New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-04

The night therefore. not cheerful one, Dt nos
murmur heard. Tho wounded men lay upon INC
snow leaned against tree, and slept as best theJ
could On so cold night
owing TO some misunderstanding onr four dead men
were left on The field mutiated By the Indians.
How this occurred is not fully explained, and pray be
the subject Of investigation. These men could nave
been removed easily but thoy were not and thai they
were not caused great deal Of dissatisfaction among
the troops.
To-day Saturday at noon Gen. Crook ard the re-
mander OF the command arrived. In the mean urne
portion of the herd Of ponies had sagged into the
rayines and fallen INTO the hands OF the Indians Inc
village was very rich in punderthe Accommodations OF
great many stealing expeditions. This was all chect
uay destroyed not enough being left to make respect
abo bed for a pappoose.
1t does not seem probable that therare half as many
hostile Indians in this northern country as the war p
partment has supposed For nearly two weeks ths com
mand has been marching through the best part OF the
whole uncedcd Sioux lands and 1t has not seen LOW
Indians in all doubt II there are 5000 hostile people
south of this Missouri and east OF the BIG horn NOUN
tains. Other military expeditions VIII soon foo" this
one and in the end all these tribes VIII be gad 10 Ke
agency ratons poor and insufficient as they generally
are for the rest of their days.
The OF this engagement Is on the left BANK OF tue
main Powder River about 50 miles north of old Fort
Reno very near the southern boundary OF Montana Is
region terribly rough and sterile aud only the narrow
river-bed running deep down In tins canons' anorus
water ana limited pasturage It has scarcely over peen
visited by whte since Reynolds made his recon
no,sance in 1855 On every side the country IA broken
M into barren "bad lands" with nigh buttes, almost
attaining tho magnitude Of mountains overlooking tho
general plain These bhttcs composed oil clays ana
sands with coal frequently visible, Dut 10
not afford fossil remains Of any value, so Tar
"a VIC could discover. The country has no ATTRACTIONS
for civilized man. and offer nothing in mitigation OF
10 4 pnt'
agree with Gen azen IN his view OF the barrenneSs ana
utterly yaueless character Of this whole region OF cou
try in respect to its aiptabty TO agricultural and pas
tora uses As % fastness for few wrrtched incihs IL
has ts advantages. Even these can only hVe In ID ny
stealing from the frontiers and the agencies 10 rely
upon game would bc 10 embrace starvation for there Is
very little 10 be found.
II il hardly proper TO close this sketch o. the
rcnt without referring moro particularly 10 those causes
which prevented it, complete First among shese
was the failure OF Capt Mcores battalion to reach thc
position assigned IL in the OF the village. or point
covering the rear before the charge waa maze by capt
Ecan. This failure allowed the Indians to mako good
their escape the rocky fastnessos Of the mountains
overlooking the valley from which they subsequently
pourcd in CALLING fire upon troops. Moore's baial-
ion was sirong one IN nnmbcrs aud needed ONLY 40 Do
led 10 the front where II could be effective 70 q" sov' ser
vce when il vas discovered that the batt;n wogld
not be at the place assigned IT, and that comnanderdd
not apparently intend 20 pat IL there, Major stanton ana
Lieut. -biey with five men, left g and went on, taking
up the position which the haison should have occupied
ard gave the dying savages tc best eniadng fire they
could But they were too few 10 prevent the escape OF
the Indians This was the first serious hunder The
next was that after TIRE herd OF ponies numbering over
ZOO had been captured. driven twenty miles from the
scene OF action ard turned over 10 Gen Reynolds com
naudns tho troops. he failed 10 place guard around
them so that the greater portion Of them Srayed on
during tho night. and picked MP by the Indians.
When Informed nest morning that tie herd had escaped
and the scouts reported that II was being driven on ny
Indians, only two or thrco miles from camp no
positively declined to send man or horse 10 re-
captgrc them: thus allowing the most sub'tahthu
fruits Of the victory 20 BE- taken away without
an opposing effort. The next blunder wa IN leaving
mis- dead upon tho field and directing that they bc 80 leit
when Il was perfectly easy to have thrown them upon
horses and borne them away for burial ~ was even
,at,d thai ore wounded man had been left behind in the
village belonging 70 Company NJ, 81 Cavalry, ana thHt
tho line OF skirmishers cOvcrln TIE Wiihif1Wa 81 te
troops saw the Indians rush into camp and soap nm
II these statements are nd all except the lat I'M
prtadIy are they should lead 40 Investigation. II
they were the result Of lncompetency AID in'c"ncy II
should 10 krowa Furthermore there were arg" guam
titles OF buffalo and vouson in the village "hlch
Gen Crook had directed in case Of capture To be hrouA
out for thu uso the troops, who were on hal ramon" Oh
fresh meat TIL, moi DONE And ms result th' sol
dcrs have had ne fresh meat except ponies '''o INV
time.
cannot omit in this account ~ our long march ana
the reht on Powder River mention the gaGntry and
sodierkc conduct 81 Capt. an I'd United states Cav
airy For sr.n m the management 81 ms COMPANY
which IS composed OF excellent men, for co"ire+s
daring ana all the qualities Of good soldier commend
Ine 10 him every time. Frank Diouad 100 'ho S"'l'y
leland scout has proved 10y his courage, bodnc'-. quick
pc,. and accuracy Of perception In hunting Indians as
well "a his unfng KNOWLEDGE respecting The country
through which We have operated, guide Of The very hrSt
qualify Con Crook has found Bis seryiccs Of great
value and win undoubtedly give him more work to do
before long. Such men not picked IN every day.