Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-06-06

tBy MhS. NJ. T..
THE battle of the Rosebud and the
Little Big Horn demonstrate clearly
= the wisdom of not Understanding
the courage and strength of an enemy
before going into action. In both OF
these engagements, seasoned Indian
fighters of the United States army met
with defeat.
Without accurate information on
corning where the Sioux then were and
acting simply on the belief that they
were in the buffalo country, General
Terry was ordered to proceed south
from the Yellowstone, and General
Crook, who had collected a nondescript
force at Fort Fetterman, was to lead
his command north. Between the two
armies the Indians were to be crushed.
The result was the battle of the Rose
bud in which the troopers came out
second best.
These two generals were not new to
Indian warfare and should have KnoWn
at least approximately the strength OF
their opponents. This was also the case
with Custer, who because of our troops
defeat on the Rosebud, should have
realized his danger in attacking the
village on the Big Horn.
oCllti dl MILD odyo JlidO SloOh liCfCi
had any previous knowledge of war
fare with non-nomadic Indian tribes,
which led him to fancy it would be a
comparatively easy undertaking to de-
feat the Sioux and their allies.
On the morning of June II his COM
mand reached the Rosebud. Crook
started down that river at early dawn
with about a thousand soldiers and $50
friendly Indians, so-called, consisting
of ShoshOnes, Crows and Snakes /
have always understood that the Sho-
shones and Snakes belong to the same
nation, although General Mills lists
them separately.
These friendly Indians were expected
to act as scouts and to keep Crook in
formed of the location of the enemy.
No news being received of Indians in
the neighborhood, the troops kept on
down the river until a halt vas called,
The horses were unbridled and per-
mitted to Craze while the men rested
for about three-quarters of an hour.
1t was a beautiful day, n OF June's
loveliest, then, if ever, come perfect
days." and there was nothing to dis
turb the serenity Of the scene.
General Mills, who was in advance Of
the others IN the right bank of the
SllGdlll, Wdo SuQOclly oldl llCO OuI Va
his relaxed mood by his negro servant
who announced that he heard shout
ing. Mills listened but could hear moth
ing. However, knowing that his serv-
ants sense of hearing surpassed his
own, thought it better to investigate.
Going to the top of a neighborine
bluff, he saw some two miles away
outlined against the sky what appeared
to be an immense flock of Crows ir
violent agitation. 1t did not take many
seconds for Mills to ascertain that the
supposed Grows were Sioux making
rapid progress in his direction. He al
once sounded the alarm and notified
Crook of what he had seen. He found
the general playing cards with a few
of his officers, his camps. situation be-
ing such that he could not see the
oncoming host.
The card game ended then and there
as the general prepared to give the
enemy a warm reception. No report
had come in from the friendly Indians
whose duty it was to keep the genera
informed concerning the enemy's move
ments. If they were aware Of them
the friendlies did not purpose losing
their scalps in aiding the whites; they
had had previous encounters with the
Sioux. Mills testifies these friendlie.
we're of little or no use on this occa-
sion.
Crook ordered Mills to take the bluff.
between himself and the oncominf
hostiles and this Mills proceeded to do
Crossing the river with his troops
Mills went north, that being the direc'
ton from which the Indians were APP
preaching. On reaching the ridge o.
bluff he was directed to hold, he founC
a few Indians already there. These
quickly fled before the troops to tn,
top Of the ridge.
This ridge was covered with largt
boulders behinds which a horse coult
be concealed and often four of them
These large boulders were near thu
bottom of the ridge. Higher up, thu
rocks were smaller in size, but suffi.
GENTLY large to protect two soldiers
Mills thought this a fine place from
which to fight, as it was had the In.
dams selected to remain and be fought
Mills gives this description of theil
method of fighting:
"These Indians were most hideous
everyone being painted in most hideous
colOrS and designs, stark naked, except
their moccasins, breech clout and heac
gear, the latter consisting of feathers
and horns, some of the horses being al
SO painted, and the Indians proved Their
and there that they were the bes'
cavalry soldiers on earth. In charging
up towards us they exposed little Of
their person, hanging on with n arm
around the neck and one leg over The
horse, firing and lancing from under
meath the horses neckS, SO there wa
no part of the Indian at which VIZ
could aim
Their shouting and personal appear.
ance was SO hideous that it terrified The
horses more than our men and rem
dered them almost uncomfortable be-
fore we dismounted and placed then
behind the rocks
The Indians came not in a line bu'
in flocks or herds like the buffalo anc
piled in upon us until / think there
must have been n thousand or fiji
teen hundred in our immediate front
but they refused to fight when they
found us secured behind the rocks anc
bore off to our left"
No Indians being in his vicinity tt
fight, Mills was ordered to take hi.
three troops and, accompanied by Cap
tain Noyes with his five troops, &c
down the canyon Of the Rosebud, TAXI
the village and hold it. Mills obeyee
and had nearly reached the mouth O.
the canyon when he received the coun-
ter order to return. Neither he nor hi
officers cared to do this as they fel
3 nititn III than on,,1I hold fhn ys1nns