The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-08-10

edge of the Indian camp. After he was
driven to the bluffs, the fight lasted perhaps
an hour. The Indians have no hours of the
day, and the time can only be given approx
imately. They report that a small number
of cavalry broke through the line of Indians
in their rear, and escaped, but were over
taken within n distance Of five or six
miles and all killed. ! infer from
! this that this body of retrcating cav
airy was probably led by the missing officers,
and that they tried to escape only after
! Custer fell. The last man that was killed
was killed by the two sons of a Santce In
dian, Red Top, who was a leader in the Min
nesota massacres of '62 and So.
| After the battle the squaws entered the
field to plunder and mutlatc the dead
General rejoicing was INDUCED in, and dis
tribution of arms and ammunition hurriedly
made. Then this attack on Reno was yigor-
ously renewed. Up to the attack the Indians
had lost comparatively few men, but new
they say their most serious loss
took place. They give no idea of
numbers, but say there were a
great many. Sitting Bull was neither killed
nor personally engaged in the fight He re-
maincd in the Council tent directing opera
tions. Crazy Horse, with a large band,
and Black Moon were the principal leaders
on the 25th OF June. Kill Eagle, Chief of
the Backfeet, was at the head of some
twenty Iodsoo Of this Agency He WIS prom
inently engaged in the battle of June %, and
aftcrward upbraided Sitting Bull for not
taking al active personal part in the engage
mcnt.
Kill Eagle has sent me word that he was
forced into the fight; that he desires to re-
turn to the Agency; and that he will return
to the Agency if he is killed for it. lie is
reported to be actually on the way back to
90 to his Father and Agent and make con-
fcssion ana receive absolutiOn for his defiant
crime against the hand that had gratuit-
ously fed him for three years. He is truly
a shrewd chief, who must have discovered
that
He who fights and runs away
May live to fight another day.
The Indians were not all engaged at any
one time. Heavy reserves were held to re
pair losses and renew attacks successfully.
The fight continued until the third day,
when runners, kept purposcly on the look
out, hurried into camp and reported great
body of troops Gen. Terry's cOmmand) ad-
vancing up the river. The lodges having
been previously prepared for-a move,
retreat in a southerly direction followed,
toward and along Rosebud Mountain.
They marched about fifty miles, went in
to camp and held 4 consultation, when it
was determined to send into all the Agencies
reports of their success, and to call upon
them to come out and share the glories that
there were expected to be in the future.
We may expect an influx of ovcrbcaring
and impudcnt Indians, to urge, by force, !
perhaps, an accession to Sitting Bulls de- |
mands. There is a general gathering in the |
hostile camp from each of the Agencies on |
the Missouri River, Red Cloud and Spotted |
Tail, as also the Northern Chcycnnes and |
Arrapahoes.
They report for the especial benefit of |
their relatives here that in the three fights |
they had with the whites they have captured |
over 400 stand of arms, Carbincs and rifles, |
revolvcrs not counted; ammunition without |
end, and some sugar coffee, bacon and hard |
bread They claim to have captured from |
the whites this summer over 900 horses and
mules. | suppose this includes operations |
against soldiers, Crow Indians, and Black |
Hills miners.
The general outline of this Indian report |
concurs with the published reports. The |
dEst ATTACK Of E. Rsn9,a began yel bRt iRodhf
800 whites killed, but do not say how many |
Indians were killed.
A report from another source says the |
Indians obtained from Clusters command 592 |
carbincs and rcvolvcrs. / have, since writ |
ing the above, heard from the returned |
hostiles, which they communicated as a |
secret to their particular friends here,
that a large party of Sioux and |
Cheyenncs were to leave Rosebud Mountain,
or hostile camp, for this Agency to intimi- |
date and compel the Indians here to join |
Sitting Bull. If these refuse, they are Or
dcred to "soldier them (bcat them) and |
steal their ponies. Very respectfully,
J. S. POLAND,
Captain Sixth Infantry, Brcvet Lieutenant
Colonel, Commanding.