The Portland daily press., 1876-09-18
THE INDIANS.
Gen. Crook has a Fight with the
Sioux.
The Indians Badly Beaten,

CHEYENNE, S7pt. 16-The courier who left
Crooks command Sept. 10th, brings the follow
ing news to Sept. 9th:
Since Crooks column turned south towards
the Black Hills on the 9th, there has been con-
siderable hardship through wet weather and
living on bacon and hard bread, and consider
able grumbling. On the 9th it was decided to
send a portion of the pack train ahead under
escort of Col Miles with five men on the hest
of horses OF each company of the 81 cavalry,
making $50 in all.
There was discovered through the rain and
fog last evening, by scout who was himself
unobserved. hostile Sioux village consisting
of Al large lodges and band of several humid
red ponies and few American horses COL
Miles concluded to attempt the attack with his
10y men without waiting to send to Crook for
reinforcements. He fell back few miles, hid
his com Dand, and at 2 o'clock this morning
marched for the village, which was situated on
little creek, tributary of Gender Owl Creek,
He formed on the north side before daylight
and ordered Lieut.. Schwatka of Company M.
to charge through the village. while the rest of
the force dismOunted and were to form Skin.
mish line on either side and pick off the In
dams as they came out The latter were COM
pletely surprised and scattered pell NELL, half
naked, returning the fire to some extent. Their
ponies were effectualy stampeded, but owing
to Miles small force he Only succeeded in Sc.
curing the lodges and property therein, and
about 140 ponies. There was an immense
quantity of dried meats, berries, etc., all that
Crooks whole pack train could carry and sutfi-
ciert to postpone the proposed purchase of sup
plies There were wagon loads Of robes and
savages' spoils of all kinds. The guidon of
10th cavalry, which Custer used in the Little
Big Horn massacre, and various articles of
wearing apparel, were also captured. A guam
tty of corn which was stored at the mouth of
where Terry was fred on, was among the
spoils. The whole march since Terry and
Crock met goes to confirm the soundness of
latter's views of the enemy's probable destina-
ton and whereabouts since leaving their camp
on the Little Horn. Lieut.. Won Susmitz of Co.
q. was seriously wounded id the knee, several
others were wounded and private Wenzel of
company A. was killed in the action.
About o'clock word reached Crook, Is
miles back with the main column. He came
forward with sections from the cavalry, reach
ing Miles at IL o'clock. The latter had kept
up good picket fight during the forenoon.
Crook was very much disappointed because
Miles did not report the discovery last night as
there was plenty OF time to get up the entire
command, and so eff5ctualy sure unded the
village that nothing could have escaped.
About 100 yards from the village is a little
ravine in which band of seven warriors and
fifteen women and children were safely lodged
in cavern rocks and it was in trying to dis
lodge them that Miles lost his killed and the
the most Of the wounded. Gen. Crook desired
t.. save the women and children, and by means
OF an interpreter party ensued. Three war
riOrs came, one chief, American Horse, being
mOrtally wounded. Before the parley was ef-
fected however, Frank White, citizen, was
shot through the heart, and private McKern of
20. o., 9th cavalry, wounded.
About 40 this afternoon there was sudden
picket firing beginning GU Col Mason's front,
resulting ia the wOGnding of three soldiers. 1t
proved to be the result Of reinforcements re-
ceived from Crazy Horses band, and a running
attack all around the circle, bat the troops
we're quickly thrown out and the Indians we're
driven off in every direction. The latter got
about dozen horses too poor to get into camp.
The village was thoroug bly, ransacked aud the
spoils were divided. Col. Miles and men got
the ponies. Much ammunition and many guns
were found in the lodges. All the evidence is
to the effect that the Indians were preparing
for winter. There were probably a thousand
warriors in the fight.
Sept. 10th there was little picket firing
throughout the night, and next m orning after
the command was on the march nu mber of
Indians me down on the rear of the column,
but were met with warm reception by Can't
Summers battalian, 9th cavalry, who &C vered
the enemy in the ravines and killed several and
disabled others. Two soldiers we're wounded.
The command marched Is miles today toward
the hills, bringing the entire 81 OK aud wounded
on two We 'tters: Medical director Clements
amputated the right leg of Lieut. Satwiz last
evening. The wounded chief American Horse
died last evening. Most of the captives were
brought along. A few squaws were left with
the Generals advice to the hostile Indians to 90
to the agencies and behave themselves and an
will be well with them.
Miles, Leuts. Bubb and Gerard 90 20 the
bills tomorrow with view to secure future
supplies.
Gen. Sheridan is now at Fort Laramie await
ing the arrival of Crook. or advices from him as
to what point he may meet him for council.
NEW YORK, Sept ia special from the
scene of the late fight with the Indians states
that the captured Indians say that Sitting Bull
has crossed the Yellowstone and other bands
are returning to the agencies. A despatch
dated Crook City, Black Hills, 10Th, states that
that Col Miles with party from the 9Th cav
airy left Crook City to obtain supplies as the
food captured from the Indians is not enough
for the command. Loaded wagons with food
and drove of beeves will reach Crook to-
morrow, 18th inst. People are killed daily in
the Hills by the Sioux who Turk there in humid
reds and trains are constantly attacked. At
Rapid City within two weeks five white men
have been killed and great number of horses
stolen.
The war between savage life and civilization
is at its height in these mountains and its ma
ture is horribly desperate. Citizens do not
limit their revenge to an imitation of the In.
dian custom of scalping, but when they kill a
Siouz they cut off his head and exhibit and sell
it at auction.
A letter from Powder River, 23d nit, saws
the Indians line the banks of the Yellowstone
River and fire into the steamboats,. Dennis
Shields of the 9Th Infantry was killed that
morning on the steamer Yellowstone.