The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-04
The Scene of the Combat on
Milk Creek.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD


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BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.1
RAwLNs, w. T., Oct. 8, 1879.
Up to halfpast ten O'Clock this evening no
intelligence from the Thornburgh command has
been received. The awful silence at the front
indicates that the worst may be expected, and
acter are awaiting with great dread news
from the agency. ,a
Settlers who passed the Merritt command to-
day report that he intended to reach the camp
Of Lieutenant Price on Fertilization Creek,
ninety miles from Rawlins, tonight. This was
the supply camp of the Thornburgh expedition,
where Price and thirty men were left with sub
sistence stores. If Merritt reaches there to-
night we will know the fate of this part of the
unfortunate command tomorrow.
MOVEMENT OF TROOPS,
The troops which have arrived here up to this
time have all been pushed to the front. The
following troops have been ordered here and
are now en- route :-Onecompany Of cavalry from
Fort Fetterman, one company of cavalry from
Camp Robinson; six companies of cavalry and
two ofintantry from Fort Mckinney. All the
transportation of the department Of the Platte
including pack trains, are moving toward this
General Crook is expected here tomorrow to
take command. Major Bourke, of his staff. ar
rived at an early hous this morning, and has
gone with the renforcements to join Merritt.
GONE TO THE FORT.
Captain Yroom, of Company +, Third cav
airy, 10 men, and 12O men of the Fourteenth
infantry, under the command Of Major Bryant,
with forty pack mules and twenty wagons,
moved this morning.
The mail courier arrived this morning from
Snake River, but had no intelligence from south
OF that point. The carrier who brings the mail
to that place failed to make the connection
SETTLERS ESTIMATE OF THE UTE STRENGTH
The Utes have been making purchase of am
munition from traders in their vicinity for the
past three months and are in condition to give
battle to the Merritt command 1t is es-
timated by settlers who live near the agency
and have come in that they have
from twelve to fifteen hundred warriors, they
having congregated there from the other two
Ute agencies. man who escaped when the
Gordon wagon train was captured and burned,
says that the Utes told him two days before
the Thoinburgh fight that they did not intend to
modest citizens but would kill all soldiers who
came to remove them from the reservation tuey
believing that the Thornburgh command had
been sent for that purpose.
TROOPS THAT HAVE GONE.
The following troops, with transportation,
have left here up to this time for Melritt's com,
manufactured Merritt, commanding expedi-
ton; Lieutenant Compton, Major Sumner
L4eutenants Sweet, Hall ana Weir, of Merritt's
staff; Licutenants Bourlke and Schuyler, of Gen.
eral Crooks staff; DIR. Dewitt and one assistant
of the medical staff; four companies of the Fifth
cavalry; one company of tho Fourth infantry;
from Fort Russell; four companies of the
Fourth infantry from Fort Sanders; one COM
pany of the Fifth cavalry; one company of the
Third cavalry from Fort Mcpherson and four
companies of the Fourteenth infantry from
Camp Douglass.
Captain James Gilliss, depot quartermas-
ter ut Cheyenne, has arrived aud assumed
charge of that department. Six companies
Of the Seventh infantry, from st. Paul,
left Omaha yesterday. and will arrive
here tonight. Merritt has six days half forage
with him. Forty thousand pounds of grain and
subsistence stores started for his command this
morning.
NO NEWS FROM DoDoE's coLoIED COMMAND
GENERAL BELIEF THAT 1T HAS BEEN
WIPED oUT--THE LAST LETTER FROM
MEEKER's FAMILY--ENrIgE CONFIDENCE Ex-
PRESSED.
lDY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.