Year: 1876

Of the Powder River expedition has had a brisk and
successful brush with hostile Indians camped IN Wild
and almost inaccessible canyon OF the Big Horn Noun
tans An accidental circumstance led To tho discov-
cry OF the hostile camp BY that discovery We were
enabled to surprise ITS inmates, and to
only our success in routing the band OF sayagcs
who found shelter there. but also tho hives
OF large proportion OF those composing the
column that operated under General Mackenzie in
this fight. To our Arrapahoc ana Sioux scouts tho
/ credit OF utilizing this accidental circumstance be-
longs wc as leading US to tho village, alter they
had found it, through country with the topography
OF which our white guides wholly unacqua.ntcd.
without their assistance we might have searched
months and then not found the den OF the hosies,
securely it concealed among the hills


LOOKING HORSE.


on our arrival ut Old Fort Reno Saturday, Novem-
bcr ls General Crook, sent out Sioux and Arrapa
hoes 10 take n scout in the neighborhood oil Crazy
woman's Creek with four days provisions his ntcn-
ton being to move in time to meet them their
turn.


During their absence two parties of miners moving
outward from the Black Hills to prospect in ncighbor-
ing hills arrived IN our camp, and had talk with
General Crook the Indian trails they haa found
in their wandcrings From this interview the Gen.
era concluded that Crazy Horses camp must be To-
Gated somewhere the Rosebud. He then deter
mincG instead OF moving AT once toward CFaZy
woman's Fork, to await the return OF the scouts AT
the appointed time they came, bringing with them a
hostile Cheyenne they had captured little outside Of
Crazy woman's Creek 1t this capture which led
to the discovery Of the village In going out our
Indian scouts had left their COLDER clothes behind
them. and the captive wandered into their camp. Be-
lieving himself among friends he told them that therc
some Cheyenne lodges in a ravine on tho south
side OF the mountain, Crazy woman's Creek but
that the main body OF the trbo had crossed the
tans


spRiNGNG


After obtaining all the information he possessed
from the Cheyenne they covered him with thor pis
tolls, held under their blankets, and said-"Wc are
whitc soldiers and want your gun; II you
don't give it up you know what will happen" The
surprised hostile submitted and brought to Fort
Reno where General Crook another talk with him.
HIS statements after his arrival in camp
fused and contradictory OF his first assertions He did
not dare, however, TO wander too far from his first
story in consequence OF the intelligence he brought
us General Crook concluded 60 at after Crazy
Horse In pursuance of this determination struck
camp at Fort Reno at daybrcak on Wednesday, and
arrived at the Crazy Woman Creek late in the after
noon. Immediately orders were promulgated to pre-
pare for n ten days march toward the Rosebud with
the pack train only, our wagons to be left
where they werc until our return. We got
everything ready that night for an early start
determined to take with US only such clothing
could wear no tents and small allowance of bedding
two blankets cach-rather cool covering for such
nights have had OF atc but still all that could
be permitted with the transportation nt hand. Tho
camp astr far into the night preparing for the
morrow's march, but by sunrise on Thursday all
changed AT daylight our pckcts on the hills
rounding our camp Indian approaching with
large white flag which he waved above his head Some
OF our enlisted Indians went out to meet him, aud
brought him into camp, where he was recognized
Sitting Bear, friendly Indian sent out by General
Mack from Red Cloud Agency to warn those still
out that they must come in and give up their arms
aud ponies, or the soldiers would pursue them AMI
compel them to do Sitting Bear had lett Crazy
Horses village several days boore. and slowly
drifting back toward tho agency The day before his
arrival in our camphc that the five Chcy-
cnne lodges which captain had spoken OF had dis
covered approach and ~ of toward Crazy Horses
camp They would give him the alarm aud doubtless
set him also moving Gen Crook then determined to
pursue the Cheyenncs supposed TO be campcd beyond
The oun tains nrs, and ordered Gen. Mackenzie with
the cavalry and Indian scouts to start as pos
siblc Meanwhile fourteen Pawnce and Shoshonc
scouts were put out with instructions the
mountain the rst pass they and search for
trails signs OF Indians beyond. When they discov-
cred any presence OF the Indians they
we're to rccross the mountain aad mec, US on the
South side, along which to travel.





wc madc only twelve miles Thursday, and that
evening sent cut side OF the mountain seven
or eight Sioux and Arrapaloc search for in
dicasions OF The village ahead AT sunrise Friday
we rcsdmed march, and by one O'Clock In tho af
tcrnoon the head OF the column reached grassy vale
completely sheltered in front by scmicircular
range OF hills Here our Indians, most OF whom
travelled ahead, halted 10 give tho cavalry
time 10 catch up with them In about three quarters
of an hour the whole command was III. tho men dis
mounted and the horses unsadded and being led to
water at a little stream that wound through the val
ley Meantime the pack train hal also come up and
was going into camp on the Lett just Indian
posts on the hills in ffont commenced to circle
about their horses in Wild excited sort Of way A
moment aitcrward shrill Indian yawp went up from
the fartbcst Indian the hill in front This was
echoed by two or three Of Indians farther down
toward us and then rc-ecbood hundred times by
wild irrcgulars scattered through the valley Wrongly
interpreting this savage signal cavalry captains
with nervous haste, rushed their forward,
throwing skirmishers all along the hillside. One
company had resaddlcd and at tho front.
mounted in less than thrco minutes from the
first alarm This movement, commercially quick as
IL was, proved wholly unnecessary Tho hostics
not approaching 10 attack us. rs appre-
hended, and the savage yell We heard merely ind-
Gated that some OF the scouts We had sent out the
night before coming in, having discovered the
location OF the hostile village. They had communi
Gated their discovery by signals from distant hill TO
our outposts, and tho howl wc had heard but
shout of triumph But 1t had marvellous effect on
our auxarics, too. With promptncss that would
have been crcdiiablc any regular cavalry they had
caueh, mounted their war ponies and were galIop
ing back and forth little Knoll TO the night fun
speed. Inquring what was the object OF this move
mont informed that when about TO enter nght
the Indians invariably give their ponies preliminary
cantcr improve their wind When the alarm sub.
sided and the arst OF tho scouts arrived learned
that the camp dlstsncc of-how far tho
Indian could not sag with any degree oI accuracy,