The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-10
THE INDIANS.
Gen. Merritt Arrives at the Front.
GALLANT ACTION OF THE TROOPS.

Merritts command from Rawlins: He says
We marched continuously on Saturday
night, not hating for single moment, MAX
ing 10 miles in "a hours. 1t will be remem-
bered that the command left here at 1880 a.
m. They marched 40 miles on that day The
second day they marched so miles The men
endured the march splendidly.
They realized that few of their comrades
in arms were surrounded, and their safety de-
pended upon the quick movement of their
Command consequently there was no COM
plants. Several horses were so worn out that
they had to be abandoned, and died on the
road. The command arrived at the scene of
the action on Sunday, Oct. 9Th, after march
ing 70 miles the day previous. When Gen.
Merritt's advance guard reached Capt. Payne's
pickets they were commanded by the picllets
to halt and in order to inform Capt. Payne
that it was the relief column approaching he
caused his trumpter t. ound the officers call.
Capt Dodge's company of the 9th Cavalry
was there when Gen. Merritt arrived. He ar
rived on Thursday, and had to cut his way in.
In the engagement he lost 50 out OF ms 80
horses. Doctors Grimes and Kimball went to
work caring for the wounded Immediately
upon their arrival. Merritt's march was a
great military success. Major Thornburgh's
body has been recovered
Gen. Merritt does not mention having met
any Indians, and the report of his battle is not
yet credited: About 50 head OF horses, belong
ing to Geo. Baggs, were taken out of their cor
raj on Snake River, and driven off on the
night of Oct, 9th
It is thought to be the work of white men,
as no Indians were seen in the neighborhood.
Cen Crook has established his headquarters
at Fort Steele, but comes here every morning
and remains during the day, returning home
in the evening. He is watching things closely
and despatching messengers daily. Captain
ellis, QuartermaSter, is here, and to him be-
supplies in shorter time than any officer on
record. 1t is due to his promptness that the
troops were enabled to go the front 50 prompt
ly.
Gen. Merritt Instructed to Push Ahead.
RAwLINs, wy. T., Oct S.-Although letters
from Capt. Payne's command for the press
mention no fight as having occurred between
Gen. Merritt and the Indians yet two letters,
one from an officer and another from private
in Capt. Payne's command speak of Gen. Mer-
rtt's fight and mention the number OF Indians
killed.
Gen. Crook sends two couriers to Gen. Mer-
rift with instructions to push ahead, and with
the assurance that every assistance will be
given him which is at the command of this de-
partment
Gen. Merritt has 157 pack-mules already. and
14O more will soon be on the way to him from
Rawlins These mule trains will enable Gen.
Merritt to make a rapid march in any direc-
ton, if necessary, without wagons. Gen.
Crook has also arranged to replace Immediate
ly the 300 horses and mules slaughtered at Milk
river ITO are now collected at Cheyenne.
Another Account Of Gen. Merritt's Arri-
val.
The following is an account of Gen. Merritt's
arrival at Capt. Payne's camp, by one OF the
command:
It was about half-past five o'clock in the
morning when the sentinels were startled by
the appearance of Gen. Merritt's advance
guard The men of the advance approached
SO silently and confidently that the sentinels
~ loss xxrho of RI mako of than in the
dusk of the morning.
The sudden thought was that these daybreak
spectres must be Indians; yet, such audacity
seemed incredible The sentinels challenged
them. The answer came friends" Gen.
