Show COL MILLS FIGHT WITH tiie THE INDIANS CAMP ON OWL dakota sept 10 1870 two fights with the hostile SIOUX bioux occurred yesterday A band of about braves was surprised at dawn their village destroyed and their ponies captured by a detachment of the third cavalry under lAnsou col Co lanson anson mills the main column under general crook overtook the troops in advance about noon and about 3 it was attacked by indians indiana belonging to the neighboring villages numbering in r about ono one soldier and one scout were killed in that engagement and eight soldiers wounded one of whom died this morning about forty sioux were killed and twenty one were made captives the column marched three days southwards from heart river biver through a constant storm of cold rain with meagre rations meted out to hungry palates several hundred undred Ii worn out horses were on the on this day the famishing i soldiers broke from their ranks to kill them in order to secure the meat general crook men inen of the third cavalry tj ti guard the pack train to deadwood city and load with supplies to relieve the troops the service was ex hazardous because of the multitude of small trails disco veed by the scouts which all turned to towards the black hills and a concentration cent ration of the indian forces upon the detachment was feared the detail for this service was not made larger because there were no more horbes in command whose strength was equal to the rapi 1 marching it required col mills was in command and I 1 accompanied his little force which was divided into two battalions under lieutenants crawford and von benwitz Len witz although wearied with three days marches of thirty five miles each the detachment left camp in the evening in a thick mist which interfered seriously with its progress frank the scout guided its course A storm was raging ng and several halts were necessary in order to consult the com ais but the clouds suddenly broke and the north star appeared we camped at one the storm continued the next day about thirty miles from the main column bruard discovered indications of the proximity of an indian village as we were approaching slim buttes I 1 and we halted on the table land concealed c on cealey behind a knoll the indians were watched while they were herding their ponies of which there were great numbers but it was doubtful how many braves were in the party colonel mills desired to attack them at once but buta ftera consideration fearing the band might be much stronger than it appeared he determined tied to wait until daybreak every precaution was taken to p prevent the enemy ene my from discovering us we marched back two miles mile sand saud and aud bivouacked bivouac red Ked red in a pocket formed by two canyons in the deep mud and drenched with batter battering ingrain lain rain the plan of attack was fully digested lieutenants crawford and von benwitz were to get got positions on two sides eider of the we hollow in which was the village before its inhabitants should awake their men were to he bol dismounted a ji miles illes distance from the village the horses to bereft there hero in charge of the packers and lind the troops were to advance cautiously on foot mounted men were led by lieutenant Bubb was to remain in hi charge of the mules and horses during the several alarms occurred occur fed ted at 2 all was vas in readiness ano and am the detachment formed ranks in profound darkness fog and rain it advanced slowly to the position of tb the op previous evening and there th re halting halt hait ng 9 the guide went norward forward rd to find the way to the village after waiting half an hour he emerged out of the ob security again and we again moved after aftel a second halt the mules and horses with about thirty men of whom I 1 was abone one remained behind while t the h 9 main body advanced at the firs first t sound of firing we were to advance rapidly but cautiously and if the enemy proved too strong we were to secure and hold hola some favorable point until relieved thero thera was in theme arran gemen gewen s an nn anticipation of another disaster like that which befell custer and his 48 gallant seventh ehe nhe feo the in the chill chili wet darkness straining the ear ia la vain for the sound of the fray was full of dread anxious suspense the dawn had not begun when a white soldier patrolling a hill bill espied ea led a horseman coming at full giop gallop toward us it at first appeared to be an indian but proved to be captain jack tle the the scout who sald said the fight had begun and we were to advance as rapidly as possible we dashed forward through the mist and reached a round top of bluela from whence we raw paw flashes of guns a mile below while now and again dull detonations deto nations reached us against the breeze here we mel bruard and a private who brought an order frem from col mills to despatch a courier to general crook immediately dia tely asking reinforcements two men volunteered for chisser th this isber isser service and galloped off to execute the order we then advanced into luto the valley under fire the fusi lade was continuous and bullets came canse whizzing from nearly every acclis ity A low ridge hid bid the village from view view and at its foot were herded captured ponies gaining the ridge the fire upon