The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-07-22

1t another way and to paraphrase Patrick Henry
THE gentlemen of the Indian bureau may cry
Peace Peace = but there was no peace" During
the 35 months that the Fifth was in Arizona
there were only seven different months during
those four years of 1872 to 1875 thar the Apaches
weren't out and some detachment of the Fifth
wasn't on their trail.
Among the outstanding events in the Apache
campaign was the crushing defeat given the saw
ages in the Salt River canyon on DECEMBER g.
1872 by Major Brown of the Fifth whose COM
mand on. that occasion consisted of Troops G.
L and M of the Fifth, and small body of Indian
scouts and the brilliant little victory of detach
ment of Troop f. commanded by Lieut. Charles
King, near Diamond Butte on May 21 1874 On
this occasion King (now Gen. Charles King) with
IA men Of Troop K surprised and attacked band
of Tonic Apaches greatly superior in numbers
routed them, killed 1S and destroyed all their sup
plies and equipment This was band which
had repeatedly defed General Crook and had
continually stirred up trouble on the reserya-
ton. For his feat King was given the warmest
praise by Crook, but it was not until 80 years
later-in 1924that the War department gave
him the citation for gallantry in action which he
so richly deserved.
During the Sioux war of 1876 the Fifth won
even greater laurels as part of General Crooks
army in Wyoming. On July its new colonel
Cen Wesley Merritt assumed command and Gen
eral Carr was second in command as lieutenant
colonel. Soon afterward the Fifth performed the
brilliant feat previously mentioned in this article
the march to head off large band Of Cheyenne
warriors who had left the reservation to join
the hostes and the fight at War Bonnet creek.
Merritts problem was TO march around three
sides of a square while the Indians were cover
ing the distance of the fourth, do it undiscovered
and beat the enemy to the objective, the cross
ing at War Bonnet creek
Suffice it to say that Merritt and the Fifth did
what they set out to do. They marched So miles
in 81 hours, beat the Indians to the crossing and
did it with every and horse fEeeh and ready
to fight The next morning, July III, the surprised
Cheyennes found a band Of blue coated troopers
barring their path to their frsSnds in the field
There was a sharp little fight during which oc-
Cured the celebrated duel between Buffalo Bill
and Chief Yellow Hand, and the Indians fled pelI-
nell back to the reservation.
During the remainder of the campaign the
Fifth repeatedly distinguished itself at the Battle
Of Slim Buttes where Chief American Horse was
defeated and died. during the weary march of
Crook command to the Black Hills-it is of these
events that General King writes so entertaningly
in his Campaigning With Crook"-at the disarm-
ing of the warriors of Chief Red Cloud and Chief
Red Leaf and at the bitter winter battle with
Dull Knife's Cheyennes when General Mackenzie
scored such decisive victory these allies
of the Sioux on November % 1876. In Colonel
Wheeler's book Buffalo Days" Che was then
second lieutenant in Troop G of the Fifth, is
given stirring account of this fight which brings
a vivid realization of the many perils of Indian
lighting.
Following the close of the Sioux campaign the
next two years were times Of comparative quiet
for the Fifth, but in 1879 the regiment was again
in the field and again General Merritt led it on
brilliant march which stands not only on par
with it's own remarkable feat preceding the War
Bonner fight but one Of the best examples Of
endurance riding in the whole history Of the
United States cavalry.
This was the march of Merritt and four troops
of the Fifth from Rawlins, Wyo., to the relief
Of Captain Payne and five troops Of the same or
ganization, beseged by the Utes on the Milk
river in Colorado On the morning of October 2
Merritt set out and at dawn of October 8, with
ITO miles OF some of the most difficult mountain
traflssin America behind him. he rode into Paynes
camp with only three dsmOunted on account
of exhausted horses.