The New York herald., 1876-07-29
SIBLEY'S ESCAPE.
Graphic Story of the Fight in the Big
Horn Range.
A FORTY-FIVE MILE RACE.
Wonderful Adventures Of the
Scouts.
! FORTY-FIVE MILE RACE.
FR Al K ROUARD
[From the Chicago Times, July 90. !

hunt, the General expecting the wagon train every
moment, determined TO send out recommending party
along the base OF the mountains, northwest, to DIS
cover where the Indians were aud to take general
observation of the country Lieutenant Frederick W.
Sbiey, OF Company f. Second cavalry with twenty five
picked men drawn from the regiment, was detailed to
accompany tho scouts Fraak Grouard and Baptistc
Fourier, the reconnaissance John Becker mule
packer. who had some experience guide was also
OF the party. The scouts had venured forward some
twenty miles two nights before, but Indians and
returned An officer came around TO my tho
morning OF July q and Informed mo Of The plan. Hc
said the party we're going in the direction of the Little
Big Horn River, northwest, and II no Indians
discovered they would proceed stiI lurthcr As was
sent out hero
TO SEE THE COUNTRY
and not to dryro around camps, mado up my mind
TO go with Siblcy, who is fine young officer and
OF the late Colonel Siblcy, OF Chicago obtained
Crooks permission, which he appeared rather reluc
tant to give and was ready TO stnrt when the party
mustered Al noon Each OF us carried 100 rounds Of
ammunition and enough provcnder to last Tho
scouts led 10 camp Big Goose Creek but thirteen
| miles from Camp Cloud Peak where renamed
until night When evening mad sufficiently advanced
our little party thirty men, all told, moved forward
| for the most part the old Fort Z. f. Smith road
Grouard keeping a sharp lookout from every vantage
point ahead The mll upon us by eight
O'Clock and continued ride along the OF the
mountains until two O'Clock that morning Then
halted a point miles from the Little Big Horn,
in Montana, and fully forty miles from permanent
camp half horses and slcpt until daylgh.
our p,ckets
xxEpIyo WATCH FROM THE BLurrs
above our encampmcnt Al haii-past -four o'clock
the morning of Friday, July 7, We were ngain in tho
saddle, pressing toward where tho supposed
| lbC Ind, n On In hp Rpnc fLo fonf n rkv
mound Grouard told us to halt while ho took obscrva-
tions. BY this time We had moved about four miles
from late bivouac. We observed Grouard's move
mcnts with some interest," we knew we were IN the
enemy's country, and might encounter Indians at any
moment Scarcely had the scout Ia ,e n first look
from the OF tho ridge when peculiar motion of
his hand summoned Bnptiste to his side. Both left
their ponies below tho blum aud observed tho country
from between tho rocks on the summit minnte
aftcrward they had mounted their horses and came
galopng bnck to 'Quick, for your lives! cried
Grouard. We mounted Immediately and followed him.
He among hills OF red sandstone. the footsool
OF the mountains and we were obliged TO
make our horsos leap down on rocky ledgcs
as much as six or seven feet to follow his
course. Within fifteen minutes reached hill
sufficiently largo TO conceal horses while those Of
who furnished with glassss-nameiy. Grounrd,
Pourer, Lieutenant Sbley ana mysclf-wcnt into tho
you see, Frank2' asked sibey of the scout. 'ony
Sitting Bulls war party" Frank replied. 'Kncw they
up hcre without coming ut all We did not have
long to walt for tho confirmation Of his words Almost
at the samo instant
GRouPs OF MOUNTED sAvAGxs
appeared every hill north and east of u.s. .Evory
moment increased the numbers, until they seemed
cover the country lar and wide 'rhey havc not
US ye," said the scout ''Unloss some OF them nit
upon the trail VIC comparatively safe -
Gradually the right flank OF the Indians approached
tho ground over which wo had como that morning and
the previous night We watched their movements with
breathlcss interest Suddenly Indian attired In
red ban ket halted, looked fer moment at tho earth
and began rido round In a circle snow look out"
SAID Grouard, 'tha fellow as found trail and they
will be after in hve minutes,
.'what are we going to dogn asked the young
officer.
"woll, we have but ono. chance OF escape" said
Grouard; "let US lead our horses into tho mountains
and try TO them. Meanwhile
WORST"
Then we LETT the rocks and went down among the
Indians have discovered US We Will have 10 do somc
lighting. II we can make an honorable escape all to-
geher we shall do IT, IL retreat IS impossible let
man surrender.
TRACKS,
for the Indians show mercy"
ssAli right, sir, said the men, and the whole party
followed The scouts and the officer up the steep
Sde, which al that point wnS disCourag-
ing extent The Indians must have seen u.s. they
scarcely more than a mile distant, Tor hundreds OF
them bad halted and appeared 10 be IN consultation.
We continued retreat until We struck old Sioux
trail tie hrst ridge 9TH path leads to the snowy
RIDGE said Grouard cit we can reach there without
being ovcrtaken or cut OF our chances are pretty air
Most OF the road was rather good and We proceeded in
northws stern direction at brisk trot Having gone
nvo miles and seeing Indians track Grouard
concluded that they had abandoned the pursuit else
did care about attacking US in the hills The horses
were
BADLY USED Ur
and many OF the men werc suffering from hunger; so
we halted TO make some coico and TO allow our aulas
to recuperato This occupied about hour, when we
again mounted aud set forward We crossed tue main
branch Of Tongue River, Moving through the noun
same splendid scenery that had observed when out
with Crooks party was visible on every side The
trail led through natural parks, open spaces bordcrcd
by eocks and pine trees on the mountain siacs Here
the country was comparatively open. suddenly John
Becker, the packer, and soldier rode up, excAming
THE NDAXs THE TSDIANs"
Grouard looked over his shoulder aud saw some OF
the red devils riding left flank We had reached
plain on the mountain range, timber on our lcit,
timber on 'front.', AMI rocks aud timber our
along the woods" said the scout scarce were tho
words uttered when from the rocks there ring
ing yoliey The Indians had fired upon us, aud had
struck my horse and two others Fortunately. the
scoundrels fired too low, mseacuaiing the distance,
and wounded. Our animals after the
manner OF American horses, stampcdsd and nearly
DASHED OFT OUR BgAISs
against the trees on our lett Tho savnges gave us
three more volcys woundng more OF our horses, be-
fore got the beasts tied to tho timber We gave
them voloy back TO keep them In check, and then
formed y circular skirmish line In the woods. Nc
could the Indian leader dressed in what appeared
DO white buckskn. directing the movements OF his
men. Grouard recognized him. He is Cheyenne,
called White Antelope, famed Tor his enterprise and
skill The Cheyrnncs and Sioux are lrm allies and
always tight together White Antelope led one charge
against U.S. but our rc sent himself and ms warriors
back in quick time Then the Indians laid low IN the
rocks ana kept up inccssan IRE on our position,
filing the trees around US with lead. Not man OF us
ever expected to leave that spot alive They evidently
aimed ~ horses. thinking that by killing them a
me IDS OF escape would be cut OIL from US
Meanwhile their numbers continued to increase.
Tho open slopes swarned With Indians, and we could
hear their savage encouraging yclls TO each other.
Cbeycnnes ana Sioux were mixed together and ap.
pearcd to be great glec They had evidently recos
nizcd Grouard, whom
MoRrALLr NATE,
for they called out him In Sioux, standing Bear