The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-01-25
CLOSE OF ANOTHER INDIAN WAR.

l
from Camp Robinson to escape the dire alter
native of being frozen or starved to death, has
been brought to close. It those detachable
agents whom our model government placed in
chargl Of them we're unable to cocrcc them
| bv the process of freezing or starvation, they
could nj least dispatch them "Io the happy
hunting grounds ny the sword or carbnc.
In our last we mentioned that these unhap-
by Indian, had been pursued in their flight
from Fort Robinson for two days, when all at
once their trail was lost, and on the supposi,
ton that they had cvaporatcd in thin air or
lodged into the woods the pursucrS gave tup
and returned to Camp Robinson
The whole body OF Indians who had got
away consisted of IS, OF whom 10 wors men
and 9G women and children. All were miScr-
ably clad-though the thermometer was in the
ncighbolhood Of zero--half starved, and some
of them suffering from wounds.
On the 10Th it was decided that the pursuit
should be resumed and Capt Vessels with
two companies Of cavalry and pack train
with six days provisions was dispatched on
the expedition, After march Of - miles the
command cncampcd for the night, in blisstul
ignorance that they were but two miles from
the camp of the Indians. Next morning their
trail was discovered, and the command fol
lowed il closely, over the toughest kind Of
roads to Hot Creek, where the troops halted
Suspecting the savagcs entrcnched in hill
near by, five men were sent forward to recon
hotter, when Il vollcy from the savages killed
one of thCm-Privatc Barber. The others fled .
the savagcs scalping poor Barber, stripping
him of ms clothes, carbne and pistols, and
obtaining 40 rounds Of ammunition.
Capt Vessels was Supplied. After due de-
liberation, he decided to send Lieut.. Dodd
with a small escort to Red Cloud agency, 100
miles away, for dozen Of Sioux scouts To as
slst HIM.
After two days waiting, cncamped in view
of the dead body Of poor Barber, Capt. IVES
sells concluded to make an heroic attempt to-
recover it, lie picked out eight of his bravcst
men, and heading them in person, they "brav-
drawn sabres in the right and revolver in the
left hand" TO their surprise on venturngI
within shooting distance, they discovered that
the Indians were gone, the trail leading west
ward. Vessels and his brave men returned
to camp and there found Col. Evans, who had
just arrived with four more companies of cav
airy, and now took command Col Evans
ordered the trail TO be taken up Immediately
and it was soon found to lead III the direction
of Red Clouds camp, for which the Indian'
were evidently making.
Next day Lieut. bod also joined the com
mand, accompanied by - Sioux cut-thrOats of
the most approved type to act as scouts and
tralcrs
The pursuit was now (2lsU "hotn until al
range of hills was reached where the fug-I
tives were found to be cntrenched in strong
position. Col. Lewis "comprchcndcd the sit
uation at glance" and with his six cavalry
against 10 lndians) made "A bold
and daring charge driving the Indians from
their stronghold Col. Evans supposed they
had disappeared among the ravines of the
bluff, but in fact they had struck out boldly
across the prairie towards their old rifle pits
On Chadron creek, where they had SO ctlec-
lively held the troops at bay last October But
Vessels with his scouts cspcd the escaping
Cheycnncs and the pursuit was resumed and
kept up all night. In the morning, when
within 30 yards of them, the Indians opened
fire on the pursucrs, killing Sergt Taggert
and woundlng Capt. Vessels Slightly and
Sergt. Ambrose. But the troops "bravcly"
rushed lorward-(400 wellmountcd and thor
oughly equipped dragons and scouts "
against 45 tired, jaded, footsore, halfstarved
beings, OF whom twothlrds were helpless wo-
men and children ')-and all of the enemy but
seven were killed then and there, the seven
who got away beng doubtless wounded.
Thus ended this heroic ampagn-Presldent
IIaycss fourth Indian war But what must
ne the moral effect of such II campaign on Red
cloud himself, for instance, who can bring
1000 warriors into the field, and To whom II
nation e forty millions of people came as sup
plants for dozen Of warriors to and 400 white
braves to capture and slaughter 10 men and
lozen or two helpless women and children
No wonder the Sioux are exhibiting II turbu-
cnt disposition, and who can estimate the
consequences of such imbccility To the cy-
posed frontier settlers next summer?