The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-01-19
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IN N the winter {
MN 1871, the Siou
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sr-sXT VIh - ing committe
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E1. W1MH XII Yellow . t o n
Ts14p;V and peighbo
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Gen. CroO1

commanding the government troops In
that district, resolved to punish them
First, however, he sent them word
that they must cease from their depre-
dations and return to their reserva-
ton. They treated his command with
contempt, and, accordingly. March l,
1871, Col. W. b. Williamson, acting
under orders from Gen. Crook, set out
with ten companies of cavalry. some
six hundred men, to make forced
march to the place where the Sioux
were known to have esta blished them
selves. His instructions were to deal
the Indians the severest blow pos
sible.
With pack horses to carry his "a
tions and camp equipments Col Will
Hanson proceeded to o point some
thirty miles from the Indians, and
there established temporary camp
and headquarters Having done this
he left ffty men in charge OF the
camp and, supplying the rest with
such rations as they could easily carry
In their haversacks, he set forth with
them for swift ride to the Indians
rendezvous. each man being armed
with carbine and a revolver and car
rying supply Of ammunition. Among
the officers who accompanied Col. Will
Hanson were his son, Lieut.. Arthur
Williamson, who had as yet seen but
little rough experience, and Capt Phil
Parker, who had been In several en-
gagements with the Indians. and who
was, moreover, shrewd in srtifice and
device when occasion required. Col.
Williamson knew that he should find
in him q valuable assistant In his un-
dertaking, and he realized that his
undertaking was difficult one. The
Indians outnumbered his force prob.
ably two to one, and they were ugly
and full of fight The supply Of
rations and ammunition they were
able to carry was necessarily small
and the weather was fearfulfy cold.
Gen. Sheridan, In his report Of this
raid, says that the cold was so intense
that the mercury congealed In the
Thermometer.
The troops reached the camp OF the
Indinns the next morning just at day
light and made an attack at once,
dashing into their village and taking
Thorn completely by surprise. The In
dams, reused from slumber, seized
their weapons. but could not make q
stand against the fire of the cavalry
in their midst, and, gliding along the
ground and lodging from tree to tree,
thew fed In all directions. A few
were killed, but the great bulk of
them escaped, fleeing into the woods,
where 1t was useless for cavalry to at
tempt to follow them. Col. William
son at once gave orders to set fire to
village, and everything - lodges.
blankets and fsod-was piled In heaps
and burned. Nothing now remained
that could be of use to the Indians ex-
cept their ponies. There were about
eight hundred of these corralled at
one end Of the villarge. Some of the
indiana had tried to get their ponies
before escaping. but the soldiers were
between them and the fold in which
they were inclosed and they were
obliged to fee without them.
II the cavalry could now kill these
ponies the Indians would be left help
less. They would not be able to get
back to their reservation, and, de-
prived of their food and blankets,
which had been burned, they would
surely starve and freeze. Col. VIII
Hanson realized this, and he at once
directed that the ponies should be