Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1876-04-21
Gen. Crooks Campaign


psign in rhe Big Horn. The report We
publish elsewhere of the loss of ]. 900 head
of mules We fail to see confirmed.
We publish. from the Cheyenne Leader.
the following account Of The expedition,
which we think may be regarded as re-
liable:
by way Of premise, and 10 correct in
advance any false opinion which may be
formed upon reading this stat ment, VIC
will say that the infolm nation here given
has not been obtained from any person
who was sworn to secrecy-mcaning by
this the officers OF Gen. Crooks command,
all of whom have been entirely too reti
cent concerning the campaign to suit ou'
reporters. The facts herein made public
for the first time have been furnished u
by scouts and other employees of the expe
dition, not q single one having h en- dl
vulged BY any offer Of the command
II will be remembered { e Leader gave
publication to An account of Crooks fight
several days before our kilograms from
Reno aud Fetterma" were rec.ived. and
that VIC considered ourselves sod badly at
the time. hu'-as was developed by sub
sequen1 events-we WIRE not so terribly
mistaken as was at first supposed. The
wires had been down hetw. en- this city
and Fctterman for several days. and We
now know that an officer reacted here
from the north in advance of The tile
grams on that account, and that our ar.
tcle contained more truth than poetry.
Gen. Crook evinced dissatisfaction viii,
his command when leaving here, and al
though lie said little. it was asily eeen
he WIS not At all pleased with the pros
PEGS for the sucess Of the ex"dltion
Soldirr-like he bravrly undertook the
though he undoubtedly knew
that there were big chances for failure
and hut slim Tor success.
When h. had reached the heart Ut the
indi IN country. and word was brought
him by his scouts of the discovery of the
large Indian village of Crazy Horse, and
also the location Of Sitting Bulls camp, be
detailed the officer next in command. with
all The troops save two companies. for the
attack on Crazy Horse, aud, with the
pack train and handful of men, himself
started on Sitting Bulls trail. Orders
W re given the officer sent to attack Crazy
Horse to d. stroy his village, capture his
poni. s, and i,f]ict upon him and his MUIR
derous land the severest punishment
possible.
Crazy Horse was surrounded and COM
plriely surprised, and bad Gen. Crook $
orders retD oheyed. the band of this prrd
atory chief would now he scattered TO the
four winds. But disobcde, &C and incom~
potency characterized the actions of the
commander Of the detachment, and thus
baked &c Crooks we'll laid plans, COW
cred himself with disgrace. and tiled his
Isurcrior's heart with such rhagrin as O"ly
ltie brave soldier can fel when he himself
is doing his duty, hut from force of CIR
cumstai ces can neither prev mt tine mis-
III nagement nor retrieve the errors 81
Others upon whose success and devotion
his own efforts and achievements depend
Captain Egan. with his gallant Grays
was ordered 10 charge through the Indian
village. and another detachment ordered
TO meet him half way. charging from The
onnOsiie dirertlnn RrAua, Ex.o Aifl.he;
but was not sustained, the detachment or
der, d to meet him. hich was commanded
bv an officer of the Sd Cavaly, sitting
ou, tly or their horses il plain sight OF
the village, though At a ssfe distance. dur
ing The whole fight. which lasted four o.
five hours. This was the first and prob
ably the worst blunder (m,ldly Speaking
Of the expedition. as. had Egan been sup
ported, many Indians would hive beer
made truly good and the band completely
bruken up
AS it was. however, q number of In
dams were killed and some s0ldi. rs kille.
and wounded, though we cannot learn tn,
exact extent of the losses of the Command
Over 700 I"dian ponies were captured. ani
these were turned over to the officer com
mandinK the Crazy Horse expedition
Gen. Crook, as has been stated, Was 2;
miles away during the fight.
On the following morning, In diso"c
ence of Crooks orders, the pturct
ponies were allowed to be driven off BY
the Indians, it beng done in plain sigh
of the commander. who made no effort Il
pr. vc.t it, . though dozen men c"ult
eesily have hid the ponies had he s,
ordered.
Immediately upon learning of the man
ner in which his subordinate ha'' con
Quoted the affair. Gen. Crook ordered
retreat. and the B G Horn exp dit,on a
once returned to Fettermsn and thence I.
this city.
Had there heen no disobedieBce of or
ders. Crook. upon the dtfc,t Of Graz,
Horse. would have Immediately marched
upon Sitting Bull. and, in our opinion, the
Sioux question wouli have been settled
or very nearly 90, By this time. Instead
he was obliged to abandon that ida and
return.
Another expe ji'ion. with experienced
officers AMI men, probably from the 2nd
or 9Th Cavalry regiments. Is now heine
organized by Gen. Crnk. ard within q
mouth will be IN route to Sitting Bali.
I..earqusrters. There will be no more
.'foo)ishn. e." about the business and w
expect to see grant and beneficial result.
attained by Ihr .econi expedition.
Mining Items.
Tie fc1ln-snn n,;nis,O itorra r1inv aQ1