Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-30
Written for The EVENING STAR
AFTER THE CHEYENNES.
How General Merritt Outwitted Indians
at Their Own Tactics.

THE cHEYENNEs BREAK FOR THE wAR-PArH-
EIGHTY-FIvE MILES on THE JUMP AND FIRST
AT THE FoRD-THE oHErENNEs IN FULL FORCE
| ANOTHER FEATHER FOR BUFFALO BILL.
tCopyrieht 1889 by the Author)
The chase after the Sioux on July had made
our presence west of the Black Hills well
known to all the Indians at the reservation.
No more could take that route in going to REIN
force Sitting Bull, and General Merritt was
prompt to accept the situation. Early the next
morning, the GLORIOUS Fourth while the as
sembled thousands of the nation were having
gorgeous time at the centennial at Philadel-
phia, we fellows of the fifth cavalry were riding
through clouds of alkali dust up the valley of
the South Cheyenne, and scouting out the In
dian trails southwest of the hills. On the 9th
we were camped along the banks of what was
| then called Sage creek, near a little outpost
where small detachment of infantry guarded
the road. the spring and a stage station. The
stages had quit running, for it was almost GER
tain death to ride the Black Hills road this
centennial summer, and only in large parties
| and with strong escorts did the miners venture
to push their way thither.
SAD NEWS.
| courier had been sent to Fort Laramie
with report Of the situation, and while await
ing Gen. Sheridan's orders we grazed our
horses all day of the 9th. and were at it again
! on the hot morning of the It'll and busily en-
gagged fighting flies. and party of us junior
officers were just coming up from refreshing
! dip in pool under the willows when Buffalo
Bill came toward us, his handsome face clouded
| with deep trouble, and simply stunned US by
the announcement: Cluster and most of the
18th wiped out of existence. The general has
the official dispatch" Then we knew. of course,
az tra hn nr6a hut 10 oh
to the Big Horn to reinforce Gen. Crook, on
whom the Indians would now be able to con-
centrate their entire force. Very little was
said. The whole camp seemed awe-stricken,
and there was only one man in the regiment
| who did not appear eager for the coming of the
! order. The longing to do something to avenge
that disaster to our comrade regiment was
uppermost in every heart-except one, and
Merritt sent that individual about his business
as soon as we got within reaching distance of
Fort Laramie, and the muster rolls of the fifth
cavalry were relieved of name which no one
mentioned but with contempt
| ON THE MARCH,
Not until the 18th of July, however did or
ders reach us from Sheridan. On the morning
of the 18th we were taking the back track for
the Patteriver, with instructions to refit at Lar
| amle march by the south bank to Fetterman,
then push out nortbward for Tongue river. where
We would find Crook in his ntrenched camp
HlSul We cdUlptu around the cardinal 8
chair. i'll Niobrara valley. wet to the skin from
! a previous rain storm. The next night we were
under the lee of friendly old Rawhide peak and
fully expected at dawn to make long day
march southwark for Laramie.
RENEGADE CHEYENNEs.
! What was our surprise. however. when as we
mounted and silently moved away, the colonel
turned the head of the column eastward. and
down the Rawhide we rode until. at noon we
half Tod md llI.1 -
! stream is crossed by the wagon track from Fort
Laramie to the great reservation. and the rea-
son was soon given. Eight hundred Indians of
the Southern Cheyenne tribe had been having
war dances and loading up with ammunition
| and supplies, and the infantry commander at
| the nearest post felt so certain of their inten-
ton that he sent couriers to warn Merritt. OF
| course the Indian agents saw nothing alarming
in these preparations. but Major Jordan got
| news that made him believe they meant to
Jump and rush to join Sitting Bull
They had no grievance. They were well fed.
clothed. cared for by the government They
simply couldn't stand being lockers on when
! their comrades were having such revel in
scaips and plumber. Major Jordan. with his
little force. couldn't stop them. especially as
they had two or three ponies apiece. and he had
nothing but foot troops. Merritt was ordered
in exactly the opposite direction, but Merritt
well knew what Sheridan. would require of him
if he could but see the stuation. He turned
| at noon on Saturday, the 18th, there came to
him authentic tidings from the reservation.
Col Stanton, who had been sent thither to look
into the situation, dashed off in few words the
| news that on Sunday at dawn the Cheyennes
| would leave in body.
Now.CAME MERRIrT's OPPORTUNITY.
1t was 70 miles by road to where these In
dams were camped. 1t would never do to push
straight for the reservations. That would only
drive them out ahead of us. Their course
! would be northwesterly, and they would cross
| the Cheyenne near where we were camped on
the LIST of July. Merritt determined to move
at once to go back on his own tracks-a round
| about course-utterly binding them as to his
intentions. To let them get away from the
! reservations, but to throw himself across their
path among the breaks of Hat or Indian
creek, and thrash them well for their treach-
cry. Leaving the wagon train to follow with
its guard Merritt had seven companies in sad
die at l o'clock. Then away we went-west-
ward. away from the reservation away from
the Cheyennes, and marching easily as though
the last thing we thought CT was interference
with their projects. Fourteen miles out we
halt, unsaddle, water our horses in the shad-
! ows Of Rawhide peak again, let them Craze
| awhile, perhaps twenty minutes. then mount
again, and, trotting now, move away north
| westward. BY p. m. we have turned square
to the north. and yet are SO far to the west of
the reservations we feel convinced the Indians
have not followed with their spies.
IN THE NIoBRARA VALLEY
At sunset we are descending into the valley
Of the Niobrara; at 10 p. m. we silently halt.
dislnount. unsaddle, lead out our horses to
Craze and rest again, strongly hobbled and
! "lariated." We have marched only thirty five
miles, but we are saving our horses for the
work of the morrow. We post strong guards
and pickets to secure US against surprise. Capt.
Hayes and are officers in charge Of them. and
| while the rest of the command roll into Blankets
for few hours dose we trudge around from
sentry to sentry, blessing the fates that spare
US storm and send the soft starlight At mid
night Lieut. Hall arrives with the wagon train.
AT in the morning Merritt noiselessly arouses
his officers and men; we breakfast on coffee
and bacon; our horses get capital feed of oats:
again we saddle and mount in the pallid Qray
| of the dawn, and at a. M are climbing out of
| the valley on our nOrthward way Just about
the time the Indians are leaving Red Cloud.
| FIRST AT THE FORD.
Now Wen see who first will reach the fords.
Riding northwestward they have some % miles
to go, driving their travels ponies (for the
sduaws go with them to take care of the large
supply Of provisions they have laid I'M and will
probably camp tonight in some of the breaks
east of the crossing of the war bonnet" the
- l. 49, L