Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-11-21


mufied to their eyebrows, manned the
rifle pits and guard line and threw their
sheltering wings over the deserted
camps. For good or for i'll, the crisis
was at hand Whatsoever doubt had
existed as to the almost universal hos
tility of the Sioux was banished by the
events of the preceding week. The at
tempted mbush of Sergeant Ellis, of
Berriens advance guard, the attack
upon the scouts and couriers at the Por-
cupine, and, lastly, the affair at the
Wolf, in which Brewster second time.
had gained distinction, all pointed I'M
erringly to one conclusion: whatsoever
might be their assurances to officials
high in rank, to agents whose power
would be at end were war to ensue, to
self constituted trainers of public Opin-
ion. every soldier on the spot knew, and
well knew, that the Indians would be
peaceable only in presence of formlda-
BILE force of bluecoats. but that nothing
but ambush and massacre awaited the
whites who ventured forth unguarded.
Up to this moment, however, of all those
gathered at the scene the only troops
which had had actual collision with the
Sioux were of Berrien's battalion.
Far away south at the Pawnee old
KENYON had been doing his utmost to
still the anxious fears among the faInl-
lies of the absent soldiers. There had
been lively excitement when the papers
arrived giving sensational details of Ber
rien's wound and of the affair at the
Porcupine, but it was as nothing to that
which prevailed over the tidings of the
imminent peril in which Mrs. Berrien
and Winifred had been placed. That it
was Just like Mrs. Berrien to insist on
Joining her wounded husband at once
was conceded by all, but opinions diff
fered as to the propriety of her course in
taking Winifred with her. This the
major decided by prompt assertion that
Miss Berrien doubtless refused to be left
behind. And, being a very lovely
blending of the characteristics of both
her parents said he. lit would have
been decidedly unlike Miss Berrien to
have stayed at home.
And then came the dread news that a
great band from the northeast. rein
forced by reckless gang of fanatical
young ghost dancers from the Bad
Lands, had broken away, and that all
! the regiments had gone to head them of.
Far, without a fight, they could not 60
The question was which regiment would
be the first to meet them. Then the
next nights mail brought the next days
papers, and the Twelfth, having swung
loose and being absent from the neigh
borhood whence were derived the items
on which correspondents based their re-
ports and editors their comments, shared
! 49,. g.4o oil. how
ing sustained the only casualties and in
tiicted the only punishments yet heard
of about the agency. was now coming IN
for its share of the ''toujours tort to
which it was, of course, justly entitled.
! Kenyon first glared at and then exploded
over a dispatch which read somewhat as
follows:
All hope OF bloodless solution of the
difficulty is now at an end. Even the
raost peacefully disposed among the res
rrvation Indians are furious over what
they do not hesitate to term the slaugh-
ter Of their clansmen in the three affairs
that have recently occurred, and it is an
open secret that at general headquarters
the gravest annoyance is felt over the
total overthrow of carefully laid plans,
all caused by the injudicious conduct of
certain hot headed officers of cavalry.
The friends Of White Wolf, the princi-
pal brave shot by Major Berrien's
troopers, declare that he and those with
him were friendly and were only striving
to reach the major with the news that
couriers were coming, hoping thereby to
earn something to eat, for they were
cold and hungry when they were fired
| xxyoi1 lie
making signals Of peace and friendship
White Wolf was slain. Then the Brules
who were with them could not be re.
strained and attacked the couriers in re.
venge.
LAS for the affair at Wolf creek after
the blizzard there is unspoken denuncia
ton among tie Indians, and the 'damna
ton of faint praise in other quarters OF
the conduct of "a cavalry officer present
The Indians declare they had gone Out
only to gather up their ponies. The sight
of the mules told them there must be al
ambulance stalled somewhere in the
drifts, and they were eagerly searching
for it to render succor and aid whe1
they were fired upon from ambush by
the lieutenant and his men, and two o.
their ponies were killed and one youns
Indian shot through the leg. The In
dams declare they could easily hav,
killed Major Berrien, but merely strov,
to defend themselves and explain, and
that had they been hostile they coul(
have finished the lieutenant and his littl,
SQUAD at the Wolf creek crossing Ions
before reinforcements came. Altogether
!, there is something so plausible in thei