The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-06-24

government, was approaching the
point of desperation, and in 1873,
with a band of Cheyennes, besieged
Fort Pease, a trading post, killing
six whites and wounding eight. They
defied the government openly.
The government then decided to
take aggressive action to conquer
the Sioux. Three separate lines of
attack against them were organized.
The first of these, commanded by
General Gibbon, advanced from Fort
Ellis, near Bozeman, eastward. The
second, under General Crook, start
ed from the south; and the third,
under General Alfred H. Terry, took
the field from Fort Yankton. With
this last vas Clusters cavalry from
Fort Lincoln. On June 21, 1876,
Gibbons command united with that
of Terry at the confluence of the Big
Horn river with the Yellowstone.
Plan of Campaign
On June 81, after joining Terry's
command, General Gibbon held a
conference with General Terry and
Colonel Custer, as a result of which
the following plan was decided upon:
dO1Old al 0ADDOh was " ledQ LIS tOu1-
mand across the Yellowstone near
the mouth of the Big Horn, march
for the mouth of the Little Big Horn
and thence up the latter, with the un-
derstanding that he should reach the
Little Big Horn June 26. Custer,
with the whole of the Seventh cav
airy, should proceed up the Rosebud
until he ascertained the direction of
the trail of the Indians which had
been found and reported by Major
Reno's scouts. If this trail led to
the Little Big Horn, it should not be
followed, but Custer should keep still i
further south before turning toward
the river, in order to intercept the
Indians should they try to slip be-
tween him and the mountains, and
also, by a longer march, give time
for General Gibbons command to
come VI.
In accordance with this plan Cen
eral Gibbons column reached and
crossed Tullock's creek on the after
noon of June "a. He was proceed
according to schedule the follow
.ng day, June 25, when Custer, anx-
GUS to gain a brilliant victory him
self, and not waiting for Gibbons
command, forced his way to the Lit
lie Big Horn and was wiped out by
empowering forces of Sioux and
.Jhyennes.
Sioux Are Subdued
The Custer battle, while an over {
yhelming victory for the Sioux ma
ion, was the last great stand of that
ribe. Before the campaign against
hem was over and they were forced {
Jack On heir reservation, there were !
everal lesser engagements with them {
ut General Gibbon did not happen !
o come in contact with any hostiles
nd soon was ordered to return to 7
'ort Shaw with his command. I
But scarcely were the Sioux sub t
ugated than tidings came of the up c
Using of the Nez Perces in Idaho. s
ike the Sioux, the Nez Perces had
cen driven to desperation by the bad v
Nth of the Indian department, and a
hey took the war path. General L
toward, commander of the depart a
lent of the Columbia, hurried to 0
1aho and tried to pacify Chief Jo- a
9ph and his tribe, but in vain. How s
then dispatched two troops of e
ayalry to capture some of the Nez q
erces who had killed white settlers. s
t White Bird canyon the cavalry u
EN- met the Indians and a battle o
sting an hour ensued, after which
lie soldiers were driven back in a
inning fight for 16 miles. Thirty 81
Iree enlisted men and one officer re
ere killed. General Howard then re-
ok command personally and in pt
eased the force of white troops. h,
overall small battles were fought fir
ithout decisive results. to
Gibbon Takes Field Again ca
The NeZ Perces then headed north OF
to Montana. General Howard sent pc
ord to General Gibbon at Fort Shaw WI
'ging him to order all of his troops tn
the field to stop the Indians pa