Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-07-27

CLOUD l,EAK SANl', w \. =. y ulY
Via Fort Eelterinan, July IS, 1876. j
A accommodating party # thirty per-
sons under the command OF. Second
ssclatui. Frederick W. Sibley, of the
Second Cavalry, was sent from. this
sampon jugs. They were to observe
tie 1A9Ssments and. position OF the
Sioux, ana If possible the whereabouts
of Terry. On the eth they retplAed on
foot, altar, terrible retreat. OF two
aights AMI one day. They were sur.
Yvundedsby the enemy in preaigious
numbers and only escaped MIRACULOUS
" by the sacrifice Of, all theisa equip
ments excepting arms and ammunition
including. thirty one picked saddle
horses and two mules. But for the
sagacity and caution OF guides. Gruard
and Bap,iste, and the Judgment and
gallantry Of Sibley, no ole Moald have
suryiy d.
The handtullot men left our camp in
5road daylight, with strange absence
of precaution, for which somebody
superior to SioleN in rank is RESPONSE
bile, it being usual to disguise such
movements undeE the shelter; Of. dark
hess They MARCHED al! night of the
5;h, toward TIE sources. OF the Little
Big Horn, On, tie Ith, after slight
meal, WHICH. ;..ierward saved them from
perishing, they pursued. their course
through some foot hills verglag toward
the mountains. The conformation Of
the cavalry was extremely favorable TO
ln ambusrade.
at about half past large body Of
Sioux was espied. from the top OF the
bluff, in marching. eastward. They
seemed to spread all over the plain. and,
evidently were moving to attack the
camp Oh Goose creek. Lieut.. Sibleys
party remained concealed and in norris
BILE anxiety for all hour watching their
movements. Soon a tremendous. shout
Xarnedl them. tAat the trail. they seemed
To he looking fpr was found. Quickly
hundreds OF savages were crowded up
On it, and set out upon the chase at
fall csnter, ultering those terrible
wolfsh cries peculia: to the Sioux and
&heyegnes.
The scouting party mounted and
galloped toward the mountains. the
Sioux yelling as they caught glimpse
of them like hounds on the scent. They
seemed to be distanced in the race, but
had. broken into two bodies, and were
making double circuit to gain the
Aigh, poiass whish they knew the pur-'
sued must pass. The scouting party
climbed the outer ridge, and were ap~
preaching shelter about noon, trott!ng
quietly through q, rayine, when, sudden
y . yelley of fifty shots was poured
-1T6m sthe surrounding rocky slopes.
where the savages were massed, while
~ many more of them charged down
: uuYt themlike fury. Every man Of the
y Aitle party felt despair chilling him.
They wheeled and galloped for the
timber in the valley, followed by a
volley. Before they reached shelter
three horses we've wounded.
They dismouptea Oh a knoll covered
by grove, and could see the enemy
swarlning on the foot hills below, while
constant reinforcementsl gained the
higher points around thels@ A plung-
Ing fire tore the foliage from the pines,
and as their numbers thickened the
roar of the volleys was perfectly deafens
ing. The bullets were all too high,
but the enemy were gradually perfect
ing their aim, and notched the trees
close about their heads. The leading
chief was clothed in white buckskin,
al.I called out in the Cheyenne tongue.
You ace pot sAe only people in this
country
He was undoubtedly The celebrated
White Antelope, Southern Cheyenne
All the boldest attacking warriors
seemed to shout Cheyenne war cries,
while the more tinid, who fired from
rocks, uttered Sioux CALCULATIONS.
Che fusilade continued an hour, the
scouts replying seldom, in order to save
ammunition. when suddenly there was
lull, seeming toportend some new
mischief, the guides declaring that
death was certain, and sworsxto end
their owg lives rather than suffer cap-
ture aud torture. Sibley delivered a
harange Of twenty words to his men, 10
which they responded stoutly. He
told tl.cp. there were two alternatives
to die !,Qaorably or TO escape honogabIy.
Gruard declared that if there was
coward among them hp wogld he shot
rather than the enemy.
A brief council was held and by the
advice of the guides they determined
to, attempt to escape further into the
mountains, leaving their horses to en-
gage the attention of the Sioux, tied to
the trees. All the ammunition was
taking from the saddles. The party
fIor ,,,n..oI otlnllL:l.. L.. Al