The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-09-21
MILLS mUSS.
How He Attacked and Destroyed the Vii
iaGe Of Vipers- Interesting Details of
The March and Fight.

Upon the discovery of tie Indian vii
lage, having had instructions to attack
any force he was confident Of whipping,
and being certain from Appearances
that this one wal small, Col. Mills at
once determined to strike the enemy.
A consultation of officers resulted in
the attack being postponed until just
at dawn the next morning. The troops
were carefully led back half a mile and
secreted in the bottom.of a deep chasm
formed by the Bad Lands. The rain
still continued to fall and the brave but
tired and hungry men spent a most
dreary night in mud and water at places
nearly a foot deep. But feeble fires
were allowed for fear of attracting tile
attention of the hostiles. The terrible
night wore on, and the horses and men
crowded like bees, unable to get either
food or rest. AT 2 O'Clock in the morn
ing a start for the village was effected.
An hour of foundering through mud
and water brought the column to the
hill overlooking the hostile camp. All
the cavalry save 25 men dismounted.
The latter vas to charge through the
village under Lieut.. Schwatka and sweep
out the ponies, while the dismounted
men were to advance simultaneously on
both sides of the village and waylay the
~retreating sayages. The balance of
the cavalry horses, with the pack train,
under the care of Lieut.. Bubb, Were
held in the rear of the hill. The men
thus occupied weakened the attacking
force to 125 men. The column cautious
ly advanced, and reached the village
considerably before day. The ponies
belonging to the hostiles were scattered
on every hand, and Immediately COM
menced neighing the alarm. For fear
the savages might escape in lots on ac-
count of this exasperated warning, Col.
Mills resolved not to delay a moment,
and instead of carrying out his plan,
ordered a charge, and at the same
time commenced an attack from the
nearest side of the village.
The charge was CALAMITY made, the
brave detachment making a complete
surprise, and sweeping nearly 200 ponies
safely out of the reach of the thunder
stricken owners. The gloom Of the
misty dawn rendered the firing on the
part Of the dismounted men rather
uncertain, even at distance of SO yards.
Bucks, squaws, and pappooses got up
from their beds yelling and making for
the adjacent wooded rav.nes. As usual.
the warriors secured some guns and
ammunition as they ran, making
their exit through holes in the tepees on
all sides with their knives, not waiting
to find the regular entrance. A hot fire
was poured in on the cavalry.
The village was occupied at once.
though not without some danger, as
some of the savages lay secreted in a
deep, thickly-wooded gully joining the
stream Oh which the village was locat-
ed. There were 35 tepees, most of them
very large, and of the best construction.
Piled in these were tons of fresh and
dried meat, numerous sacks of green
and dried wild grass, about 1900 buff
alo robes and skins, agency blankets,
small bolts of calico and other fabrics,
corn, -four, cooking utensils of every
nature, arms and ammunition, etc.
Some Of the beds were most gorgeous,
and supplied with feathers and hair pill
lows, ard dozens of the finest robes.
They we've removed ly tie troops dur
ing the day. Net even a straw was
left to marx the site Ct the village. The
torch did its work. :,
Not until after the arrival of Gen.
Crook, WHO made a forced march at the
head of so cavalry, at Icon, was the
nest of desperate savages thoroughly
cleaned out. sharrsl ooters made re.
peated attemps in vain to pick eff the
Indians, and finally a large squad OF
scouts and officers made a rush into the
very pit itself. Squaws and pappooses
were pitched cut like SO many snakes,
the folmer in ere CT two instances le-
ing found firing vigorously with revolt
vers, A sickening spectacle was then
offered. In tie lotion of the gully one
buck lay dead, scme AGO bullets having
penetrated his body. Another was
wounded but yet living. Three squaws
and n paroose were found dead,
Willie several mole Of tie squaws ard
childlen lay whiting with wounds.
Pools Of bleed were intelmirgled with
those of water ard mud, while a num-
Der of dtfd lcnies aiolld tie Link OF
the narrow cLasm completed the pic
tpre. In addition TO tie steep banks
ard thick l1ush 10 ;frold sLelter, sew.
eral ritie-pits had been scored ly hand
o~yidtrtly fltm r1Gtr tie lll lis, ard
were so ailargtd IL al lull6ts frt m any
direction could lie laughed at by the &C.
cupants. Here Big Hat, the scout,
SETTLED AN oLD-TIME FEUD,
by giving the chief American Horse.