The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-18
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ESCAPE.
Badly Guarded, Stupidity Pursusd-Was the
Flight Deliberately Permitted
HOW DID THEY GET THEIR ARMS
Critical Condition of Affairs on the
Nebraska Frontier.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.1

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
Foar ROBINSON. Neb, Jan. II, 1879
To-day has been full Of Indian news here, and the
probabilities for the future as well as the stirring
events of the past few days have been canvassed
freely by every one interested Yesterday Captain
II. W. Vessels and Lieutenant G. A. Dodd left with
forty to take up the trail Of the fleeing Chey-
ennes with the intent to capture them Before start
tho services Of "woman's Dress"
good Sioux Indian, and Charles Changros. half
breed a scout and trailer. About five this evening
Lieutenant Dodd returned to camp escorted by SER
geant and two mounted men, from the headquarters
of Captain Vessels thirty miles distant the Hot
Of number Of Indian scouts.
TAKING UP THE TRAIL.
He reports that after leaving here the trail was
taken up again about two p NJ. yesterday in the
snow Of the high bluffs skirting the
road. about twenty-five miles southwesterly
from this place. 1t was followed closely
by the guides late into night and until it was for
the time being. lost owing to its indistnctness and
the darkness The ruggedness Of tho ground
such that Captain Vessels obliged in many places
to steady his wagons and lower them with ropes.
showing tina. tho Cheyennes with admirable tact
And discrimination, seeking the most inaccessible
places to aid their flight and in of attack. for
their defence. Near midnight he determined to go
into nd .ok6 ov1
succeeded again in taking up the lost trail. The
march was continued with usual caution the Indian
'woman's Dress" and halfbreed Changros taking
the lead. About ten O'Clock this morning the trail
was found to pass over sweeping upland that
gradually from the plain below and was thought by
"wornans Dress to continue beyond the crest of
the hill above.
THE INDIANS AT BAY.
Accordingly the moccasin prints were closely
scanned. until all OF sudden it discovered that
they were quite freshly made A few mounted sol.
diers as videttes the head of the column and
the course was gradually kept toward the rise of the
high bluff looming up before them. On either side of
this spur were smaller bluffs or sand hills prevailing
in this country. with steep, abrupt and broken Sides
rendering them entirely impossible. The CON-
forced by Captain Lausen's company. so
as to number all told. 100 men. moved on
without observing sign of the enemy when sud-
denly the fugtves. repeating the tactics observed In
their last encounter with Captain Vessels, fired q
rafting voley into the troops at short range. by
which Private Barbour, Of Company H. Third cavalry
was killed. A halt was at once ordered and proper
disposition Of the troops made. Such the posi-
ton Of affairs when Lieutenant Dodd left He says
that Captain Vessels, who considerably CALLED by
the structures paesed upon him before he left here
now intends to keep the Cheyennes in full sight. IL
such thing be possible. though he is debarred from
charging them, owing to tho steepness of the bluff
on which they are. rendering the place completely
impossible for men on foot or horseback.
Lieutenant Dodd hastily despatched to enlist
Indians scouts at the Pine Ridge agency and to procure
. mountain howitzcr now at Camp Sheridan.
POSITION AND CONDITION THE rNpIANs
In the fire Of the Cheyennes the horse Of woman's
Dress was badly wounded and he pronounccs the
spot into which he and the foremost Of the troops
were allowed to get perfect hornets nest. He
had no idea the Indians were anywhere near. It is
ascertained that they have no horses vet and that
there many wounded among them ia attested
by the blood stains on the snow all along
their course. Upon examination of the last place
where they made stand it is discovered TINT thew
put up fort Of stone. with logs arranged 40 A 20
furnish rests for their rifles. The present position
taken by them commands everything about them.
and Captain Vessels says that it will take hair bs
command to dislodgc them. There are supposed 20
be about nifty of them, including souavs.
though there is trail Of about dozen splitting OF
from the main band. showing that party has gone
out perhaps after beef which abounds largely In tho
vicinity among the cattle herds.
BopY INDIANS.
The body Of Private Barber. which fell from his
horse after being shot, liz in possession Of the
Indians, together with his csrbine pistol and sixty
rounds of ammunition. They charged desperately to
obtain possession of the horse under pistol FIRE Of tho
soldiers at 200 yards. but failed in this great gloom
is spread the troops, In Barber was not
Immediately killed by the bullet which struck him.
and from the effects Of which he fell from his horse
though dead fearful barbarties certain to DO
inflicted on him.
MORE TROOPS.
On tho 22d prox. two more companies will be
sent out to join Captain Vessels. which, with two
companies from Fort Laramie, will make six opcrat.
ing against the Indians. With these their final cap
ture is almost certain 1t ia believed that tho fact
Of the Chcycnncs moving but Ave miles from their
last battle ground indicates that they have deter
mined to man to die rather than surrender
There are said to be about forty Indians Of all ages
and sexes in their present position. womans Dress
who Indian and best capable Of judging Of shem
says that he docs not know what 10 mako of their
Attempting around tho vicinity Of The fort unlsss n