The Morning herald., 1876-07-13
Experience OF a veteran.

Experience OF q Veteran.
From the st. Louis Republican, July 81
A "Republican" reporter called on Col.
Nelson Cole to learn his views In regard to
the Custer massacre, and the Sioux country
in the Powder river and Big Horn region,
Tof which he has had a sad experience. It is
known to Il few and forgotten by EIany more,
that Col. Cole led military expedition into
that country, and the starvation and priva-
tion endured by his men has not been ex-
cecded since the celebrated expedition of
Arnold, up the head waters of the kenne-
beck, andt Chaudicrfe, through the will
derness of of Maine and Canada, to Quebec,
where for days the only subsistence was
soup made from the leather of the soldiers
shoes. Col, Cole in 1865 commanded the
right column of what is known as the Pow
der river Indian expedition, and his report,
which is imbued with a detail of
THRILLING HORRORS.
on the march and Indian battles never saw
the light, and owing to the overshadowing
battles of the rebellion was consigned to the
archives of the War Department, where 1t
still slumbers. COL. Cole is now engaged
in an absorbing pursuit, employing large
force of hands, and our reporter had to wait
until his return from visit to bank where
he has daily transactions, before he could
gain q short interview. Col. Coles expedi
tion among the Sioux bands was the largest,
and he penetrated their country the farthest
of any commander, years before Gen. Har-
ney thrashed out the Sioux at ash Hollow,
but that battle ground is now within the
- :,,sls md 1,,vt
tance north of the Platte river. Military
surveys have been made across the country
by Lieutcnants Reynolds and Warren, and
General Sully attempted to cross the Man
yaises Terres and Bad Lands, but was
forced to disband his men and re urn to tl'e
Missouri river without accomplishing the
objects of his expedition.
THE EXPEDITION.
CcIorel Cole, at the head of his column,
composed of his regiment of light artillery,
mounted and equipped as cavalry, ,ahd eight
companies of The twelfth Missouri cavalry,
numbering in all 1880 men, started from
Franklin, out on the Pacific railroad, and
left Omaha on the 1st of July. The com
mand marched up the Platte to the mouth
of the Loupe Fork, thence across the plains
up the latter river to It's head. Then cross
ed the Niobrari, the White Earth and the
Little Missouri rivers, skirted the eastern
base of the Black Hills, where he was
Joined by the centre column, composed of a
Kansas regiment from Fort Laramie, who
came across the Black Hills, and forming
The junction, Colonel Cole assumed COM
mand of both columns. The command
then struck northwestwardly actoss the
Bad Lands to the valley of the Powder Riv-
or, and sending out scouts to Big Horn and
the Tongue rivers. The orders under which
they acted, from General Dodge, then COM
mander of the Missouri Department at st.
Louis, was to kill every male Indian over
twelve years of age. 1t Is well to bear In
mind that Dodge had been, and was subse-
qucnt to the war Of the States, chief engin'
eer of the Union Pacific Railroad, which
was infested by the Sioux, and 1t was i'm
portant to him to feed them, and they had
to feed on grass and browse on willows and
cottonwood. They soon fell in with Brule
Sioux and Northern Cheyennes and Arrap-
ahoes, in the businesses bordering on the
Powder, Tongue and Big horn rivers. On
the 5th of September they had an engage
ment with the sayages, lasting from daylight
to eleven clock, in which five OF the troops
were killed and the estimated loss Of the
enemy was 400 to GOO.
THE ACTION
commenced with one company of the
Twelfth cavalry, which had crossed the
river and were met by the Indians and driv-
en- back into the river. The Indians pressed
forward in mass, and meantime two compa-
MES, with section of artillery, which had
been posted in the timber, opened fire 'on
the Indians at short range, producing an in
discriminate slaughter in their ranks. The
river bottom was covered with their dead.
skirlnishing continued all day, and on the
Sth there was another severe engagement.
Meantime the command was driven to the
extreme of starvation. For two weeks the
men had to subsist en- the flesh of their
horses and mules. The weather became in
tensely cold, and one night norther struck
them, freezing to death 700 horses aud
mules. The flesh afforded subsistence
to the men, and subsequently, as they
moved forward, they killed fresh horses as
needed, which saved the men from starva-
ton until they reached Fort Reno. They
we're in the old Crow reservation, in the i'm
mediate vicinity of the present Indian hos
tlities led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull.
Colonel Cole says the country is worthless
and barren, with the exception of the mar
row valleys on the streams. Regarding the
disaster to General Custer, he is ofthe Opin-
ion from reading the accounts, that Custer
uuderrated his opponents and struck a
camp filed with warriors when he only ex-
pected to attack an ordinary Indian village,
composed of the ordinary population.
Colonel Cole says he would not be sur
prised that this will lead to a regular Indian
war, and that we shall next hear that the
eyaspcrated Sioux have swept through the
mining camps of the Black Hills.
Major RenOs DisObedience.
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