The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-01-11
THE BATTLE OF sTISKIsG WATER,
Further Details of the Defeat Of the Sho-
r shones by Large Band Of Hostiles.

David Yarlott, a trapper, Dick Smith
and another white man were trap
ping on branch Of the Sinking Wa
ter, when q. Snake Indian dashed into
their camp and told them the Sioux
were coming and to pack up and leave
at once. Yarlott and his men fed to-
ward the Snake camp, which was above
the trapping camp and, on the main
branch of Sinking Water. They found
the Snakes in q state Of great excite
ment, retreating down the valley and
abandoning everything. They said
about 400 Indians, supposed to be Sioux,
had dashed down on their camp about
daylight and, charging through it, car
ried everything before them. The
Snakes were completely surprised and
offered very little resistance. Flying
to.the hills, they rallied for a time, but
being pressed on all sides, broke and
retreated down the valley. The retreat
soon became rout, and they cut off
their packs and robes that they might
travel the faster. 81
There was Crow camp on Sinking
Water, fifteen miles below the Snake
camp, and to this the Snakes ran. The
Crows were under Crazy Head and
Blackfoot, two noted chiefs, and they
wanted the Snakes to stop and fight,
but they were so demoralized that they
fed on down the valley and struck out
for their reservation on Wind river.
The Crows packed up and moved
their camp some fifteen miles, where
they had strong position and the wo-
men and children were safe. The war
riors then set out to find the hostile In
dians, and soon after dark came upon
their camp. They were rejoicing over
the victory they had obtained over the
Snakes, and were unconcious of danger.
They evidently did not know of the
Crow camp and thought the Snakes
they had defeated We're the only In
dians encamped in the vicinity.
The Crows, in the darkness, quietly
crept upon the hostile camp and were
SO near they could hear the Indians
talk. They were Cheyennes and Arap-
ahoes, but very few of them Sioux.
Soon aftermidnight the Crows crept into
the herd and stampeded it. The Chey-
ennes and Arapahoes were sleeping
soundly when the first alarm was given
and the whole camp sprung to arms.
In thepanic that ensued the Crows drove
of forty-nine horses and three mules
and got away with them. The Arapa-
hoes and Cheyennes did not follow that
night, not knowing the strength of their
enemies, and by daylightthe Crows were
far away with their booty. Crazy Head
started at early light with the village
and pushed hard for the Crow Agency,
about 100 miles distant, ON Saltwater,
near the Yellowstone.
The .Arapahoes and Cheyennes fol-
lowed "a short distance, but turned
back, fearing they were being drawn
into a trap by the Crows. There was
only small hunting party under Crazy
Head and Biackfoot on Sinking Water,
but evidently the hostiles thought the
whole Crow village was around some
where, and feared an ambus-
cade. The Crows arrived safely at their
agency with all their stolen stock.
Among the horses captured is one fine
American horse that belonged to the
Seventh q. s. cavalry. The Crows also
got two carbines and a revolver that
belonged to Custer's men.