The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-04-05
CROOKS, CHAGRIh.
His Big Horn Expedition a
Failure, and the Reasons
Therefor.
Incompetent Underlings and Tenderly
Reared Soldiers Balk the Brave
Generals Well-Laid Plans.
Detailed Expose of the Campaign
fts Object. ana why n Was
Not Attained.

auNauce any IAise OplnlOn Hnlcn may
be formed upon reading this state
ment, we will say that the information
here given has not been obtained from
any person who was sworn to secrecy
Crooks command, all of whom have
been entirely too reticent concerning
the campaign to suit our reporters.
The facts herein made public for the
first time have been furnished us by
scouts and other employees of the expe-
dition, not a single one having beef
divulged by any officer of the COM
mand.
1t will be remembered that THE
LEADER gave publication to an ac-
count of Crooks fight several days be
fore our kilograms from Reno and Fet-
ternian were received, and that we
considered ourselves sold badly at the
time, but-as was developed by subse-
quent events-we were % so terribly
mistaken as was at first supposed. The
wires had been down between this city
and Fetterman for several days, and
we now know that an officer reached
here from the north in advance of the
kilograms on that account, and that
our article contained more truth than
poetry.
Gen. Crook evinced dissatisfaction
with his command when leaving here,
and although he. said little. it was
easily seen hat he was not at all
pleased with the prospects for the sue
cess of the expedition. Soldier-like,
however, he bravely undertook the
campaign, though he undoubtedly
knew tina. there were big chances for
failure and but slim ones for success.
When he had reached the heart of
the Indian country, and word was
brought him by his scouts of the dis
covery of the large Indian village of
Crazy Horse, n also the location of
Sitting Bulls camp, he detailed the
officer next in command, with all the
troops save two companies, for the at
tack on Crazy Horse, and, with the
pack train and a handful of men, him
self started on Sitting Bulls trail.
Orders were given the officer sem to
attack Crazy Horse to destroy his VII
lage, capture his ponies, and inflict
upon him and his murderous band the
severest punishment possible.
Crazy Horse was surrounded and
completely surprised, and had Gen.
Crooks orders been obeycd. the band
Of this predatory chief would now be
scattered To the four winds. But dis
obedience and incom potency charac-
terized the actions of the commander
of the detachment, and he thus baked
Gen. Crooks well-laid plans, covered
himself with disgrace, aud filed his
superior's heart with such chagrin us
only the brave soldier can feel when
he himself is doing his duty, hut from
force of circumstances can neither pre-
vent the mismanagement nor retrieve
the errors of others upon whose sue
cess and devotion his own efforts and
achievements depend.
Capt. Egan, with his gallant Crays,
was ordered TO charge through the
man,-.,.s ordar.d .. maa, h,s. 80
wa,, .harr;nn from ,ha onnna;,a -,
80 D.. - IN r.
forcing his way through the village;
or,,.rod to MO-, Kin, 1T ..aaaa
r,,ndea l., on omnar ~ .sa Ca..
Air., s;,,inn o,,.,,w -. - =.
lin s;,,h,,,f ,ha Til ia"a,
so, ,,;,,.,.a aur;n. -
which Lasted eouro sma ho,.s ~,
.... ~. a.. 49,. u,N,'N
hInndor-r,,IdI ~ni.,;ma !.
naa;t;on , : -, r., -, -.
Cd r,anv It.. w.,Ia nana..
made trnIv oood ,rd ,ha hond 90,
n,.to,v hrotan M
A. II wos hovayar ,nh
urdi,rs wor. h;,iar -,
diers killed ond wor,,,oa ~,
wo c,nnot ,oa,n ~
tent of no Iosses ~ Tho oo,nu.nd
Over 7oo indian -nonias yara oan,,raa
ana ,hese were tnrnaI 49, - ~,
~