Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-29
LIEUTENANT SIBLEY's SCOUT.
Cor. St. Paul Pioneer Press ]

A reconnolterlng party OF thirty
persons, under the command Of
Second Lieutenant Frederick w. !
Sibley, of the Second calvary, was
sent from this camp on July 9Th.
They were to observe the move
ments and position of the Sioux,
and if possible the whereabouts of
Terry. On the 9th they returned
on foot after a terrible retreat of
two nights and one day. They
were surrounded by the enemy in
prodigious numbers, and only es-
capped miraculously by the sacrifice
of all their equipment excepting
arms and ammunition, including
thirty-one picked saddle horses and
two mules. But for the sagacity
and caution Of guides Gruard and
Baptiste, and the judgment and
gallantry Of Sibley, no one would
have survived. The handful of
men left the camp in broad day
light, with a astrange absence of pre-
caution, for which somebody supe-
rior to Sibley in ranks responsible,
it being usual to disguise such
movements under the shelter of
darkness. They marched all night
of the 9th toward the sources of
the Little Big Horn. On the 7th.
after slight meal, which afterward
saved them from perishing, they
pursued their course through some
foot hills yerging toward the noun
tains. The conformation of the
country was extremely favorable to
an abuscade. The Sioux covered a
| wide plain. AT about 4:30 large
body of Sioux was espied from the
top of the bluff, marching eastward.
They seemed to spread all over the
plain, and evidently were moving
to attack the camp on Goose Greek,
Lieutenant Sibley's party remained
concealed and in horrible anxiety
for an hour, watching their move
ments. Soon a tremendous shout
warned them that the trail they
seemed to be looking for was found.
Quickly hundreds of sayages were
crowded upon it, and set out upon
the chase at O full canter, uttering
those terrible wollish cries peculiar
to the Sioux and Cheyennes. The
scouting party mounted and gal.
loped toward the mountains, the
Sioux yelling, as they caught {
glimpse of them, like hounds OIL
Che scent. They seemed to be dis
! tanced in the race, but had broker
into two bodies and were making {
double circuit to gain the higf
points which they knew the pur
sued must pass. The scouting
party climbed the outer ridge, anC
were approaching shelter abou
noon, trotting quietly through
a ravine, when suddenly
volley Of fifty shots wa
poured from the surrounding rock.
: slopes, where the savages wer
massed, while as many more 0
them charged down them like fury
Every man Of the little party fel
despair chilling him. They wheele,
and galloped for the timber in tn
valleys, followed by a yolley; befor
they reached shelter three horse
were wounded. They dismounte,
on knoll covered by grove, an,
: could see the enemy swarming 0.
: the foot of the hills below, Will
constant reinforcements gained tn
higher points around them.
plunging fire tore the foliage froh
the pines, and their numbers thick
ened. The bullets were all to
high, but the enemy were gradual
perfecting their aim, and notche
Che trees close about their heads
The leading chief was clothed i
white buckskin and called out j
the Cheyenne tongue:
Z "'You are not the only people !
this country"
lie was undoubtedly the cell
brated White Antelope, a Southel
Cheyenne. All the boldest attacl
ing warriors seemed to shout Che
enne war cries, while the mo
y timid, who fred from the rock