The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-08-10

S%hoshones toward the setting sun, and
the Utes far southwark, have each in turn
had their savage pride humbled and
their wealth sadly diminished by the
ruthless incursions of this powerful
combination Of the Yellowstone. Dur
ing all these years no single tribe could
think to cope with that of Sitting-Bull
or his southern chieftains, now some
times found at the Agencies. They
have. %singularly enough, submitted to
annual thrashings and the loss of thou
sands Of ponies, without ever forming a
combination to "wipe-out" the com.
mon hereditary enemy.
All modern equestrianism dwindles
TO nothingness when compared to that
exhibited by the Shoshones and Crows.
Horse and rider seem grown together;
and, no matter whether it is up or down
an angle of 45,or across the level plain,
the average warrior is happiest and
most graceful when his pony runs fast
est and plunges widest. The rider
pays little attention to rein or bit, but,
by swaying his body to and fro, quickly
and easily turns the animal in any de-
sired direction. In parades around
camp in richest war.attire, their APP
pearance is most striking, and so full
of the extravagant that We can not but
think of some gorgeous panorama.
Their appearance is n less savagely
aboriginal than it is original. This also
often leads us to think that an Indian is
IN Indian the world over, and that their
very allies take as supreme a delight in
mangling the body of q victim as the
vcriest Sioux that wei committed Il
massacre. They are all jolly souls,
too; but most of their humor has II
very ghastly turn. 1t generally hinges
m triumph over an enemy, the utter
destruction of that enemy, and the cap
ture of his property. They are merely
a species of human bloodhound, taught
to run down the Sioux instead of the
white. But, at any rate, their aid is
invaluable to such warfare as this, pro-
viding they will do what their strongest
instinct, their most ardent desire, and
not a little courage, impel them to do.
WHERE ARE TIE HOsrILEs?
is now the absorbing topic. We know
that they are scouting over the entire
country for a distance of seventy-fiye
miles in IL rear, to the right, and in
front. Their signal-smokes, daily as
cending in those directions, keep us in
formed of their being around, and also
Of the fact that icy are Matching mis-
chief to a purpose. After leaving the
scene of the Custer massacre, the trail
of the main body led directly toward
the Big Horn Mountains; while that of
heir squaws, with trains carrying
wounded, headed for the Agencies. OF
course, the manned and defcnscless are
L drag, and will be taken under the
wing of the Interior Department; while
he unincumbered bucks make war or
rin. II 1.-THE warriors really take to these
rugged mountains, our campaign is
only begun, and the wisdom of Gen.
Crook in waiting for more infantry and
cavalry is more than ever apparent. 1t
is the belief of some of our scouts, and
especially of the Shoshones, that, after
making a desperate stand in some of the
rocky canyons far up in the mountains,
the hostiles will cross the range to the
Valleys of the Big Horn and Wind
River. There game is much more
plentiful than here; and, after being
chased over the length and breadth of
that region, the savages could easily
make n circuit eastward, around the
lower extremity of the Big-lIorn Noun
tains, and, by the time we would be
compelled to %relinquish the campaign,
they would be back to their old haunts
on the Powder, Yellowstone, or Tongue.
Should they see fit to run northward, We
could follow to the Missouri, but no
farther. They would take to the water
like ducks, while we would be COM
PEELED to stand on the south bank and
see them escape under Il very guns.
| do not mean by this that they will not
show fight. They will show it rs often
and under the same conditions rs any
other retreating army, with the cxcep-
ton that they will withdraw a skirmish-
line more skillfully.
AN IMMEDIATE MOVE.
Having just stepped over to head
quarters, l learn at the last moment
that Gen. Crook contemplates a move
in advance of the arrival of the Fifth
Cavalry. He is evidently fearful that
the first horn of his dilemma-the es-
cape Of the Indians into the mountains
lis the n most keenly protruding.
To hold the savages in check until Gen.
Terry can cooperate with this column,
seem now the plan. In the meantime,
the eight companies of the Fifth, due
here in four days, can marcn more
rapidly than the infantry battalion, and
thus overtake the main column before
any decisive action would he likely to
occur. If a fight must be made with
his present force, the General will not
shrink from it. In such an event he
would anticipate victory, but could not
expect to deal the telling blow now so
necessary. The Shoshones are OPP
posed to any forward movement until
reinforcements arrive. They want to
fight in true Indian fashion-that is, to
outnumber the foe two to one. Thus
suddenly moving, our fighting strength
would be less tn Il 1,4O0, including in.
fantry, cavalry and S~hoshones. The
teamsters will be compelled to take care
of themselves and the commissary-
stores, camp-equipages, etc. /; while the
packers will accompany with their train
of over 800 pack-mules. About twelve
days. %rations, with 200 rounds of am
munition per man, are all that can be