Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-09-20
TELEGRAPHIC.e
I the INDIAN WAR.
Dispatch from Gen. Crook
and the Yellowstone
Expedition.
Several Indians Killed, and
Prisoners and Ponies tAkeM
@aa by the Troops.
The Main Column Attacked by
q Considerable Force Of
Indians. siit d
Tho Hostile Indians Al Seeking the
Agencies to 30 Fed Next
ta Winter.

CHICAGO, Sept. l6.-The following
was received at military headquarters
here to-day:
"FoRT LARAMIE, Sept, 16.--Gen. r.
Z. Drum, Chicago, Iii. The follow
ing dispatch has just been received |
from Gen. Crook, head of Big Horn
and Yellowstone expedition, camp
near Owl Creek, Dakota Territory,
Sept. Is. To Gen. Sheridan, Chicago
Marched from Heart river. passed q
great many trails of Indians going
down all the different streams we
crossed between Heart river and this
point, apparently working their way
in towards the different agencies. AL
though some of the trails seemed
fresh, our animals were not In fit con-
dition to follow them. From the
north fork of Grand River, sent
Captain Mills, of the Third Cavalry,
with one hundred and fifty men
mounted on our strongest horses, to
60 in advance to DeadwoOd to pro-
cure supplies of provisions. On the
evening of the Sth, near the slim
buttes, he discovered hostile village
of thirty odd lodges and lay by there
that night, and attacked them by sur
prise yesterday morning, capturing
the village, some provisions and
number Of ponies, and killing some
of the Indians. Among the Indians
was the chief American Horse, who
died from his wounds after surren-
dering to us. Our own casualties
were slight, but among them was First
Lieut.. Won Luttenwitz, of the Third
Cavalry, wounded seriously in the
knee, and his leg has since been ampu-
tated. In the village were found
besides great quantities of dried meat
and ammunition, our army guide and
portions of officers and non-commis-
stoned officers uniforms, and many
other indications that the Indians had
participated in the Custer massacre.
Our main column got up about noon,
and was attacked by considerable
band of Indians, who the prisoners
said, belonged to the village of Crazy
Horse, who was camped somewhere
between their own village and the
Little Missouri river.
The prisoner further stated that
most of the hostile Indians werc now
going into the agencies except Crazy
Horse and Sitting Bull with their i'm
mediate followers. Crazy Horse in.
tended to remain near the headwatels
of the Little Missouri, and about hall
of Sitting Bulls band, numbering
from sixty to one hundred lodges, had
gone north of the Yellowstone. with
some Sioux, Arc, Minneconjas and
Uncpapas, had gone in the vicinity Of
Antelope buttes, there to fatten their
ponies and to trade with the Rees and
others.
j 1 place great reliance in these state
ments from other corroborating EVIL
dence which / have. These Indians
with Sitting Bull, will amount prob
ably to 300 or 400 lodges, and in my
judgment, can very easily be strucl
by Gen. Terry's column, provided i
go on in light marching order and
under cover. W.
/ Our prisoners, also,in their CONVEX
sation, fully confirmed in every par
ticular my opinions as already tele
graphed you. We had very hare
march here from Heart river fol
eighty consecutive miles. We die
not have q particle of wood. We hai
, nothing but q little dry grass, which
,, was insufficient to cook coffee for tn
men. During the greater portion o
the time we were drcnched by colo
rains, which made travelling very
heavy. A great many of the ANIMAL
have given out and had to be aban
doned. The others are now in such ,
weak condition that the greater mum
Der of them will not be able to resum,
the campaign until after reasonable
rest.
l should like to have about fiv,
hundred horses, prefer the half breet
, horses raised on the Laramie Plainl
or in the vicinity of Denver and &C
climated to this country. intend Il
carry out the programme mentioned
in my last dispatch, via Fort Lincoln
and shall remain in the vicinity O
Deadwood until the arrival of m,
wagon train.
y [Signed1 BRIG. GEN. Crook.
II p. FL. SHERIDAN, Lieut.. Gen.