The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-02-22

AT the onset of the attack tn,
officer in command ordered the In
dian allies to dismount and fight
in their own manner until the at
tack had been repealed, and to stand
firm to the work as their lives de-
pended upon victory alone. This
command was faithfully obeyed.
The Crows and Snakes sought such
natural protection as the field of
battle offered and maintained it to
the end.
when the so regulars were sore
| y beset by the swarming and con-
verging Sioux; when more than
half of them had either been killed
or wounded; when from the pecu-
liar character of their discipline
they had become prominent objects
for the Sioux marksmen and seem
ed at the point of annihilation, the
Snakes, supported by the whole
force of the Crows, charged the
Sioux, drove them from the field,
and ended the battle"
From Fort Laramie, Wyoming,
where it appears many of the off
GERS were not overly friendly to
General Crook, came a still differ
ent report under date of June Is,
which was published in the Helena
Independent of June 80, 1876, as
follows:
"A courier has just reached the
fort from Fetterman bringing the
news of Crooks defeat on the
Rosebud river the 18th innst. His
camp was surprised in the early |
morning after the pickets had been
called in, by about 1000 Sioux and
unnder Crazy Horse,
Plenty of Bear and Kicking Bird.
The cavalry were watering their
horses and some of the men were
having their breakfast when the
attack was made on the camp on
Cedar creek, little stream empty
ng into the Rosebud river close up
o the Grow reservation, and about
100 miles inside of the Montana
inc. 1t was complete surprise.
about 100 horses belonging to the
Third cavalry were stampeded and
ell into the hands of the Indians, I
including their equipment.
"a sergeant and two soldiers
we're killed and Col. Royal had his i
Iorse shot under him. The camp Z
vas in a turmoil of excitement, and
ust then a body of Sioux charged I
own on the Second cavalry and j
he Crow camp, which were en- e
eavoring to get into line. For 10 q
minutes the rout and confusion =.
,as terrific. But the soldiers raj E
ed, after they had been exhorted h
y their officers, and the Snake t
indians had taken to the foot hills 8
nd engaged in desultory firing, v
ome order was brought out of the B
eneral confusion. Fl
"The troops, however, fought a a
nder a sense of disadvantage all h
lie time, and the principal fight B
g was done by the Snakes. A N
large of the Second cavalry about q
O'Clock, however, drove the In :
ans across the Rosebud and en-
,led General Crook to get his col =,
mn in hand. But in the meantime ST
soldiers had been killed and q 10
and quite number of u
rows and Snakes. b !.
"In the final charge of the Sec nj nj
ID cavalry II Sioux were killed vi
ID left on the field. The Sioux, aV
'wever, continued to occupy the w W
othills on the other side of the n
yer, and in the afternoon, when ha
e retreat commenced, came across by
d got possession of their dead. ma
ley continued in sight, following Re
e cavalry up the opposite side of en-
2 river until nightfall. as
"The officers of the post speak US
terms of unmeasured condemna-
n of General Crooks behavior, -.
d denounce his retreat in the face We
the enemy as cowardly. It is tai
o reported that the Crows refus- du
to stay with Crook any longer, "a "a
1 have gone off in body to Glib tn.
n on the Yellowstone. They go,
! Crook the Squaw Chief and val
: he's afraid to fight"