The New York herald., 1876-08-18

were crowded by the restless migration OF the
Sioux This theory was disproved by Louis,
party, who went to the SUBMITS and remained
away from camp until the evening OF August l. They
signs Of tho Sioux having gone westward, bat,
that herds were moving back from the valley OF the
Big Horn The atmosphere full Of smoke, SO that
the plains could scarcely be discerned from The upper
range
on the morning Of August Thomas Cosgrove, the
white chief Of the Snakes left the at the crack OF
day. with few OF his braves make reconnaissance
Of the hills and valleys the base of tho mountains
great pillar OF smoke had stood above the horizon
north Of tho camp for mere than week, while cast
ward signal wrcaths had been continually rising some-
times forming long mystic colonnade OF aerial arch
lecture Cosgrove directed his course toward this
nteen milea He found the deserted site Of
Sioux village, around which tho nre
bad evidently contained only part Of the Indians who
were encountered by Custer, Terry and Gbbon There
were traces Of few tepees but many wicky ups were
standing, ana the number OF families who had bsen
encamped there estimated about GOO, contain-
ing 2, 400 persona
SCARCITY ov FOOD
The scouts examined she debris which remained on
the ground, and found evidences that the villagers had
suffered much from scarcity Of iood No bones
found the nre-hoes, whore they cooked, except
those Of dogs which they seldom cat except whom dss
titute Of game There were indications that they
bad been recently able TO kill buffalo The stakes
TO which they had tied their ponies night very
close TO the tepoes or wickyups, and 1t was evident
that the braves were very uneasy and constantly dread
ing attack Tho Snakes on noting these signs, de-
clared that the Sioux ponies must be extremely sma
ctated, they could graze only during the day tma
MOVEMENTS OF THE SIOUX.
From the deserted camping ground Cosgrovc fol-
lowed the trail made by the Sioux for several miles
He thought that a large village had been situated fur
ther down the stream and that both had moved east
toward the Rosebud Creek, where they might rest
a few days before proceeding to the Powder River
Near the mouth OF the Little Powder River there is
said to be extensive prairie Of bottom land. where
both game and grass are very plentiful stu further
the rich valley OF the Little Missouri River offers
another refuge and beyond that the great trail leading
along the northern base OF the Black Hills toward tho
Standing Rock crosses the Belle Fourche or northern
branch of the Big Cheyenne River
Whatever may be the plans OF the Sioux II seems
probable that their present purpose TO avoid encoun
tering the troops Knowing that they were between
two largo commands which might move toward each
other whenever they chose 1t is likely that their first
object was to escape from tho wise before should close
upon them
From the 'point Of the Big Horn Mountains, little
southwark OF the huge canyon from which Goose
Creek escapes into the plain, they trend northwest
ward, the range nearly describing right angle Behind
It's apex the Sioux the 17th OF June havo been
encamped, with General Crook and the mountains
closing thom on the west and south anu the Big Horn
River and General Terry tho north and northeast.
The toward the east might have been closed by
the cooperation OF the forces and the exercise OF lit
tie vigilance. The Sioux then might have penetrated
into the Big Horn valley, but they would thcro have
found themselves in still natural pen. They
might the big and fed NORTH but in
that direction they could find no refuge short OF the
British territory, where tho Blackiect and Bloods
would no doubt repusc them.
RELIC OF CUSTER
fragment of a cavalry bugle was found among the
OoOTls. ~ IL pTOodOiy IenC OI Cubterb maItyreu
command. From this point the scouts traced trail
into the mountains. They found tharthe emlnence
frop which Gruard-when with Lieutenant Sibley-
had first espied tho formidable pack OF Sioux and Chey
cnnes on their track was but three miles
distant from the village which had been hid
den IN tho valley. Further south, the spot
where they took their last meagre meal before being
rounded by horde OF snvages. they discovered two
warpoies on the crest OF hill which had been dropped
by Sioux spies who had been watching them they
sat the turf in a little hollow kiow, drinking coffee
and munoh,ng hard tack" Pursuing the trail OF tho
In which Lieutenant Sbley aud his party suffered the
first charge and voiey. Here the friendly Indians
swoopod down upon two deienceess ponies "like the
wolf the fold probably expecting and hoping that
there wero two living Sioux near them, whom It
would be their pleasure to massacre with their ira
ditional fsrooity. But them MANNED
and the other extremely lean, and they surmised that
they must have been abandoned The one which had
been wounded killed and the other secured
THE SLAIN OF sIBLEY's FIGHT.
