Year: 1876

The interesting dispatches from our corre-
spondent with the Army of the Yellowstone
throw considerable light on the movements
of the troops and their willy adversaries in
the efforts of the former to overtake the
enemy and the latter to elude pursuit After
the junction of the forces of Generals Crook
and Terry in what SO long proved to be the
debatable land between their widely separ-
ated camps the Indians became sat
isfed, no doubt, that they could not
successfully cope with the power
full force then moving against them
and prudently resolved to withdraw from
the scene of their previous successes. 1t
was then that the real difficulties of the cam
paign began to present themselves to the
generals in command, because the Indian
retreat was so skilfully managed as to battle
the most experienced scouts in their at
tempts to discover it's direction. The most
conflicting accounts were daily coming in as
to the whereabouts Of Sitting Bull and
his band, and it became necessary to
make several long and distressing
marches before Generals Terry and Crook
became satisfied that the ground recently
occupied by the hostile Sioux had been
deserted by them. Contrary to general ex-
pectation the Indians have moved eastward,
passing between the camps on the Yellow
stone and at the base of the Big Horn Noun
tains. This indicated an intention on their
part to reach the agencies and come in as
good Indians for the winter, or to cross the
Yellowstone and escape into the country
north of that river where, if they werc too
closely pressed by the pursuing troops, their
retreat could be easily extended into the
region north of the Missouri, and, if nee
essary, into British territory


Having satisfied themselves as to the
movements of the Indians the generals in
command transferred their forces down the
Glendive Greek. tributary of that river,
which flows northward into the Yellowstone
at about fifty miles below the mouth of the
Powder River. The plan of operations now
being carried out by the troops is explained
in our dispatches from tho field General
Crooks force has crossed tho Yellowstone
and is securing the country between that
river and the Missouri to prevent the escape
Of the Indians westward. General Gibbon.
with the main force, has operated on the
south bank OF the Yellowstone, in the
vicinity of O'Fallon's Creek, q stream
flowing from the southwark into the main
river at point about midway between the
Powder and the Glendive rivers, for the
purpose Of clearing the south bank of
Indians. General Terry, with tho bulk of
the troops, has since crossed the Yellowstone
to its northern bank, and is following the
Indian trail wherever it turns. 1t will be
seen that the object Of this ombination is to
force the Indians into cul de sac, formed by
the junction of the Yellowstone and the Mis-
souri,, where they must either fight losing
battle or surrender. But the Indians are on
the alert and are watching every movement of
the troops. Their scouts are lowering near
each encampment and signal to their
chiefs whenever change OF position is eff
fected by the troops. There is possibility,
which we do not care to contemplate, OF
General Crooks force meeting superior
number Of the enemy and being roughly
handled but we feel confident that Terry's
movements will be sufficiently rapid to pre-
vent any disaster. All now depends on
speed. Any delays will jeopardize the sue
cess of the new plan and, while we are by
no means certain that the result will be
final discontinue of the savages, there are
still good chances that they will receive o
severe lesson from the troops in pursuit


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SrRI9os is one of those truly good men
who appear only once in a century. He has
been abused for his Ego on and finish
the ticket" despatch, but he is good enough
to delay his vindication for the sake of the
democratic party.