New-York tribune., 1876-04-07
THE BIG HORN EXPEDITION.
PARTIAL FAILURE OF IT'S OBJECT.

PARTIAL FAILURE OF IT'S OBJECT.
FOOD THAT THE TROOPS NEEDED DESTROYED Al
TIE BATTLE or POWDER myER-GEs. CROOKS
INIESTIoS OF ATTACHING SITTING BULLS BAND
FRUSTRATED.
IyKou 4 SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or 1HE rRmuS..l
CHEYENNE, w. r., April 1.-Gcn. Crook
with Lieut. Bourke and Major Stanton returned yester
day from Big Horn EN rcdltion, and the General set
out al once Omaha. The troops comprising the eNpe
dOn returned to their posts. They could not remain al
Fort Fcttcrman forage supplies were very snort at
that post aud the animals had been ON short allowance
30 long that they much reduced In csh Durlns
the last two days before Feterman reached, many
gave out and had to be Killed Seven companies OF cav
airy are 10 return 10 Fort Russell, aud will remain here
until Gen Crook IL ready for another attack upon the
Indians, which will pfODably bo early In May. Tue
troops will arrive at thi. place In a few dayssa and
20 into quarters. II II possible that the movements
Of other expeditions In the field may
render further operations from this point against the
Indians unnecessary but IL they should not be
fu Gen Crook is the ia remain idle while there
is work to done. For the present the Indian Depart
ment IA not ready 10 order the immediate removal of
Red Cloud and Spotted Tall agencies To The Missouri
River Congress has not voted money for supplies dur
ing the next year. and Unit, there Is reasonable pros
pect OF this being DONE that food will be ready for
them when they arrive the Missouri, Indfan affairs
will be In confusion Summer Ia near, aud many Of the
young Indians will leave their agencies and join the
hostile bands no that their lighting strength viii bc
terialy increased.
Now that the expedition Is over and while the troops
are permitted TO take breathing spell, 1t is proper To
review its work. First, II made march Of nearly 900
miles through hostile country, Ia terribly inclement
sea SON. much tho time hall ratioDs As for shelter
or warm clothing aud bedding, there was none. The
frozen ground, with such shelter brush
and banks could afford, all they had from the time
of leaving the train Crazy womans Fork until they
TH.t
not accomplished than the destruction OF Crazy
Horses village cannot he charged to the
dscredt OF the troops. When Gen Crook took
upon himself the burden of caring for the pack train,
and sent Gen. Reynolds forward With the real lighting
strength OF the command, to attack and destroy any
camp OF savagcs TO De found the Powder RIVER ne
acted generously. and gave his subordinate officer
opportunity which many an officer might lifetime
and not get. That greater results not Obtained
Ia due to the fact that Gen. Reynolds failed 20 do his
work as thoroughly he should have done. Upon his
success depended other movements which would have in
all probability resulted in the complete suugation OF all
the hostile sayages south and east OF the Yellowstone
River. Gen. Crook particular TO inform Gen. Rey
nolds of the Importance Of securing the ponies Of any
band he might attack and also OF loading all the meat
and provision Of every kud that might be Sound In case
Of capturing village upon the ponies, ana bringing
away for the OF the command With our rations thus
repenshed and with peny Of animals to replace those
OF our own tlat were pledkihS u""p "cn' 'iooh Pio
posed to push boldly down the Powder River TO It's
mouth and attack Sitting Balls band before the lat
ter could possibly escape him. This would have ended
the war and prevented tie necessity Of sending other
expeditions Gen. Reynolds neglected To obey hcsc
injunctions when he captured the village Of Crazy
Horse and burned, destroyed, aud left enough meat
there TO have fully enabled Gen Crook to carry out the
plan OF the campaign. But with this failure. and only
partial rations for four days left 1t impossible to
take the further and the only thing left to do
was to Reno Moreover, the substantial fruits
Of the vctOrythe captured herd Of between 700 and
500 ponies-Gen Reynolds permitted TO escape, after 1t
had been driven into his camp, 20 miles from the battle
field and, when informed by the chief Of scouts, Major
6antop, the neI morning that the herd had escaped
and only two three miles away, having been
driven away by the Indians he made no effort whatever