The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-06-01
DAKoTA,s HISTORIC GROUND.
The Pullman Car Speeds BY the SpC
Where Crook and Custer Fought.

The Northern Pacific spans the river
just four miles north of what is known
as Clusters Crossing, and could see
from the windows of the Pullman car
the tops of the amphitheatre of hills
amid which Gen. Crooks brigade en-
camped in the dreary fall of 1876, tent
less, rationless and under ID pelting
rain, which converted the whole coun-
try around into a veritable quagmire.
The contrast between my wretched,
muddy bivouac of that time and the
comforts of civilization on wheels as
now experienced made me feel as if
sixty instead of sixteen years had
passed SINCE that unpleasant yet STIR
ring period.
"Are we out of Dakota yet?" in
quired stout man, one of party of
four engaged in playing whist across
the aisle in the sleeper
Pretty nearly" l answered, as l
saw the well-remembered crests of
Sentinel Buttes-the outlying pickets
of the mighty battle line of the Little
Missouri bluffs-rising only a short
distance away on our right. Crooks
scouts had a skirmish there with q
body of Indians in the memorable Slim
Buttes campaign. On our left could
see distinctly the two razor-backed
bluffs through which the brigade, all
bedraggled and disgusted, had defiled
towards the Little Missouri in rs, and
the remembrance of many a brave
comrade now no more caused feel
ing of sadness to steal over me- We
had camped on Andrews creek, and
on Beaver creek, called also the Indian
Fork of the Little Missouri, at the
period to which had referred.
Crooks soldiers were mustered in
the valley of the latter stream, accord
ing to the bi-monthly custom. I won
dered how many of those brave and
stalwart men would now respond to
roll-call on this side of eternity. But,
though the old campaigners have
mostly passed away, the valleys re-
main, and they are among the most
fertile to be found in the great cattle
ranges of eastern Montana. Night
had fallen as we passed rapidly-for
the train goes fast on that section of
the road-Glendive O'Fallon, Blatch-
ford, Powder River crossing and Miles
City-an famous in Indian history, the
latter being on the site of Gen. Miles
cantonment of 1876-'77, when he in
ficted such heavy blows upon the hos
tiles in that region.
A number of soldiers of the Twenty
second Infantry, regiment long and
gloriously associated with the 'front.'
ier, got on the cars at Miles bound for
their post at Fort Keogh, only three
miles westward. We stopped at the
Fort depot to let them off, and heard
the challenge of the sentinels and the
rattle of arms as, one by one, they
passed in. A short, compactly-built
officer came upon the platform as we
were leaving, and / thought / recog-
nized in him my old friend Mai. W.
H. Powell, distinguished in warfare
against the savages. The last station
heard called out was Rosebud.
Sixty or more miles north, near the
headquarters of the stream, Crook
fought his big battle with the COM
bined Sioux and Cheyenne tribes on
June II, 1876, and up through that
dark and winding canon Gen. Custer
marched at the head of the Seventh
Cavalry less than week later to the
point where he turned off to the Little
Big Horn, where he forfeited his life
for his daring in the midst of roar
ing flood of angry hostiles the 25th of
that month of battles" 1t is strange
outcome that the Northern Cheyennes,
who fought against our troops more
desperately than any of the other
tribes, have their reservation estab-
ished on the Rosebud near the field
where Cook fought, and within sight
of the Custer battlefield.
They are a brave and spirited tribe
the Spartans of the Indian race
and are held in more respect by their
white neighbors than any other breed
of sayages. Poor fellows! Pinched
with hunger as they have been, they
have refrained from breaking the law.
and many generous ranchman has
given them an occasional beef to
make their hearts feel good" during
the hard times which seem ever to re-
main with this proud, gallant and
justly renowned tribe of native Amer
leans. Under favorable conditions the
Cheyennes would sustain the pen pict-
ures of Fenimore Cooper. They are
the Mohicans of the west.-Medor0
Cor. Chicago Tribune.