The New York herald., 1872-10-11
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Survey Of Route ffom the Missouri to the Mouth
Of Powder River-ofiicial Report Of Captain
Kellogg, United States Army Exploration
Of an Unknown Countrywide Red Non
Hostile-Frequent Attacks ON tho Expe-
dition-Coal Discovered Navigation
Of the Yellowstone.

VI tu0 10uVW1tUuo
WASHINGTON, D. O., Oct. 10, 1872
The following oficial communication has been re-
ceived at the War Department.
SIR have the honor to report that, in accord
ance with special order sixty, paragraph two,
military division OF the Missouri July q 1872 left
Chicago, July 8, and proceeded via sioux city and
pany an expedition rom that point to the mouth Of
Powder River, on the Yellowstone. The object OF
the expedition was to escort and protect survey
ing party OF Northern Pacific Railroad engineers,
sent out to extend that railroad from the point OF Its
crossing on the Missouri to the Yellowstone, at or
cort was commanded by Colonel d. 8. Stanley,
Twenty-second infantry, and was composed Of the
following troops:-Companies a. d and +, Twenty
and Y seventeenth infantry, Major Croiton com.
RanSns SgSl, llS companies anH
listed men and thir.y-loar oficers. S These,
together with about twenty-five mounted
$50 teamssers (an armed, oiacers, servants, &C..
formed force OF 767 souls, irrespective OF the
SSrern hs s0aa s1
ing north OF west towards the line OF Heart River
following the line OF Major Whistler's expedition OF
Rice and continued westward, following both
Whistlcr's and Sully's trails to o point about -
then dves slightly south Of west Of shes
trails, we moved to the extreme head Of Heart
RIVER and sent out party to enter the "Bad
Little Missouri. which here runs nearly north and
south. This party after proceeding about fifteen
miles nearly dne west rom our camp Of August s,
found the Little Missouri was unapproachabe at the
point they struck It, by reason OF the exceedingly
broken broke! nature Of the "Bad Lands,n through
which 1t runs. The command then turned south
ward ana moved along the divide which separates
the Little Missouri from the heads Of Heart and
overlooking them. Alter having moved about
twelve miles to the southwark we found prac-
ticab!e route along the top OF the divide which
carried us nearly due west again, still keeping
close upon the edge OF the "Bad Lands,n until .
creek heading in the right direction enabled US to
descend into the valley OF the Little Missouri and
approach to within one and half mile OF that
stream Here 1t was ascertained that the river
made bend from the westward. A party OF en-
moved into and along the valley OF the river, while
the main body marched over the tops OF the
parallel to and south OF the river un iii both parties
met at point about fifteen miles beyond, when 1t
was found the river again ran from the southwark;
rains very good crossing was found at point
where the extensive plateaux on either bank OF
the river T., afforded e an incline sufficiently slight TO
we crossed or approached 1t we found the Little
Missouri stream about twenty five yards wide
exceedingly crooked, well timbered, and with from
one to five feet Of water. General direction from
south to north.
Imme llately upon crossing the Little Missouri we
ascended to the platcaus and moved westward
again, across grassy plains, having left the main
portion OF the "Bad Lands behind us, and, in fact
Creek twenty-five miles west Of the Little Mis-
souri, where rather steep descent from the
plateau brought us into sage bush and cactus
grown valley about five miles wide, with Cabin
Creek moving (at some seasons dry) in the centre.
This section OF the bad Lands' Is not very wide,
where We crossed them. From the valley OF Cabin
Creek we passed over long divide, grassy and
with occasional cumps Of timber in the pockets OF
the hills, westward, TO the head Of another
dry creek, which we followed down In
northwesterly direction until we came
tered large owns and heavily tim
was north, Iorty degrees west. At this point we
knew we were not more than ten miles east or
nelssance in that direction; but the party found
succession OF impassabe hills barred our way In
creek to its mouth to then determine whether 1t
was, as we supposed, O'Faliin's Creek or Powder
River that we were on. The valley through which
the creek passes is from one to two miles wide,
bOrdered by broken ranges Of bald hills. With the
exception OF occasional patches OF sage brush q
short growth OF bual0 grass is to be found it's en-
tire length. Here we found the first signs of Indi
ans they having used this creek along its entire
length as one vast Winter camp, none Of the signs
SO far along our route no indians had been seen,
except small party OF dozen or fifteen, which
two days before our scouts accidentally discovered
about live miles in our rear, and who we're evil
IDENTITY following after us for the purpose OF ransack-
ing our camping ground, as we moved onward.
The country from the head Of Heart River west
ward Is entirely devoid OF game Of any kind. Even
the buffalo has departed to other ranges. and yet
from the vast number OF tracks we found, there
must have been mutitudes Of those ANIMALS in this
section within two seasons past. 1t was to the
great scarcity OF game that we at
tributed the corresponding scarcity Of In
dams. We made our first camp on ORAL.
ns Creek tat point twenty-five miles from
where 1t enters the yellowstone) on the 10th OF
August At the first sign of day on the morning Of
the 16th small party OF Indians, variously esti-
mated at from two to one dozen, stole up close to
the sentries the east side Of the camp, and
watching their onuortuuitv made a "a forf ia
inside OF our line OF tents, apparently with view
to stampede such animals as they might find on
their way. The vigilance OF the sentries, however,
and the alarm being Immediately given frustrated
the attempt for the troops on all four sides OF the
camp were rapidly turned out and the Indians
only succeeded III entering one corner OF the camp
to dash out at another without accomplishing any.
thing
After leaving camp about twenty Indians were
seen lowering about it, picking up such scraps OF
food as they could find. Another alarm or ap-
preaching Indians was given on the morning Of the
nth Of August, just as the command was turning
into the Yellowstone Valley and about one mile
from the mouth OF O'Failin's Greek. The train Of
over one hundred and nlty wagons were thrown
the entire command, 'front.' rear and flank, de-
plOyed as skirmIsers to receive an attack, all in a
very short space OF time; but alter brief delay the
expedition started on again, unm0lested, west
ward, up the Yellowstone and went into camp at q
point egudstant from s. the mouth mouth OF Powder
from either.
Tne following morning Sunday, August ls the
NOrtHcTH IdCluC hdilTOdU eHRlHceTs, eSCOIteu Nv
1875 men, in wagons, proceeded up the valley to
the mouth OF Powder River which was reached at
ten A. NJ, and salute fired. The engineers
placed their final stake at selected spot near the
mouth OF Powder River, on the east bank, and
upon q bench OF land Immediately overlooking 1t,
directly opposite the clumps Of timber In which
Father De SInet made his camp in 1858. The end
OF the route having been reached the engineers
commenced the survey for final location OF their
road, and had but just finished their work
at the first station when party OF
Indians dashed from range or blufrs
the south side OF the valley and
endeavored TO reach or intercept one OF the en-
gineering party, who had struggled behind the
main body, The mounted scouts with us saw this
movement just In time to make a charge upon the
advancing enemy and turn them back into the
hills from which they came before the struggling
engineer fell into their hands, After some desul-
tory firing by both parties the Indians moved back
on from the hills, and, crossing over to the west
bank OF Powder River came down IL to point OPP
p0sie our party and asked to talk with our leader.
Their request being granted, and short talk had,
the engineers and the escort prepared to move east
ward, continuing their locating work, when the In
dams from the west bank fired into the rear guard