The Washington herald., 1907-03-03

soldiers had not yet realized what fight
ers these Indians were"
However, ais well that ends well.
Crook soon found that he had more
wounded than he thought, and so he
ordered Capt. Nickerson, Of his staff, TO
ride after Capt. Mills and bring him
back.
So rapid had been Capt. Mills march
that NickersOn did not overtake him until
he had gone seven miles down the
canyon. and when he reached him he
found that the Indians were massing to
attack him.
Mills said Nickerson, as he galloped
up, Royal has been badly handled
there are many wounded. Henry is Sc
verely hurt, and Vroom's troop is all cut
up. The general orders that you and
Noyes dehle by your left flank out Of this
canyon and return TO the field at once.
He cannot move out to support you and
the rest on account of the wounded"
The order was most unwelcome. Already
Capt. Mills and his troops were within
sight Of the first Indian village. The Off
GERS at the head OF the column urged
Mills TO go on and attack the village.
But Mills was too thorough a soldier to
ignore orders; he silenced his directors
and marched out, and to-day he admits
that had he, that day. disobeyed Gen
Crook his command would have been an
initiated
This was only fourteen miles away
from the Little Big Horn. The Indians
engaged were the same seven tribes Of
sacre. which occurred only seven days
after the fight on the Rosebud
Mills rode his troops up the broken walls
Of the steep canyon and rejoined the gen
eraI without being mOlested. They camped
on the battlefield, and next morning
marched back TO Goose Creek. They had
succeeded in driving the Indians back.
but in one sense the victory lay with
Crazy Horse. for he had beaten Crook 10
a stand still: had stopped the forward
progress Of the expedition ne had pro-
tected his villages. and had forced Gen
Crook back to his base OF supplies.
It was the success of Crazy Horse and
his braves here that enabled him within
a few days to beat Reno and Custer, after
which the Sioux and the Cheyennes re-
tired from the Little Big Horn, and then
it was that by the troops under Gen
Crook the tide was turned and the In
dams were whipped. Cyrus Townsend
Brady says after Gen. Crook the credit
for ending the war belongs to Nelson A.
Miles. then colonel of the Fifth Infantry;
next to him to Col Mackenzie, of the
Fourth Cavalry, and then to Capt Arson
Mills. of the Third, whom we have al
ready seen doing gallant service at the
battle of the Rosebud"
Crook started out in pursuit Of the IN
dams, and with a terrible persistency he
urged his faint, starving, fOOt-sore, tat
tered soldiers along the trail. During the
summer there was no forage for the
horses, and the ratioHs for the men be
came scanty. But still the Indians were
followed until in September 1876. Gen
Crook realized that the men had reached
the limit Of their endurance. and with $50
OF the best men Capt. Mills was instructed
to push on to Deadwood to get provi-
siOns. Any kind Of provisions, for Gods
sakew was the cry.
Mills was not expected to fight but on
his way TO the Black Hills he came upon
an Indian village at Slim Buttes, in the
northwest corner of South Dakota. He |
determined to attack That night /
he halted in deep gorge. The night was |
dark, cold. and rainy, and the tired men /
suffered greatly. but al daybTeak Capt /
Mills succeeded in surprising the camp /
which proved to be that OF band OF /
Sioux, led by American Horse, a promi- /
nent chief The attack was a complete /
success and the village was captured with i
little less, and, to the JOY OF Capt Mills |