The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-03-29
should not have been surprised. lie
pulled ut OF the sickness apparently
better than before, and his sudden
death was wholly unexpected by me-"
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

George Crook was born near Dayton
Ohio, Sept. 8, 1928. He was gradu.
ated at the United States military
academy in 1862, and was on duty
with the fourth infantry in California
in 1s52-'61. He participated in the
Rouge river expedition in 1855, and
commanded the Pitt river expedition
in 1857, where he was engaged in sew
erai actions, in one OF which ne Was
wounded by an arrow. He had risen
to q captaincy, when, at the beginning
Of the civil war, he returned to the
East and became colonel OF the Thir-
ty.sixth Ohio infantry. He after
wards served in the West Virginia
campaigns, in command Of the third
PROVISIONAL brigade. from May TO
Aug. Is, 1852, and was again wound
ed in the action at Lewisburg. Heen-
gagged in the Northern Virginia and Ma
ryland campaigns in August and Sep-
tember, 1862 and for his services at An
tietam was brevetted lieutenant colon
el United States army. He served in
Tennessee in 1858, and on July / he
was transferred to the command OF
the Secoud cavalry division. After
various actions, ending IN the battle
oil Chickamauga, he pursued Wheeler's
Confederate cavalry from the lst to
the 10th of October, defeated 1t, and
drove it across to Tennessee With
great loss. He entered upon the COM
mand OF the Kanawha district in
Western Virginia IN February, 1854,
made constant raids, and was la
numerous actions. He took part in
Sheridan's Shenandoah campaign in
the autumn OF that year, and received
the brevetts OF brigadier general ami
major general in the United States
army March IS, 1895. General Crook
had command OF the cavalry OF the
army of the Potomac from March 20
to Ayril 8, during which time he was
engaged at Dlnwiddie Court House,
Jettersville, Sailors Creek and Farm
vile, till the surrender at Appomat-
tox. He was atterward transferred to
the command OF Wilmington, N. c.,
where he remained from Sept. /, 1865,
till Jan. Is, 1896, when he was mus
tered out of the volunteer service.
After q six weeks leave OF absence he
was assigned to duty on the board
appointed to examine rifle tactics,
was commissioned lieutenant colonel
of the Twsnty.third infantry, u. S. A.,
on the 2Sth Of July, 1865, and rs.
signed to the district of Boise, Idaho,
where he remained until 1872, active
ly engaged against the Indians. In
1879 Gen. Crook was assigned to the
Arizona district to quell the Indian
disturbances. He sent an ultimatum
to the chiefs to return to their reser-
vations, or "be wiped from the face
OF the earth" No attention was paid
to his demand, and he attacked them
In the Tonic basin, stronghold
deemed impregnable, and forced sub
mission. In 1875 he was ordered to
quell the disturbances in the Sioux
and Cheyenne nations in the North
west, and defeated those Indians in
the battle Of Powder River, Wy.
oming. In March another battle,
which resulted in the destruction
OF 125 lodges, and in June the
battle of Tongue River, wers
victories for Crook. A lew days
later, the battle OF the Rosebud gave
HIM another, when the maddened saw
ed In crushing Custer. Crook, on re-
ceiving reinforcements, struck q severe
blow at Slim Butts, OAK, and followed
it up with such relentless vieor that
by May, 1877, all the hostile tribes in
the Northwest had yielded. In 1882
he returned to Arizona, forced the
Mormons, squatters, miners and
stock. .raisers to vacats the Indian
lands, on which they had seized, en-.
couraged the Apaches in planting and
pledged them the protection OF the
government. In the spring OF 1883
the Chiricahaus entrenched themselves
in the businesses of the mountains on
the northern Mexican boundary and
began q series of raids, (fen. Crook
struck the trail, and, instead OF fol.
lowing, took it backward, penetrated
into and took possession OF their
strongholds, and, as fast as
the warriors returned from their
plundering excursions, made them
prisonsrs. He marched over
200 miles, made 400 prisoners and
captured all the horses. During the
two years following he had sole charge
of the indians, and in that time no
depreciation occurred. He set them all
at work on their farms, abolished the
system of trading and pay in goods
and store orders indulgea IN by con
tractors. paid cash direct to the In
dians, for all his supplies and stinu
lated them to increase exertion. Tht
tribes became self.supporting within
three years.