Year: 1876

CrOOk heoro FrOms


The country will experience . general
sense of relief at the news which our corre-
spondent sends from General Crooks camp
at Cloud Peak, Wyoming. He has a won
derful story of bravery and devotion to tell,
but the greatest news-the importance
of which the writer is apparently
unconscious offs contained in the
fact that he has no story of disaster to
Crooks command to relate. After the series
of misfortunes which our arms have ex-
perienced in this Indian war, and the dam
ger which, almost unknown to themselves
or their commander, was threatening the
forces of General Crook, tie country has need
to thank Providence that it is spared the
relation of further disaster and the sed array
of further lives offered up Intellectually in this
unfortunate war; The great news is that, SO
far, Crooks command is safe.


The story which our correspondent actu-
ally relates is indeed thrilling. 1t opens
with the account of o daring ride by three
privates of the Seventh infantry from Terry's
camp on the Yellowstone to Crooks camp
one hundred miles south in straight line
The names of these gallant fellows deserve
to be mentioned and their deed honored, for
they are the first links that have joined the
operating columns and the danger of their
scout cannot be magnifed by details


These three, James Bell, William Evans
and Benjamin Steward rode three nights and
two days through q country filed with
thousands of the triumphant red devils,
and they deserve we'll of their country.
They had mournful news to bring. They
had to tell Of the death of the gallant Custer
with 36S privates and IA officers of his
regiment and the wounding of 60 more
We can picture how gloom succeeded joy in
the camp when this heartrending story was
told. 1t is well, however, that Crook knows
what has befallen the other column, and
that he has heard enough to make him move
with caution against his swarming enemy,
even when his reinforcements shall have ar
rived


The experiences of the scouting party
sent ont on the 9th inst. to reconnoitre the
enemy, a proceeding which, had it been
adopted before the fight on the Rosebud
might have saved our arms disgrace,
make up the most exciting portion of
our correspondents admirable despatch.
The return Of this scouting party worn out
and stripped of everything but their arms,
their clothes and their lives, informed Gen
eral Crook of the immense force of the
enemy. They are now threatening the camp,
but do not seem likely to attack it in
force, confning their operations to
burning the grass, trying to steal
cattle and cautious skirmishing. The re-
Inducements of FIVE companies Of infantry
were hourly expected, and the pack trains
shortly after. So far so well, but now for
the future.


General Terry's despatch to General
Crook asked the latter to cooperate with him
in forward movement, but it does not
seem that General Crook will accede to
this, although Terry appears willing to re-
linquish the main command to Crook. Gen.
eral Crook, it appears, contemplates for
ward movement with twenty days rations,
but in what direction we are left
in doubt Now, we ask, is it not
time that this campaign was conducted
under proper organization? Here are two
bodies of troops, each inferior to the enemy,
apparently about to repeat the blunder of the
start. They only obtain communication
with each other after being two months in
the field, and even now there seems to lurk
disposition to continue striking at the
Indians without concert This is
very gloomy outlook indeed. We call
upon General Sheridan to set this
matter right, to give each of the commanders
sufficient men to give each chance of
coping with the enemy successfully if
either should meet them single-handed. It
is time that the responsibility for future
movements should go higher than either
Terry or Crook, and no one is better