Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-07-29


light, with a strange absence of precau-
ton, for which somebody superior to
Sibley in rank is responsible, it being
usual to disguise such movements under
the shelter of darkness. They marched
all night of the sixth, toward the
sources of the Little Big Horn. On the
seventh, after a slight meal, which after
ward saved them from perishing, they
pursued their course through some foot
hills verging toward the mountains.
The conformation of the cavalry was ex-
tremely favorable to an ambuscade.
At about half-past four large body
of Sioux was cspied from the top of the
bluff, marching eastward. They seemed
to spread all over the plain, and evident
ly were moving to attack the camp on
Goose creek. Lieut.. Sibley's party re-
NAMED concealed and in horrible anxiety
for an hour watching their movements.
Soon a tremendous shout warned them
that the trail they seemed to be looking
for was found. Quickly hundreds of
savages were crowded upon it, and set
out upon the chase at full canter, ut
tering those terrible wolfsh cries pc
culiar to the Sioux and Cheyennes.
The scouting party mounted and
galloped toward the mountains, the
Sioux yelling as they caught a glimpse
of them like hounds on the scent. They
seemed to be distanced in the race, but
had broken into two bodies, and were
making double circuit to gain the high
points which they knew the pursued
must pass. The scouting party climbed
| rfI Oh
shelter about noon, trotting quietly
through ravine, when suddenly a vol
ley of fifty shots was poured from the
surrounding rocky slopes, where the
savages were massed, while as many
more of them charged down them like
fury. Every man of the little party felt
despair chilling him. They wheeled
and galloped for the timber in the val
ley, followed by a volley. Before they
reached shelter three horses were wound
ed.
They dismounted on knoll covered
by grove, and could see the enemy
swarmlng on the foothills below, while
constant reinforcements gained the
higher points around them. A plunging
fire tore the foliage from the pines, and
as their numbers thickened the roar of
the volleys was perfectly deafening.
The bullets were all too high, but the
enemy we're gradually perfecting their
aim, and notched the trees close about
their heads. Their leading chief was
clothed in white buckskin, and called
out in the Cheyenne tongue:
"You are not the only people in this
country"
He was undoubtedly the celebrated
White Antelope, a Southern Cheyenne.
All the boldest attacking warriors seemed
to shout Cheyenne war cries, while the
more timid, who fired from rocks, ut
tered Sioux eiaculations
The fusilade continued an hour, the
scouts replying seldom, in order to save
ammunition, when suddenly there was 6
lull, seeming to pOrtend some new mis-
chief, the guides declaring that deatl
was certain, and swore to end their owl
lives rather than suffer capture and tor
ture. Sibley delivered a harangue o.
twenty words to his men, to which they
responded stoutly. He told them tina
there were two alternatives-tod ielhonor
ably or to escape honorably. GruarC
declared that if there was a coward
among them he would DO shot rather
than the enemy.
a A brief council was held, and by thu
advice of the guides they determined t.
, attempt to escape further into the noun
| tains, leaving their horses to engage thu
! attention of the Sioux, tied to the trees
a All the ammunition was taken from til,
saddles. The party then moved stealth
, lily from the ground and dashed behinC
q the projecting rocks. The Sioux die
+ not see them, and they climbed up ant
up, over slippery precipices, until ex
@ hausted. While resting they heard fiript
r recommence louder than ever, and knew
! all their horses would probably b
Q killed, and be u sorry prize for thei
captors.
e The volleys were terrific, the Siou
4 thinking they still had them in thei
s clutches. The scouts resumed thei
clambering; the carbines were HANDED
@ ND the rocks from hand to hand. Hal
a the Sioux pursued them up the grin
a heights that frowned upon them the
a could have crushed them with bowlder
which were poised ready to fall. The
continued to hear the sound of rifle
until it died away in the distance. The
toiled over mountains until dawn Q
July 8, resting under the cliffs. The
n once more abandoned hope when the
a saw large band of Sioux among tn
h foothills moving as if to intercept them
l. 1t, however, turned toward the Tongu
II river, and they supposed it to be til
/ rear guard of the larger force which ha
IL been advancing to attack either Il cam
W or wagon train. Their hunger wa
v great, as they had abandoned all thel
g. rations. From dusk they scramble
ts along the sides of the mountains all til
J. night. About dawn on the ninth the
le reached the bank of Tongue river.
|. Two men were so worn out that the
II could not ford the swift and deep Gu
r, rent. They therefore hid themselves
ID the thickets, and were left. One OF the1
A. was crazed by exhaustion and fear.
q. few miles further south the Sioux wei
d seen, but, luckily, the fugitives escape
"a observation.
W Four miles from camp a packer, wi
ID was hauling, loaned his mule to one
nj the scouts, and news was carried to &c
ct Royal, who was commanding durir
rs Gen. Crooks absence on hunt. Nv
companies of cavalry were sent out vii
horses to bring them in. Before NEE
ing the relief they were SO fatigue
they could only march one hundrt
yards without dropping on the groun