The Washington times., 1901-10-27

cover signs that we were close upon
the Indians. The timber, the valley,
the fords and crossings all indicated,
to the trained eyes of the scouts, their
recent presence. Ragged and almost
starving, out of rations, out at elbows
out of everything but pluck and am
munition, General Crook gave up the
pursuit of Sitting Bull at the head OF
Heart River. The Indians had scatter
ed in every direction. We had chased
them a month and were no nearer than
when we started Their trail led in as
many different directions as there are
degrees in the circle. They had burned
off the grass from the Yellowstone 10
the mountains, and our horses were
dropping by scores, starved ana eN-
hausted, every day we marched. Ihere
was only one thing left to do: at day
break in the morning the orders came
Make for the Black Hills-due south
by compass-seven days march at
least We headed our detected steeds
accordingly and shambled off in search
of supplies.
I'VE had one engagement to enilVen
the monotony. On the night of Sep
tember we were halted near the head
waters of Grand River. Here force of
$50 men of the Third Cavalry, myself
among the number, were pushed ahead
under Major Arson Mills with orders
to find the Black Hills, buy up all the
supplies that could be obtained in Dead
wood, and then hurry back to meet the
rest. Gourard and Buffalo Chips were
with us, and, the second afternoon art
er we started, the scouts came riding
back to tell us that body of INDIANS
were encamped ahead of us. We made
preparations for the attack, and, dur
ing the night, Gourard and Buffalo
Chips entered the village and stole two
of the finest ponies they could get II
was lucky for us they did so, for in
the engagement that followed, the In
dams were REINFORCED, so that we were
completely surrounded. Gourard rode
back to our main body with the news
and they hurried TO our rescue. Dur
ing that battle, after all the Indians
had apparently retreated, our men con-
tinued falling. We were wondering
where the bullets were coming from,
when one of our redoubtabIe scouts
pointed TO a sept, or ravine, hidden by
grass and underbrush. He ordered
those in this treacherous gulley to sur
render, or rather Gourard did, speak
ing the Indian language, when there
emerged an old squaw, wrinkied and
hideous, and looking for all the world
like a witch. Tears were streaming
down her face, and she begged for
mercy for those in the ravine. We as
sured her that no harm would come TO
them if they surrendered, and she went
back and told them, 1 suppose. Then
we found quite a iamily party. consist
ing of another squaw, two papooses, or
children, two warriors, and young
Crazy Horse, bullet through his chest,
and evidently very close to, death. He
died few minutes later.
Buffalo Chips, fine scout, worthy
comrade of Gourard and Buffalo Bill,
met his death at that ravine. He was
a great chum of Bills, calling himself
his pardner.' He was simple-minded,
gentle frontiersman. He was modesty
and courtesy itself. conspicuous, too,
because of two or three traits rather
unusual with men of his class-he never
drank, / never heard him swear, and
no man ever heard him lie. How well
recall his death, Cautiously, on hands
and knees, he reached a stunted tree
that grew on the very edge of the
gorge. halted, brought his rife close
under his shoulder in readiness to aim.
raised slowly to his feet, and peered
over. L rife shot rang out, but it was
not his. alHe sprang -convulsiyely in the
air. clasping his hands 20 his breast,
cried: oh, my God. boys and plunged
heavily forward down the slope-shot
through the heart. Wild Bill, Califor-
mia Joe, and Cosgrove have long since
gone to their account; Buffalo Bill and
Frank Gourard are in the 'sere and yell
low and the time is not far distant
when the last Indian scout shall have
made his last trail in this shadow of
the Valley of Death "