The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-01-02

One day last week while engaged In hia
preparations for moving to the coast Gen.
eral A.. w. Greedy fell into a, reminiscent
mood and recalled some OF the Incidents
OF the expedition which led UP to the bat
tile OF Summit Springs. lake most amy
Officers. General Greedy In not given to dis
cussing his wi experiences, but his rscoi-
iections OF the episodes OF those days form
an interesting addition TO the lore OF the
frontier, which en~terrrising showmen OF
the Buffalo Bin type are attempting 10
make realistic.
In reality my experience an an Arctic
explorer was but q small incident in my
army career said General Greedy. I'm
answer to q remark concerning his ex-
p~erfence on the frontier. 'IH forty-six
years OF active service I'm the army one
Ia likely to run across many experiences
of q varied nature, but I sometimes think
my connection with that expedition OF
General Cars was one Of the most ex-
citing experiences that I ever went
through. OF course, I was but Is years
old then. and perhaps more impressionabie
than I am now. but the recollection OF
those days Is very vivid and pieasurable.
ut was In that expedition that I FIRST
made The acquaintance of Buffaio Bill.
who we u chief Of scouts. N I be-
came very wen acquainted with him. &c
was In 1860 that General Carr started out
with his expedition. against tho Indians
In western Nebraska from Fort McPher-
son. I was then On the stan Of General
Algur, and Buffalo Bill, as I said, went
along as chief OF the scouts. General
Carr took six troops OF calvary and a
number OF Pawnee scouts as well - some
civilians. We struck right out into the
Indian country, and finally we went into
camp In an oxbow OF the Republican river.
II remember very wen going on a buff
faio hunt with Buffalo Bin. which finally
resulted In the discovery OF the Indian
trail that led to the battle of Summit
Springs. The day that ! went out with
Cody on the hum was q memorable one
to me. The country was 90 desolate and
wild that ! recall We had dffficuity In as
pertaining where we were. We came upon
the buffalo In almost countless numbers.
here were probably 10000 In the herd thai
we found. They seemed to extend in every
direction. Coming In I left the hunting
party n rode away by myself. and II was
on this lone expedition that I ran into
the dry camp of Indians, which gave us
the first intimation of the tran that was
afterward followed. I informed Buffalo
Bill OF the dry amp where the Indians
had been and later the expedition decided
to follow UP the trail.
"one incident of that expedition stands
.OQl IAool VIZ III IA illih .M WI
night the mules that were attached to our
wagons had been driven down into the
water of the river, when suddenly there
was a great shouting from the BLUFFS
above, and I knew that a body OF Indians
must be trying to stampede the mules.
+, was In such a position that I could see
hem plainly and there was as much ex-
dtement as one could wish for a time.
The Indians were. finally driven back after
considerable firing.
but to revert to the discovery OF the
indian trail. General Carr decided TO fol-
ow II, as there was really nothing else to
10. From the indications there was small
iope of catching the Indians. they seemed
% be moving with such speed. and had II
lot been for the fact that they halted they
would never have been caught. The result
II It wal that when they were come up
With they were so completely surprised
hat their defeat was easy"
The following short but graphic account
II the battle Is given by Cyrus Townsend
brady I'm his book. Indian Fights and
Fghters."
Cody, having discovered the location Of
11e village, returned to General Carr and
ldvised him to take a wider detour. keep
ng his forces concealed among the hills
20 that he could approach the Indians
rom the north, a direction from which
hey would not be expecting attack, n
whence they might be the more easily sur
,rised. The advice was followed, the COM
nand made its encircling march without
detection, and formed UP I'm line of troops,
zach troop two abreast, in the ravines
shout 1900 yards from the village.
They were between the Indians and the
Platte river. The camp was located at
summit Springs, Colo. Every preparation
saving been made, Carr ordered the bug
er to sound the charge. The man was so
excited that he was unable to produce a
tote. Twice Carr gave the command.
Finally Quartermaster Hayes snatched
he bugle from the agitated musician n
sounded the charge himself, and with the
whole regiment rushed out into the open.
'sThe Indians made for their ponies and
edvanced to meet the charge. The rush
" the soldiers was too threatening, how
Iver. After a hasty fire they broke n
led on their horses, the whole party, SOL
Tiers and indian scouts. following after at
mII speed through the village. The at
ack was a complete success. Fffty-two
Indians were killed. and "a horses n l5
mules were captured. h soldiers had
,ne man wounded. with no other casual
hes.
I'm the camp were found the bodies of
!yo unfortunate white women. who had
been captured. swift as had been tho dash
Of the soldiers, the Indians had taken the
lime to brain one of the women with a
war club, while the second was shot In the
Dreaat and left for dead. She was given
svery possible attention by the soldiers,
who took her back to Fort Sedgwick. and
her life was eventually saved. Her suf-
terings and treatment q been beyond
description. Fifteen hundred dollars I'm
money-in gold. silver and g~reenbacks-
strange to say. had been found In the
camp. This sum the soldiers, by permits
sion of the general, donated TO the poor
woman as an expression Of their sympathy
for her.
According to some accounts. Tall Buh-
who was chief OF the camp n one OF the
head chiefs of the Sioux. was killed In this
attack. Buffalo Bill tells another story.
The day after the fight the various COM
panies Of the Fifth cavalry-which had re-
NAMED In camp all the ensuing day and
night, at the lnsistence OF the plucky COM
mander, In spite OF the pleas Of some OF
the OFFICERS, who, fearing an attack in
force. suggested retiring immediateIy-sep-
arated IN order to the more effectively pur-
sue the flying Indians. Several days after
the surprise the detachment for which
Cody was guide was attacked by several
hundred Indians. The soldiers fought them
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