The New York herald., 1874-10-03
GENERAL NILES EXPEDITION.
Progress Of the Operations
Against the Indians.
ENCOUNTERS WITH THE sAvAGEs.
Character and Position of the
Hostile Bands.
CAMP ON WAsHITA RIVER, |

We left Gait Fort on the 10th inst 1.-THE infantry
and artillery remaining about five miles northeast
OF our last camping ground. pushed forward again
and reached Wnltepost Creek on the evening OF the
same day. On the 11th we reached Mcclellan Creek,
where we rejoined the cavalry. which had de-
parted from Mulberry Creek ahead OF us, to en-
deavor and reach the train and hasten its arrival,
and lounl that our command was one man less
than before occasloned by the loss OF private
OF Company NJ, Sixth cavalry, named
Pettljohn. This man and the first sergeant
OF the company had been looking ior
some hunters and we're jumped by a large party OF
Indians who succeeded In Killing the private and
capturing the horse, equipments and arms, the
sergeant escaping. The poor soldier was shot
through the arm and leg and had lance thrust
through the heart. He had evidently been hastily
scalped, although thoroughly the scalp being
torn from the right and partially over to the up
side, including the scalp lock, which is, as Is now
pretty generally known, the lock covering the
crown OF the head and covers diameter of about
an inch. From Mcclellan Greek, on the 12th Gen.
eral Miles, with the cavalry. moved forward to
ascertain the cause of
THE DETENTION OF THE TRAIN
with supplies, 1t having been on the programme
that 1t should have been at Antelope Hills, on the
Canadian, on the 10th inst, and pushed rapidly
forward until reaching this point, where the train
was. Here the cavalry, &C., halted, and supplies
were Immediately forwarded to the command in
the rear with the portion OF the train left behind
to follow up the General and the cavalry and the
detachmen: stin further away In the vicinity OF
the salt Fork Of Red River. These supplies were
much needed, although no actual necessity for
lood was experienced.
At the present writing the valleys OF the Sweet
water, Wash1ta and Mcclellan Creek are occupied
nv "a I hat frnn fha
Canadian 10 Mcclellan Creek will be guarded by
the forces ana held from the Indians until suf-
fctent preparations are perfected for the trans
portation or the establishment OF convenient
attack and follow the savages wherever they may
be found. Meanwhile the command Is recuper-
atng and reftting, and am convinced that, from
the thorough manner IN which these preparations
are made, the Indians Will long have cause to re.
member the expedition which win probably re.
their ultimate subJugatlon is now merely ques-
ATTACKS BY THE INDIANS.
Lieutenant +. d. Baldwin, Fifth infantry, who
left Battle Tor Mulberry Greek on the 6tn inst.
wih important dispatches to headquarters and
the mail, with three scouts as escort, mad numer-
GUS engagements with the Indians, at times being
entirely surrounded by them, and having to get
out III et dr,S. this occurring several times in one
day, and when finally the superior mettle OF the
horses rendered 1t lmpractcable Tor the In
fight was organized, and about fifteen braves
undertook the chase, In which half their NUMBER
were WOrSLeu, DelnR clLuer klllcu OF WOulOeu,
this gave the remainder dlstaste for any further
intimacy with the Leutenants little iorce. During
the further progress OF this party on the road to
camp supply Indians were found nearly every day,
4 and on one occasion Cne was captured who was
on outpost, he not having time to retreat to the
n main body OF indians, and evidently preterrng TO
run his chances OF capture than the gauntlet OF
shots tnat would have been his portion on an
attempt 10 escape. The party arrived at camp
COMPANY /, Fifth infantry, acting as escort to
i the wagon train en- route to meet the command
il attacked bV the Indians the 9th the
train corraed and an animated fight maintained
/ Tor three days, during when time the Infantry
/ made breastW0rks tine Indians emulatlng them),
/ and duel OF rife practice was had between the
opposing forces. The number o. the Indians Is
| estimated at from 800 to 400, and they We're well
armed and supplied with abundance OF ammu-
nltlon, which tney used with sucn effect as 10
fantry, mortaily wound Assistant Wagon Master
Sanford, XII Sergeant De Armand company !,
flitn mlantry), and wound private OF Com
pany i, Fllth Infantry, and sergeant OF Company
a, Sixth cavalry. Inc NUMBER OF
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED
OF the Indians can only be estimated, and that
from no accurate data; suIice 1t to say that there
were good marksmen in Company |, and the ac-
tion was at very snort range; consequently there
is great PROBABILITY OF there being mourning in
many wigwams as result OF the fight The In
dians Withdrew on the 18th, taking southwest
| On the 18th MAJOR Prices command part OF the
Eighth cavalry was also attacked by The Indians,
| from which attack they shortly withdrew IN dis
gust at the Dertnaclty Of the soldiers and the I'M
practicabilty Of making any successful attempt to
I
| Another episode, although involving no shedding
OF human gore, one OF intense discomfort to
the Survivors, and happened in this wise: Three
scouts were sent out by General Miles, about the
27tn ult., with a despatch Tor Major Price VINO
was expected to arrive at Adobe Walls about that
date. These men, some little time since re.
/ turned to this camp from their intended tour,
their horses dead IRON fatigue and lack OF
tenance and themselves not III state oI plethora.
1t must however have afforded them some salts
faction to find Major Price at tins camp ana TO
think that they had succeeded IN finding him alter
SO protracted search.
III my lasG letter conjectured that the Indians
had changed their position ntll they were between
the command ana Camp supply, and the expert
ence OF the command would justly this SUPPOSE
tion. Another surmse however, Is tnat the sew
eral bands OF Indians encountered were those who
have recently been depredatng around the WASH
lta Agency, and that they lel N with our column
While making tier way 10 the Staked Plains.
Whichever conjecture may be correct, ol one thing
the people may be assured, that IN spite OF all the
dIlcultles encountered by the troops, the large
amount oil suffering and privation that they have
endured-chleny occasloned ny an insuflicency or
superabundaDce OF water-the soldiers have TO
the iutiest extent inculcated a wholesome fear
into the Indians, IRON which the best results may
be anticipated.