Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-08-12
SlRE.EY's ESCAPE.


The day after Crook party returned
from their hunt, the General determined
to send out reconnoitering party.
Lieut.. Frederick w. Sibley, with twen-
ty-tive picked men, was detailed to ac,
company the scouts, Frank Grouard and
Baptiste Fourier on the reconnaissance;
Jno. Becker, mule packer, who had
some experience as a guide, was also OF
the party | made W my mind TO- 60
with Sibley, WHO is fine young officer
and son of the late Colonel Sibley, OF
Chicago. Each of US carried 100 rounds
of ammunition and enough provender
to last a week The full moon rose
upon us by eight o'clock, and we con
tinued our ride along the foot OF the
mountains until two o'clock that morn
ing. At hafpast four o'clock on the
morning of Friday, July 7, we were
again in the saddle, pressing on toward
where the scouts supposed the Indian
village to be. Reaching the foot OF a
rocky mound Grouard told us TO malt
while he took observations. Scarcely
had the scout take a first look from the
crest of the ridge when peculiar mo-
ton of his hand summoned Baptlste to
his side. A minute afterward they had
mounted their horses and came gallop-
ing back to us. "Qaick, for your lives !!
cried Grouard. We mounted immediate
ly and followed him. lie led us among
hills of red sandstone, the tootStool of
the mountains, and we were Obliged TO
make our horses leap down on rocky
lodges as much as six or seven feet to
follow his course. Within fifteen min
utes we reached hill sufficiently large
TO conceal our horses, while those OF us
who were furnished with glasses
namely Grouard, Fourier, Lieut. Sibley
and myself-wcnt into the rocks aud
waited TO see what was coming. .'N hat
did you see, Frank asked Sibley OF
the scout. "Only Sitting Bulls war
party" Frsnk replied. "knew they
wele up here without coming at all.
We did rot have long to wait tor the
confirmation of his words. Almost at
the same instant groups of mounted
savages appeared on every hill north
and east of us. Every moment increas-
ell the number, until they seemed to
cover the country far and wide. "Ihey
have not seen us yet said the scout
Unless some of them hit upon the trail
we are comparatively y sale.
Gradually the right flank of the lr-
dians approached the ground over
which we had come that morning and
the previous night. We watched their
movements with breathleSs interest.
Suddenly an Indian attired in a red
blanket halted, looked for moment at
the earth and began to ride round in
circle, "Now look out" said Grouard,
'that fellow has found our trail and
they will be after us in five minutes" "
'What are we going to do 2 asked
the young officer.
"Well, we have but one chance of es-
CAPE" said Grouard ''let us lead our
horses into the mountains and try to
cross them. Meanwhile prepare for the
worst"
Then we left the rocks and went
down among the soldiers. Lieutenant
SiJley said to them: "Nlen, the Indians
have discovered US. We will have to
do some fighting. If we can make an
honorable escape all together we shall
do it. II retreat is impossible let no
man surrender. Die in your tracks, Tor
the Indians show no mercy.
".All right sir, said the men, and the
whole party followed the scouts and the
officer up the steep mountain side, which
at that point was steep to diScourag
ing extent. The Indian. must have
seen us, they were scarcely more than
a mile distant, for hundreds OF them
had halted and appeared to be in con-
sultation. We continued our retreat
until we struck an old Sioux trail on the
first ridge. This path leads to the
Snowy ridge" said Grouard. "lt We
can reach there without Icing overtaken
or cut off our chances are pretty fair.
Having gone five miles and seeing no
Indians on our track, Grouard conclu-
ded that they had abandoned pursuit or
else did not care about attacking us in
the hills. The horses were badly used
up and many of the men were suffering
from hunger SO we halted to make
some coffee aud 10 allow our animals to
recuperate. This occupied about an
hour, when we again mounted aad set
forward. We crossed the main branch
of Tongue River. flowing through the
mountains, and were in full view of the
snowy range Suddenly John Becker,
the packer, ard soldier rode mp, ex-
claiming, The indians the Indians !
Grouard looked over his shoulder and