The New York herald., 1874-08-05

SIX or seven miners there and from them neard
the story OF the attack. The indians had posses
sion OF the heights surrounding the guich at dawn
on the morning OF the 18th and sent IN
the sides OF the gulch, and, coming behind
a KNOWN Russian Ned, saot him IN the
back ana then galoped back over the nil. kind
OF desutory lire appears 10 have been kept up on
botn sides until ABOUT nioe A. NJ, when the IN
dams retired. out resumed their attack on the oi-
lowing morning. Finding the miners located how
ever, in d stronghold they had dug out on the top
OF NIL commandng the gulch, they lavo ed them
with a tOleraby brisk fire and tnen retired, burn
ing some log nuts on their way. In the mean lne
one OF the miners nad made his way to Hawns
with the news OF the attack, where the people
were already considerably excited, as party OF
Indians had made their appearance at Fort steele
eariv Oh the morning Oh the 10Th aud driven away
several head OF STOCK. The miners were under the
impress on tlat they mad been attacked by aoout
generally believed that the maraudng party were
aoOut nlts strong ana that alter tine hght at the
mines on the morning OF the 10th they sent small
party on TO steele to pick up what STOCK they could
mud. We lett the mines at ten A. NJ. divided into
two parties. Tue wagons, guided by MI Hunt and
under charge of the first sergeant with twenty
two men, followed the regular trail towards
the North Platte River, and Captain vessels, with
Bony Ernes., the guide, and the rest OF the COM
mand, started right across the mountains. The
artist and Special accompanied the mountain
party, and we had pretty stiff march over a very
rough country, finally joining the wagons at the
mouth OF De Wees Greek, on the North Platte,
where we camped Ior the night. We toasted
sumptuOusy that Tuesday evening, as both parties
had killed an antelope, anording fresh meat Tor tine
entire command. AT retreat the horses were all
mems tents. Sentries were kept moving around
camp all night, and doubled up during the early
morning watch, AS that Is the time when Indians
generally MAKE their appearance. Some. OF the
men christened our Resting place RattlesnaHe
Sea three reetss s's Of that tr1e one rather an
ancient creature, possessing nine rattes. we
were now tity five mics rom the railroad and as
the mules were rather tired Captain vessels de-
termined next day TO make short marcn OF ABOUT
ms lies Sorsn the mouth STose
next morning at A. NJ, ana / started with
tAe Captain and twelve men TO see a canyon
through which the Platte had forced its way, and
the wagons and the rest OF the command followed
the regular trall We wound round the river and
wea S@ we G as
a deep gorge, about $50 feet IN height ana about
40 In width, wnere the waters OF the Pla,te surge
across to JOIN The wagons, but on the way struck
TnE INDIAN TRAIL,
which We followed until 1t crossed Sandy Greek,
when We made a halt and, unSaddllng our horses,
awaited the arrival OF the wagons, TO which the
Wien the wagons arrived fires were lighted ana
the COOKS went to WORK getting dinner ready, as
Immediately to follow the trail clrrying What
rai0ns they could in their saddle bags. orders
were also issued to the first sergeant to remain in
charge OF the wagons wlth eight men ana three
teamsters, and to move down the next day to q
camp at the mouth OF the creek. Each man OF
the trailing party was onI! allowed to carry
one blanket anu his overcoat We started at noon,
Captain, guide, artist, special and iorty men.
had tea, hard cracEers and q box of sardnes In
my saddle bags aud couple OF tins OF spiced
oysters rolled up In my blankets. The trail ap-
peared to be about three or four days DID, and led
In o northwesterly direction until II crossed the
Sweetwater RIVER just below where II emptles
into the Platte. We then passed through the
after crossing the river five times found the first
camp Of the Indians, located on the Dank of the
sveT @nder r9esy Sy ona about 100 eet hign on
three fires and the traces Of what the guide con-
cuded TO be party o. about fity Indians, with
o. Fs Then lett the sss
ing In northerly direction across rolling table,
brought US to small creek adjoining the old Cali
iornia tral. The captain did not wish to give the
horses too heavy march on the the nrss & day and @ as
age the men ana Civ, e., them a good
as to VINO should stand guard, and we finally al
lotted the watches as lollows:-Special nine P. NJ.
