The New York herald., 1876-10-02

steamer unless General Crook should determine
were exhausted. Courlers were sent to Goose Creek
to order MAJOR Fuhry, the quartermaster 10 move TO
RACE WITH STARVATION
When the column approached Beaver Creek two OF
tho Arckarces were despatched In search OF General
Terry but they did not return and IN the meantime
General Crook Tor few davs followed the trail which
led toward the Missouri In lew days his subsist
cnce would be exhausted. He had now delayed de-
cison OF the he would pursue TO obtain supplies
too long Tor IL 10 be still possible to reach his
train But two norns OF the dilemma renamed un-
less he should hear from General Terry One was
10 march over the wagon road 10 Fort Abraham Lin
Tie Missouri and where be could recupcrate and resup
ply his troops without any difficulty. The other was
TO strike for tho nearest settlement In the Black Hills
The latter plan involved certaintes as unpleasant AS
It's many perplexing uncertainties According - the
best authenticated map OF country the distance from
the camp on the Lutte Missouri TO the Black Hills was
$50 miles 10 traverse which would consume at least
seven days There half rations OF hard bread and
coec to supply the troops for four days while OF
and bacon there scarcely more than quarter
rations- Nothing was apparently 10 be gained by
the Black Hills except to the pride OF the
would thus avoid being again under tho tuielage or
MS senior orlgaher and would DC nearer MS
could have been ioresecn Tho sickness was
already terrible, and members Of the medical corps
bad sircnuousy represented the necessity OF shelter
aud change OF diet for them. Scurvy, dyscntery and
fever were raging. General Crook marched to the
head OF he Heart River, and sent the remaining Rec
Indians TO Fort Abraham Lincoln with dispatches. IN
which he directed his train OF wagons TO reload and
twenty days should DO hurried forward from Camp
Robinson as rapidly as possible IL was
from Fort Abraham Lincoln that his resolution 10
march upon the Black Hills became fixed. Much time
had been squandered IN moving without purpose. as
Is evidenced Uy tho tact that September 8, after
marching twentyeight miles from the Little Missouri
10 the head OF Heart River, some OF our guides
said that the camp was but nnc miles from that OF
September 3. Thenceiorth the column obliged TO
march thirty or thirty-nve miles each day. II was
against the lcan ank legs OF starvation with the
saddle aud tho infantry, moving before sunrise
did not reach camp until dusk each day. on the first
day alter leaving Heart River 100 horses were ex-
haust and abandoned. The order forbidding hunt
ing was revoked and there was constant cracking or
guns the TANKS The soldiers eager to get
fresh meat that they often fired at antelope when It
rushed through he ranks, thus endangerng the lives
Of their comrades horse was thus wounded. But
hsso game was killed, however
DEMoRATIzKD TROOPS.
An soon as !: was known that our destination was
the Black Hills and that the food would be
sur ed the lurking decentralization which had begun
manifest The fear that the Black Hills IN ght at that
time have become entirely void OF white men, which
gerated in the ranks, and under such consideration
tho desperate nature of tho appeared to the
men, who openly contemncd and sneered at their
commander, moro than ever alarming
A camp was made in mist and rain around an isolated
lake, on the summit OF a wide rolling plain. The
watcr was salty and as thick as milk. There was no
wood visible. not a shrub. Some of cooked
little coffee by building FIRE OF grass; but mos; had
only raw bacon and brittle crackers for supper. To
add to the forornness OF the situation the commssary
issued bacon sugar and only meagrc allowance
Of crack coffee For days had unable to
dry clothing we rolled ourselves up reeking
blankets aud tried TO sleep. The night winds grew
chier and chiiiier until morning, when we awoke
with numbed and quaking limbs and nervous sensa-
ton as II we had been set upon by nightmare for
ages did not attempt TO cat amy breakfast, us the
vital trean, soto speak, seemed frosted over, and
relisi1 The mist was s;.li denssr than
seemed turning into vapor The clouds dropped stead
n.y.. In the advance the scouts chased about twenty
Indians who appeared to be moving parallel TO tepec
trail over which II is supposed their families had just
passed. II seemed vexatous perversty OF fate that
exhausted our supplies. we were unable with pru-
during the day that many Of the small trails bore
toward the Black Hills and was conjcctured that the
Sioux might have concentrated therc in order
to annihute the settlements. On the 7th the
hunger Of tho troops shown in their dis
organization. The infantry wcrc passing gaunt
cavalry stecd TINT had been abandoned, whom
ono OF from the ranks followed by u dozen
comrades with knives drawn ready TO cut ITS throat
They were with difficulty restrained. Somo of the
CAVIAR when they abandoncd their horses shot them
and took away slices OF tho meat or their suppers and
passing the carcass niierwsrd would fall out OF
the rnnks and silently help themselves until nothing
remained OF IL but the bones.
