The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-02-28
GAMING CROWS
What They See and Say About tho Strength
and Movements Of the Hostiles.

4Ic SlOW 1uuldlo eiC SlOoCiy "oeNA
ing the movements of the hostiles and
report every few days to their Agent,
who forwards the information by cour-
Ter to Gen. Brisbin at Fort Ellis.
The Crows say that ever since Miles
fight on Tongue river, the Sioux, Chey-
ennes and Arapahoes have been moving
up through the Wolf Mountains and
concentrating OH the Little Horn. 1t
is believed their village is on the Little
Horn near where the Custer massacre
occurred, and contains fully eight hun
dred lodges with probably 1900 to
1900 warriors.
The village lately located on Sinking
Water has moved over to the Little
Horn and joined the big camp there.
The Crows were watching this camp
and it was hoped they would remain at
the mouth of Sinking Water until the
troops came down in the Spring, when
it was intended to attack the camp with
a combined force Of Indians and SOL
diers, and if possible destroy it. 1thas,
however, upset all the plans for its cap
ture by going to join the hostiles. The
Crows followed it closely and watched
it until they were satisfied it was NOV
ing to the hostile camp on the Little
Horn.
Major Carpenter, the Crow Agent,
writes: 81 am informed, by what L con-
slider reliable information, the Chey-
enne and Arapahoe camp on Sinking
Water has moved down to the Little
Horn and Joined the hostile camp con-
centrating there. They moved three
weeks ago, and the Crow scouts followed
their trail quite closely into the
try between Little and Big Horn rivers,
and no doubt ere this have formed a
junction with the hostiles. Reports
from Pryor say that Indians are lurking
along the river. Warn the couriers to
look out. have plenty of volunteers
for scouting, but sno is so deep that
scouts can do little yet. AS soon as the
snow goes so that they "a travel 1 will
push them out and obtain more definite
information. Will send messenger at
once if 1 hear anything. Blackfoot
wishes to assist you in the spring cam
paign, and says he will furnish plenty
of men,
A message from Blackfoot says: 81
am ready and want to go to wal with
the whites against the Sioux. All III
young men are anxious to fight the
Sioux. We want the Sioux driven away
or killed. They are now on the Little
Horn, plenty of them. When you go
with your white soldiers to fight, then we
will go too"
General Brisbin has made an arrange
ment with Major Carpenter by which
five Grow scouts are kept in the saddle
all the time to watch the Sioux and re-
port their movements and strength.
These scouts are without pay, but are
furnished with rations and ammunition
while they are out.
The accuracy of the information they
bring is something wonderful. For ex-
ample, long before Miles moved up the
Tongue river they had reported the eX.
act position and strength of the hostile
camp. A map made at Fort Ellis,
shown G the camp, was actually in the
hands of General Terry before Miles
struck the camp. This map located the
hostiles on Tongue river, 100 miles from
its mouth. Miles marched it and re-
ports the distance TO the camp 115 miles
up Tongue river. The Crows and the
hostiles were in two camps, n on the
right bank and the other on the left
bank of Tongue. Miles found the camp
situated exactly in that position. The
Crows reported the village contained
eight hundred lodges and 1000 warri-
ors. Miles says he found 600 lodges
and was fought by over 1000 warriors.
The Crows said INT camp was under
Crazy Horse and the other under Sit
ting Bull. Miles mentions Crazy Horse,
but says nothing about Sitting Bull.
The Crows are perhaps the best scouts
on the continent and the most venture
some. A fewagoweeks some young Crow
warriors sent to get information about
the Cheyenne and Arapahoe camp on
the Sinking Water, crept into the vii
lage at night while a scalp dance was
going on and went into some vacant
lodges, took three carbines and a pistol
out Of them, and then stole a lot of fine
got away with them and return
ed in safety to the Crow village.
The relations existing between the
Crows and the Fort Ellis forces are of
the most friendly nature, and Gen.
Brisbin is constantly in receipt of mes
from them asking permission to
assist in the coming campaign.
The scouts bringing in information
neither receive or ask for pay, but are
evidently actuated by a desire to render
assistance.