Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-12

surrey as u parting salute to F1nerty,
you will find General Crook a hard cam
paigner.' Events Justified the prediction
of the noted editor.
General Crooks started from
Forts Russell and Fetterman in May, 1876,
and continued on the move for five months,
ending in the Black Hills In September.
There was a succession of indeclsive bat
ties, and a long and fruitless chase of the
hostiles. the main body of which escaped
northeastward, following the massacre of
General Custer and his Fin
erty took a conspicuous part in the battle
of the Rosebud, fighting on the firing
line and participating in the charge led
by Colonel Royal, which shattered the
lines and forced the retreat of the In
dams. Though master of the field, Cen
eral Crook appreciated the strength and
fury of the enemy and decided to await
reinforcements from General Merritt before
advancing into a region then compare
lively unknown, and without accurate
knowledge of the number of Indians on
the warpath. During this ~inaction a vol
unteer scouting party was organized, under
command of Lieutenant Sibley. consisting
of twenty-five troopers, two volunteer
scouts and a guide. Finerty was one of
the scouts. The purpose was to penetrate
into the Big Horn mountains and locate. II
possible. the Indian village and make a
general observation of the country.
The expedition penetrated a distance of
fifty miles into the land of the hostiies.
close to the Little Big Horn river, and
rode within a short distance of the Indian
outposts. The destruction of Clusters COM
mand had occurred a few days before and
the Indians, flushed with victory, made
the position of the scouting party %perilous.
The troopers strived to conceal themselves,
but the Indians discovered the trail and
started in pursuit. Men" said the lieu
tenant, I'VE will have to do some fighting.
II we can make an honorable escape, all
together, we win do It. If retreat should
prove impossible, let no man surrender.
Die in your tracks, because the Indians
show no mercy"
"All right. SIR" was the simple and
soldierly reply.
The troopers retreated at a brisk trot
and had covered about five miles when a
halt was called. A sense Of security was
felt because no Indians were in sight. Be
sides, men and horses needed rest and food.
The halt lasted an hour and nearly cost
the party their lives. After proceeding a
short distance from the resting place the
llhAaAIb V1A1 AA3NCN NAssS ~ ~
trail. A volley at 200 yards range brought
down three horses. Fall back to the
woods cried the scout, an order which
was promptly obeyed. The horses were
lariated and defenses arranged. The In
dams, whose numbers constantly increased,
kept up an incessant fire on the troops.
mo a man of our party" writes Mr..
Finerty in his "Warpath and Bivouac,"
expected to leave that spot with life"
1--WE were truly looking death in the face,
and so close that we could feel his cold
breath upon our foreheads and his icy grip
upon our hearts. And yet l felt anything
but Indifferent to the fate that seemed to
await me. and would nave given the world,
did l have the power of its bestowal, to
be safe back in Crooks camp again. Life
seemed particularly sweet throughout that
e~ventful day. Close acquaintance with
death is not a pleasing sensation"
mo surrender" was the word passed
along the gallant skirmish line. Every man
determined to die fighting. None would fall
alive into the hands Of the Indians. Bullets
flew thicker and thicker and closer every
moment, and the Indian yell grew stronger
and fiercer. Every minute promised to be
the last. The shadows of death seemed to
be falling with the lengthening shadows
OF approaching night. The latter held out a
slender hope-retreat. Quietly. one by one
the troopers crawled away from the line
of defense. leaving their horses in order to
deceive the hostiles. The horses were
plainly visible TO the Indians and this cir
cumstance favored the escape. Throughout
the night they trudged on foot over rocks
and brambles, waded icy streams and
scaled slippery rocks on the mountain
ridgesNFifty miles OF mountain lay between
them and Crooks camp. At the close Of the
following day they were within sight Of
camp, twenty miles away. Without further
adventure, except a shortlived scare. the
scouting party reached the camp com
pletely worn out and famished with hunger.
Mr.. Finerty accompanied General Crooks
column in its awful cross march from the
Tongue river to the Yellowstone, and
from the junction OF the latter with
Powder river, east to the OF
Heart river. beyond the Little Missouri
and south to the Black Hills. over 600
cavalry horses had TO be shot or abandoned
on this dreadful march, which was made
without tents. II rained day and night I
for two weeks the command eked out a
miserable existence in the everlasting mud.
LIVING IN horse meat. half raw. Without Il