The Leavenworth weekly times., 1876-07-13

The Chicago Tisaes Of the 9Th, has Ion
letter from its special correspondent witt
Gen. Crooks command, giving an accouu
of the engagement with Sitting Bull on tn
18th Of June, from which we make tn
following extract, referring to the pTepaTa
tions being made for the terrible battle tha
has Just been fought:
T, For several hours, up 10 noon, the battl'
ragged along the whole line, the Sioux's fir
far exceeding our in volume, for the,
| blazed away without ceasing. a chief,
WITH MIRRoR IL HIs HAND,
directed their movements by signal. III,
was we'll obeyed, for the Indians showed
admirable pluck in every instance, e1cep
when We charged them right home. Tha
their brayest could not or would not stand
Fresh swarms Of Indians appeared every
moment. Some attempted to Cross the
creek in our rear, but our Third battalion
under Col. Van Welt, kept them in check
At about 10 minutes past noon, Mills
battalion, except one company C"I') de-
tatched, was ordered 10 vacate the position
it occupied, mount and move down Rose
Bud creek, through Dead canon, one OF the
most dangerous and difficult Of passes for
military column, being about IA miles
long, and having on each side steep hills
covered with pine trees and huge rocks. II
looked
REGULAR DEATH VALLEY.
Hallway down Its course, the Indian
camp or village, was reported to be situat.
ed. Capt Sutoris with ''E" company OF the
81 cavalry, led the van. He was ordered
to make charge at full gallop up the hill
commanding the canon on the right OF the
line, and occupied by Z strong body of In
dians. The char was perfectly success
full, and the First battalion moved down
Dead canon, followed by the entire caval.
", five companies under Ma. Noyes. Grou-
ard acted as guide. When within two
miles Of the village. Capt. NickersOn, oi
Crooks staff, overlook Col. Mills with an
order TO return and fall on the Indian rear,
which was exposec by our movement. He
also learned that the Indians had abandon
ed their camp. Mills was reluctant TO re-
turn, but obeyed, and we crossed over the
western side OF the canon, through ra-
vine, 10 attack
SITTING BULLS UNPROTECTED POINT.
That astute Indian, however, was not gO-
ing 10 be trapped in such 4 manner. lie
was aided in escaping by an awkward move
ment of Henry's battery, under orders from
headquarters. Crook wished 10 charge the
enemy all along the line, apd commanded
Henry's men TO fall back and get their
horses, which necessarily had been left
some distance behind. The Sioux, seeing
the retrograde movement, thought our men
were reireating, and took heart TO charge
them. Henry retired over hollow, very
much exposed. A portion OF company
Il" commanded by Lieut.. NIoom, either
did not hear or did not understand what
was going On. They were late in getting
out Of the way, and swarm Of Sioux IN
stantly surrounded and cut nearly the whole
of them TO pieces. Companies 81" and "F''
countercharged and
RECOVERED THE DEAD,
killing many Indians at the same time.
Col. Henry, a very brave officer, received an
ugly and dangerous wound in the face. The
general charge Was about to be made when
all at once the Souix quilted the field, hav-
ing suffered very severely Dead ponies
strewed The ground on every side. Thirteen
dead bodies of the enemy remained on the
field, and through the field glasses ecould
see their wounded and such dead as they
had picked up, strapped to their horses and
borne away. They retreated in northwest
direction. Clots Of blood all along their
trail showed the extent Of their loss. They
had fonght, in the first place, to cover their
village while ii was moving out OF the can
on. In the second, they hoped 10 surprise
us right IN camp, stampede our horses, and
sweep Us all away
THEIR ovERMAsTERISG NUMBERS.
They gained their first point; the second
they utterly failed in. We occupied the
field of battle, and slept that night in the
camp of the morning. Our horses were too
To pursue the Indians far From
where the batrie began We drove their right
and center three and their left five miles,
when they retreared. 1t is supposed that
some of their high chiefs must have fallen.
Had they not been severely handled, We
would have been again attacked that night,
bat we were not cnoiested in the least. !
have sent you by telegraph the names Of
OUR WOUNDED AND KILLED,
so will only recapitulate here, as follows
Second Cavalry-Two sergeants and one
private wounded.
Third Cavalry-Two Sergeants and
seven privates killed. Oae captain, two
one corporal, two trumpeters and
eight privates wounded
Snake Indians-One warrior killed and
three wounded.
Crow IndIans-Five warriors wounded.
OF the horses, 10 were killed outright,
and as many more or less injured. Nearly
p, 900 rounds OF cartridge were expended.
The dead, we buried in camp, taking pre-
cautions TO prevent their being dug up by
The Sioux The latter could have had no
less than 30 warriors killed, $50 wounded,
and 100 horses we're left dead or diving on
the ridges.
Our rations being nearly exhausted-we
carried food for four days only-we were
obliged TO come back TO our permanent
oase, and retire from Rose Bad on Sunday
morning, June 18th. Some of the Sioux
upon the hills around, but did
not venture TO attack us again. The Snow
and Snake Indians kept up
A PERPETUAL HowLING
,ver their dead and wounded. They did
we'll enough in the fight, but evidently had
no stomsch for another fight with the |
Sioux. We halted in the afternoon on an
obscure creek, and - miles from here,
where the Crows winged their flight back |
o the agency. The Snakes came with us
bis far, because it is on their way home to |
he Wind river valley. They 90 with the |
wagon train, which leaves here for Fort |
fetterman, an the morning. Mai. Forey, |
APT. Nickerson. and Maj. Chambers, one |
company of the 3th, and two companies of |
he 9Th infantry, will accompany it, Five
additional companies of infantry, one of |
.avalry, and some mountain howitzers are |
'rdered for
TILE NEXT CAMPAIGN,
which will begin when the wagon train re-
urns, which will be in about twenty days.
The pack train remains here with u.s. Our
amp is within few miles of the Big Horn
ange, and, doubtless, some attempt at ex-
,loration will be made while We are idle
Ne have no geologist, except Lieut.. Bourke,
nd the miners all turned homeward when
ghting was talked OF. Thus our chances
1 doing anything satisfactory are very
lin, bat L will do all l can to explore this
uch-talked-of gold region. Crook could
erve the country to more advantage search
ng for gold mines than fighting the In
ians, who, as we have seen, are brave
nough to anticipate our attacks and warm
ur hides in the bargain. cannot help
dmiring
THE PLUCK OF THE RED DEVILS,
lthongh detest the race. "Sitting Bull"
ught to change his name TO Changing
'ull." He fully answers the wish of the
oct Russia had not sold us that heap of
,e called Alaska when the lines were writ
ny:
oh for A sfeed-a rnshinr sfood |