New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-27
Merritt Charges the Cheyennes.

| A New York EtrGd dispatch from Fort
| description Of the ac.ion OF General Wee-
ley Merritt and the Fifth Cavalry with a
band of Cheyennes on their way from their
reservation TO join the hostile Sioux:
At neon On Saturday, tie fifteenth IL
| staI-, the Fifth Cavalry. ILCer General
! Merritt were bivcuackeG On kawhide
Creek, eighteen miles t-oM For: Laramie
10 which point they we're ordered IN from
| tie Cheyenne river, 100 miles to The north,
On route to join Crook A courier suddenly
appeared IRON tie agency with Dispatches
stating that 500 CEeyennes were making
preparations 70 leave at once fc- me North
west 20 jcin Sitting Bull: tha. Le was &c
throw himself across their line Gt march il
tine 10 intercept them. Merritt had 70
| make eighty miles before they could make
thirty, OF. of he went. and Sunday nigh.
found him with seven companies hiding z uL-
DER the bluffs on War BoLne. OF Eat Creek,
square ur their front.
A. Gayb-eak Monday morning Lieut.
enant King commanding the nu.uos,s 20
the southeast, senr = word Tia. -ne way
Iar-les were coming over the ridge from
tie direction Of the reservation. Joining
bin a. the advanced post, General Merit
found the -epoI. co-ree:. The comMaud
nUiseiessiy mounted and WE MagseG uLCeI
the duff. a uusIter q nile 70 TIE rear
out Of sight Of thAIrdians 4. the same
time. Tie wagon tram was some six miles
OF to the southwest. slowly approaching.
and tie lIdlans were closely watcLiL II.
out keeping concealed from the view CT IT'S
guard. The two companies Of 1ntaDtIy
with it were riding in the wagons Al six
@ Cock the Indians were swarm;ng all alcng
the ridge to the southeast. some three
SpI ylryx i rs
ten warriors came d.shing down a -av,Le
which leo directly under The h4lI where
L.eu-eLaE. King, With his SIX Uen, were
watching.
The cbject was as srdderly apparent
Two hOGsemen, unconscious ci tie prox-
unity Of tie foe, had ventured out ahead Of
the train and were making rapidly for the
TO the command. The Indians, utterly
ignorant Of the rapid move o. the Fifth,
were simply bent on jumping On :he
eouriers ard getting their scalps. Buffalo
Bill Chief Of the scouts, lay On the hill with
King, and instantly sprang 20 his horse
Cowr ot1 the hill.
"All OF you keep ont Of sight" said The
General. .Mornt now, and VIXEN the word
! is given. OF with you
Tnen, turning 70 the officer CT tie picket.
| lie said
"Wasch them, King. Give tie wc-d when
you are ready
Crouehing behind the little bu-te. Bill
| and his party OF two scouts and SIX soldiers
| were breath.ess!y waiting; half way up wac
| tie Genera and MS stat. Tie lieutenant
. .ay a. the crest watching The RAPIDLY aG-
| v2nc!ng TOE. Down they came nearer and
| nearer, The sun flashing from their brilliant
| .y painted bodies and their po!:shsG orna-
| ments Then. Just as they aIe 0ashlng by
| the front OF the nill Hing shouts
Now, lads. IN with you.
With rush and yell the troopers are
hurled upon the Indians flank, not fifty
| yards away.
General Merritt springs up TO see the al
| tack Just as tail Indian reeIed il bis cad
| die. shot by Corporal Wilkinson. OF X COM
pauy. An answering bullet whistled by the
! Generals mead, when king-still OF tine
| watch-sung out:
Here they come by the dozens"
The reserve Indians came swarmiEg down
| from the ridge to the rescue. Company X
| was instantly ordered to the front. Bu. be-
| fore it appeared from behind the blutt the
| Indians, emboldened by the rush OF their
| friends 20 the rescue, turned savagely on
| Buffalo Bill and the little party a. tEe out
! post.
The latter sprang from their horses and
| met the daring charge with voiley. yell
| low Hand, young Cheyenne brave, came
lOTcuost, siU Up4lES Dbl as iucUdu worthy
Of his steel. Cody coolly knel, and. taking
| deliberate aim sent his bullet through the
chiefs leg and into his horses head. Down
| went the two, and, before his friends could
| reach him, second shot from Bill's rife
| laid the redskin low.
On came the others bent on annihilating
the little band that opposed them, when, to
| their amazement, a long blue line popped
| up in their very front, and Company X,
| with Colonel Mason at its head. dashed al
| them. Leaving their dead. the Cheyenles
| scattered back, helter skelter, % the ridge,
| but their fire was wild and their stand a
| short one. Company after company de-
| bouched from behind the bluff. and, utterly
disheartened. the Indians rushed for the
reservation. leaving behind all their pro-
visions. General Merritt pursued them till
night, when the whole command went into
| camp al the agency.
The Indians left their dead ard admit
having more wounded. They also lost Elk
ponies. Their friends at Red Cloud cay
they never dreamed the Fifth Cavalry
could get there in time to head them OF.
The regiment sustained no less l: ar
rived at Laramie yesterday and leaves for
Crook camp tomorrow.