The New York herald., 1876-12-01

~.
wYoniSo TxRRiTosy, Nov. so, 1916
Yesterday ] despatched by two Indian couricrs q
brief account OF dght thcn progressing between two
ba.taons OF cavalry, OF the Powder River expedition
with about 900 Of the enlisted Indians, under
General Mackenzie, and a hostile Cheyenne band,
whose village attacked BY him at daybreak In
canon in tho Big Horn mountains The light ended
shortly after the eouriers loft the OF the action,
aud now can send you more complete account OF
tho battle.
rus MARCH OF '.HosrLEs."
When the expedition left Old Fort Rcno the iu-
tcntion was to strike Crazy Horses village.
thcn understood to be located. on tho Rose
bud River, near the battlefield Of June H. Tho
morning alter arriving At Crazy woman's
Fork Sitting Roar, messenger sent out by General
Mackenzie, just before he left Red Cloud to tho
Indian bands then thA. they must into their
agencies or nght arrived in our company with white
nag and told us that = band OF Choycnnos,
in Ave lodges, camped in canyon near our
to Crazy Woman. having heard Of our approach,
had left for Crazy Horsc's village. Then General
Crook determined to send two ba,ialions OF
airy with his command and the Indian scouts to look
for Cheyenne village which he had heard was
located in the Big Horn Mountains, south
wcst OF camp He first sent out
fourteen Pawnee and shoshone scouts to locate tho
Indian camp During Thursday and until noon Of
Friday We travelled along tho Of the mounnins
having made, up 10 that time, about thirty miles.
Meanwhile some Sioux and Arupahoe scouts who had
occn sent ahead on Thursday night returned and said
they had found the camp.
4 HARD NIGHTS WORK.
Instantly . night march was ordered, and aftcr
three hours rest started for tho camp Our Indians
said we could reach tho camp by midnight. but we
found the trail SO dhcut TO follow account Of the
broken nature of the ground, that 1t took until
daylight to reach tho mouth Of the Canen where the
village stood
puLL.KxIYE's FORMIDABLE yAsTxEsA
This canyon Is about four miles long. and varies In
width from quarter OF mile TO mile from base 70
base Of its walls and twice those distances from crest
to II is cut up and ntersscted throughout by
scores OF ravines. from Ave to 1fty feet deep
east and west, and the North Fork OF the Powder
River winds through It along the south side Its west
ern end terminates irregular range Of fiat hills
and thoro rocky and brushy patches the sides Of
the canyon, and bufrs rising abruptly from tho bot
tom, at points within short distances or the
Indian camp. Our information OF
STRENGTH OF the UDfAxs
and the exact location Of their tepecs very
mcagre. Our scouts knew where tho village was, and
had seen dozen more lodges and great many
ponies and that was all they knew. runner sent
ahead just as we entered tho canyon, came back to
say that the bucks
DANCING
in four places II now seemed impossible to enter the
village without alarming the inmates All our Indian
allies undor Lieutenant w. p Clark, Second cavalry,
were sent to the front speedily as possible.
ATTACKING IN THE DARK.
Tho column closed up after crossing three
four deep ravincs dismanted and the order given
to charge about two miles inside OF the mouth OF tho
now within about milo Of tho village, with
our Indians ranged irregularly ahead and on both
TANKS. Although gave our horses rein and spur,
our progress was comparatively slow in consequence
Of tho roughness Of tho country through which ws
moving.
MEETING HOSTILE INDIANA
We had not gone far when our Indians commenced
bowling aud blowing on hidcous voiced wind ns,ru-
mcnts, and tho indians in tho village, some OF whom
we're still awake and at their dance, sounded tho
alarm ON q drum, and commenced shooting
from their lodges at tho advancing column Tho
shoshoncs, led BY Lieutenant Schuyler, aide.decamp
to General Crook, clambercd up tho hills tho south
side OF tho caynon and gaoped along through brisk
nro 10 tho highest point OF tho bluT opposite ana
overlooking tho village. Hero they Immediately IN
trenchcd themselves, and remained througnous the
day and all night Tho Pawnccs, Arapahocs and
Sioux went through ,he centre Oft caynon, aud
SWEPT THE VILLAGE
and captured two or three herds OF ponies. Sudden
as was tho attack. the "hostcs' continued to dash
into the ravincs and creep behind tho con-
venlent blns rocks md bushed whcrc they fortified
themselves to await until tho soldiers rushed in Day
had not broken sufficiently to fully discover their
movements to us. but tho bulk OF advancne COL
umn gave them an excellent chance TO Gre at US with
telling encct.
DEATH oY rnK BRAVE n'Kssxsx
nwas then that Licu,enast Mckinney, commanding
Company ofthc Fourth cavalry, tho last company
of tho FIRST battalion, fell, shot In THO
hcad and body by vollcy, behind a
ridge, whcro he had boen ordered 10 place his
company when falling hc cried to his men, scot
back from this place, you are ambushoa," and then
exclaimed just alter, "ohl my poor mothcrl Tel
hcri Tell hcrln