The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-13
HOW WE PUNISHED
TIE SIOUX.
By BUFFALO BILL

,istto be more of an Indian than he
is,' =. 49,.
i. l'h.s was my answer to Cen. N. A.
Dudley when be asked my .advsc:'
about his great Sioux campaign ,.ol
1874. You shall see how success
fully we followed that advice,
Gen. Dud ey was IN command at
Fort Mcpherson. Nebraska. it wa
il the. early spring Of 1874. Thu
Sioux were on the warpath and. h.
been murderlng the ranchmen. bur1'
+ ing small settlements. and otherwise
discouraging pioneers from comm;
West.
rhe Sioux were clever IN choostn
their time. for the spring flood
were, out. and th S made pursuit al
most impossible. We located therl
on the opposite SIDE of the Platte
River from US. The usually shall
low stream was roaring torrent.
The toras were impossible. Ths
bridges were swept away. No horse
.cou SWIM the RIVER Yet there W,
were. helpless on enc bank. while the
Sioux were plunder:ng at will on tn"
other. That was the situation.
knowing the country and indian
customs. | was pretty sure where tho
Sioux had their camp. 1t was on a
fresh water lake about thirty mileJ
from the Platte. If we could strik'
and smash that camp they would go
peltlng back to their agency on tke
jump. Eut how. to get to',t.
Ord .aarily. a bridge spapned a
Branch OF tra stream N almost a
straight ire from the place. But
when We got TO the place we fouE4
IL gone. secuted a!ons shore.
About ten miles down stream
found crazy footbridge tnat had
seld IN site OF the fre5iet. 1t had
held beca use the waters found out
let beyond each end of 1t. The br CGo
was made OF ncards nailed across
fallen tree trunks. Risky foot rs
for man. Never intended toI horse.
Yet ohr oaIy other chance vas to
ride for more than fifty miles south,
10 a place where stronger br!Gge
pad once stood. If that wee st!l:
there we n ght cross. 1t woII1
mean eI best "a rice OF hundred
miles before we could cou' TO G.
ron: on the other bank opposite tc
~nere now stood. Thea F,rty
miles more to the lrtian cap.
Long before that time the Sioux
would have Dee1 warned CT our COM
ing and, got safely away.
SD. IN despair. I gut my horse a.
the crazy footbridge. 1t wabb'ed
and heeved, and the waters swerved
up to Its highest boards. A nasty
dangerous trip it was. but | made 1t.
Inen recrossed and reported to
Gen. Dudley.
tcii him | believed he could get
his troopers across If the men went
single ttle aad s'owly. and If each
Ecrse were ridden with ioo. e rein. I
rralrie horse. II his rider doesn't try
to gtlde him has an instinct fox
picking the safe spots.
I, at midnight we started across. I
%Ment first. TIE men gave the.r
norses Tree rein and tie sdrefo"taG
beasts picked ihe.r way along thai
erilous swayiHg Boolswept foot
path as da.rti.y as m.nnet cancers.
Cne by one the 500 r ders. drsGchaa
a:k. muddy. reached the lsr bank.
Only one horse had fallen OF. HIS
rider had tried to 5ui.e HIN. At
leached the shore by swimming. ana
went back to the tort.
we rode ell lignt. As we neared
the mo an camp went ahead aga Il.
rrd.ey forbade his men TO speak or
even to strike match.
Dlsmourting crawled forward
and came upon the whole vi age
fast asleep. Back went with my
report. but as the soldiers came up
at dawn few Indians had awaken
et.. 'Dhe.r dogs scented us aud
barked In an instant tn. Sioux were
on their feet and scattering over the
plain. I he speed with which indians
can get up and scatter would amaze
flock of quail. We charged, sweep.
ing through the village and after hr
fug't:ves.
Before the bugies sounded the re.
cal VT b; d killed thirty-twc of the
escaping savages. Then We ha ted
to eat end to rest our horses. TAX
Ing mp the pursuit again we caught
up with the main band Just before
dawn. Before they could scatter We
put fourteen more Sioux families in
to mourning.
Back rushed the remainder &c
their agency. They had had enough
Of fighting 70 last them long tine,
And the lesson we had given them
by .out-lndlaning" them mad more
effect. think. than the foTty-hve
braves we dow-ed.
Our Real Army.