The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-05-06

and the artillery by Lieut. Woodruff.
The infantry battalion is under the
immediate command of Maj Henry
B. Freeman, seventh infantry and
the cavalry, mounted infantry and
artillery, are under Gen Brisbin,
Major Second cayalry,-the whole
being commanded by Gen. John
Gibbon, Colonel, seventh infantry.
The column encountered great diff
ficulty in getting over the range of
mountains between Fort Ellis, in the
Gallatin Valley, and the Yellowstone
Valley. The wagons were three
days passing over Il miles of road
and it required eighteen mules to
move some of them through the mud.
On the other side the roads were
better, and the command marched
rapidly down the Yellowstone
Valley.
Dispatches and letters received
here last night from officers state that
Gen. Gibbons column is in camp at
Countryman' S rancho, on the Yellow
stone, 100 miles distant from Fort
Ellis. Gen. Gibbon had gone to the
Grow Agency to induce them, if
possible, to take the field against the
Sioux. The Crows were encamped
on Saltwater, near their Agency
and the agent, Gen. Clapp, report
ed 220 lodges of Mountain Crows
present, numbering about 5000 In
dians. All the Crow Chiefs were
belived to be opposed to active oper-
ations against the Sioux, but the
young men wanted to go to war along
with the soldiers.
Gen. Gibbons command was sup
posed to be heading for the Big Horn
by way of the old Fort c. F. Smith
trail. 1t had large train of wagons
with it, carrying sixty days rations
and forage for 500 men and animals.
A depot had been made at the Grow
Agency, in which thirty days supplies
of grain and food were placed, and
the command was prepared to move
forward with thirty days supplies in
the wagons.
LATER.
Letters day later from Gen. Glib
bon's command state that the council
with the Grow Indians had been held
on the 9th of April, and the Crows
had agreed to send out war parties to
find and fight the Sioux. Seventeen
young warriors, under the Chief
Pretty Lodge, started on the night
of April 10th; and other parties,
under Good Heart, Spotted Horse,
Crane-in-the-Sky, and other chiefs,
would start out soon. Gen. Gibbon
had selected twenty-five young Grows
to 90 with his column and act as
scouts and guides. The Crows going
to war seems to have changed Gen.
Gibbons intention of going to the
Big Horn, as he at once commenced
moving his stores down the Yellow
stone, bringing them back from the
Crow Agency, which is Is miles out
ON the Fort Smith road. The Crow
Indians were sending their war-par-
ties out to the Big Horn.
Two hundred miners who had been
waiting for several days at the Grow
Agency to see Gen. Gibbon, had al
inte rview with him on the night o
April 9, and on the morning of the
| 10th moved on, taking the For
Smith road. The miners we're under
the command of William Langston
and actually numbered on the rolls
100 men. They had twenty-sever
wagons and large number of pack
animals, and carried six month.
provisions. They were going t.
Fort c. F. Smith, on the headwater
of the Big Horn, and from there tt
old Phil. Kearney, on the headwater
of Tongue River. They intended t.
prospect all the streams on the hea,
Of the Big Horn, and the Pineys AM
Goose Creek, on the head of tn
Tongue River. Some years ag
miners found placer gold-diggings OIL
Goose Creek that paid 81 per day t
i the hand, but they were driven off b
; Indians. Last summer men reporte
!, diggings near Phil. Kearney tha
would pay $40 per day, but the In
, dams would not allow them to wor
= them. The soldiers when statione
at Phil. Kearney, in 1866, just befor
the Fetterman massacre, found gol
on both forks of Piney Creek, nea
the fort !; and it is believed the whol
country up there is rich in gold. Th
object of the present expedition is
find new diggings west of the Blac
, Hills, and it is believed they wi
succeed. If they do not find gol
on the headwaters of the Big Hor
or Tongue River, then they will pus
on, by way of Forts Fetterman ant
Laramie, to the Black Hills. 1t j
believed Gen. Gibbon will use tn
miners and Grow Indians as Bi
Horn column, and himself keep dow,
the Yellowstone to the mouth of tn