The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-08-17
AN INDIAN FIGHT.
An Attack Upon the Sioux by Troops
and Friendly Indlans--Is Success.

An Attack Upon the Sioux by Troops
and Friendly Indians--Its Success.
Fort Brown stands at the head Of the
Little Winneryaga Valley, 146 miles
north OF Brady's station on the Union
Pacific Railroad, 5Ts miles west Of
Omaha. From this point IN expedi-
ton started out TO attack the Sioux.
II was composed Of Company B,
Second United States Cavalry, 81 men
and two officers, Capt. Dates com
manding the expedition, and Lieut..
Robinson commanding Company B,
Lieut.. Young, 4th Infantry, with 20 In.
dian scouts and four citizens; Washa.
kie, Chief OF the Snake Indians, and
15O OF his warriors; total, 295. They
left Camp Brown on the evening Of
July /, aud travelled rapidly all night.
As soon as the morning dawned the
troops and friendly Indians hid in the
bush, having made 40 miles between 8
P. NJ. and daylight. The night Of July
2 the command made a distance Of 80
miles, and again hid as soon as light
began to appear. On the Sd, when it
was dark, the whole force mounted
and pushed rapidly forward. Every
one was in q state Of excitement for II
was believed that another day would
usher in q battle. At $50 A. NJ. the In
dian scouts who had the advance halt
ed, and sent bach. word to Capt. Bates
and the troops that they were in sight
OF the hostile camp. The Shoshone
warriors at once began to strip and put
on their war paint, and the troops to
load and fix their carbines for action.
In about 20 minutes all were in readi.
ness and the friendly Indians began to
creep over the bluffs and steal down
upon the sleeping camp. The troops
followed on foot to the brow Of the hill,
and there below them and within rifle
shot lay the hostile camp. II was asstill
as death, and not even o dog barked.
The sleeping Indians evidently thought
themselves secure, and had taken no
precautions to guard against surprise.
Raising their fearful war.whoop the
Shoshones rushed down upon the camp,
the troops OF the same time charging.
Capt. Bates led his troops TO the edge
OF the village, and the bewildered In.
dians as they rushed from their lodges
were shot down by scores. Had the
shoshone Indians supported the troops
with any degree Of steadiness all would
soon have been over and hardly o
hostile Indian would have escaped 10
tall the tale OF the midnight attack.
But the Shoshones hung back, would
not enter tho village, and contended
themselves with yelling and firing on
their enemies from a distance. Soon
the poni OF the Sioux attracted their
attention and then they seemed more
desirous Of stealing and plundering than
OF fghting.ss II was in vain Capt. Bates
and Lieut.. Young urged them To close
up and charge apon the Sioux; they
seemed satisfied TO howl and steal.
The Sioux when first attacked were
greatly confused, but soon rallied and
began to offer a stout resistance. Just
beyond the village and overlooking II
was q high and rugged bluff, and to
this the hostile Indians retreated and
opened rapid and destructive fire on
tile troops in the village below. The
cayalrymen behaved gallantly and for
time stood up against the shower OF
balls rained down upon them but be-
ing unsupported by his Indian allies
and hoping to take the position OF the
enemy In the flank and drive them from
the bluff, Capt. Bates fell back out OF
the village and put his men under
cover.
Lieut.. Young with his scouts occu.
pied part Of the high bluffs, andmade
every effort to drive ont the enemy.
While gallantly fighting he received o
ball through the leg above the knee and
fell. The fight here was desperate,
Lieut.. Young killing several Of the
Sioux and losing one ofhis scouts. At
one time 1t was thought tho enemy
would capture Lieut.. Young, and but
for the determined bravery Of the old
Shoshone chief Washakie, Mr.. Frank
Ecoffey, aud Mr.. Cosgroye, Young
would undoubtedly have fallen into the
hands OF the sioux. After the fall Of
Lieut.. Young the Shoshones would not
fight, and Capt. Bates was compelled
TO allow them to withdraw.
AT FIVE o'clock, the friendly Indians
showing some disposition 70 attack,
Capt. Bates again pushed forward o
strong line Of skirmishers toward the
bluffs but being unsupported by In
dians, after sustaining q terrific fire for
some time, they were compelled to re.
tire. The Shoshones having captured
some 200 ponies, announced their in.
tention Of retreating with their plum.
der; and seeing smoke and signals
from the hill occupied by the enemy,
Captain Bates reluctantly ordered his
troops to retire.
TIE population OF the hostile village
was over 700 souls, and Of this number
fully 400 were warriors so that count.
ing in Waskakie and his band, the
Sioux outnumbered the attacking force
nearly two TO one. Thirty Sioux,
Cheyennes, and Arapahoes were killed
in their village, six more on the ridge,
and rs many more were wounded.
Their loss was severe. The loss on the
part Of the soldiers was two killed and
four wounded.
A Shoshone warrior was shot through
the head aud killed instantly, and four
others were wounded. A soldier named
Iyens was reported killed in the tirst
dispatches, but Is not mentioned in
those last received at Headquarters,
Department Of the Platte. The NUM-
ber Of ponies captured by the friendly
Indians and troora was $50.