The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-30
THE BAD CHEYENNES.
Gen. Brisbin Describes Their
Career in the West.
STORY OF GREAT INTEREST.
A BIoodfhirsty Set of Rascals-They
Think No Bullet Can Kill Gem
eral Miles.


in semi-hostilty to the whites and the
United States government, live in Rosebud
and Tongue river valleys, Montana, where
they have a small reservation created for
them by the order of the president. They
possess history of uncommon interest
and are as bloodthirsty set of rascals as
ever lived, not even excepting the Sioux,
Comanches and Apaches.
Early in 1875 the bands of Northern
Cheyennes all lived together and frequently
assembled to make war on the whites.
They then inhabited the Powder river and
Big Horn mountains and gathered at No
Wood creek with the avowed purpose of
raiding the settlements. General Reynolds
was sent out from Fort ID. A. Russell with
portions of the Third and Second United
States cavalry regiments to attack them,
and did so, being worsted in an engage
ment among the mountains. Crazy Horse
at that time commanded all the Cheyennes
and made his boast that he could whip any
general in the United States army unless it
was Crook, and he would like a chance to
fight Crook. / was campaigning that year
on the Yellowstone, and while at old Fort
Pease heard of General Reynolds defeat,
and that Crook was coming with Mcken-
zie's regiment, Fourth cavalry, and some
infantry 20 give GRAVY Horse battle. This
was about March 6. 1876. the year Custer
was killed June %, 1861
Crook met Crazy Horse and, after stub
born battle. worsted him and compelled
him to retire FROM the country. The main
battle had been fought on March II by
Crook, who had approached from the
south. over the Fort Reno and Phil kear-
ny route, in Wyoming territory. Al
though successful and compelling the In
dians to retire. the fighting had been so
hard and the weather was so severe that
General Crook was glad to retire himself,
and marched his troops back to Fort Fet-
terman, on the North Platte river.
On thelast of May Crook again advanced
and the Indians gathered their forces on
Goose creek, a tributary to Tongue river.
The Sioux war had been declared and the
Cheyennes made haste to solicit aid fIom
the Sioux. They all joined together and
waited for Crook on the Big Goose river.
Wyoming, near where The city of Sheridan
now stands. On the 18th of June, Crook
having advanced into canyon of the Rose
bud. the Indians in great numbers fell
upon him. The battle lasted all day, and
was one of the severest Indian battles ever
fought on this continent. This battle is
known in history as the battle of the Rose
bud, and was fought on the very head
waters of the Rosebud river. Had it been
any other general than Three Stars"
General Crook his whole army must
inevitably have been lost" sa,d Crazy
Horse afterwards in talking about the bat
tie. But it was Crook himself who di-
rected the movements of the troops, and
strive as he might the great Indian chief
could not make Roadway against the skill
FIJI soldier and Indian tighter, General
George Crook. Yet so effectively did the
chief war against Three Stars" that when
the battle was over Crook was so encum-
bered with wounded he had to retire again
to Big Goose and wait for achievements.
1t was late In June before Crook was pre-
pared to advance down the Rosebud, and
he had hardly commenced his march when
he heard of the death of Custer and his
men, intelligence which shocked the whole
civilized world. Some people have assumed
to criJicise General Crook for not advanc-
ing earlier, and have complained that he
should have held Crazy Horse and his war
riors in his front. so that they could not
have gone to help kill off Custer and his
command. Such people know little about
Indian warfare. The Indian has no settled
country, no well defined lines of defense or
towns and cities to protect, and he makes
war whenever it is most convenient for him
to do so, little caring whether he attacks
the enemy from the front or rear. In
short, the Indian has no home or local
habitation in his wild state. and roams
wherever his will or fancy leads him.
After the death of Custer, Crazy Horse
and his band kept with Sitting Bull. going
over to Tongue river, down the Tongue
and thence over to Powder river Here
the Cheyenues separated from Sitting Bull,
who went north, and Crazy Horse turned
east and south, going toward the Black
Hills. Crook followed the trail until it be-
came so scattered as to be almost undis-
tinguishable. This was a ruse of the great
Indian TO scatter Crooks columns and
then, by suddenly concentrating before
Crook could do so. fall upon him and de.
feat him in detail How near he came to
being successful was painfully evident.
Gn September 14th, al Slim B1ttes, $50
miles from Cheyenne river agency, where
the Indians were found concealed and
ready in force to pounce upon Crooks
weakest column, but they were BETRAYED
by Cheyenne woman who had a husband
in Crooks camp and feared he might be
killed by the soldiers in case the troops
suffered defeat. What was TO be a sur.
prise of the troops became surprise of the
Indians, and suddenly Crook fell upon
thirty lodges of Crazy Horse, which were
his outpost. and killed them nearly all near
Slim Buttes. Following UP his success. led
by the same woman, Crook surprised Crazy
Horses main column and scattered il to
the four winds. In small companies and
attachments the remaining bands of the
great chief made their way back to the
Yellowstone near Powder river, and thence
up the Yellowstone river TO Tongue river.
Rosebud and Suicide or Hanging Woman's
creek. Ihey intended TO rest here for the
winter, but scarcely had they made their
camp when they heard another great In
dian hghter-Buffalo Coat General Milesl
was coming from the south to CAPTURE
and destroy their village, men, women and
children. Buffalo Coat was said to be a
huge man with a horn growing out be-
tween his eyes more than a foot long. wi; h.
winch he ripped up women and gored
children to death. They were in great ter
ror and about to pull down their village
and make for the mountains, when they
learned Miles had gone north after Sitting
Bull.
Crazy Horse assured his people they
were safe for the winter, but thew were
restless and afraid OF Buffalo Coat. the
man with the big horn on his head. On
being importuned daily TO move TO a Mace
of greater safety, Crazy Horse at last
listened TO the prayers of his people and
went TO the mountains. Crook. having
returned to Omaha and learning that
Crazy Horse was again in his DEPARTMENT.
at once set about preparing. a column at
Old Fort Fetterman to go after him.
party OF the Cheyennes had gone with
Sitting Bull, and these during the winter
OF 1867. were located on Dry Fork of the
Missouri river, near old Fort Peck. They
were restless and dissatisfied, and had
sent runners every two months 10 COM
municate with Crazy Horse. Buffalo Coat
and his horn were very active and kent
moving about constantly, no matter how
cold the weather might be. Nobody was
safe, and tue Indians could not sieep at
night for fear OF being walked up by the
shouts OF Miles and his Fifth infantry.
They had even stolen ponies and mounted