Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-09-28
lspecial to the Chicago Times

Large e$taantftaeSO OF supplies Captured
American Horse, Mortally Wounded.
Gives His Views OF h Sioux Situa-i
item.
Especial to the Chicago Times j.
CRooK's EXPEDITION, ON FORK
GRAND RIVER ON SLIM BUTTEs," Da-
kota, Sept. 9, via FORT LARAMIE, Sept.
16.-It is pleasant to be able. to record.
a genuine victory for this command at
last. We reached a lagoon, 30 miles
from our camp on Heart River, on the
evening of Sept. 6, and made 80 ad-
ditional miles the succeeding day. On
the evening of Sept. 7,Gen. Crook de-
tailed Col. Arson Mills, with $50 picked
men and the best horses of the Sd Cav
airy, to march ON Deadwood by forced
marches, in order to procure rations at
the place named, the expedition being
already reduced to the necessity of
EATING HORSES.
Fifty pack-mules accompanied the
party. The Colonel set out that night
and made Is miles. It rained all day
on Sept. 8, bat he made 80 miles and
struck an Indian trail leading south.
He resolved to follow the trail and at
tack the Indians, if possible. At 3 80 on
the afternoon of yesterday the party OBJ
served a herd of ponies grazing on some
bluffs about fve miles ahead. Col. Mills
and Frank Gruard went forward to
reconnoiter, and they became satisfied
of the existence of a village. Mills told
his officers, Lieuts. Schwatka, Won Lieut.
WITT, and Crawford, that he would at
tack in the morning, and arrangements
were made accordingly. The detach-
ment went into camp in a ~ravine, and
being unable to sleep because of the
pouring rain kept vigil until the dawn
of day. With the first light the COM
mand wa in the saddle, and at 4 o'clock
came upon an Indian village, situated
in a small valley which was command
ed by bluffs on the south side. Some
bluffs were also on the west, but not in
close proximity. Mills ordered Lieut..
Schwatka to take 25 mounted men and
charge the pony herd, so as to cut it off.
Schwatka obeyed his orders in a most
dashing manner, surprised the Indian
herders, drove them pell nell before
him, and captured about 200 frst-class
ponies. He EEEI
CHARGED RIGHT THROUGH THE VII
LACE,
and produced a regular stampede, the
Sioux being completely surprised.
Meanwhile Crawford and Van Leutwitz
dismounted, charged into the village
on the flank, and captured tepees, $500
pounds of dried meat, an immense
number of buffalo robes and other In
dian f~neries, and, lastly, 200 dogs.
They also took a large quantity of dried
fruits and other eatables, quite a God
send to the soldiers. The men dis
played heroic bravery, and reflected
credit on the American army. Nothing
could have been more gallant than the
conduct of the officers engaged in the
fight. Taken altogether, it was a bright
page in the history of this expedition.
Taken by surprise, the Indians cut
themselves out of their tepees and man.
aged to escape FOR the most part
through the ravine.
THEY GAVE OUR MEN TWO VOLLEYS
before they cleared their village, and
then the darkness of the morning Git
was still raining) enabled them to get
away. Won Leutwitz, of Company E,
the knee-joint at the first volley. Lieut..
Crawford showed excellent judgment as
well as soldiery daring. Col. Mills is
much congratulated because of the sue
cess OF his dashing venture, for the
Sioux, although taken unawares, fought
as usual with consummate courage.
They rallied in the hills and soon made
matters warm for u boys, keeping up
an incessant fire and making desperate
efforts to recover their captured ponies.
A party then took up position in a kind
of burrow down in d small rut between
two cliffs, covered with brush and pro-
tected by rocks, and with a kindof lava
beds. The troops made desperate
efforts to dislodge the savages, but the
latter, although very few, fought with
the desperation of despair. During the
morning the following of urs were
KILLED OR wOUNDED:
Third Cavalry-A Company, killed,
John Wenzel, of Frederick, Md. Wound
ed, E Company, Lieut.. A. II. Won Lieut.
WITT, severely; Sergt. Edward Glass,
severely, right arm; Corporal Edward
McKeon, severely, body and head. d
Company, Private Augustus Dorm,
slightly. B Company, Private Charles
Forster, severely. NJ Company, Sergt.
Kirkwood, severely. C Company, Pri-
vate Charles Dubois, slightly. Col.
Mills having toe much property to
guard, and being harassed by the In
dian FIRE, sent couriers to Crook, II
miles back, with the main column, for
re~inforcements. Crook Immediately
took 100 selected men from the Sd, so
from the I'd, and the entire 9th Cavalry,
and arrived on the field as the last In
dian shots were being fired. He order
ed the savages in the rayine to be dis
lodged, and
= LED THE ATTACK IN PERSON. liz
He displayed splendid pluck, and cap
tured a dozen squaws and half a dozen
papooses right at the mouth of the In
dian burrow. Lieut.. John G. Burke, of
his staff; Lieut.. Rogers, Lieut.. Nv. z.
Clark, Oh the SecondG cavalry, the guide
Baptiste Courier, Col. Royal. Of the
| Third Cavalry, and Capt. Munson, of