us became me nearer for a time but well weil restrained by our skirmishers com corn mand manding ae ng the village the attack had b ben n accidentally precipe bated the troops had advanced in double column for two miles when they came within bight of the herd of indian ponies the an animals mals mais were frightened ten edund and aud rushed like a hurricane hurni hurri caBe toward the village the accident caused a change ii hi the method of attack to be ordered immediately ka with his twenty five men benj dashed forward at a thundering gallop and close upon the heels ot of the ponies swept through the crowd of lodges A strange sound was heard produced by the cutting of the lodge skins with knives quickly followed by the reports ot of guns and the indians were wen tc rambling up the steep banks anu ana and into the 9 gullies guilles ullies with yells of dismay hardly was well out of their ran range rano o than gaeford oraw Gaw ford foid and ani von men opened fire and their balls riddled the teepees before their occupants were fairly awakened owing to the tho prec pree precipitate attack von not time to secure lils his assigned poI roi position tion on the further side 0 of f the creek and the effect of a cross fire therefore was not gained and the indians who escaped in that direction secreted themselves and acted ay af sharpshooters had bad captured the main portion ot of the herd but many ponies had escaped A few were caught by the sioux who began to ride rido around on the billit billy firing at the troops where they happened to be most exposed others were seen to canter away over the blun blur in the west it was surmised they were going to raise the neighboring bands to their assistance si and preparations were strenuously made for a desperate defence of the position commanding the village until general crook with his column should arrive lieutenants crawford and made repeated charges which drove the sioux from thoe points from which their fire was annoying they both made rapid explorations of the hills to gat gather her up stray ponies so sa that they should not be secured by the indians in these they bad many pistol pis tol encounters with the indians and abd forced them to retire repeatedly the gallantry displayed by both of these officers was splendid in lif the acteon itt at thie the ethere efe ene had been several among our troops as follows I 1 t private A mid burry alias wea wen killett be sel fel 4 was killed by a bullet in th the head and an arrow in the body i charlea foster wounded severe ay iy t y eberg 0 an xU ilki kirkwood kirk wood wounded q A I 1 augustus Augu etus dorn dora sev severely rely roly wounded lieutenant A hven H von Lent witz severely wounded in the knee at evening sergeant edwards gla gia glass cs severely wounded in the right arm corporal edward ma mackaman C he M an i private william babola 3 1 wounded colonel aims mills i took ana anil occupied every point used by the enemy to annoy our troops and caused rifle rille pita to be dug with the only hovel shovel which had bad been brought brou glit I 1 WAS w g placed in charge of one with two moen toen in it on one of tho A rigs rig s overlooking 0 the village while another was wag wa adv advanced tor tos point b beyond vi which arved as an ala out krof most of the fighting had ceased when the sun wa wai i up at four a second courier was sent back mounted on a strong indian pony to hasten general crook two soldiers and aud myself volunteered to go and one of the former was selected the village vas was occupied by the soldiers but not until the indians were driven from a steep hill commanding its approach the booty was safely inspected and removed lieutenant crawford was sent with nine cavalrymen to charge thena them the braves holding the hill sides sines and while he be was making a circuit through a hollow to escape observation they opened conversation with our interpreter by shouting overtures to a truce JS tubber a chief said 1 I am tir tired edof of fighting have had enough of it thi s summer want to go to agency again he was interrupted by the approach of if craw fords party who went up the mountain cheering and received a volley they killed two indians indiana with their pis the walls of the who were hidden in the hill were heard at intervals the pack train was led into the village and loaded with pounds of dried meats and fruits found there the lodges were full of splendid rohe bead work deer and elk skins guns ammunition saddles ac aso iso ac but trophies of far more significance were there col took from a lodge the guidon of custers Ou cavalry cavalu the overcoat of a slaughtered officer of the seventh cavalry was found and several saddles of troopers killed on the little horn while the horses in the herd bore the mark of the tha devoted regiment certificates OF LOYALTY the letters which I 1 quote foland found on the bodies are an irv irp ironical commentary an on indian policy SPOTTED TAIL AGENCY jan 14 1876 the bearer of thih thip this st Bt stabber a abber belonging to tim agency will travel coith to visit his people pedie he will return to this agency within ninety days without disturbing any white man if he need I 1 an auy any Y 44 little I 1 e ming wing you will not ioe lose lore by giving it to him this is true F C AGENCY r D T reu reb 