Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-09-30
THE INDIAN WAR.
The Capture Of an Indian Village by Gen
Crooks Command.

gives the following report of the late
fights with the Indians: Two fights /
with the hostile Sioux occurred. A |
band of about one hundred and fifty /
braves was surprised at dawn, their vii |
lage destroyed and their ponies cap
tured by a detachment of the Third |
cavalry under Colonel Arson Mills. |
The main column, under General Crook,
overlook the troops in a vance about |
noon, and about three o'clock it was
attacked by Indians belonging to the
neighboring villages, numbering about
i've hundred. One soldier and one
seont were killed in that engagement,
and eight soldiers wounded, one of
whom died afterward. About forty
Sioux were killed and twenty-one were
made captives.
A detachment of one hundred and
fifty men in advance of the main col
umn discovered signs of an Indian vii
lage, and advanced upon it, expecting to
surprise the Indians.
A low ridge hid the village from view,
and at its foot were herded 200 captured
ponies. Gaining the ridge the fire upon
us became nearer for time, but well
restrained by our skirmishers command
ing the village. The attack had been
accidentally precipitated. The troops
had advanced in double column for two
miles, when they came within sight of
the herd of Indian ponies; the animals
were frightened, and rushed like a hur-
ricane toward the village. This acct
dent caused a change in the method of
attack to be ordered imme liately.
Lieutenant Schwatka, with twenty-five
men dashed forward at laundering
gallop, and, close upon the heels of the
ponies, swept through the crowd of
lodges. A strange sound was heard,
produced by the cutting of the ledge
skins with knives, quickly followed by
reports of guns, and the Indians were
seen scrambling up the steep banks and
into the gullies, with yells of dismay.
Hardly was Schwatka well out of their
range when Crawford and Won Lent
Wits men opened fire, and their balls
riddled the tepees before their occupants
were fairly awakened. Owing to the
precipitate attack Won Lentwitz had not
time to secure his assigned position on
the further side of the creek, and the
effect of cross fire, therefore, was not
gained, and the Indians who escaped
in that direction secreted themselves
and acted as sharpshooters. Schwatka
had captured the main portion of the
herd, but many ponies had escaped. A
few were caught by the Sioux, who be-
gan to ride round on the hills, firing
at the troops where they happened to be
most exposed. Others were seen to
canter away over the bluffs in the west.
1t was surmised they were going to raise
the neighboring bands to their assis
lance, and preparations were strenuous
ly made for desperate defense of the
position commanding the village until
General Crook, with the column, should
arrive. In this action one soldier was
killed and several severely wounded.
The couriers sent to Crook met him
on his march. He fastened Harvard as
fast as his jaded and hungry troops
could come. For two days the flesh of
horses had been issued to them for food.
At noon the column appeared and glad
dened the eyes of Colonel Mills and
his detachment, who were instantly ex
pectant of an attack by the Indians in
force. Firing had ceased, except occa-
sional shots from the ravine on the west
side of the village. where it was sup
posed a single wounded Indian lay, de-
termined to sell his life dearly.
During the morning soldiers had been
killed by shots from the ravine. Gen
eral Crook determined to catch the In
dian alive, and caused the interpreter to
make promise of life to him. Bullets
were the only reply. Soldiers posted
behind him on the opposite bank had
poured their fire into the ravine for
hours, but still the Indians gun was not
silenced. Passing from the ridge to the
village soldiers were saluted by bullets
Troops we're deployed below the mouth
OF the ravine to make the approach eau
tiously. They crawled, with loaded
guns. Bullet after bullet was sent over
their heads from the depth of the ravine
and they returned Dut did not silence
the fire. The excitement spread through
the camp and the mouth of the ravine
became the focus of crowd. Several
officers joined in the siege, the strong
hold was approached by hundreds of
eager soldiers under the delusion that
they were to see an Indian made pris-
: oner.
Hitherto only single shots had come
from within; but suddenly there was q
voll9y sent through the approaching
troops, which caused an indescribable
rush away from the spot, and the wild
est confusion reigned. The ravine was
full of Indians, who, after the first
charge in the morning, had fled there tC
hide. The volley wounded Private
Kennedy of the Fifth cavalry. The siege
became more tragic and earnest. Cap
tain Munson was foremost peeping over
the steep bank into the ravine, when he
slipped in through dense bramble and
found himself among the Indians. The
/ dry water bed was narrow and deep and
hidden by brush. Several warriors lay
: face downward in this trench, and haC
built small breastworks across it witt
mud and roots. Behind these were
3 score of squaws and children. Some o.
/. these were wounded, and the mud wat
drenched and bushes spattered will
8 their blood.
Munson calamity seized a squaw, and
$ putting her papoose on his back, showed
, her out. One buck was lying on deat
3 infant. Munson had barely glimpse
; of the interior of this strange strong
+ hold, and then lodged back to escap,
: the muzzles of five guns over his head
t Bullets Kissed both ways, the soldier
pressing forward to fire. They severa
times swayed backward before the fir,
of the Indians, and the roar of musketr,
/ was like that at Antietam.
9 Baptiste, the Pawnee scout, dashed il
t and caught two other squaws and q,
3 young brave. They said the rest would
g surrender, but when quarter was again