Seemingly If by instnct.a Ute, who rode
into the ravine, stumbled upon putrid corpse in
ling yell which then arose cannot be imagined by
the reader described by me- 1t
such as many who have perused Cooper have
dreamed Of In a shuddering nightmare but have never
heard. sickening stencil anracted the Utes to a
gully, and there they beheld another of
mortality Tho body first found was wrapped in costly
cerements, bedecked with ornaments and accompanied
by the full parapharnaia Of tho mighty and revcred
warrior. The head dress and other portions OF tho
beokened that the dead bore the rank
The friendly Indians stripped II and tore of the rot
knives The second body was evidently that OF com
mon Sioux soldier II was covered BY only blanket
and q breach -clout The death wounds OF both
easily found and had been caused by bullets The
work Of savage dissertation consumed an hour, and
meanwhile Frank was making observations from the
highest points to which ne could climb The trail Of
the moving village wound down the valley OF the Little
Big Horn for several miles. At distance Of four
leagues he recognized gorge which no supposed must
DO
THE SCENE OF THE CUSTER xAssAcRK
During his captivity with the Sioux he had known
lArsl ltfv ann nj f,nn
Bulls and Crazy Horses bands. and the marked fca-
lures OF the surrounding landscape were familiar TO
directly toward the the Rosebud Mountains
which Sitting Bull met General Crook.
THE ROSEBUD.
Frank advised General Crook that he believed the
Sioux mad again occupied the country from which
failed drive them June IL. They might mediate
once more receiving US there they might be already
broken into small bands and bent on evadng further
trial Of strength until they might recuperate lie be-
licvos that the two dead Indians found by the Ues
killed in the noble defence made by lieutenant
Sibeys scouting party They brought to the foot
OF the mountains by their comrades and there left
The chief killed was probably afterward given
funeral honors by his squaws who doubt from
tho neighborlng village to visit his remains whom they
learned Of hs death Despite tho fact that the trophies
they had secured not by their own valor the
Utes and Snakes performed hideous dance around
them, not ceasing their horrible minstresy until long
after midnight
The coming Of the Fifth cavalry TO join this column
has been anxiousy awaited. The 1rst munication
from General Merritt on the march from Fort Fetter
man, hai,ed with Joy On tho night of August
he encamped Goose Creek, near the point TO which
returned from tho Rosebud General Crook yestcr
day ordered his column TO move The troops left
Tongue River at six O'Clock and marched back the
trail which we had been advancing by slow stages
during 80 many tedious weeks The surface had been
bl,ckened by the flames for many miles the heat was
terribly oppressive and the sombre dust IN chok
ing clouds The conagration stl progressing and
nanked part Of the column ior half hour that II
compelled to break and allow IL to cross the trail.
Camp was pitched on the main Goose Creek but the
last wagons OF the supply train did arrive until
nearly midnight The soldiers mathematical the delay
very bitterly, and many OF them slept with empty
stomachs,
'srHx FIoHrNG PIrrH"
Before sunset the Finn cavalry, to whom couriers
had been sent and who for few hours, had lost AL
reckoning our whereabouts, marched into the valley
with their supply wagons close on thor heels. The
appearance OF the regiment hne despite tho fatigue
aud dust Of the march, and giatdened the eyes OF
every who had been waiting their arrival They
number $50 effective men, besides the ofncers There
are companies here, as foliows:-A commanded by
Lieutenant A e. woodson b. Captain K IL Mont