2. NJ. 10 two A. NJ, and guide, TWO A. N; to hall.
past l0ur A. NJ, the Captain and Billy Hunt, the
son of Mr.. Hunt, VINO was with the wagons having
their watches on the following night. 1t was not
very pleasant marching round the camp for two
hours anu hail. tumDing over the sage brush
@ road ' was some wandering Sioux @ ' Of gigantic sa @
stature, ana l took great pleasure at hali.past
eleven A. N. in turning out my artist friend iOr his
spell. Every thng, however, passed or quietly,
ana we resumed our march at daylight with the
wnlskey canreen considerably ightened from q
leak that had sprung during tire weary hours
when tue gal ant cirlZens had mounted guard.
We were now ABOUT twenty-five miles northwest or
where tue wagons had been ,eit, ana when we
started ut i've minutes 70 five from the old Call
lorna road 1T was rather refreshing to find tue
tran take DOrtnery course as 1t looked
as If the Indians were heading towards the
northern agencies We travelled about six
stoppages on the way, as the soil was dry
ana stony and consequently. the travel very bad.
shortly before eleven A. Al. we arrived at creek
OF clear water, where We canped ior couple Of
hours TO let the horses Craze. Here were tne rem.
nants OF an old indian camp and also tine traces OF
fresh camp that mad been maze by the gentle
men we were following. We started again about
one p. M. and mad clear trail over rolling,
sandy country fnat took Us about twenty five miles
due north before we Game 10 water Having made
forty mies curing the day we canlped there for
the night. The water was staXnaut and bad, but
as Hunt had killed a lawn antelope, we were lucGy
enough to get bit o. tresn meat roasted In the
asDes. Everybody was awake early next morning.
ANXIOUS to strike better water and Kill some game,
rs crackers were getting scarce. We got or aDout
hali-past four A. NJ, and after travelling few
north and rode across most desolate and barren
alkali country until We arrived at a large alkah
water course, with some fe inches of water vtsl-
bic at various places. Here we found
THE FOURTH CAMP OF THE INDIANS
We were tIailing and we made halt OF couple
OF hours to rest the horses. The bed OF the creek
was an entire quicksaDd and the greatest caution
had 70 be exercised In watering the horses. We
were all very parchcd and THIRSTY, and drank vora
clously Of the aikali water, making number OF
the men very sick, your correspondent and the
artist among the numoer. Just as We were going
t. start again a trooper came up to the Captain
ana said tnat ne had not had anything TO eat lOr
thirty six hours and that there were a numDer Of
men as hungry as himself, but they did not wish to
make q complaint. The Captain was perfectly
astounded, but on inquiry found It to be the TRUTH
as nall the men had only put about eight or ten
crackers IN their oags. We immediately looked to
our stores, and subscribed some twenty crackers
to the reiei OF the hungry and then continued tue
msrcn. the tran led lor apout four mics in
nortneasterly d.rection up the dry water-c Jurse,
and then struck Oh due north. The Captain then
ordered bai, and. after due consideration, turned
to the ri2ht-aDOut, as the Indians were evidently
heading Straight for the Black HIS or the Powder
River country. lie had been hanging on Tor the
last tWenty-fOur hours, hoping that they might
Kill some game or that the tran would take the
eastward direction and give him a chance OF get
ting supplies from Fort FettermAn, but with an
average OF two crackers man, ninety miles from
the wagons and the trail leading right away
from all cnance OF supplies, IL would have been
positive madness to have continued The conf
maud then returned to The akali nat where they
had halted at noon, and camped there Tor the
night. IL was rather
A wRETCHED EVENING,
as everybody was hungry and thirsty, and some OF
the men were quite sick. our lite party eit con-