The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-11-16
CROOKS WINTER CAMPAIGN.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1876.
Cr:oOE,s WINTER CAMPAIGN.
How the Sioux are Being Sissrmed
and Vnhorsed-Et. Laramie CORES.
pondcnce OF the ScE York Herald.
Next day ] left the train and went for
ward with scout who arrived at our camp
during the night, 20 as TO get in the more
speedily 10 Red Cloud. About twenty
miles from Running Water, in the narrow
est and most dangerous portion OF White
River canyon, We spied an ambulance APP
preaching, in which two men were seated.
We supposed these were officers, but no e.
cort was in sight. AZ the ambulance drew
up we saw that it contained Gen. Crook and
Col. Merritt, OF the Fifth cavalry. The
General wore an old threadbaIe military
coat with a fur collar over a very plain
suit OF gray cloth, and had on pair Of
brown oveTails such as teamsters wear.
When i had presented my credentials and
told him where / was going he advised me
10 go t. Fl. Laramie, 10 which point his
command would be removed in a few days.
i said we had heard at the fort reports of
troublesome times at the agency, and ask
ed him what was the true condition OF al
fairs. He sand:
AFFAIRS AT RED CLOUD.
ave have only taken away the ponies
and guns from lhose We believed 10 have
beea in sympaty with the hosliles, and il
was all done without firing a shot We
believed at one time the Indians would
prove troublesome, but We surrounded
Them at night while We thought they
were about joining the hostiles, and we
made prisoners OF upwards Of eighty Of
Red Clouds and Red Leafs bands"
Ibid you get many guns?' | asked.
g! don't know just how many" the Gen
eral replied; "the officers had net reported
10 me when ! left. / sheuld say about 20
or So"
And how many ponies?"
"Oh, about SEQ. Among the number
were ponies belonging to some members of
friendly band, and when these were
claimed we Immediately returned them.
In dealing with Indians" continued the
General, I'VE must moi only punish those
inclined TO be hostile or to aid those who
are known TO be hostile or to aid the hos
tiles, but We must do prompt Justice TO
those who are known 10 be friendly and
show them that we have confidence in
them. The morale OF all is very noticea-
bly, affected by our treatment Of a few"
AT sPoTTD TAIL.
"Haye you done anything at Spotted
Tail Agency" i asked.
1--WE have made Spotted Tail chief of the
ln a
think he is good Indian, if there is one.
and as j said, We must confde in some of
them. We have taken no guns or ponies
from his people. We only wanted to de-
stroy nucleus of supplies for the hostiles
at Red Cloud agency, and think We have
done 80 in taking away their arms and DO
MES from Red Clouds and Red Leafs
bands"
"iaye many Indians left the agency in
consequence of this action ?D | inquired.
"les, quite a number left and have gone
northward to the hilIs."
What have you done with those from
whom you've taken their guns and ponies?"
I'VE locked them up for day and
turned them out again last evening They
are now comparatively helpless, and with
ont ponies cannot well get away to Join
their friends in arms"
THE WINTER CAMPAIGN.
"Gou intend, l understand. 10 pursue the
hostiles this winter"
Yes; the troops for the Powder River
i.rpedltion,' as this winter expedition is to
bC named, are now under orders"
Have you determined what will be the
strength OF the force engaged in this expe-
dillon ?"
Yes, l shall take fifteen companies of in
ia"try and eleven companies of cavalry.'
About how many men in all ?7
Probably 300, besides scouts We are
u have also with us about fifty Indians
from Red Cloud, among them Arapahoes,
Cl'ofis, LoaIers, and some Bru!e Sioux, to-
Gether with 100 Pawnee scouts uuder Major
North"
/ remembered our experience with the
Pawnees Oh Running Wafer, and told the
General, who laughingly said Indians
wishing TO attack you would not have made
50 much noise"
Gen. Crook then proceeded on his wav
toward Fort Laramie, and | followed. At
The head of the canyon we met the train
which l had left in the morning, and Gen.
Crook ordered il back to Fort Laramie
The train halted for the night few miles
from the point OF which it was then order
ming Water. This made my ride forty
miles for the day, and next day | rode into
the fort, fifty miles further, in little over
ten hours.
TROOPS COMING N.
Today three companies Of insanity ar-
rived here who had been cut all summer |
These were companie c and III of the Ninth
and of the Fourth. Officers and men
presented haggard, tattered, dusty front, |
but they looked hearty and trudged right |
steadily past the Generals Headquarters.
having made their s. miles between Z |
o'clock a. NJ. on the 18th and p NJ on the |
9th. A few hours rest and some soap and |
water worked wonderful change in the |
looks of them all. These are not 10 90 out |
On the winter expedition, but will remain
here Tor some time time to recruit.
To-day i asked Gen. Crook when he ex-
pected TO be able TO start out, and he said |
lie would leave just soon as the troops
were all IN and the necessary preparations
completed. From here We shall proceed TO
Fort Fetterman, thence 10 Fort Reno and
then along the Powder river This is
swift running muddy, alkali river, well
wooded and diflicult TO follow 1t is un.,er-
stood the hostiles are now camped on the
route intended 10 be pursued by the expe-
Gition, and an early collision is not improb-
able, as the Indians are said TO be II assed
IN considerable force there. | asked the
general II he intended TO split up his COM
mand On the route and he said he would
not as they should encounter Indians
enough 10 engage them all at one point.
fietore reaching that point, however, there
may be change OF base by the hostiles
which will neeessItate a different conrse
from that at present contemplated by the
Powder river expedition.
TROUBLE ANTICIPATED.
Notwithstanding the reported quiet at
the agency, L find some people bereabouts
apprehensiye OF a pretty general outbreak
IN short time. you'll find" they say.
these Indians have not given up their
hest CUES, and when the time comes they'll I
try 10 get back their stock, or at least make
good what they have lost There will be
trouble on the road before great while"
The military, however, consider these
fears wholly groundless, "now that We have
done what the people here have been go
long clamoring for, viz. Taking away the
arms and ponies of those inclining TO hos
tilIiy, they are as far as ever from being
satisfied
Judging By some scenes l witnessed on
my return TO Fort Laramie a few DAYS
ago, should say it was not to be won !.
dered at that some of the troops suffered
Tor food In the midst Of q game country