The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-23
HONOR THE BRAVE.
THE HEROES OF MILK CREEK.
Capt Payne's Complimentary Orders
vaIorous soldiers-Gen- Crooks
Congratulatory Letter to
Capt Payne.

vnlorous Soldters-Gen- Crooks
Congratulatory Letter to
Capt. Payne.
During the time that Capt ). 8.
Payne held command Of the troops in
the corral on Milk creek he issued
general orders but once, and that was
after the arrival of Gen. Merritt's relief
column. The orders are as follows.
HDoRs. BAT. 3D & 9TH CAV,
WHITE RIVER EXPEDITION,
October 9Th, 1875.
General Orders No. /.
l. The commanding officer desires to
extend to the officers and men Of this
battalion, his congratulations upon
their safe deliverance from great peril,
and to express to them his thanks, for
their gallant conduct in the fierce bat
tie with an overwhelming force of In
dams, on the Goth ult., and the subse-
quent siege.
Q. Much "a demanded of you, and
your response, in every instance, was
prompt, soldierly and courageous. Dur
ing the terrible siege Of six days, when
the enemy's fire was almost incessant,
and your h%ardships pressed to the very
limit Of endurance. when suffering with
cold, without shelter or covering, you
worked in the trenches, realizing as you
labored that you might he digging your
own grave-you coolly calculated the
chances of life and death, and preserved
through all the vicissitudes Of an expe-
rience seldom tent to try the souls Of
men, that morole which is at once the
severest and finest test Of discipline,
efficiency and valor.
No instance Of n,isbehavior has been
reported, but conspicuous acts Of gal
lantry were frequent. 1t is with pecu-
liar pleasure that the commanding ON.
Ger takes this occasion to invite atten.
ton to the following:
Capt. Lawson, of the Third cavalry,
during the battle of the Doth, displayed
that GOODNESS under fire which is SO i'm
portant in moments Of great danger,
and the high courage that extends to
those who are brought under Its indu-
ence.
Second Lieut.. 8. A. Cherry. Fifth
cavalry, bore an honorable and i'm
portant part In the engagement,
Through his sagacity, the intentions
and position of the Indians were first
discovered, and his personal gallantry
under fire was conspicuous.
Lieut.. Paddock exposed his person
freely-encouraged his men by his pres
ence at points where the enemy's fire
was striking down men and horses al
around him, and was painfully wounded
while CALAMITY carrying out the orders
Of his commanding officer.
Lieuts Wolf, A. A. @. NJ, parked his
train when the engagement began, and
rendered valuable and gallant service
during the attack thereon.
Acting Asst. Surg. Grimes was unre'
hitting in his attention to the wound
ell, both during the engagement and
afterwards, notwithstanding a painful
wound which he received VIII lie gallant.
ly discbarging his duties unLer fire.
The following non-commissioned Off
GERS and enlisted men deserve special
mention for conspicuous gallantry:
Company E, Third cavalry = Ser
geants, Neurohr, Lupton, Montgomery,
McKernin and Nolan; Corporals Eich.
wurzel, Secrist and Hunter; Privatez
LaParle, Burton, Morton and Dona.
van.
Company D, Fifth cavalry-sergeant
Craig, Corporal Murphy, and Privates
Sharpe, Booth, Hart, Marshall and
Whitbeck.
Company F, Fifth cayalry-Sergeants
Grimes and Poppe; Corporals Mcguire
and Roach; Trumpeters Sutchffe and
Mcdonald, and Frivates Carpenter,
Combs, Clark, Eakie. Gibbs, Fulk,
Klingensmith, Patterson and schicke-
donz. =.
Too much praise cannot be given
Capt. Dodge and Lieut.. Hughes. Ninth
cavalry, and command, for their timely
and gallant march to our relief.
8. The memory Of our late gallant
commander, Major Th~ornburgh, and
our heroic comrades who fell with him,
will eve be dear to this command.
Their lives were not lived in vain, for
their death was glorious.
Relief has come at lastl Your brave
comrades, under the command Of the
gallant and skillful Merritt, have
reached you, after the most marvellous
march known to military annals. and
you greet them with a consciousness of
duty well performed, and with heartfelt
gratitude for their speedy arrival.
BY order of Capt. Payne.
y. A. CHERRY,
Lieut.. Fifth Cav, Bat. Adjutant.
In the above orders Capt. Payne SIM
ply bestowed honor upon worthy SOL
diers. And in the following letter
from Gen. Crook, honor is paid to the
bravery and skillful management Of
Capt. Payne. The general wrote to the
captain as follows:
RAwLrNs, WYo., Oct. s, 10.
Capt. J. Sent Payne, Fifth Regiment of
Cavalry: (.
Ths gallant conduc. Of yourself and
men on the hard fought field Of Milk
r;var NTH fho ITfa Tnd;ono on tf,a ooth