The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-08-16
H A HILLS.
Notes Of Interest Gathered Along the Road
BY q Leader Correspondent.
cusrER CIrY, Aug sal, ls7e.

teAdef-Io0ted" pilgrims, consisting OF
about fifteen men, three women, one
wagon load of small urchins, and sew
eral babies, all armed to the teeth with
clubs, old shot guns and pistols, the
undersigned started from Fort Laramie
for Custer City, ON Tuesday Aug. LIST,
with a train of six wagons. Our first
days drive brought us to the Govern
ment Farm, fifteen miles this side of
Fort Laramie, where we remained in
camp until Thursday morning, await
ing the arrival of other wagons to
strengthen our party, but 0 arriving
during our stay, we pulled out for Gus
ter City, trusting to luck for a safe
journey. We arrived here Yesterday
afternoon being just seven days on the
road from Fort Laramie to this place.
Our last days drive we came from the
mouth Of Red Canon to this point, q
distance Of forty-ive miles-I presume
the best time ever made through the
cafon with heavily loaded teams-but
we were compelled to make it in order
to ave our stock and perhaps our lives.
Before arriving at Hat Greek we met
the stage-driver, who informed US of
the capture of his stage and the narrow
escape of himself and his passengers,
which news had a tendency to weaken
us slightly in the knees, and cause us
to clutch our old shot-guns and clubs
more tightly, but we pressed on to Hat
creek without any accident worthy of
notice. A few stray Indians were seer
each day by some members of our party,
but as they showed no disposition to
fight us, we left them alone in their
glory. At Hat creek we met the gen
tlemen who had escaped from the stage,
and learned from one of the party the
particulars Of the affair, which l will
give, although you have no doubt ere
this been advised by telegraph.
There were in the stage four passen-
gers and the driver. They were attack
ed on Indian creek by two Indians, who
followed them twelve miles, with long
range guns shooting with them from
the bluffs near the road. There were
but two guns in the stage, one a needle
gun, the other a short range gun. The
needle gun got broken and this left
them at the mercy of the red devils,
who seeing the situation, came closer,
and finally with the assistance of two
others, came into the road in front.
The stage driver then left the road and
drove toward a bluff. When the bluff
reached they abandoned the stage
and took to the brush, where they all
laid until after dark, when they went
to Hat creek. Lieut.. McTaylor sent
out a party of soldiers that night, and
brought in the stage, which had been
pretty badly handled, the harness being
badly cut to pieces and the horses taken.
One of the men was shot in the cheek;
another had the rim of his hat shot
away and his forehead skinned, and
another was shot through his clothing.
This occurred the day previous to our
arrival at Hat We should not
have attempted to move beyond Hat
creek with our outfit had we not gotten.
assistance from Lieut.. McTaylor who
kindly gave us al escort of eight men
to Red Canon, under command of pri-
vate O'Donnell, as brave a soldier as
yer handled a rifle. Our first night out
from Hat creek we camped on the last
crossing of Indian creek, where the In
dams. made an unsuccessful attempt to
crawl into camp aud steal our stock,
but seeing the soldiers they did not at
tack us.
At Red Canon we found Major Col
Her stationed with Co. 4th Infan.
try. The Major with the assistance of
Lieut.. Brown, has built a splendid
stockade, seventy-five feet square and
strong enough for his company to resist
the attacks of the combined Sioux ma
ton, yet he has no horses and not men
enough to scout the road up the canon
and keep it clear, but with fifty addi-
tional men and as many horses / am
SURE he would keep the road clear from
the mouth of Red Canon to Custer.
On the night of August LIST Major
Collier, with Lieul. Brown and their
companies, engaged in a spirited Skin.
mish with the reds. Heavy firing was
heard about 1890 p. m. in the direction
of the ranch at the crossing of the
South Cheyenne river, and as it was
known that a large train was encamped
there, the company at once started out
|for their relief. After d~eploying as
skirmishers, and when within a mile Of
the ranch, they struck a party of about
80 Indians, with a few head of stock
taken from the train. A brisk fire wa.
at once opened by the troops, which wa.
returned, and after an engagement
lasting about half an hour, the Indians
were driven from the bluffs. One In
dian, it is believed, was killed or NOR
tally wounded, as his cries we're dis
tinctly heard by Major Collier and SOM
Of the men. A hat and some other ar.
ticles of clothing were left on the field,
and other circumstances indicate thai