The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-07-27
From The Plains.


THE ADVENTURES OF COURIER FROM GEN.
oRooE-INTERCEPTED AND PURSUED BY
THE INDIANs---0EN. SHERIDAN TO COM
MAND THE TROOPS IN PERSON.
Cheyenne, July 24.-The courier who left
Goose creek on the evening of the 16th, ar
rived at Fort Fetterman Saturday night,
His delay was caused by having met at
Powder river q body of two hundred In
dians, from whom he escaped, hiding him
self in the timber for twenty-four hours,
one Indian following his trail nine miles.
Ee says they were evidently waiting for
him, and fears that the couriers who were
sent from Fetterman on the 10th inst. with
dispatches for Crook have been intercepted,
as he saw their trail this side of the river,
but not beyond. His delay run him out of
rations, compelling him to fast two days.
He left all quiet in camp. The hostile
Sioux are believed to be north of Goose
creek forty miles, and not far from the
scene of the late massacre ON the Little
Big Horn. They have not fired into the
camp lately, nor attempted to burn it out,
although the parched condition of the grass
renders this somewhat easy; at least the
animals may be robbed of their sustenance.
The wagon train gives them supply until
October. The command moved seven
miles north on the day of the courier's de-
parture to another branch of Tongue river,
near the foot of the Big Horn Mountains,
where they will camp until the Fifth
Cavalry, which will leave Fort Laramie on
Monday, reaches 1t about the 9th of
August. General Crook will make no ag-
gressive movement until this event, and
when, if the couriers whom he has dis
patched to Terry advising him TO join him
| succeed in reaching that command he will
have made junction with Terry, the next
action will prove q decisive one. Nothing
has transpired not already reported per
tanning TO General MerrLts late engage
ment withithe Cheyennes.
The Indian killed by Buffalo Bill was
named Yellow Hand, young chief The
agent at Red Cloud admits that up to this
date one thousand Sioux and twelve hun
dred Cheyennes have left that agency for
the north, and it is believed no more will 60.
The stage Saturday brought in $40, 900 in
dust from Deadwood Mr.. Gardner, a
reliable man who has spent five weeks in
traversing that region, intent on satisfying
himself of its richness, reports marvellous
discoveries being made, and half a million
dollars await transportation. He saw in
possession of Mr.. Beary, of this city, one
nugget weighing one hundred and forty
seven dollars, and number ranging from
S. to $50. He brings also seven hundred
pounds of sample quartz for smelling
Washington, D. c., July 24.-Great &C
tivity prevails at army headquarters in
forwarding toops and supplies to the scene
of war in the mountains of the Blue Horn.
General Sherman, by judicious distribu-
ton of the troops doing duty on the
Atlantic seaboard, has been able, notwith-
standing the limited forces at his command,
to respond to the calls of General Sheridan
for more troops. This will enable him to
renew the operations of the army in the
savage country with increased vigor and
prompt and decisive results. The last of
the detachments are now on tn cir way
westward. In the meantime Lieutenant
General Sheridan reports from Chicago
that everything is progressing satisfac-
torily, and will be in shape for a resump-
tion of active operations in few weeks
According to official intelligence received at
headquarters here, as soon as the neces-
sary preparations are made and the sup
plies forwarded, the Lieutenant General
will take the field and superintend the
operations of the troops IN person, as he did
in his eminently successful winter campaign
of 185S-69 against the Cheyennes, Kiowas
Arapahoes and Comauches between the
Platte and the Red river of the South.
General Sherman will remain in Washing
ton directing the general movements of the
troops and providing all means IN his power
to insure the success of the cam paign. The
plan of campaign determined upon is COM
bined movement of three columns, with
Fort Ellis as the base. Two of the columns
will move directly against the Indians and
one against their villages. General Sheri.
dan will, accoi ding to his present plan, in
all probability establish his headquarters in
the field at some advanta geous point on
Goose creek, about forty miles northwest
Of Fort Phil Kearney, and near the point of
Crooks battle of the Rosebud ON June
18th. The troops of the different columns
will aggregate about three to four thousand,
with all the physical features of the country
decidedly against them.