The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-11-18
THE POWDER RIVER ExPE
DITION.
Interesting Details Concerning its orgari-
zstion-The Red Allies, Etc.


and is busy with the details incident 20
the organization of the Powder River
expedition.
The strength of the column is about
as follows:
Cavalry. ---.s.... ,-l,OO
Infantry. 500
Artillery. 2lO
-
Total. LILO
In addition are the irregular forces,
consisting of the Pawnees, numbering
81, and led by Frank North, who in
himself is a host; the Sioux, $50, COM
manded 10y Lieut.. Clark, of the Second
Cavalry, assisted by Lieuts. Howe and
Jones, Of the Fourth Artillery; and 100
Shoshones, now at Reno, in charge Of
C~osgrove, the scout, thus making a
grand total of
OVER TWO THOUSAND MEN,
Or a force as large as Gen. Crook had
with him at any time last summer, and
one-third larger than the command
with which he fought Sitting Bull at
ROSEBUD HIS
Randall, at last accounts, was at the
Crow Agencies in Montana, endeavor-
ing to induce those wild warriors to
again engage against their ancient foe
men; with good prospects Of succeed
ing. If Randall gets 300 Crows, Gen.
Crook will have in the field about 800
men, this includes the four companies
of infantry now at Old Fort Reno, on
the Powder River, and with this force
no disaster need be apprehended. Es-
pecially is this the case during the wiz
ter, for, during that season, the Indians
are unable to concentrate in any consid-
cradle numbers, owing to the scarcity
Of grass for their ponies. Gen. Crook
is very much elated at the success of
his effort in procuring a number of
Sioux to fight their own people. He
looks upon this as the entering wedge
which will result in the dismembermen.
of the Sioux Nation, and, as anatural
sequence.
THEIR UTTER DISCONTINUE.
Three-Bears, who is the head man of
the Sioux contingent, has always been
friendly to the whites; and parties who
are supposed to know, pronounce him
entirely trustworthy. Sharp-Nose, all
Arapahoe, and Swift Thunder, a Chey-
enne chief, are not SO well known; but +,
If promises go for anything, they will
certainly do well. How the Pawnee ;
and Sioux will work together remains
TO be seen. An ancient feud of the bit
terest kind exists between the tribes.
Then the Crow and Sioux have been
fighting each other for SO many years
that the memory of man runneth not to
the contrary; and the same may be said
of the Sioux and Shoshones. Our ir-
regular forces, with this discordant ele-
ment, the Sioux contingent, may prove
a greater source of trouble and anxiety
to the General than old Sitting Bull
with all his prancing legiohs.
OF course, the question as to what
THE GENERALS INTENTIONS
in regard to the coming campaign are.
will remain IA profound secret until tie
campaign is over, but l should not be
surprised if he swept down the Powder,
then across to the Little Missouri, re-
turning by way Of the Yellowstone and
Tongue Rivers. If the enemy are not
found on this route, the Big Horn
country will probably next receive his
attention. Even if no very great sue
cess in the way of capturing and de.
stroying villages should be accomplish
ed 1t will keep the enemy on the move,
and harrass and worry them terribly.
Indeed, if they are south of the Yellow
stone at all, they are going to have n
hard time of it this winter, for by the
time the column now going out is worn
out and needing rest, the troops compo.
sing the expedition just disbanded will
be sufficiently recuperated to take tho
field. But the question whether Sitting
Bull is south of the Yellowstone or not
is just now a mooted one. He may be-
camped along the Muscleshell, far out
of reach of troops operating from here
during the winter; but many believe
that the main body of the hostiles arc
on the Little Missouri. well up towardn
its head. They were there two months
ago, but two months ago and now arc
very different, especially when the To-
cation of an Indian village is CON
cerned.