containing over tons Of buffalo meat,
| 100 bushels OF corn, also flour, meal,
coffee, sugar, soap, cooking utensils,
mats, partleche ropes, and the para.
phernalia of Il rich Indian town. The
Indians kept up the fighting during the
day and the next morning, but there
was not much fight in them. Three
enlisted men were wounded, one NOR
tally; the number of Indians which
| were killed is unknown.
''Col. Evans took the main trail again
on the 26lh. which led west, but being
out of provisions, except beef, had to
give il up. The greatest praise is due
Colonel Evans and his command. 1t
marched Lwenty.four days in snow and
| intensely cold weather without tents of
any kind, and finally struck this etfec-
tive and heavy blow.
81 had known through Gen. HaZen
and the Indians of this mnrauding viii
lage. 1t WAS composed mostly OF indi
ViduRls from the tribe OF COmanches
located here, who had reported them to
| me after my arrival. 1 can assure the
General that he need not expect q con.
| tinuAnCe of murders and rObDeries from
| the Indians i'll my department hereaf.
| ter, if one can judge from the demOrali-
cation which this winters campaign
has produced among them. The wealth
er has been very bad. Snow, rain and
| intense cold.
(Signed), "P. II. SHERIDAN,
MdjOT General u. IS. Il.