, 1877-08-03
No Success Whatever Thus Far-.-Be-
lief that The Hunt Viii Be
Fruitless.
pgospcctors Convinced TINT the Big
horn Region Is Barren Of
Paylug Deposits.
Old Fort Phil Kearney, and Fetterman's
Fatal Fight with the In.
dians.
9ioux aud Crows a. Scouta-.-Arriva1
Of Gen. 6heridan and
Party.

Party.
6peetal Correspondence of The Tribune.
CANP or TIN FIRTH CAVALRY, ON ToF0ug
RIVER, July II, 1y77.-Tho BIG Horn exploring
party broke camp on Clear Creek the morning
ot tho 10th iuat., and passing through de-
iightful valley, distance OF twcnty-two miles,
arrived At tho two Phys, both tributaries Of
Clear Creek. On the 6rAt reached, OF Little
plny, was formerly
FORT rHlL KzARNRr,
Ind IL still the cllarred and binckencd ruins.
Tho fort was beautifully situated between tho
two forks Of the streams on m elevated knoll
fhe situation was not well chosen, rs few
nundrcd yards norttward was q much higher
elevation, which In tho hands Of m enemy would
have completely commanded the interior Of
the fort Alt That Is nov left OF the fort proper
Ia remnants OF tho stockntlc that WIS nppar.
emily formed Of logs about foot In diameter,
PLACED cntlwiso about the tnciosure, and which
were cut or pierced for loop-hofes. which bad
downward tendency, aud wcro In width only
sufficient for rifle. 4 few hundred yards above
the fort was tlle brickyard and q sawmill, rem
nnnts Of which arc still strewn over tho ad-
1accns country. CoGwheels and gcarlnE from
tho sawlnl1l, md q pto Of brick Of gool quality,
numbering perhaps 100, 900, still remain At tho
yard. There are also atrcwn about the ruins Of
tho fort tue broken and burned atoves aud iron
furniture. ALI these things remaining arc uf
course indcstruetnblc, a everything the de-
structlon Of which savage ingenuity could suR-
Ross haS neen Fa'neo. acsoss the Anuo f1hy'
perhaps 800 ynrds from the fort, ls the
cemetery where wcrc Inferred the remains OF tho
gallant, gallant victims tim Of ~, .avage tefos,ty who
.s'u t,ma. ~. '1 .os ~ ~ 'yu ,.
n.les further north. across The Bia r!ny. Thls
cemetery was substantially inc1osel hv n nfctct
fenro. an,1 IA IN cr,ont ncri,ns ,cfo'rth ri mi
acrs 1.,,. .oi,,ss 49,, ,,...s,, ~ ....,s,
acre. lhe solaaes dead zero bur1eu n . trench
about thirty feet long, Judging by the monu-
ments. At the head Is, OF rather was q tuonu-
ment Of maaoury, at ons tlmo evidently Of some
prctcusons, Unuoublodly this mouun,out VA
a. The time Inscribed, but 1t has long since been
dcfacetl, and tho monument almost 1cvr1ctl to
the ground. The picket fence has ,,ecn torn
away md burned. Scattered about within tbs
,acos,re arc perhaps dozen graves. They arc
unmarked, but think them tho graves of ati-
xens Or soldiers stnco perfshcd.
hhe across Tue fany apont q mile from tho Tort,
anu out across tho plain three miles, onc notices
consptenously on tho summit Of knoll, oycF
stunc rocks, In the clclt Of wlcl, stands erect q
lofty lodge-pole, marking tho spot where the
brave Lieut.. Fettermau made his iast and final
stand, d,-tuarkiug the spot where 10 aud bis four
score comrades nobiy tlea-died In the perform.
alice OF their duty. It will bQ Remembered
that this expedition was out In the attempt to
rescue party of wool-choppcrs troln tic fort,
who were attacked by Indians. Fettcr.nan aud
bis braye boys crossed the Piny that
bright aay ten years ago, their
Thoughts bcIt on tbs endangered chop
poFa III tho woody rayine further OH.
With tho lous, Swinging qulckstcp Of tho 1egu-
lar they ASCEND tho hills wtud around on tLo
divide, seeing here and there tho skulktng form
Of some dusky foe. Occasionally o bullet
whietled through tl,e ranks, but forward they
baud marsb, when suddenly tIsir Whole front
IL ono blaxo ot laie, tho very alr hot With flying
bullets aud siug{nE arrows. "CharEe!S .
Etratxht Into tho ec,ltre OF thia sheet OF flllne
they 10, wien oil flank and rear fall thc rrlent-
lcas foe. and Fettetlnan finds II necessary tu
stop a1ll defend himself, chango his front to
rear, and ggtt bis SLOW waY back 10 The ILL.,
back along tho route just uavertct. Eac