The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1890-09-06

Far up in the northwest, along the
banks of the broad, winding stream the
Sioux call the Elk, train of white top
ped army wagons is slowly crawling
eastward. The October sun is hot at
MONDAY, and the dust from the loose
soil rises like heavy smoke and powders
every face and form in the guarding
battalion so that features are well nigh
indistinguishable. Four companies of
stalwart, sinewy infantry, with their
brown rifles slung over the shoulder, are
striding along in dispersed order, cover
ang the exposed southern flank from sud-
den attack, while farther out along the
lT.dge line, and far to the front and rear,
cavalry skirmishers and scouts are rid
ing to and fro, searching every hollow
and ravine, peering cautiously over
every "divide," and signaling "halt" or
forward" as the indications warrant.
And yet not hostile Indian has been
seen; not one, even as distant vedette,
has appeared in range of the binoculars,
since the scouts rode in at daybreak to
say that big bands were in the immediate
neighborhood. 1t has been long, hard
summers work for the troops, and the
Indians have been, to all commands that
boasted strength or swiftness, elusive as
the Irishman's flea of tradition. Only to
those whose numbers were weak or
whose movements were hampered have
they appeared in fighting trim. But
combinations have been too much for
hem, and at last they have been "herd-
ed down to the Elk, have crossed, and
are now seeking to make their way, with
women, children, tepees, dogs, "travois,"
md the great pony herds, to the fast
aesses of the Big Horn; and now comes
ne opportunity for which an old Indian
dghter has been anxiously waiting. In
Dig cantonment he has held the main
oody under his command, while keeping
ont constant scouting parties to the east
and north. He knows we'll that, true to
their policy, the Indians will have scat
tered into small hands capable of reas-
saInbling anywhere that signal smokes
may call them, and his orders are to
watch all the crossings of the Elk and
nab them as they come into his district
lie watches, despite the fact that it is
his profound conviction that the Indians
vii be no such idiots as to come Just
where they are wanted, and he is in no
wise astonished when courier comes in
ON jaded horse to tell him that they have
doubled" on the other column and are
now two or three days march away
lnwn stream, making for the big bend"
lis own scouting parties are still out to
,aa eastward; he can pick them up as
he goes. He sends the main body of his
fantry, a regiment jocularly known as
The Rifiers," to push for landing
some fifty miles down stream, scouting
he lower valley of the Sweet Root on
The way. He sends his wagon train,
suarded by four companies of foot and
40 of horsemen, by the only practi-
n2ble road to the bend, while he, with
IN seasoned "troops" of his pet regi-
'aent, the TIL cavalry, starts forthwith
"a long detour in which he hopes to
round up" such bands as may have
pped away from the general rush.
en- as "boots and saddles" is sound
x, other couriers come riding in from
J Lieut.. Cranes party. He has struck the
rail of a big band.
When the morning sun dawns on the
Ilicturesque valley i'll which the canton
ffent nestled but the day before it illu-
mes an almost deserted village, and
rings no joy to the souls of some two
ore of embittered civilians who had ut-
II ed only the day Previous, and whose
aaninio,is verdict Is tina. the ARMY is d
std and ought to be abolished. For
ar months or more some three regi-
aents had been camping. scouting,
ughing it whereabouts with not cent
c ray. Then came the wildly exciting
idings that a boat was on the way up
lie Missouri with satrap of the pay de-
artnent, vast store of shekels and a
rung guard, and as q consequence there
KG'h he some 1000 men around the