Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-19

ting Bull ever made in all his years OF
deviltry.
But you want me to tell about the Sib-
ley fight, do you? 1t was about twenty
four years ago last July, just about week
before the battle that wiped out General
Custer and his entire command. General
Crook assigned Little Bat and myself to go
north on the Tongue river and meet body
of friendly Crows that were Joining us TO
fight against the Sioux. Much to my re-
greet. Lieutenant F. w. Sfbley and twenty
four picked men of the I'd Cavalry were
detailed as an escort The men were splen-
did fellows, but all more or less new in
Indian fighting. We had been moving north
two days when In the dawn of the third
morning 1 discovered the Sioux moving
toward the Tongue river thicker than Duf,
falo IL. the valley of the Platte. I called
Bat softly and when he saw the great
painted procession stealing over the plains
he said: MY God We are gone!
81 waited until l saw them strike our
trail. Immediately the d scoverer began
circling his horse and waving his blanket.
and about ten minutes later every Indian
in that section knew that white men were
somewhere about. thought we might pos
sibly get away from them by getting up
irto the mountains. I told Bat to follow
with the men as fast as he could, my IDEA
being to get beyond where the Twin Creek
trail crossed our own in the mountains,
knowing that the Indians would naturally
make n run to cut us off at that point.
suppose l went up the hills rather fast, Tor
at length 1 got tired waiting at the trail
crossing and went back for the soldiers
Imagine my surprise when l Iearneu ina
the party had stopped to make conee.
Lieut.. Sibley admitted his inexperience In
a running fight and had yielded to the I'M
portunings of his men. who wanted break
fast. I told him the chances were that
none of us would eat any more between
that time and kingdom come. as the IN
dams were probably waiting at the point
we should have passed hong ago.
81 made a wide detour from the trail as
we toiled up the mounta livery fortu-
nateIy. for they were ambushed for us
at the crossing of the trails between two
high tree-crowned buttes. If we had passed
through that natural gate none or US would
have been left to tell about 1t. As We
nassed up the mountain to the left they
got onto our curves, and about 200 did
some wild target practice in our direction.
Strange to say. not man was nit. CORE
spondent John Finerty's horse was mt. ana
he came up and Joined me in leading the
lne The horses were inclined to stampede
at the first fire. so at the beginning or the
thick timber I ordered the stock tied In
bunch. The Indians tried in every way to
draw our fire, but Sibiey. at my suggestion
ordered no firing unless they charged right
up to us, which Is not the way an Indian
fights.
morning. and we did not fire a shot until
o. clock In the afternoon. Every man had
his tree, and he stuck to 1t closer than
brother Early In the day ieather-iunged
Sioux yelled at me that he knew Bat and
myself were there and they were going to
have great fun with us-partfculariy me.
| knew what that meant without map. 50
/ told every soldier to save good cartridge
for himself before surrendering to the fend-
ish fortunes. for the Sioux have very orig
inal methods of making man die by the
most painful process nossible.
"Along about the middle OF the afternoon
my red friends who were waiting to enter
tain me began to get gay and were growing
holder every minute. They had killed all
cur horses but five, and thought II was I'M
possible for US to get away; In fact. heard
them say SO quite frequently IN the gut
tural language Of the Cheyennes. White
Antelope and q band OF Cheyennes had
Joined the war party. and this chief be-
gan riding closer and closer to our trees.
Finally he and another chief, who was riding