Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-31

NiViiitSS eaSN4ti le2ct4se ms Belle ic1fc1e.t
As tbs tesd for the animals was good and
water convenient Lieutenant Leniy contlud
edto 1t tn supply II in 81 two vag ~
until he fon d another fAyo.able
camping piace further on the route. He
agreed to send word back il he des.red the
train 10 move ON. The train " 5 III charge
of the lwo drivers, Il blacksmith nance,
Camptot, (wlo, il is believed, has Il mar
1ied sis CT here and II military escort OF
of ten soldiers ami 4 serg ant. That after
noon the surveying parry made SIX miles
and camped for the night, l%e.ving only
twenty miles to flash up the survey. Six
miles Il day is an average of he amount OF
ground surveyed. Not wishing to break 10
on he Sabbath 10 finish up their work, i
was agreed that he whole parry should
exert diem elves 10 complete The thirteen
miles 0 be surveyed neces AIRY t, finish up
their work BY Saturday night The cook,
also the packer for the outfit Mr.. Robert
Mitchell re nained in Friday nights camp
af err The surveying par Y had gone ON thus
dividing up il to rec different rites. At9
O'clock Saturday morning. Mr.. Mtehel star
ed back 10th supply Train with two pack n
imals and two soldiers forthe purpose Of get
ting some mile post stakes that were in the
wagons. When he and his party had reach
ed L point about one mile from the wagons
they were attacked ~ Il large party of Ind
iaas. BY fighting and hard running they
reached the wagons and Immediately mott
fed the teamsters and slider escort. The
latter at once hiched up the teams and got
in their saddles, determined to Join the sur
yeying party, which was now about nine
miles in advance of them. They had just
pulled out from camp when the Indians APP
peared on the bluffs around the valley where
+ they had been camped and opened a raking
fire. The Indians shot seven of the wagon
+ mules en- the first fire. 1t was at once APP
parent to the now ~beleaguered little band,
: that, owing to the broken character OF the
ground their only hopeof getting away was tc
go in the direction ofSpeartish, butjust Their
another volIey unseated the two drivers and
wounded the blacksmith, and the wounded
t mules in the team became unmanageable
simultaneously the soldiers and Mr.. Mitchell
turned their horses heads to run.the gauntle
y through a point where the Indians appeared
the least numerous. One of the soldiers ap
: preached Campton and told him to get on
horse. Campton nswered that he was badl,
wounded, to let him go and save themselves
.e They reluctantly obeyed, and making a boil
dash, and a rapid fire, cut their way on
from the Indians and galloped towards Spear
r fsh pursued by the Indians, reaching tn
latter place about Up. m. Saturday, wher
~couriers were dispatched to Deadwood TO
,a volunteers. When the Indians first made tn
attack the two men who were in the cook an
~ pack mule camp, hearing rapid firing, SUI
missed there was something wrong: so the
a at once packed up and FASTENED c., SIX mile
le to where the surveying party were at wor1
- The latter, headed by Lieutenant Lenle
~, and his troops, fastened with all speed I
d the wagon camp and found the Wagon
le rif1ed of everything, including nine tent
~ the field notes of the boundary survey, a
a the personal baggage and effects of TROOP
and surveyors, even to the wagon cover
Search was made for the drivers and Il
blacksmith, but no trace could be foun
he and it is believed that after being woundt
nd they escaped to the brush and are eth
dead in their ambuscade or else carried O
by Indians. The entire party then starte
for Spearflsh, arriving there at 9 a. IN Su
lie day. An incident that might have result,
an very fatally occurred about three miles beyor
:. Spearfish. TIL Deadwood volunteers, aft
: leaving Spearfish started to the rescue
r. the surveying party, both parties meeti1
as each other in the dark on the road. Wht
We within fifty yards Of each other they ina
ined each other a band Of Indians. ! II
surveying party cried out, white men
0 N Indians? 2" The spokesman of our v~oluntee
IN. answered, "howY The whole party tn,
returned to Spearfish. Att Sunday NOR
' ing Lieutenant Lenley and his men, and
= number of our volunteers went back to hu
to for the bodies of the drivers, but up to "
to terday morning had not found them. M
to Reeves has telegraphed the interior depal
OK ment and secretary Of war for instructio
% as to whethsr he shall continue the surv
OF and secure an adequate escort, or leave
ire stand as at present. He has lost his enti
lot outfit, and all owing to the niggardliness
,le the general government in not furnishil
him with sufficient military protection. T
Oh survey is virtually completed and establish
OF the fact that Deadwood is fifteen miles
st Dakota, east Of Wyoming. The Sand ere
to mines and Mallory. gulch are in Wyomin
"a and Custer City is in Dakota.
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