The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-04-12

Capt. Mills, vino had charge of tie
skirnlish line, perceived their move
meHt, and asked for additional men.
these were sen in promptly from
Egan's, Noyes', Lieut.. j.. b. john
sons, Lieut.. Rawolle's, and Capt.
Moore's companies, and the attack
was quickly and handsomely
repulsed, the Indians retiring in dis
order. After the work of destruction
had been completed, the withdrawal
of the troops began, Lieut.. @. Il. Hall,
I'd Cavalry, drawing in the last line
of skirmishers. and the whole COM
mand moved rapidly up the river, 20
miles, to the mouth of Lodgepole
Greek, where it went into camp, after
two days and n night of constant
marching.
The camp attacked was that of
Crazy Horse. who is chief of the only
remaining baud of OgaialIa Sioux
now openly hostile. The usual esti-
mate employed in numbering Indians
Is seven persons TO "A lodge or tepee.
This would give over 700 Indians in
the encampment, but there did not
seem to be- over five hundred in this
one. Probably several war parties
were out on plundering expeditions
at the time of the attack. What the
Indian loss was could not be ascer-
tanned, but about 80 were killed near
the camp, and doubtless many more
fell under the sharpshooting of the
troops. Our Casualties were as fol-
lows:
Sergeant Peter Dowdy, Company
+, 3d Cavalry.
Private George Schneider, Com
pany X. I'd Cavalry.
Private Michael McCaminon, Com
pany f, Sd Cavalry.
Private George E. Ayres, Company
NJ, 3D. Cavalry.
WOUNDED.
Artifccr Patrick Goings, Company
X, I'd Cavalry, flesh wound, left
shoulder slightly.
Private Edward Egan, Company
X, I'd Cavalry, right lower part of
chest, dangerously.
Private John Droege, Company X,
ID Cavalry, through left arm.
Corporal Chas. Kaminski, Company
NJ, 3D. Cavalry, left knee slightly.
The Indians occupied what seemed
to them AN iinpregnable camp. The
walls of the mountains on both sides
of the river were of great height,
PERCEPTIONS, and full of gorges. The
descent made by the troops was over
these obstacles, and of course from n
point where an enemy was least
expected. If Capt. Moore's battalion
had reached the position assigned to
il, scarcely an Indian could have es-
capped. That it did not. was one of
the mistakes which possibly could
have been foreseen and provided for,
but was not. AS it was, a band of
the most troublesome Indians on the
whole Wyoming frontier received n
sever chastiSement, and Is so badly
crippled that il will probably now go
to Red Cloud Agency, and remain.
At all events it is certain that such n
result cannot be long delayed, for
other expeditions will soon follow this
and the country will be made so hot
for then that they will have to aban-
don it. The material found IN this
camp proves conclusively that these
Indians, though openly hostile, obtain
ammunition. arms, and supplies of
all sorts from the agency at Red
Cloud. This agency should Mt once
be moved to the Missouri River and
tllt lllOot lulDOl tdilt ou-tS vi SUPPLY
for hostile Indians be broken up. 1t
is hardly fair that the Indian Depart
ment should be permitted to furnish
arms and powder to hostile Indians;
but as long as there is money to be
made in this way and thieving agents
are TO supported, the system will
probably continue.
After the fighting was over the
frnnna rnarabaI ro ni1lu nm thn ri xrat.
to the mouth of Lodgepole Creek.
This point was reached ut nightfall
by all except Capt. Moore's battalion
and Capt. Egan's Company. Com
papy L, I'd Cavalry, was the rear
guard, and assisted Major Stanton
and the scouts in bringing up the herd
of horses. Many of these were shot
on the road. and the remainder
reached camp about 8 p. m. The
troops had been in the saddle for SO
hours, with the exception of five
hours during which they were fight
ing, and all, officers and men, were
much exhausted. The horses had
had no grazing, and began to show
signs of complete eX exhaustion. Upon
arriving at Lodgepole, it was found
that Gen. Crook and the other four
companies and pack-train had not
arrived, so that everybody was sup
PEERLESS aud without a blanket. The
night, therefore, was not a cheerful
one, but not a murmur was heard.
The wounded men lay upon the snow
or leaned against a tree, and slept a.
best they could on so cold Il night.
Owing to some misunderstanding,
our four dead men were left on the
field TO be mutilated by the Indians.
How this occurred is not fully *
planned, and may be the subject of
Investigation. These men could have
been removed easily, but they We're
not. and that they were not caused a
great deal of dissatisfaction among
the troops.
To-day Saturday. at moor Gen.
Crook and the remainder of the
command arrived. In the meantime
a portion of the herd of ponies had
struggled into the ravines, and fallen
into the hands of the Indians. The
village was very rich in plunder-
the accutnulations of a great many
stealing expeditions. This was all
effectually destroyed, not enough be-
ing left to make a respectable bed for
a pappoose.