The New York herald., 1879-02-13
HOSTILE CHEYENNES.
Pursuit Of the Missing Hos
tiles Continued.
THE TRAIL GROWING OLD
Robbery OF Ranches and MUIR
der OF Ranchmen.
FAIR PROSPECTS FOR AN INDIAN WAR.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
CAMP NEAR SAND HILLS. SoUrH OF
CAMP SHERIDAN Feb. TO-


[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE fERALD.1
CAMP NEAR SAND Hills SoUrH OF
CANT SHERIDAN. Feb. 10.
via Fort ROBINSON, Neb., Feb. II. 1879
Tho movements of tho missing band of hostile
Cheyennes under Dull Knife still remains mystery
too great for solution by the most vigorous in
tellect in the small military force having the pur-
suit in charge. visit by your correspond
ent to this locality. where it was re-
ported they were secreted and organizing
for extended forsys has only demonstrated that
the operations against the Indians Of the blum
dering and tardy character which has characterized
them from the beginning. and that the running OIL
of stock. with the occasional variety of buchering
settler by the Indians continues without material in
corruption.
OPERATIONS or THE HosrILEs.
The summary of information obtained is meagre
remembered that some weeks ago Mr.. G. I. Newman.
a cattle man. who has ranch Niobrara River
Boy Butte Greek. came into Fort Robinson with
his foreman. Mr.. Chalk, and reported that a large
trail of Indians. with about three hundred horses.
had been discovered Snake River at point about
thirty miles south Of the Nobrara, Boardsman
Fork. where fresh water good pasture and some
fuel could be had. For some days following
the locality was secuted without result and
The officers ut Fort Robinson differed in their
opinions as to whether it Littlo Wolf. band
of White Horses thieves or some marauding Sioux
from Spotted TaMs camp. The suspected location
is about sixty miles from Pine Ridge Agency and
perhaps about eighty from Rosebud Agency. After
considerable delay q detachment Of six com
panies of the Fifth United States cavalry were
sent out from Fort Russell and vicinity to
reconnoitre the Sand Hills and and the secreted
Cheyennes any there we're. though 1t was thought
to be wild goose chase. and such 1t proved to be.
the Indians. whoever they were. have cluded pur
suit and slipped of without molestaton, and are
probably hundreds of miles away in their flight.
and perhaps safely lodged In the Belle Fourche
country. on their way to the Powder River
MOVEMENT THE TROOPS.
Your correspondent found the cavalry cropping
their way in the vicinity quilted by the Cheyenpes
and on their trail. but some days behind them en-
tirely unable to reach the fugitves owing to the
ceedingly intractable nature Of the country
in which they are and the superior ami
mails Of the Cheyennes. It is literal i'm
possibility to make rapid progress through
the country in which they are. owing to the sand.
and. besides. there is no grazing Of much account
The grain used by the horses has TO be
carried pack mules. and as much cannot
be carried In this way the cavalry horses
are reduced to short forage. and alroady
the supply is nearly exhausted. The route taken by
the Chcyennes seems to have been little east
of north up to the point where they werc
encountered near White River by wcthercll's
train on January 81. on its way to
the Missouri River. which escaped molcststion fur
ther than being robbed Of its provisions. From
there the course Of the Cheyennes VIII be northwest
and northcrly. The troops doing the best they
can, but both officers and men very much dis
pustsd with their mission.
MURDERS AND RoBDERIEs.
Before leaving the neghborhood Of the Niobrsra.
where they recuperated themselves and got together
some three hundred Of the best horses In the
try, the Chcyennes not content to depart
without leaving some mark of their revenge,
full nature. They proceeded up the valley
of Snake River to near its mouth. and thero
cruelty murdered. in cold blood. Mr.. Frank Moore
head. James Asbaugh and two men known respect
lively Buster and Sam. The truth OF this was
tabshod to the satisfaction Of your correspondent
upon meeting Mr.. @. T. Newman. last night.
on his way to Camp Sheridan. He stated that.
some twelve miles from there, while coming up the
prairie in an oblique direction from that taken by
your correspondent skirting the sand hills border
ing the Bad Lands, he was overtaken by . courier.
who informed him Of the murders. The
bodies Of the first three named found
by some mon from ranches below on the river and
buried. No trace has yet been discovered Of Sam.
but no doubt exists that he has been killed. he
at the north rancho with Buster. The bodies of
Moorehead and Ashbaugh found fearfully multi
ated the rancho with their skulls crushed
in and clothing cut of and lying under them. Tho
body Of Buster between the north and lower
ranches. The two ranches are about ten miles
apart. At about the time Moorchcad and his men
were killed tho Indians OF tho horses OF &
md hot MI two tharr
named Alsop and Hopper. who escaped. it is be-
loved. with their lives. Tho Moorehead rancho
was burned to the ground and tho
dcred men all scalped. The Indians took
heavy silver watch from Mr.. Moorehesd. supposed
to be the same given to young Hastings, who was
with witherens train. robbed by them a few days
aftcrward. The killing of the men is believed to
have occurred about January 2s. but until yesterday
nothing conhrmatory in the way of details was known
about here.
DULL KSIPE REronTED KILLED.
II has been urged by the military that the great
chief Of the Cheyenncs Dull Knife. was killed. lie
is considered by the Northern Chcyennes their
foremost general and tactician. though quite old
and debntatcd from disease. Your
pondcnt believing he was alive has pursued
his inquiries pcrsistcnty since his flight from the
guard at Fort Robinson the night of the outbreak.
and able to say that he Is alive and
rccuperating. though very feeble. hsvc
also asccrtaincd tho spot where the lodge is
in which he is resting. and tho manner of
his reaching there well tho Sioux warrior who
received him and under whose caro- he now
is. have also had an interesting inter-
view with Little Big Man. who Is reported
to have killed more men than any warrior
among the Sioux. and who is preparing for the war
path, an account of which, as well details about
Dull Knife. I obliged TO defer until tomorrow
owing TO the ia.cncss OF the hour and tho necessity
of sending forward this despatch.
FEErING ANoSo rHE SIOUX.
The troops probably will not pursue the escaped
Chcyenncs the reservation of the Sioux which
is tho route they have shrcwdy TAKEN II Is thought