1976 TO ANY UNITED STAT states STATUS M INDIAN his is to ceroky that thai Char charging gink crow an indian bel bei to sau san 6 band is a true man to beyns 8 of or treaty and use uses us es all hh hiat influence with his people to di dd right I 1 haf fully recommend him to consideration of oell 11 ll yours respectfully AAL aak A A AL HOWAR bowar pi I 1 united states indian agent tha cour couriers fers sent to crook met let him on his march he forward as fast as his jaded and hungry troops could come for two days the flesh oh ofa horses ha h been issued to them for food at it noon the co column lumn appeared and gladdened edthe the eyes of df colonel Jo lonel ionel mills and hn his rde detachment detach men ti who were in in I 1 expectant bof an attack attach by lay the indians enforce in force foree firing llad bad I 1 ceased ce ased except occasional shots from the she I 1 lie ravine on the vest fest side sine of afi the village herdit berdit was supposed a single wounded indian layde layde I 1 terr mined to sell his life ilfe dearly d darly arly acly 1 during the morning soldiers bal bai been killed by abbots from ahe the 1 ine inc general crolik to td catch gatch the indian alive aldr Amused caused the interpreter to make a promise of life to him bullets were the only reply soldiers him on the opposite bank had bad pour ed their fire into the ravine for but antill the indians gur gun dastinot Ale need Deed passing grom the the village soldiers were saluted by bullets troops bejo deployed below the mouth of tb mhd ravine to make the approach cau can piously jlou tiou sly siy they crawled with loaded edgins guns bullet after bollet ballet wa sent over lovet their thor heads hom from the depth of Ab and they v re turned but uld hid nob not silence the nire fire the iho through throng 11 thet camp and the of the tavine became the tuf a seji sevi eral officers joined in the siege the stronghold was approached by hun hurt deeds of eager bold sold lers lets under unde the ae delusion that they were to sea an indian made prisoner I 1 hitherto only inels trots had earlo coalo from within but suddenly ibe jhb a 26 vot vol vo ey sent through the troop which caused in an mue rush away from ho the describable Ve cpr t and nd the wild wildert pst ac reigned the ravine was full of indians indiana who after the first charge in the m morning orna had fled there to hide bide the volley wounded private kennedy of the Fifth Cavalry the siege became more tragic and earnest captain munson was wag foremost peering over the steep bank into the ravine when he slipped in through a dense bramble and found himself among the indians the dry water bed was narrow and aud deep and hidden with brush several warriors lay face downward in this trench and had bad built small breast works across it with mud and route behind these were a score of squads squaws and children some borne of these were wounded and the mud was drenched and bushes spattered with their blood munson gallantly seized a squaw and putt putting fiig frig her papoose on his back hack shoved her out one buck was lying on a dead infant munson had barely a of the interior of this strange stronghold and then dodged back to escape the muzzles of five guns dver over his head bullets hissed both ways the soldiers pressing forward to tire are they several times swayed back hack backward warth before the fire of the indians and the roar of musketry was like that at antietam baptiste ste ate the pawnee scout da dashed h in and caught two other and a young brave they sald said the rest would surrender but when quarter was igata pro provoked proposed pored poked th they ey answered anwer dd wa ath bullets john white known as buffalo white a friend and follower of buffalo bill was shot through the heart baptiste just escaped a ball to kill tho savage who fired it and scalped scalded him in an instant A talk was meanwhile held with te tle women who had been rescued one of them who wass was wounded said she would cointo go into the ravine and induce the indians still alive to surrender she went and soon after led out a forlorn looking group there were ri several everal squads squaws and two bucks one of teem named black wolf on entering the there were found three dead squaw equaw P and oile ome one dead brave am american alcan horse ar or ir iron i on shields was toc hoc found ind horni horri kly kiy ily grounded ded t in n the asi afi domen lie he was bro brought light tight out and cared for bythe bytho by the surgeons burgeons but died this morning 1 the captives were awen ty on one e IV iff number when they they seemed to expect immediate te death A squaw discovered her dead papoose in a tepee and was a picture of intense woe captives skid said that crazy homes village attson was on the other slim busies and that some 0 their people had gone to bring his band to their assistance about tb three ree pap mounted un indiana n d ish s began to swarm on the ridges tidies and attacked the camp camp they made hlade strong ef ort orta to nind find a weak point idour in our skirmish line hite which had been thrown across the village making a circuit of abe the whole com command malid marid firing ap g ads lis its rapid tor for two h hours on r Q an attempt tir M wms was made to cut off lieu tenant sibley who had bittl |