The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1876-07-17


of July, and hopes to move soon after
fards with fifteen to twenty dnys pro-
visions. Gen. Crooks column has re-
ceived reinforcements of 2l3 Shoshone
Indians under Chief WasEakie The
column will be provisioned for an
absence of fifteen or twenty Days, and
will join or cooperate with General
Terry if practicable. Crook seems to
favor separate operations, but its GER
tain that the united forces, including
Col. Merritt's regiment would not be
too strong to cope with the formidable
enemy now aroused.
A Narrow Escape.
A reconnitering party of 30 persons
under command of Second Lieutenant
T. w. Sibley, of Second Cavalry, was
sent from this camp July 9th to observe
movements ard position of the Sioux
Indians. and if possible the wherea-
bouts Of Terry. On the 9th they re-
turned on foot, after a terrible retreat
of two nights and one day. They were
surrounded by the enemy in prodigions
numbers, and only escaped miraculous
ly by n sacrifice of All of their equip
ments and all AMMUNITION, including
33 picked saddle horses and two
mules. But for the sagacity and can
ton of the guides Gruard and Bap.
tiste-and the Judgment and galIantry
of Sibley, no one would have survived.
the sources of the Little and Big Horn.
On the 9TH, after a sight rest, pursued
their course through some foothills,
verging toward the mountains. At
about 4;30 a large body of Sioux was
espied from the top of bluff. march
ing eastward. They seemed to spread
all over the plain, and evidently moving
to attack the camp on Gore Greek.
Sibley's party remained concealed and
in horrible anxiety for an hour, watch
ing their movements. Soon a tremend-
Gus shout warned them that the trail
they seemed to be looking for was
found. Quickly hundreds of savages
crowded upon it, and set out upon the
chase at full canter, uttering those ter
rible wolfish cries peculiar to Sioux and
Cheyennes. The Sibley party mounted
and galloped toward the mountains
the Sioux yelling when they caught IA
glimps of them like hounds on the
scent. They seemed to de distapced in
the race, but had broken into two bod.
les. and were making double circuit
to gain high points which they knew
the pursued must pass. The scouting
party climbed the outer ridge and were
approaching shelter. when about noon
while trotting through ravine, sudden
ly q volley of 80 shots WAS poured in
from the surrounding rocky sleeps
where the sayages were massed, while
MS many more charged down on them
like fury. Every man of the little
party felt despair chilling him. They
wheeled and eailoped for iinber in the
valley. followed ly volley. Before
they reached shelter, three horses were
wounded. They dismounted on n
knowl covered by a grove. and could
see the enemy covering the foothills
below, while constant reinforce ments
gained the higher points arouned them.
The roar of the volleys was perfectly
deafening. The bullets were all too
high. but the EN-, mics were gradually
perfecting their aim. The leading
chief. White Antelope, Southern
Cheyenne, called out: You are
not the only people in this country
He speaks good English. All the
boidest besiegers seemed to shout the
Cheyenne war cry. The fusilade con-
tipued an hour, the scouts replying
sci dom. in order Ia save ammunition,
when suddenly there was lull SEEM
Jag to portend something. The chief
Of the scouting party held brief con-