, 1891-06-28

bud battlefield. Instructions we're re-
ceived from the war department to wait
for achievements. On August 3, Gen.
Merritt, with ten companies OF the 9Th
clyalry reached Crook and on the 5th of
August a memorable march vas made
down Tongue river to the Rosebud until a
junction was made with Terry. Crooks
Command now numbered twenty Ave com
panies Of cavalry aud ten Of infantry and
a direct march Fast was made across the
mountains for the Powder river and
thence to the Yellowstone.
Aug. % Crook detached a portion Of
command and with them marched to the
Little Missouri and then to the heads Of
Beaver creek and Heart river, where on
the 18th Of September he had a skirmish
with the Indians.
At this time the supplies we're almost
exhausted The nearest supply point
was Fort Lincoln. I25 miles away. Rations
for two days only we're on hand. 1t had
rained continuously for several weeks and
the country was a yea of mud. Indian
trails we're noticed leading southwest
toward the Black Hills, The command
followed in the same direction.
On the night Of Sept 7 Col. Mills Of
the 3rd cavalry with $50 Of the best men
and horses in his command aud a pack
train, under charge of Col Moore,
left the main command aud marched
with Frank Grouard as scout for Dead
wood
At 8 O'Clock on the evening Of the sth
the dense log which had shrouded the
country lifted and Grouard discovered an
Indian horse herd and later located a big
Indian village. Mills put the command
in a deep canyon and early the next morn
ing made a rush with his entire force on
the village. The attack was at dawn
and the Indians were completely surprised.
The cavalry rode into the tee
PEGS and set them aire American
Horse was in command Of the village
which was but a small detachment Of
Crazy Horses main camp.
The village vas completely wiped out.
Eleven soldiers were killed, however, in
the FIGHT, and a number wounded. Lieut..
Won Lutterwitz was wounded in :he leg
aud had to have 1t amputated. Among
the sDoils we're a guidon which had be
longed to Custer. a pair OF ~gauntlets be-
longing to Col Keogh, 7 carbines belong
ing to Clusters command, and a saddle
Dhf,I I.l I..u t.L.. e.. .a-ss 1luItN
in .he Rio d.'u mountains. A courier
was sent back to Crook, and a few min
utes after the man command came M
Crazy Horse with the main body of the
Indians came into the field. The fight
opened and continued until dark. when
the Indians withdrew. Tho loss to the
troops was small; that Of the Indians vas
unknown. Crazy Horses CANT melted
away into small bands, aud the troops
moved on to Dcadwood.
Crook went personally to the Red
Cloud agency, and on Sept 2Oth, with
the 18th cavalry under Gen. Mckenzie at
Fort Robinson he disarmed and dis
mounted Red Clouds force of 1000 In
dams. Red Cloud was deposod as chlei
and Spotted Tail was appointed in his
place. Crooks troops followed him to
Fort Robinson eachin-there OFT 18th
and from there moved to Fort Laramie,
where they immediately organized for the
winter campaign.
They LETT Fort Laramie on November
10Th with six companies of the 9Th cav.
airy and five cumnanies of the 2pd. Bird
and 9TH caynlries, aud some infantry and
artillery acting as infantry. Tbs march
was to Fort F]ettcrnran and then to Pow.
der river.
The wagon a.rr packed and lett with
the dismOunted troops on Crazy Woman
creek. A detachment under Mckenzie
was sent to the north fork Of the Powder
after Dull Kulfe's band Of CheYenncs
They came upon his village November
25th, and at daylight the next morning
surprised the Indians and destroyed the
village. The Indians were driven into the
mountains and the village burned Eight
soldiers we're killed in the fight and a
number wounded. Lieut. Mckinney was
among the slain.
This fight broke the back Of the Indian
nations and the war was practically at an
end. The Indians commenced sending in
emissares to sue for peace, and by June
10Th, ls17, nearly all the Indians in the
country either came to the agencies and
surrendered or fed into British America.
Crazy Horse was one of the leading chiefs
who gave himself up, but old Sitting Bull
and his followers fed to British America.
Alter the surrender OF the Indians
Crook and Sheridan made a tour of the
entire Indian country, starting from Fort
Washakie, down Wind river, across the
Big Horn mountains to Tongue river,
then to the Little Big Horn and to Fort
Custer. Mont.
Col Hart with the 9Th cavalry was
SEM through the Powder river country to
the Rosebud and Little Missouri, and
found the hostiles thoroughly dIsCrgau-
lied, and Gen. Sheridan when he reached
Chicago issued an order declaring the
whole country free from hostiles.
In the fall of 1879 the Utes became
troublesome, and Crook was sent down
into the White river country, where he
succeeded in quoting the disturbance.
In 1878 when the Bannocks broke out
he had his troops in the field to guard the
passes at the head OF Wind river, and at
Clark fork his men intercepted a band