, 1876-12-03
M,KENZIE'S VICTORY.
The Fierce Cavalry Fight at Du|l-
Knife's Village.
An Indian Fastness in Deep Ravine
Carried By Assault.
The Troops March AL Night to Fight
All Day Without Food.
ruo Hundred Tepses Dostroyed-The
Killed and Wounded.

Killed and Wounded.
xhspatch to the .Sep Iork Herald.
Twp ON NORTH FORK RIVER, Sunday. Nov.
y; II. FORT FErTERMAs, Wyoming Terri
torr. Nov. S0.-Yesterday dispatched by two
indian couricrs brief account OF fight then
,rorressine between two battalions Of cavalry,
of the Powder River expedition, with about $40
~ the enlisted Indians under Gen. Mackenzie.
and hostile Cheyenne band, whose village
ras attacked By him at daybreak ina canon in
The Big Horn Mountains. The fight ended !
shortly after the couriers left the scene OF the |
,,tion. and now can send you more conf
n1ete account of the battle.
TIE MARCH OF THE 8 HosTnEs."
When the expedition left Old Fort Reno the |
Intention was to strike Crazy Horses village,
then understood to be located on the Rosebud |
River. near the battlefield Of June II. The |
,norninr after arriving at Crazy Woman's Fork, |
Stirling Bear, messenger sent out by Gen.. |
Mackenzie Just before he left Red Cloud to
v,rn the Indian bands then out that they must |
come into their agencies or fight, arrived in our
comnany with white flag, and told
ne that = band Of. Cheyennes, IN five
1n1gas, camped in a canon near our route to
crazy Woman, having heard OF our approach,
had left for Crazy Horses village Then Gen.
Crook determined to send the two battalions Of
cavalry with his command and the Indian scouts
to look for Cheyenne village which he had
heard was located in the Big Horn Mountains,
southwest Of our camp. He first sent out four
teen Pawnee and Shoshone scouts to locate the
Indian camp. During Thursday and until noon
of Friday we Travelled along the base Of the
mountains, having made, up to that time, about
thirty miles, Meanwhile some Sioux and Arap-
ahoe scouts who had been sent ahead On Thurs
dsy night, returned and said they had found
the camp --.
HARD NIGHTS WORK.
Instantly a night march was ordered, and
,fter a three hours rest eve started for the
camp. Our Indians said we could reach the
camp By midnight, but We found the trail SO
difficult to follow On account Of the broken
nature Of the ground that it took us until day
light to reach the mouth Of the canon where
the village stood.
nUIL-EK1FESS FORMIDABLE FASTEEsS.
This canon is about four miles long, and 70
1ies IN width from quarter Of a mile to mile
IRON base to base OF its walls, and twice those
distances from crest to crest It is cut up and
intersected throughout by scores Of ravines from
me 10 Nltt 4tEk u(Eps LIZ AA4kN1AoAA ~ eAA~
main canon is about east and west, and the
North Fork Of the Powder River winds through
It aloug the south side. Its western end ter
inmates in an irregular range OF fat hills, and
there are rocky and brushy patches on the sides
Of the canon, and bluffs rising abruptly from
the bottom at several points within short
distances Of the1ndian camp. Our information
THE STRENGTH OF TIE INDIANS
.<.%% %f.4$r rne
meagre Our scouts knew where the village
Sas and had seen a dozen or more lodges and
great many ponies, and that was all they knew.
4 runner, sent ahead just as We entered the
candn, came back to say that the bucs2 were
aarcing the war-dance in four places. It now
seemed impossible to enter the village without
Lar1ning the inmates. All our Indian allies,
1nder Lieut.. W. P. Clark, Second Cavalry, were
ieut to the front as speedily as possible.
ATTACKING IN TIE DARK.
The column was closedup after crossing three
Or four deep ravines dismantlea, and the order
vas given to charge, about two miles inside OF
lie mouth of the canyon. The bead Of the
,luu,n proper was now within about mile OF
he VILLAGE with our Indians ranged irregularly
lhead and on both flanks. Although we gave
sur horses rein and spur, our progress was
comparatively slow, in consequence OF the
:oughness OF the country through which We
eere moving
MEETING OF HOSTILE INDIANS.
We had not gone far when our indians COM
menced bowling and blowing on hideous-yoiceu
wind instruments: and the Indians III the VII
laee, some Of whom were still awake and at
their war-dance sounded the alarm on 4 drum,
md commenced shooting from their lodges at
the advancing column. The Shoshones, led ny
Lieut.. Schuyler, aiLe-de-camp to Gen: Crook,
clambcred up the hills on the south side Of the
canop, ard galioped along through brisk ire to
the highest point Of the bluff opposite aud over
looking the village. Here they Immediately ln-
trcnched themselves, and remained throuEhout
the day and I'll night. The Pawnees, :Arapahoes,
and Sioux went through the centre Of the canon
md
SWEPT THE VILLAGE
and captured two or three herds OF ponies.
Sudden as was the attack, the 'shostlles" con,
tinued to dash into the rayines and creep behind
The convenient bluffs, and rocks, and nusnes,
where they fortified themselves to wait until
the soldiers rushed in Day mad not prohe su, ~
fdently to fully discover their movements 10
u1 but the bulk OF our advancing column gave
them an excellent chance to fire at us WITH
telling effect
DEATH OF THE BRAVE M'KREEKY.
It vas then that Lieut.. Mckinney. commando
company of the first battalion, fell, snot in the
head and body by volley. behind ridge, where
be had been ordered to place his company.
When falling he cried to his men, Get PACK
from this place, You are ambushed ana dtbeT 1nen
exclaimed Just after, ''Oh! my poor motnef
Iell her! Tell her!'' .-.-
DESPERATE STRUGGLE FOR POSITION.
His men fed from the fatal spot but 1mme-
diately rushed back sgain and swept the say.
ages from the ravine, killing about dozen o.
them aad holding the position which they hao
been ordered to take.
Nearly all OF our men who were killed OUT
right fell in their first dash or from reckless e1-
posure atrerward.
Several Of the soldiers we're wounded du1ns
the fight by bullets from hostilcs posted at T.
distance beyond the reach OF their carblne oalis'
most Of the Indians having the long-rangc Ii
1antry gun.
IN UNEQUAL CONTEST
A belching fire was kept up by the sotaier'
LOT some hours, while the lostiies fired with e3
neme caution. They had crawled into the man,
caves IN the rocky sides Of the CANON others wers
lying down in the dark rayines, While many ~era
ndng around on the fat hills at the end of ~
canon, having the advantage Of us i'll all polnI
saVe numbers so far as we then knew.
GOOD CONDUCT OF THE TROOPS; -.
Gen. Mackenzie's command discovered no III
tie coolness' and bravery i'll dislodging SINAI
parties from advantageous points, ana ,,I "a.
some thrilling fights at close quarters Inc
had no towards to encounter in the Chcye
some Of whom seemed to court death ny tnel
reckless dashes. About II O'Clock the heav
hf1ng was checked On our side. Meanwhile u
hostiles we're taking their families through LII