New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-09

cd, but about thirty were killed. uo0E "
, camp, and doubtless many more fell unde
the sharpshooting of tho troops. Ou
casualties were as follows:
KILLED.
, Sergeant Peter Dowdy, Company E, Thir'
{ Cavalry.
Private George Schneider, Company K
Private Michael McC Cannon, Company F
Private George E. Ayres, Company M
Third Cavalry.
Artifcer Patrick Goings. COMPANY. K
Second Cavalry, flesh wound, loft shoulder
slightly.
Private Edward Egan, Company X, Sec
ond Cavalry, right lower part OF chest, dan
gerously.
Private John Droege, Company X, Sec
ond Cavalry. through left arm.
Corporal John Lang, Company E, Second
Cavalry, through right ankle.
Sergeant Charles Kaminski, Company N,
Third Cavalry, left knee, slightly.
l Lieutenant Bourke, Mr.. Strahorn and
Hospital Steward W. c. Bryan went with
Egan on the charge, and behaved with de-
horse killed under him, and Lieutenant
Bourke had his bridle-rein shot away. Cap
tain Egan's horse was shot through the
neck, and most of the horses in his COM
psny were wounded, and nearly every man
had bullet holes through clothing or equip
ments. Lieutenant Bourke and Mr.. Stra'
horn were conspicuous for their GOODNESS
and courage throughout the engagement.
The Indians occupied what seemed to
them an impregnable camp. The walls OF
the mountains on both sides of the river
| were of great hight, PERCEPTIONS, and full
of gorges. The descent made by the troops
| was over these obstacles, and of course
from q point where an enemy was least
| expected. If Captain Moore's battalion
had reached the position assigned to it,
scarcely az Indian could have escaped.
That it did not, was one of the mistakes
which possibly could have been foreseen
and provided for, but was not. As it was,
. band of the most troublesome indiana on
the whole Wyoming frontier received
severe chastisement, and is 80 badly
go to Red Cloud agency, and re-
main. At all events it is certain
that such result can not be long delayed,
for other expeditions will soon follow THE,
and the country will be made 90 hot for
them that they will have to abandon it.
The material found in this camp proves
conclusively that these Indians, though
aud supplies of all sorts from the agency at
Red Cloud: This agency should at once be
moved to the Missouri river, and the most
important bases Of supply tor hostile In
dams be broken up. It is hardly fair that
the Indian Department should be permitted
to furnish arms and powder to hostile In
dams; but a. long as there is money to be
made in this way and thieving agents are
to be supported the system will probably
continue.
After the fighting was over the troops |
marched rapidly up the river to the mouth |
OF Lodgep0le creek. This point was reached |
at nightfall by all except Captain Moores |
battalion and Captain Egan's company,
Company E. Second Cavalry, was the rear
scouts in bringing up the herd of horses. |
Many of these we're ehot on the road. and |
the remainder reached camp about 9 P. NJ.
The troops had been in the saddle for thirty |
six hours, with the exception of five hours /
during which they were fighting, and all,
officers and men, were much exhausted. |
The horses had no grazing, and began to |
show signs of complete exhaustion. Upon
arriving at Lodgepole it was found tina.
General Crook ard the other four companies
and pack train had not arrived, so that
every body was supperless and without
blanket. The night, therefore, was not
cheerful one. bat not murmur was heard.
The wounded men lay upon the snow or
leaned against tree, and slept as best they
could on so cold night.
Owing to some Misunderstanding, our
four dead men were lett on the field to be
by the indians. How this Oc-
CURED is not fully explained, and may be
the subject Of investigation. These men
could have been removed easily, but they
were not, and that they were not caused a
great deal Of dissatisfaction among the
troops.
To-day Saturday at noon General Crook
and the remainder of the command arrived |
In the meantime q portion Of the herd of
ponies had struggled into the rsvines and
fallen into the hands of the Indians The
village was very rich in plunder-the ac-
This was all effectually destroyed.
lot enough being left to make q respectable
bed for pappOose.
It does not seem probable that there are
lslf as many hostile Indians in this north.
I'm country as the War Department has
For nearly two weeks this COM
nand has been marching through the best
BART of the whole unceded Sioux lands, |
md it has not seen 1000 Indians in all
lOubt if there are 5000 hostile people south |
# the Missouri and east of the Big Horn
Mountains. Other military expeditions {
will soon follow this one, and in the end all {
hese tribes will be glad to take agency
'ations, poor and insufficient as they gem {
rally are, for the rest of their DAYS. {
EFT bank of the main Powder river, about
lghty-hve miles north Of old Fort Reno, I
cry near the southern boundary of Mon l
ana: This region is terribly rough and {
terile, and only the narrow river bed, run. G
ing deep down in the canons, affords water 9
nd limited pasturage. 1t has scarcely ever t
cen visited by white men since Reynolds g
made his reconnaissance in 1885. On every
ide the country is broken up into barren
bad lands" with high brutes. almost |
ttaining the magnitude of mountains,
verlooklng the general plain. These i
uttes are composed of clays and sands, r
nth coal seams plainly visible, but Go q
OF afford fossil remains of any value, so t
n as we could discover. The country has +
Q attractions for q civilized man, and can I
ffer nothing in mitigation Of it's general i
fertility and worthlessness. 1 must decid- 4
dly agree with General Hazen in his view O
the barrennees and utterly valueless G
OF this whole region Of country, 9
| respect to it's adaptability to agricultural t
nd pastoral uses. As fastnees for q few il
FETCHED Indians it has it's advantages.
ven these can only live In it by stealing g
ON the frontier and the agencies. To rely
pom game would be to embrace starvation, t
r there is very little to be found.
1t is hardly proper to close this sketch of
10 engagement without referring more
articularly to those causes which pre- n
ented its complete success. First among Il
lese was the failure of Captain Moore's !,
attalion to reach the position assigned in 4
re rear of the village, or point covering "
10 rear, before the charge was made by h
aptain Egan. This failure allowed the n
adams to make good their escape to the a
'cky Businesses of the mountains over. +,
Oking the valley, from which they subse- h
1ently poured in calling fire upon our b