Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-13
lCOPyrisnt 1881

ICoPyrisnt Isse.I
once having slipped out from between the
mclosinS columns Of Crook and Terry the hos
uies seemed to have scattered all over the
"or'h"est- sitting Bull, with several tribes.
crossed the Yellowstone, closely pursued by
Deheral Niles. Ierry's second in commando but
the OgalIalas and Brules hurried eastward
across the Little Missouri, and large number
O. Indians who hailed from Standing Rock and
0ther reservations along the big Missouri
went with them. Terry, with his command.
Was left to handle all who remained along the
Yellowstone. Crook. with his now ragged regi-
ments, pushed on after the Indians who had
Skipped from the department of the Platte
There were between 5000 and 1000 of these
hostlles known to be out, and Crazy Horse
VS. probably the principal chief.
SIGNS OF INDIANS.
The whole country was covered with signs.
despite the pouring rains, but only an occa-
siOnal Indian could our scouts catch sight Of
Late IN August We were marching day after day
through wild and picturesque region. We
had neither tents nor more than one blanket
apiece. Our horses were growing weaker
every day. for the Indians had burned off the
grass and We had no grain We passed the
wonderful Sentinel Buttes'' and clambered
the high bluffs at the headwaters of the Beaver
We forded the Little Missouri not far from
where the Northern Pacific bridges it now and
at last reached the little streams that form the
Heart river. only to find that the Indians had
scattered still more. some going east. many
south, and our ratlOns were almost gone.
SOUTHWARK By COMPASS.
Gen. Crook was not the man to hesitate. 1t
would never DO to let that great force of hostile
Indians go southwark unpursued. All the set
Elements Of the Black Hills-all the denuded
stations of Northern Nebraska and Wyoming
would have been at their mercy. Putting us on
half ratlOns. he gave the order to march south
ward by compass. IL estimated that we
could reach the settlements in the Black Hills
III twelve days. and-if the worst came TO the
Worst-we could live on our horses and mules.
CAVALRY AFooT.
There were plenty of men in the column by
this time who would have been glad to go east
ward to Fort Lincoln where rations could be
had in IL, MY. but that was not our chiefs plan,
and he was right. Away we went, over rolling.
treCle~s ruin-sOaked prairie. Heavensi How it
raincd. Day and night-drip. drip, drip-and.
wet to the skin. We logged stolidly along until
our horses got too weak to carry US; Then we
dl-mOun:ed and tOwed them after us. My poor
old DOnnybrOOk was used up that he could
not OF would not walk as fast as | could and /
had 70 have trooper. trudging behind him, to
prod him with sharp stick every minute.
Even then he nearly pulled my arms out of
their sockets. After the fourth DAYS march
the ratlons were all gone except little coffee
and hard tack.
EXISTING on HORSE FLESH
The men were starving, and then came the
memorable Order-three horses of each bat
TALON -four companies) to be slaughtered
each day for food. Many Of the poor brutes
had gwen out entirely and were abandoned
Inc weakest and scrawniest were sacrificed
ana 1t was case OF the survival of the
httest' helped eat poor DOnnybrOok-and
IL seemed Ike cannlbalism. but it was that or
my boots, and there was little left but the legs
OF them. The adjutant had to be the active
ana Wlde-awake man; the field notes and
'tOpogglng" had to be kept I'D and-hard tack
crumbs did not furnish the needful sustenance
But how tough was Donnvbrook, He fed that
night the headquarters party and company
III and very little of him went good ways.
AT TIE BASE OF THE HILLS.
Then my saddle was shifted to the 'spare''
mount the colonel had been saving for me.
They were all spare enough that centennial
September. God knows and the work went on.
Let me condense this by saying that when after
eleven days of pouring. pitlless rain we reached
the Belle FOurche at the northern base of the
Hills. tEree-fOurths Of our cavalry, second
third ana NTH regiments made the last two
days march atOOt. One-half of our horses
were broken down for good. One-fourth had
fallen never 10 rise again. and dozens had been
eaten 10 keep Us, their riders. alive.
CATCHING CRAZY HORSE.
1t would have been worse. but for an inter-
mediate incident. We caught Crazy Horse.
We jumped the big village of his biggest chief.
We Toasted on Indian pony and jerked buffalo
meat, and We had two-what Phil kearney of
glorious memory would have called lovely
tights. and this Is how it happened Seeing
how men and horses were starving. our general
picked out Major Arson Mills. OF the third cav
airy: told him to take $50 men and all the serv-
Y. IL - -.
10 the hill settlements. buy up all the provisions
10 be had, and hasten back to meet US They
left US the night of September Z, near the head
waters of the Grand river. and | well remem-
Der how dim and CHASTITY they looked as they
rode silently away through the squashv mud
into the impenetrable darkness at the south.
DISTINGUISHED LIGUTEyANrs.
MiIls had with him three lieutenants already
distinguished with Us. but whom the whole
nation has since learned TO know-Emmet
Crawford. he whom the Mexicans murdered
but a lew years since: Won LucLtWitZ who lost
his l"g To pay Tor the honor Of going with the
advance. and l. now. too, i'll his soldier grave:
aud Fred ScEwatka. VINO never lost a chance
FOR adventure. and = at 1t Vet. though he long
sIuce swapped the sword for the pen You viii
hear from him next IN Mexico. and. nv the w.y.
not month ago there was gathering of five
Uf the participants in this strange campaign in
GeHcral CROOK ONCE IN Chicago. and
A TALK OVER OLD TINES
that VII not be soon forgotten by one of the
i've at least. First and foremost was the mod
ct general himself. looking no older and far
less carrworn than he did ia 20 Then our old
PO.euiic'tl paymaster' Col Stanton be who
l., SSed Oh shop work to come out and serve
oh Crook. stan all through the vicissitudes of
TINS tough summer and autumn; then Buffalo
Bail. himself. our old chief scout. then
Schwatka. who led the charge for Arson Mills
1T Sim BIttes. and. finally. the ex-adiutant and
Held uOte-taker OF the firth cavalry the pres
ent writer. We were talking of the night mat
Mills rode away in the darkness and what hap
PtAed 50 soon after.
AT DAYBRELK
on the morning of the 9Th OF September we OF
the hfth cavalry rolled out of our dripping
blankets. breakfasted on what cold chunks of
hOrse-meat were left over from the night pre-
NiOus-we had nothing else-swung stIffiv into
saddle. and. following the lead of Gen. Merritt
and brigade headquarters. rode away In long
column Of tw0s into the fOg-bank that envel-
UPgd the earth. Presently that began TO thin
Ou; and We could see ahead-the scouts far at
TIE 'front.'. scattered over the prairie. watching
Tor Indians or game; Crooks headquarter
party and escort. few cavalry skirmishers
Aerrltts little escort huddled about the limp
HId dropping battle-fsg: then at the head OF