The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1877-02-08
TREACHsR0Us REDS.
The Gallant Campaign of the Veteran
Fifth Against Sitting Bull.
A Brilliant Succession Of Victories
The Sioux Disheartened.
THE GALLANT FIFTH.


OF such constantly shifting organization as
our military forces, it may not be without
interest to the large body of your readers to
hear OF the movements OF regiment 60
long stationed in your midst and SO gener-
ally known TO your community as the Fifth
Infantry. Nor have the few months II at
have passed-since, with flying colors ard
| mid the plaudits and well wishes OF num-
Der OF your citizens, it departed 10 the
scene OF Its present operations-sufiiced TO
dim the remembrance nor diminish the
kindly feelings engendered BY the long,
pleasant intercourse with the citizens Of
Leavenworih. The easy routine duty in so
delightful locality as Fort Leavsnworth
gives but little idea OF the real work Of the
regular army "a exhibited BY the career Of
the Fifth since the 10Th OF July. Journey
ing by cars to Yankton and then BY boa,
past Fort Lincoln, where sight of
THE SAD DEsoLATIoN
made By the red savages as exhibited By
-
7th cavalry spurrsd them on.-thencs pas,
Fost Bnford and up the Yellowstone, &c
Gen. Terry's camps at the mouth of tbs
Rosebud, which Was reached August Ped
Moving under Ge3. Terry up tue Rosebud
the grand junction OF his command with
that Of Gen. Crook to form one of the largest
regular forces ever seen gathered together
was not Just witnessed when the 9Th wa.
FASTENED back 10 the Yellowstone by the re
| markable march OF tiity-one miles in eigh
teen consecutive hours. Ii guarded the
| Yellowstone while the grand combined
commands swung round
on THE INDIAN TRAIL
to the Powder river and then moved with
| Gen, Terry when his and Gen. Crooks com
mands parted 10 sweep down on both side,
| of the Yellowstone to Glendiyr. Here wa:
the fruitiess end OF the summer campaign
and TO the 9Th and 9th companies OF the
% Infantry and two OF the l7th was pre-
scribed the honor and difficult task OF thu
| operations for the winter. The 9Th agai;
| took up the march back TO Tongue rivel
and built winter post in one month. The
axe OF the workman was yet Sounding il
the rude quarters when danger to the sup
| PLY train called forth the 9TH. With four.
teen days supplies in wagons and on pack,
mules, the long dark, sepentine line wound
| through the narrow ravines, leading up t.
! the plain north OF the Yellowstone, and
amidst the antics of the pack-mules and
| flying cracker boxes commenced Its march
the results Of which are still fructifyiny,
results which now appear the beginning OF
| the end OF
THE GREAT SIOUX WAR.
Fastening on day and night, the fear for
the supply train was found well grounded,
| when, on the second day, it was met. /,
had once been driven back, with a loss of
over fifty mules, and in its second attempt,
guarded by Col. Otis, with five companies,
had been attacked by several hundred In
dians and pursued several days, though the
Sioux failed to make any impression on the
sterling ID and its able leader. Leaving
the train to pursue it, way, the 9Th marched
on 10 punish the bold raiders. Ga the sec
ond day from thence, while quietly pursu-
ing the march, number OF Indians APP
peared over hill, two being sent forward
with a white flag. This vas the prelude
of 4 scene such ss was never before witness
ed in the history OF Indian warfare. The
bearers of the flag were
FROM SITTING BULL,
who v ished TO hold a council with Gen.
Miles. The latter at once assented, though
the preliminaries were difticut 20 settle,
owing to the suspicious nature OF the saw
age chieftain. However, all was finally ar
ranged; our line was drawn up along a
hill, on the elevated right of which was
posted Capt. Carriers Company Ok }, and in
a similar knoll on the LETT a Rcdman gun,
guarded By Major Lyman's company U.
The Indian line was drawn mp ON a paraI-
lei ridge facing this. Gen. Miles and staff
then rode ont somewhat beyond midway, Il
distance Of several hundred yards. After
z period OF anxious suspense, line OF red
warriors dismounted was seen moving for
ward in as good line as officers at parade.
These were the old chief, sitting Bull, and
his principal head men. Ihe council
opened and our suspense increased, ss num-
bers OF mounted Sioux were seen TO swarm
around the council circle.
IT WAS A SPECTACLE
rarely to be beheld, never to be forgotten,
picture to be better imagined than described
a wonGerous pageant. Long dreary hours,
OF waiting, of uneasiness and intense anxiety,
appreciated only when the remembrance of
the death OF the noble Candy il considered.
At last there was stir in the circle, the In
dams quickly withdrew and Gen. Miles
slowly moved back to the command. The
council had been fruitless, Sitting Bull
boldly demanded the withdrawal OF troops
along the Yellowstone though some Of his
chiefs seemed willing to yield. Ga the
next day the council was to be renewed
Our force then marched back to the nearest
stream and early the next day, without
giving the Sioux the opportunity it now sp-
pears they desired, OF Withdrawing their
families,
THE REGIMENT MARCHED NORTH
whittier the Sioux had Withdrawn. In
short time there appeared on a high knoll,
q few Indians and in reaching the ridge
sloping thence to Ceder Creek, sight burst
upon our view that thrilled through every
nerve, that fired every heart. On the long
succession of knobs, over the whole breadth
of the valley, on the ri-ing emmence be-
yond, every where swarmed the fantastic
dress, erect forms and dusky visages Of the
famous Sioux WARRIOR, while in the dim
distance a heavy dark cloud bordering
far off rise betokehed large reserve. Every
soldier felt that these were large par, Of
the slaughterers Of the brave 9TH Cavalry,
and every soldier wished to see them try
that game on the 9th Infantry, every man
burned TO move upon them. Loud curses
ran along toe line at the FIRST signs OF a
'pursurer." But council must be held ard
this time on a far grander scale, and mid
for more magnificent scenery. The high
rice in which the line halted ended in
comm andiDg eminence on the left in front
Of which we're a succession Of heights ter
minating in lofty ridge running perpen-
dicular to the left front.
THE FfRsr EVIDENCE
was taken possession Of, and on it Company
"a" Major Casey's) and the big gun. The
same difficulty OF effect ng meeting was
experienced but it was finally fixed upon a
little rocky knoll directly in front of our
line, and midway between this and that of
the Sioux. These were Also scattered all
around and about the front Of our lire.
While the preliminaries we're being for
warded, the Iudians on the rise, few milcs
in front, we're breaking up and coming for
ward At this council, however, no such
inequality of numbers was permitted as at
the last. For each influx Of warriors, .
blue coat would be seen threading his care
less way to the council circle, there to
watch, with danger in his eye, the strange
proceedings. Long and wearisome was the
solemn conclsve's talk, the anxious warri-
ors oft and anon riding up and away. Bold
and exhorbitant we're the demands and I'M
yielding the stern Fitting Bull. At
the signs of yielding of few chief, he
broke of in anger, and the council quickly
dissolved. 1t has since been learned that
he meditated killing Gen. Miles, but was