The New York herald., 1876-09-17
Crooks Battle with tho Indians.

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The news from General Crooks command
this morning is the most interesting and
cheering intelligence we have had from the
Indian country since the beginning of the
war against the Sioux. The soldiers have
not only seen the enemy, but attacked and
defeated him. We have very graphic
account Of the series of engagements, in
which the troops gained the first and only
honors of the campaign, from correspond
ent of the HERALD, who took part in
the several actions of which he tells
the story. These engagements, how
ever, can scarcely be dignifed with
the name of battle. An Indian village
was discovered by Colonel Mills. who was
in Crooks advance in the return march. and
some fighting ensued, resulting in the cap
ture of the village, with all its contents
besides q large number of ponies. Unfor-
tunately, the force was too small effectively
to punish the braves themselves, and the
most that could beaccomplished be was to hold
the enemy in check until Crooks arrival
When the main body of the column reached
the scene Of action the Indians were no
longer disposed to fight, and only kept up
feint, which could not be turned into n
general engagement. The skirmishing, how
ever, had some points of great interest, es-
pecially the episode at the mouth of the
ravine. which our correspondent depicts in
glowing language. Here number of squaws
and few bucks were captured, and Crook
may now be able to obtain some genuine in
formation in regard to the bands he has been
trying to find all summer without success.
Beyond these captures and the prestige Of
victory over a part of the savages who
so successfully assailed Custer last juno
the battle has little significance. It is
such victory as should have been gained
at the beginning instead of the end, of the
campaign. June, instead Of September,
was the time for encounters of the kind we
record this morning If even so small part
of the enemy had been met and defeated
early in the season it would have been pos
sible to follow up the advantage to some
purpose. Now Sitting Bull is out Of
Crooks reach, and fruitless campaign ends
with some brilliant work, which has no
other compensation than the cheap glory Of
the tale itself
We cannot see that these actions have in
any way changed. the situation, unless they
should have the effect of making the hostile
Indians all the more anxious to return to the
agencies to be fed through the winter and
fitted out with fresh supply of arms and
ammunition for another campaign. 1t is
possible that Colonel Miles would not have
discovered the village he so successfully as
sailed at all but for this desire to return and
be fed. The first chief to throw up his
hands was anxious to stop fighting and be
forgiven, as the Indians always are
when protestations of desire for peace
serve their purposes better than actual
war. The willy and treacherous savage ex-
poets to find peace commission waiting to
welcome and bless him whenever he can
fight no longer. Indeed, he is now outrun-
ming Terry and Crook in his efforts to reach
Bishop Whipple and the other Commits
sioners, who persist in regarding Cooper's
gentlemanly and impossible savages as typi-
cal of Indian character. After the punish
ment Crook has given them they will be
likely SC completely to outrun him that
they will have drawn their winter rations at
the agencies before he again overtakes them.
This is the immediate danger of fruitless
and unsuccessful campaign and it must be
guarded against most scrupulously and
vigorously. The capeured bucks must be
utilized at least to the extent Of ascer-
tanning the tribal relations of the
braves who were on the warpath. Hitherto
everything has been assumption in regard to
the savage enemy. Sitting Bulls name has
been general term for a foe of whom we
could not speak with certainty. Now we
must know the faithless Indians in order to
deal with them where we can deal with them
best--at the agencies The treacherous Sioux
must not be allowed to creep back to tho
reservations with impunity. Punishment
must await his coming. as it will certainly
follow his exclusion from the protection of
the Great Father. If General Crook has
achieved this much even the country will
thank him for his victory and forgive the
inaction Of the summer; but without this
his recent battle might as well not have been
fought ut all.