Merritt, perceiving the hesitation of our men,
ordered his trumpeter to sound the officers
call. No such bugle note ever raised the hearts
of exhausted yet not despairing men to hope
and touching enthusiasm. Our bedraggled,
dirty, unkempt, remainder of what had been
confident column less than week before, lift
ed its diminished head from behind its hideous
barricade and gazed at first with astonish-
ment next with growing wonder, and at last
with perfect frenzy of joy at the advancing
platoons of the 9TH Cavalry, with Gen. Merritt
at their head and the trumpet still sounding,
which fell between the wagons into our circle
Uttered with the debris of the siege. My God,
for it is impossible to restrain the exclamation,
how we did welcome with such faint cheers as
we could lift out of our parched and dusty
thrOatS, bnaG GLORIOUS ulSpldy WulCH SceHlSu
like feverish vision of the morning! The
wounded, who had strength to do it, presented
their rifles Paddock and his companions in
the hospital pit, slowly wrenched themselves
upright upon their knees Capt Payne, young
Almy, son Of Admiral Almy, who had just
graduated from West Point, and others, pressed
forward to meet Gen. Merritt and the officers
surrounding him.
All raised their hats, and for few moments
there was a repetition OF a scene SO often re.
counted when soldiers have been succored at
the last extremity of war,-of strong men she'd
ding tears of gratitude before their deliverers.
Gen. Merritt and those surrounding him UNI
covered in response to the tribute. Not the
least episode of the moment was the appear
ance of Capt. Dodge and his noble company OF
colored heroes, who stood with muskets at a
present. their heads bowed and their black
cheeks wet with waters that their eyelids could
not hold. In a moment came reaction and
all was activity throughout the camp. Gen.
at once perceived the strategic dangers by
which he was surrounded, and proceeded to
cancel them:
Companies A. and NJ of the Fifth Cavalry
were ordered to occupy the crest on the right,
heretofore held by the Utes,, and two other
companies of the Fifth speedily took posses
sion of the left hand ridge, from which the In
dia ms had for days Toured in upon us an an
noying fire. Gen. Merritt's swift provision
strengthened the other weak points inthe neigh
borhood, and at the time OF this writing our
exhausted force, thus vigilantly protected is at
rest On the heels of Gen. Merritt's advance
came that long-wished for party, the ambu-
lance corps, and Drs. Kimmel and Grimes
have since been hard at work among the
wounded.
Lieut.. Paddock, shot in the thigh, is feeling
much better and will soon be himself again.
Capt. Payne's wounds on the arm are healing
Lieut.. Cherry, big nan, with big heart
who has been the life and soul and good Sa-
marian of the camp through the past week OF
suspense and misery, has returned with the re-
mains of Major Thornburgh, over which, with
out a description of the savage outrage to
which they were subjected, his comrades cast
the mantle of their griefs.
Another Report About Agent Meeker.
NEW YORK, Oct 9-According to despatch
from Los Pinos, yesterday, stating that the In
dams had shot the agent, and the men had
been shot in attempting to escape, the wife OF
Agent Meeker and his daughter, Miss Joseph
inc, Mrs. Price and her two children and boy
named Thompson have been spared by the
Utes. Those killed at the agency are the
Agent, N. G. Meeker, Frank and Harry
Dresser, E. l.. Mansfield, w. H. Post, Mr..
Price, Frederick Shepherd and George Eaton,
the number of murdered men being eight.
The Colored Troops Complimented.
CHICAGO, Oct. 9.-The officers express great
satisfaction with the action of Capt. Dodge
and his colored troops who, although under no
orders made the perilous march through the
| infested country with 40 men and forced
his way through the savages into the camp
| with unequalled valor and pluck. The In
dams have peculiar hatred for colored troops
| which the latter return.
Merritt's Report Criticized.
Merritt's report is criticized, as giving no
important facts respecting the situation on
Milk River, it being taken up with laudation
of his subordinates, the nature OF whose ser
vices he fails to disclose and whom he should
at any rate commend in a future written re-
port 1t is believed the consolidated COM
mands are now en- route for the White River
agency The greatest interest is manifested
for the safety of that post.
Major Thornburgh's Successor.
WASHINGTON, Oct. Capt. Isaac D. Derus-
sy is promoted to the rank of Major OF the
Fourth Infantry, to fill the vacancy caused by
the death of Maj. Thornburgh He is ordered
to join the station in the Department of the
Platte. Before promotion Major Derussy was
captain in the First Infantry, and was the
senior infantry captain in the ser vice.
WILLOW FEVER