New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-18
CAPTURE OLE THE VILLAGE.


RACK, BUT ARE DEFEATED.
lBY TELEGRAPH THE TRTBUNE.l
coooKis CAMP near SLIM BUTTEs, Sept. 10,
- curyEyyE Sept LEON the 5th inst. sent
q, ports Lincoln and Bismarck that Gen. Crook had de-
sdd IN strike ont for the nearest settlement in the
ack Hills and take the chances Of getting through on
hof rations on the It'll it concluded TO send 40
aol animals in charge of escort of $50 men, com
ose of 10 Of each of the 10 companies of the Sd Cav
s,r, in charge OF Col Manson Miles, with Lieut.
sobwatka commander of Company NJ, and Lieut. Craw
tord cop,papy G. and Won Leutwitz, Company c. Lieut.
Babb Of the 4th Infantry, cOmmissary OF Crooks COM
maud accompanied the party, with authority to secure
ratops of beef -four &c. and TO return and meet tho
bungry column ss possible. Thomas Moore
ricf hacker and several citizens also along The
distance was considered to be 100 miles The most
,nportant parsonage with this expedition was the Gen
CRAPS chief scout Frank Gruard, who fully in
stracted respecting Indian signs.
The route of tho column i'll general was south, along
tne divide between the waters of Harris CannOnbal,
and Grand Rivers. It periious route, from the
% that the scouts discovered It TO be crossed by great
number OF trails all leading toward the Black Hills and
sugeesng the possibility of conc entratiOn of the In
a,ans against the column at any time Water and wood
were neither plentiful convenient, and owing to cold
transforms which prevailed constantly camp life on half
ratiops and with tents and little bedding was ex
tremeIy severe upon the men. Grass was abundant;
nevertheless number Of animals had to be dropped and
the maroh was strain on the entire column II
was not Moscow affair, however, by any means. Only
about half dozen had to be carried on liter and
the infantry battalion under Col Chambers showed re-
arkabe endurance and set example that the United
States army should profit by On the 9TH some OF the
men on march ate horse meat, and last evening
horses we're again killed, half dozen Of them by order
for food. good many antelope had been taken, but
meat was scarce It was Gen. Crooks determination
and re0uent remark before he left Goose Creek the
ha fall N On m
did not capture provisions from the hostile Sioux and
would do something before that campaign ended Tho
following account to-days operations will make his
word good TO some extent:
CAPTURE or A VALUABLE PRIZE.
Yesterday about y. m. Frank Gruard who was some
distance ahead Of Col Mess battalion discovered an In
dian village Of 40 large lodges and herd of several hun
bred ponies on little creek tributary of Grand or Owl
River On reporting Col Miles the latter instead OF re-
porting back to Gen Crook concluded to attack and that
ne could manage the enemy himself lie feh BACK INTO
camp several miles north in deep rayine aud waited
there TIL 2 O'Clock this morning. At $3.50 a. ~ he
reached tho bluffs surrounding the village, and before 1t
was light enough to anything clearly except the
white lodges and pony herd he had arranged his plan
and begun the attack Lieut.. Schwatka with % men
was to charge through the village on horseback hrng AS
they went, while two dctachments OF dismouuted men
were to take position along the banks on either side OF
the stream. Tho object was 70 SlsTTouRd the enemy
stampede and capture their stock and Kill as many OF
the warriors possible The result was complete sur
price TO the whole village The occupants hed hau
naked from their bed OF robes as Lieut. SchwatGa
charged through cutting their way out OF their closed
lodges with knives In their hands. The stock was STAN
peded About 40 ponies captured, as also every
thing pertappg TO tie village except the thereof
At this writing 2 D. M, 1t doubtful whether the
troops killed single ndian during that charge, but the
capture Of provisions buffalo and elk skins, household
fixtures OF every variety, saddles &c. was very rich
prize in It's way especially as is believed 10 contain at
least two days rations Of meat and other supplies for
Gen Crooks entire command, and buffalo rObesfor bed
ding The supplies are even taa Col Niiess expo
dton to tho Black Hills could have possibly brought out
The most interesting captures the suldOn OF the
7th Regiment an officers Oyereoat some troopers sad
dies, and soldiers blouse.
PASSES TO Tux ENEMg's CAMPS.
There was also suggestive letter from Spotted Tail
Agency found among the relics dated Jan ID written
and signed by T. c. Boucher, Illicit trader ana
brotherulaw OF Spotted TAIL the chief The letter IS
directed to sabber, hostile cbief and is really PASS
north to the enemys camp. There is also letter from
A. Howard agent at Spotted Tail Agency to Charging
Crow, Indian, his way to the enernys camp Inc
letters are as follows:
sporTEp TAIL AGENCY Jan. IA, 1876.
The bearer OF this 5tabber belonging 70 this agency
VII travel North 70 yst his Rsope ne % any White
TINS agency WITHIN 30 days' wiaSa, @ Yin moi lose by
GkYiag Il to Aim. Thu Is true - noo''AA
wHIEsroxE AGENCY D. T., Feb, 1876.
zoaay United STATES IHdian Agent - - H., ~,
This is certify that Charging Grow, an lnnlah PC
longing 10 santces band man 10 ers Of treaty,
and uses all his niasnee with his psopio TO 90 right.
eheerfuly recommend nm 10 IaForaDie oOSiuV'aoh'
r. A. Howard, United states Indian Agent.
In Col Mnes's skirinish there half dozen ponies
killed. Large quantities OF ammunition and good
many guns composed part of the Village spos Consid-
erablc corn was found which had been captured from
Cen Terrys supply camp at the mouth OF Powder River
Aug s. as tie Indians passed down from Little HON.
Many blankets with the letters u s. l. d. were on tho
spot The village captured believed to be that OF the
chief Roman Nose formerly at tho Cheyenne Agency
CROOK CLEARS OUT A RAvISE.
Gen Crook cid not know u word Of this affair until
o'clock this morning the head Of te aIn column, 10
miles back. He felt both happy and disappointed All
The circumstances lead tho inevitable conclusion that
had Col Miles reported the discovery to headquarters,
Instead of attempting steal march the camp him
ssf the whole column could easily have reached and
setuay surrounded the entire village before daylight
More than this the weather which has rendered the
march 80 hard was all that could have been desired Tor
the purpose OF getting up 10 our enemy ether Dy night
or day. A dense fog enshronded tie country far ana
vide and instead o. this large village OF over 2oo 10 sou
hostile saYages getting of with whole skDS they eoua
easily have been swoOped down upon and annibiLicd
Moreover on the 5th inst Gen. Crook was much chhg
fined ny somewhat similar Had The scouts
properly reported the discovery Of the game TO mead
quarters another village might have been captured Win
both It's oceapants and contents entFe but al IN ALL
Col Miles has done fire thing and proves 81 that Gen.
Crook claimea while dragging aiong III socaIieu GU
operation with Gen. Terry
Now "a 70 The conclusion OF to-day's affair. Gen.
Crock ordered selections Of men having the
best animals to be made from the oth and
other cavalry and he pushed ON, reaching the
village at II A. m. Col. Miles reported In person
half an hour previously that tie battle not yet over
g.. TrIfo had