The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-04-12
WEDNESDAY. APRIL 70, 1876.
The Big Horn Expedition.


ACONtLbDEDs
These Gen. Crook was to bring to the
same stream at the mouth of Lodge
pole Creek. The night was bitterly
cold, and on the high mountain
ridges snow lay a foot deep. Light
snow fell during the first part of the
night, but not enough to prevent the
scouts from foilowing,d dark as it was,
fresh Indian trail ieading towards
Powder River. The country was
terribly rough and broken, so that
the companies experienced much
difficulty in keeping the column in
good order. At 4:20 a. m. we had
marched 80 miles, and were. AS near
as we could tell, near the Powder
River breaks. A halt was called
here, and the column took shelter in
aravine. No fires were allowed 10 be
kindled, nor even a match lighted.
The cold was more intense than we
had yet felt, and seemed to be at least
30o below zero. The command re-
manned here till about6 O'Clock, doing
their utmost to keep from freezing,
the scouts meantime going out to
reconnoitre. At this hour they re-
turned, reporting a larger and fresher
trail leading down to the river, which
was about four miles distant. The
column Immediately started on this
trail. The approach to the river
seemed almost impracticable. Before
reaching the final precipices which
overlooked the river-bed, the scouts
discovered that a village of about 100
lodges lay in the valley ut the foot Of
the bluffs. 1t was now s o'clock.
The sun shone brightly through the
cold, frosty air. The column halted,
and Major Noyes' battalion, I'd Cav
airy, was ordered up to the front.
1t consisted of Company l, ID Cav
airy, Capt. f.. H.. Noyes and Lieut..
c. +. Hail, and Company X, I'd Cav
airy, Capt. James Egan. This
battalion was ordered to descend to
the valley, and while Capt. Egan
charged the camp, Capt. Noyes Vas
to cut out the herd of horses feeding
close by and drive ii up the river.
With this column Lieut.. Bourke of
Gen. Crooks staff aud II. Il. Strahorn
went as volunteer aids. Capt. Moore's
battalion, consisting of Company +,
Sd Cavalry capt. Alex. Moore and
Lieut.. b. Reynolds and Company Il,
I'd Cavalry First Lieut.. w. G.
Rawolle and Lieut.. +. III. Sibley) was
ordered to dismount and proceed
along the edge of the ridge to a posi-
ton covering the eastern side of the
village, opposite that from which
Capt. Egan was TO charge. s Major
Stanton accompanied this column.
Capt. Mills battalion was ordered to
follow Egan, dismounted, and sup
port him in the engagement, which
might follow the charge, These col
uinn began the descent of the noun
tain, through gorges which were
almost perpendicular, and it seemed
impossible that horses could be taken
through them. Nearly two hours
were occupied in getting the horses
of the charging column down these
rough sides of the mountain, and even
there. when a point was reached
where the men could mount their
horses and proceed toward the village
in the narrow valley beneath, Moore's
battalion had not been able to gain
its position on the eastern side, after
iclambering along the edges of the
mountain. A few Indians could be
cen with the herd, driving them to
the edge of the river, but nothing in
dictated that they knew of our APP
proach. Just Mt 0 o'clock Capt. Egan
turned the point Of the mountain
nearest the river, and first in a walk
and then in a rapid trot started for
fhe village. The Company went first
in column of twos, but when within
300 yards of the village the command
cleft front into line" was given,
and with a yell they rushed into the
encampment. Capt. Noyes had in
the meantime wheeled tn the right
and started the herd up the river.
With the yell of the charging Column
theIndians sprang up ms by magic,
and poured in n rapid fire from all
sides. Egan charged through and
through the village before Moore's
and Mills battalious got within sup
porting distance, and finding things
getting very hot, formed his line in
some high,willows on the south side
OF tho camp, from which point he
poured in rapid yolleys upon the
Indians. Up to this time the Indians
supposed that n company was all
they had to contend with, but when
the other battalions appeared, rapidly
advancing, deployed as skirmishers,
and pouring in n CALLING fire of
musketry, they broke on all sides
and took refuge in the rocks along
the side of the mountain. The camp,
consisting of ITO lodges, with inn
mensa quantities of robes, fresh meat,
and plumber of all kinds, with over
700 head of horses, was in our posses
sion. The work of burning began
Immediately, and o the whole
encampment was in flames. Large
quantities of ammunition, especially
powder, were stored in the tepees,
and explosions followed the burning
of every tent. The camp was well
supplied with bedding, cooking uten.
sils and clothing, all from Red Cloud
Agency, while ixed Ammunition
percussion caps. lead and powde'
were in great abundance. While thu
work Of demolition was going on un
der the direction of General Rey
noIds, the indians poured IN n wei
directed Are from the sides OF tn
mountain and from every availab'
.Al ..tt Ia I