The National tribune., 1898-02-17
INDIAN CAMpAICN.
Exciting Moments When Raiding a
Village of Hostiles.

Editor National Tribune: A detachment
| of the 18th Ohio Cav, numbering about two
hundred in command of Gen. L. l.. Con-
ner, with odd man Bridges and a half
breed called Popcorn as guides, left Fort
Laramie Aug. s, 1865, on an expedition
against hostile Indians then in force some
800 miles north.
After few days out | was detailed on
picket, and well do remember it. was
posted quarter of IA mile from camp
(alonel at dark i'll the sage brush, with
instructions To move some % yards after
dark, so that If Indians should be watch
ing, they would not know just where to
pounce upon me. In case | should see or
near Indians moving toward camp l was
to fire and then do the best | could. Well,
| did not see any Indians, but l imagined
| could hear everything. | was relieved at
midnight, and III appeared 10 me 1 nau
been there II hours.
There is no fun in sitting alone in the
brush half the night with wolves bowling
all around and not knowing when grizzly
or some other wild animal may be on one;
to say nothing OF the rattlesnakes.
On the evening of Aug. u we arrived at
Fort Conner on Powder River, and were
joined by Co. +, 18th Ohio Cav, the 9TH
Iowa battery and two companies of Paw
nee scouts, commanded by Capt. North.
Two days later we were joined farther on
by two companies of California troops, two
companies OF Winnebago scouts and two
pieces of artillery, commanded by Capt.
Brown. After we had been in camp a
short time near Big Horn Mountain we
heard the Pawnee scouts yelling and soon
saw them coming driving some II or 10
buffalo right toward camp. We were soon
out with our carbineS, and as they passed
near camp gave them d volley, which
brought down three fine animals; so we
Jared well for a few days.
On the afternoon OF the 9th we were
startled by several shots III quick success
sion. We were soon out in line. but we
learned that two of the California boys had
been playing cards and had some disagree
ment and settled it with the ever-ready
revOlvers. One had been shot through the
body the other through both arms.
On the 18Th we struck Tongue River IN
the forenoon, and followed it, and next day
camped on it. We had Just got the horses
fed when some of the scouts reported an
Indian village 40 miles up the river.
The order was to get ready to start as
soon as possible. Two hundred men and
two six pound howitZers were soon ready,
and we started at dusk, travelled all night,
following the river, and just before day
light the command was halted.
Gen. Conner made us Il little speech,
saying we were near the village, and he
had no idea what force was there, but had
confidence in the men and expected each
to do his duty Should we get in close
quarters, the men should group in tours;
under no circumstances Were we to use
revolvcrS unless there was no other chance,
and then be sure and leave one charge Tor
ourselves, and rather than fall into the
hands of the Indians to use it. We were to
avoid killing women and children as much
as possible.
The purpose was to get to the village at
daylight and take the Indians by surprise:
but il was about s a. m. when we saw an
Indian on high point riding in circle
their signal Of danger.
Then the bugle sounded forward and
away we went. As we neared the village
the command divided, some turning to the
right, others to the left. Then for an hour
or more was an exciting time. The In
dams had some of their tepees down and
ponies packed, and some were so heavily
loaded that when they tried to run the
packs pulled them over and they lay with
their feet in the air.
The squawS, papoOses, horses and dogs
were all running TO save themselves. As
we were armed with Spencer carbines the
firing became lively. The first Indian l
saw down was an old man, shot through
the body. We learned he was the "medi-
cine man" The Indians ran to a high
point and rallied, but they could not stand
long before the Spencers. We chased them
four or five miles, when our horses began
to tire and we gave up the chase. | saw
two of the scouts run a redSkin back to the
rocks, shoot him from his pony and scalp