A RIDE roR RELIEF
On tho night OF the 7th Colonel Mills, of the Third
cavalry was ordered to select l5o OF the best mounted
men OF his regiment and start Immediately 10 mako
forced ride into tho Black Hills IN order TO send back
relief as possible pack train accompanied
him. Captain Jack and Grunrd were to guide HIM INTO
tho Hills. determined to incur the peris OF the ride
with the hope Of escaping the sooner from tie prva-
ton of the field. Tho storm had augmented in
fsrce since sunset aud the mustered in tho
most intense darkness. There danger how
ever, that any would shrk the duty, there
eagerness in the ranks to see little OF civilization
again which would have constituted the whole column
the advance m party % Were possible n rho % mules
aud there was much hustle aud confusion until
we started At eight O'Clock Frank Gruard rode
out a hundred feet ahead and his figure was just
dimly recognizable. The little column in motion,
the pack carefully guarded to prevent the decc
which our proper direction, except by observations
OF the landscape, which had been made before dark.
onr ns word %is ses%ea very small aud be.
yond dwclt the terror OF the unknown.
For moved In silence, the guide
sonaly stopping look at the compass by tho flicker
Of match. Suddoaly thcro appeared rent in tho
black heavens and The moon and stars looked through.
BY and by the North Star aud the Dpper came forth.
We verified our course. As suddenly tho curtain was
ngan drawn and the ram fell with Jury Tho air was
inpenctraby black than over. We rode on IN
full stiffness O'Clock and then halted ior
sleep We pickettcd oor horses and lay down. At day
break cropping through tho damp obscuriy, we sad
broad enough 10 distinguish each other wc were
astonishod at our muddy and hageard appearance IL
still raned uareentingly and about eight O'Clock
halted again IN small ravine where there was
wood and . spring Of Of vats,I water. in order Tsr
kndhng OF . ire consumed hour, and IN
another hour, having quarsd some black coffee and
my companions Tho day continued gray and miser-
able. We passed grim aud mysterious buties whose
names were unknown 10 US auu whose outlines WeTo
but dimly do1ned IN the universal mist Our horses
sank at every ssp deep into the slippery, shiny mud
characteristic of the northern bad lands, and
perceptbly weakening with their constant toll.
In the afternoon appeared IN front the white oms OF
Grand River aud entered the foothills OF this group OF
moantaina We had already, in the morning, crossed
the trail Of a small sioux hunting party near their
camp Several hours later We found place where
they had again halted, and their trail lay directly In
course.
VILLAGE DISCOVERED.
The mist seemed to close around US moro grimy and
TO cling coidly but closely to Ueards and gar
ments. We wcrc quaking In our saddles about four
O'Clock, when, observing the conduct OF Gruard who
was ahead wo halted. lie had dsmountcd just below
tho crest Of ridge and was kneeng just shat his
eyes Q Lowell with the highest blades oi grass.
With his ned glasses he watching something be-
yond. II wasa herd Of ponies Two miles below In tho
valley. Frank had been riding IN advance when he