The New York herald., 1877-02-05
POWDER RIVER EXPEDITION.
The Soldiers Reward for Danger,
Trial and Suffering.
MENTION IN GENERAL ORDERS.
Incidents Of General Crooks March
Along the Belle Fourche.
HrApouARrsxs or PowpgR RIVER EXPEDITION |
CAVE ox REILK EOuRcuE Dec. 10, lS76.

HEADQUARTERS or PowDgR RIVER EXPEDITION,
CAxP OK BELLE FouRcnE Dec. 10, 1876
The General OF the Army compliments the Powder
River Expedition for its success tho late encounter
with hostile Cheyennes and hts congratulaton hnd
s accepted ample reward for tho trials and priva-
tons Of winter campaign in these dreary wilds
Just after forwarding my last letter the following tee-
gram was received by courier and circulated In the
command to the great qualification of the officers OF
the expedition who all very glad that their SER
vices are SO fairly recognzcd-
FROM GENERAL SHERIDAN
CHICAGO. ILL.,. Dec. 8, 1876.
II gives great pleasure to transmit to you the ioow
despatch from the General OF the Army 20 whch "ao
~ r ii. SHERIDAN. Lieutenant General.
GENERAL snERMAS's CONGRATULATIONS.
wAsniSGros. d. e., Dec. ?. 1876.
sn IS %
sssurv them appreciate highly The service Of our
InLosptablc regions Of onr continent hope their
efforts hi, will m s IN ss Of
winter ISns s. ssmpasn psasn'.'' T. T. sEnMAS
HARDsnPs or TIKI CAMPAIGN
Hunting hostile Indians when ono sets about the
business In an earnest and determined way, is no
picnic at any season. and least Of all in winter In this
region There is too much samcness IN landscape all
mantcd with to afford much pleasure to tho eye
and tho kecn cold airs sweep the plains and
whirl through the mountain passes, though they may
be music to tho savage ear neither laden with the
odor Of sweet flowers made mclodous by the song
Of BIRDS Even tho murmur of the babbling brook IS
husbed in icy death and cheeress silence possesses
all the scene, making every movement seem toll
some invasion OF the dreary solitude.
No ono who has had taste Of winter campaign out
here will fail join with General Sherman In his wish
that success now may put an end to them. But
fancy chances of catching Crazy Horse mapping
not very good
TRIALS OF CAMP.
Our camp ON the Dry Fork OF Powder River was by
cheerful one, yet we remained there from
Sunday afternoon Of December until the following
Wednesday morning. There was wood enough to
keep US warm, but very little grass and execrable
wxter In very small quantities.. A few small muddy
pools of greasy aIkali water were all that could be
found within miles to supply tho entire command,
men and animals But some OF our wagons had been
sent to Fetterman for grain. and others must be
left behind forward supplies to bo brought to this
point by contractors wagons. SO must move
slowly for awhile. Besides there was no need 10 be
In haste. We knew nothing definitely OF the location
Of Crazy Horses vlage and bc content - grope
forward for a time. We had sent scouts back to Red
Cloud to bring other Indians and these could not
be back for several days, and we may not hope to
tearn anything to guide future movements, except
by accident until their return AL that as left for
US TO do, then, was to press onward little and
Beek better camping ground and this we set about
possible. On Wednesday we moved about
len miles toward Pumpkin Buttes, and fortunately
came upon some springs of good, pure water. In
thankiulness for this discovery some OF our party
aamcd these "Grand Springs" but us there was not
stick of wood anywhere near we were on the go again
next morning in thick, dreary snow Storm working
ON toward tho head waters OF tho Belle Fourche. We
bad alo mill
0ndnx water. and again there was wood but sage
brush to be had Aware OF the scarcity OF fuel, how
ever, provided against it in measure by bringing
some wood along in our wagons.
GAME
Game was plentiful along tho line of our march that
day and Indians reapcd rich harvest by sales Of
deer and antelope killed the way They earned all
they got howevef, for the weather was SO cold one
could scarcely pull trigger without risk Of freezing
his fingers Tho following day. Friday, had another
long march dreary and trecess waste but game
still found in abundance and large number Of
antelope and deer. well smaller game,
were brought in by adventurous hunters Tho length
OF marches had almost completely cx-
hausted our hungry animals, but still we had not ar
rived wood for fuel shelter. some OF the mules
hauling the tents and raons OF the troops fell from
exhaustion On the road aud on two three
the men were left without iOod until lar INTO the
night, having breakiasted, too, before daylight This
dcprivatIon lacked to the weariness OF nine
hours tramp the and through storms up hills
ana down rough ravincs, with shelter when they
bivouackcd and no warmth but such may bc OBJ
tanned from tho flickcring flames of sprss OF sage
brush gathered at no lite expense of tlmc and toll.
made progress dull and unco;n ortablc
enough occasionally. But, fortunately. We had not
well as good grass aud water In abunuance
AND WATER
short march oil i've miles Saturday gave us at
last chance to ourselves aud let our animals
cuperate From our camp made on Saturday nifty
more wagons were sent back 10 the camp on the Dry
Fork Of the Powder River to forward the stores said
to DC accumula,.ng at that point This we knew
would require ut least u week, and since then we
have been advancing along by slow degrees from
point " another wood and grass have become cx-
hsusted.
ifed animals, under The circumstances detailed, and
no little toll TO our troops, the Powder River Expcdi
tion has advanced, In Its search tor Crazy Horses
village, to point on the Belle Fourchc which brings
ndistnctly u Wow tho outlines Of the Black Hills
Slow US the world may be supposed TO move with US
out here in this most inhospiabie region of tho
American continent" reccuL brush with the
Chcyenncs already seems thing OF tho far distant
past aud probably should have ceased wholly to bo
topic oven of casual mention but Tor two cir
cumstances Of more recent occurrence.
Since our departure from Crazy Womans Creek
Indian scouts discovered from day 10 day Indications
OF a watch on our movements ny few struggling
ttles But as they merely followed far enough behind
70 trace course was paid to them and
lfter passed through Reno comiug this way. they
we're believed to have tired of their protcss pursuit
md Oon hack either 10 tho M or 10 thor ,vr
mg brothers In arms IN the Bie Horn Mountains
SkRkGKs SURPRISED.
fcw nights aeo. however, thcro TO our camp
midnight messenger, whose terrified aspect aud pitt
able condition. supplemented by hts story of
vn q party OF which he belonged. con vlnccd
that our movements were not yet tree IRON tic
tncGking espionage oil our savage foes. THIS parry
prospectors, numbering hve or Fix III all with the
nsaue recklcssEcss characteristic OF the lie OF the
average pioneer gold seeker. were moving IRON the
Black Hills toward the Big Horn Mountains in search
gold fields, with scant supplies OF rations aud
ammunition, keeping no watch at night aud not
lntrcnching themselves IN II country wnerc they
liable 70 be set upon al any moment by wandering
band OF hostile Indians They passed through our
camp IN tho forenoon OF Sunday, December
~. and campcd on our trail about nvo
miles back that night Perhaps tncir closc
proximity to General Crooks command gave
them the Eoton that they were more secure from
danger that ngnt than usual and caused them to dis
pepse wholly with any slight precauiion they may
have employed ordinarily against surprise. AT all
they surrounded in their tent one OF thor
number killed, and nearly all they owned In the