The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-09-22
THE INDIAN WAR.
Ind of the Campaign-DisposiLi of the
Troops for the Winter.


Troops for the Winter.
fort Buford Cor. Chicago Times.I
The column which has been operating
under Gen. Terry during the past sum-
mer has broken up, and all the troops
are now en- route home, with the excep-
ton of the two regiments of infantry
which have been left to winter at the
mouth of Tongue river. The Montana
troops, including the Seventh infantry
and the Second cavalry, under Gen.
Gibbon, left for Fort Ellis with wagon
train and supplies for thirty days. They
will march overland along the north
bank of the Yellowstone, following the
old Stanley trail as far as that leads.
The distance to be accomplished is 400
miles, and great portion of the march
will be through hostile region. They
will enter the Big Horn country, where
a large body of the hostiles are believed
to be. located, and it is possible that
they will encounter a war party before
reaching the post in Montana. The
command numbers about $50 infantry
and 100 horse, and if there are Indians
in the region it is altogether probable
that they will engage them.
The troops are lightly clad, and are in
no condition to endure the severe weather
which will overtake them before the
close of their long march. The cold
weather is already beginning to set in,
and some severe storms will sweep over
the country before the end of the month.
The troops under Gen. Gibbon have
been in the field since March, having
traversed nearly 500 miles in order to
join the main column at the mouth of
the Rosebud ON the opening of the cam.
paign, and during this long period have
received no fresh supplies of clothing.
The Twenty-second infantry have been
left at the mouth of Glendin creek, and
have commenced the construction of q
stockade at that point. They will re-
main there until the LIST of November,
at least, and possibly later, in order to
facilitate the forwarding of supplies to
the mouth of Tongue river. The Seventh
cavalry and the battalion of the Sixth
infantry left on the same morning along
the north bank of the Yellowstone for
Fort Buford. They were provided
with ten days rations, and will prob
ably reach this post by the 10Th inst,
after which the Seventh cavalry will pro-
coed to Fort Lincoln to go into winter
quarters. The Sixteenth infantry will
remain at Fort Buford. Gen. Terry and
staff reached here on board the steamer
Josephine this morning and will remain
here few days, after which they will
proceed down the river to Bismarck,
and from thence no st. Paul. BY the
80 t..oo
been withdrawn from the northern
country with the exception of the Fifth
and Twenty-second regiments of infant
ry. These two commands aggregate
about 400 men.
A dispatch has just been received from
Gen. Sheridan countermanding the order
To winter a regiment of cavalry on the
Yellowstone, and this, of course, reduces
the total force to remain in the region TO
that mentioned. This, of course, will
make any winter campaign impossible,
and the hope that has been held out of
following the savages in the snow will
have to be abandoned. The sub
lection of the Sioux is, there
fore, indefinitely postponed. 1t is
presumed that the troops viii take the
field again early in the spring, but they
will encounter the same trouble in find
ing and whipping the savages that has
been the experience this year. From
this time forward the northern Sioux
will be unmolested. They will be per-
mitted to hunt the buffalo at their
leisure, and as the army will not take
the field until the grass has grown, the
savages will be in as good condition to
fight or escape as they have ever been.
The campaign is closed. Gen. Terry
leaves the field with knowledge that
he has succeeded in accomplishing no
purpose of the expedition. His plans
have been frustrated, his troops have
been defeated, and of the force which
originally entered the field, one-fourth
have either been killed or have died
from exposure.
The determination to not winter any
cavalry on the river will make the sup.
plying of the command comparatively
easy matter, and it is presumed that all
supplies will have been forwarded to the
mouth of the Tongue river by the LIST of
November.