Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-02-21
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ToSGrE RIVER, VI. T., Jan a.
saw the Wolf and Big Horn
Mountains. The former is report
TO be rich with gold. / noticed
many favorable signs of the report
ed wealth. / send you a short eX-
tract from my journal.
Right bank Tongue River, NJ.
IT,, Jan. 2.-Here we are, siXty-five
miles from our cantonment. AS
usual, we struck tents at $50 a. m.
and were soon under Roadway
Owing to the nature of the ground
over which we marched during the
hours Of the morning twilight We
made but little progress. The or
der of march was entirely changed.
A more rugged country l never
saw. The bluffs along our line of
march, evidently water-worn and
hewn into fantastic and grotesque
forms, were sights exceedingly in
teresting for the contemplatiVe
mind. The crests Of the broken
hills have thorny aspect, being
studded here and there with cedar,
spruce and pine. with dead aud
dying tops. The broken and pro-
jecting rocks are of deep reddish
color, betraying the reign of an
aqueous power, and whose in
fuence the most obdurate granite
has not been able TO withstand.
January 4.-During the night a
party of mounted men were sent
over to the Rosebud. The recon-
noissance was duly mad, and no
Indians reported. The party re
turned at . am. The Indian scouts
to our cantonment this
evening, They carry our official
mail with them. This evening we
are encamped at the first great fork
of Tongue River, which is eighty
miles from our cantonment. At
this point the country has a wild
appearance. 1t exhibits evidence
of the beginning of trouble with
our transportation. 1t is feared
that if we go much further we will
be compelled to abandon most of
our heavy wagons. am on duty
this day as officer of the day /; my
circuit of pickets embraces n dis
lance of two miles This evening
two picl1ets are stationed upon a
high bluff overlooking our camp.
The watch fire kept up by them is
grand sight from here. When
posting the men at that point |
could not help noticing the great
bills and broad valleys that are pre-
sented to the eye. From this vast
altitude the distant Wolf Mountains
shoot up in the far off horizon. At
the base of this grand Sioux look
out deeply cut trails are marked,
all in parallel order, and evidently
leading to Crazy Horses stronghold.
Recently abandoned Indian camps
are now frequently seen showing
that we are driving the Indians be-
fore us.
January 7th.-121 miles from
eantoument; we reached the Chey-
ennes this 7 p. IN. a body of sew
eral hundred warriors engaged our
scouts this evening This is a ia
verable sign for work tomorrow.
January ga body Of Chey-
ennes made a furious attack upon
our command this morning. The
battle fairly opened at 0 o'clock
and continued with undated fury
until 4 p. IN. The roar of our ar
tilery and the rattle of musketry
was terrific and actually sublime.
In the din of battle the voice of
Crazy horse was distinctly heard,
evidently urging his warriors on to
battle, and even to death. His
appeals seem pathetic at times,
showing that he called npon the In
dian God Of Battles to be with bis
people.
Our offensive operations were
ended. our advance was checked.
md we were forced on the de-
Crazy Horse seeing us
checked at the close Of the days
sattle quietly Withdrew his warriors
rom our front. The next day we
nade a short reconnaissance and
'ound that the Indians had wholly
'etired.
On tae morning o. the 10th We