The Colorado statesman., 1922-03-18

try old-time army oilicei9, will come to
Washington to live over the days
that they spent In training and in fight
ing on the plains.
The oldest man present at the meet
ing will be Brig. Gen. Anson Mills.
This American soldier, now on the re-
tired list, is eighty-eight years old. He
drives motorcar almost daily on the
streets of Washington. and he shows
every evidence of having kept his
youth.
Last year at the Indian society
meeting Gen. Charles King of Mllwau-
kee read paper on the Sioux cam
paigns of 1S75-T6. He paid n tribute
to the fighting qualities of General
Mills. Since then the records have
been turned to and one or two of the
fighting experiences of this almost non
agenarlan general have been plucked
therefrom. Prior to giving them 1t
might be said that General Mills was
a farm boy, for he was born on farm
In Boone county, Indiana, in 1884.
1t was just before Sitting Bull and
his men had killed off Custer and his
troopers In the Big Horn country that
Capt Anson Mills, In command OF
one squadron of the Third cavalry.
met the Sioux in fight on the Rose
bud. Mills and his squadron were
near the Rosebud river early one
morning when a scout-a half-breed
Indian-came Into the camp, with his
pony on a dead run, shouting: 1.-The
Sioux are just ahead"
How Mills Charged the Bluffs.
Mills command was a part of the
force of General Crook, who was op-
Grating against the Indians in that sec
tion of the country. Immediately after
the coming of the scout Crooks adju-
tant dashed up to Mills with the or
der from his chief to Charge tie
bluffs on the center"
OF what followed General Forsythe
says this: Captain Mills gave but
two commands. Right into liner and
as his four splendid troops of cavalry
promptly swung into battalion front.
he raised himself in his stirrups and
shouted: Charge = Every trooper in
ranks drove home his spurs, and the
superb body of troops swept up the
steep slope in mad rush for the de-
fiant Sioux, who, as the men came
galloping on, opened oil them with
their rifles, sending down men mere
and there, but not in the least check
ing the weight of the charge; for, as
they gained the crest In splendid
alignment, and saw the Sioux drawn up
to meet them 200 yards away, the
whole command burst into a tremen-
dous cheer, and, breaking into dead
run, made straight for them; but be-
fore they were within fifty yards OF
the Indians the Sioux broke wildly and
fled down the opposite slopes in every
direction. The battle of the Rosebud
was on"
His Attack on American Horse.
Crooks men were nearly starving,
and in September, toward the end of
the summers campaign, Captain Mills
was ordered to Deadwood to get pro-
visions-as another writer has put 1t,
"any kind of provisions, for GODS
sake"
Mills did not expect to meet Indians
on that march to the Black Hills cOun-
try, but he was prepared to meet
them, MS good soldier always IS
prepared, and he was ready to take
the offensive at moments notice.
When he was near Slim Buttes he
came upon an Indian village under the
command of the great Sioux chief,
American Horse. Mills did not wait
for the order to attack, but attacked
at once.
American Horse had following
great in number, but Mills surprised
him and routed him, capturing the vii
lage and large supply of much-need-
ed provisions. American Horse took
to the hills with his men and found
position that was impregnabe to such
small force as that at Mills com
mand. The captain gathered the pro-
visions together, felt out the Indian
chiefs position and dispatched a
courier to Crook for re-enforcements.
In the meantime American Horse
managed to get courier to his fel-
low chief, Crazy Horse, who with his
band rode rapidly toward Slim
Buttes
On that day Crazy Horse thought he
would have only the small squadron of
Mills to meet. Re-enfOrcementS had
come, however, and Mills led them
into the fight and won 1t. Anson
Mills has been called "The American
soldier who was never known to