War-Path and Bivouac, or the conquest of the Sioux, etc

Front matter

„ . [COPYRIGHTED] Palmed by JNO MUUVANY. "CUSTER'S LAST RALLY." WAR-PATH and BIVOUAC, (IK THE CONQUEST OF THE SIOUX, A NARRATIVE OF STIRRING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AN1_ ADVEN TURES IN THE BIG HORN AND YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION OF 1876, AND IN THE CAMPAIGN ON THE BRITISH BORDER, IN 1879. BY r- JOHN F. FINERTY WAR CORRESPONDENT "FOR THE CHICAGO "TIMES." PUBLICATION OFFICE: Unity Building, 7© Dearborn Street, CHICAGO. Copyrighted, 1890, BY JOHN F. FINERTY. All Rights Reserved. PRESS OF D0XOHUE & HENNEBERRY, PRIKTERS AND BINDERS 407-425 Dearborn St. CHICAGO. PEEFACE AND DEDICATION. It had long been my intention to publish the volume which I now submit to the public. The book is, as far as human fallibility will permit, a faithful narrative of stir ring events the like of which can never again occur upon our continent.

Stories of Indian warfare, even when not founded entirely upon fact, have ever been popular with people of all nations, and more particularly with the American people. to whom such warfare is rendered familiar both by tradition and experience. These memoirs aim at laying before the public the adventures, privations, heroism and horrors of our last great Indian wars, exactly as the}r presented themselves to the writer in battle, on the march or in bivouac. The valor of the American army has never been impugned, but millions of our own citizens do not know, even yet, Avhat privations our brave soldiers endured, and what noble sacrifices they made, in advancing our banner in the wilderness of the "West and in subduing the savage and sanguinary tribes that so long barred the path of progress in our Territories.

The soldier who falls wounded while battling against a civilized foe feels certain of receiving humane consideration if he should fall into hostile hands, but our soldiers who l'REl ACE AND DEDICATION. were disabled in the Indian campaigns had ever before them the terrors of fiendish torture and mutilation in case of cap ture by the savages. Buried for months at a time in the very heart of the wilderness, excluded from every solace of civilization, exposed to the stealthy strategy Of the most cunning and merciless of all existing human races, unsheltered, for the most part, from the fury of the elements, deprived of the ordinary food of mankind, and compelled to live at times on that against which the civilized stomach revolts, the sol diers of the regular army seldom or never complained and always Avent cheerfully into " the gap of danger."

Preface

AND DEDICATION. V The gallant service in which Ilarney, Fremont, Sully. Stanley, Connors, Crook, Miles, Merritt, Terry, McKenzie, Gibbon, Carr and other heroic chiefs distinguished them selves against the intrepid hostile Indians, and in which Custer, Canby, Fetterman, Kidder, Elliot, Brown, Grum mond, Yates, Mclntosh, Calhoun, Keogh, McKinney, and many more as brave as they were, died fighting against overwhelming numbers, deserves honor at the hands of the nation, whose glory it has maintained and whose progress it has insured. Whether as regulars or volunteers, our soldiers, at all timesand under all circumstances, have deserved well of their country. From the day of Concord bridge, when the citizen-soldiery of Massachusetts " fired the shot heard 'round the Avorld," to that of the Little Big Horn, when Custer, at the head of his three hundred, died like Leonidas at Thermopylæ, the American army, whether in victory or disaster, has ever been worthy of the flag which it carries, and of the nation which it defends. In this spirit I respectfully dedicate this book to the American army and the American nation. John F. Finerty. Chicago, April, 1800. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Bound For The Plains

Assignment to Duty — Making the Start — Interview with AV. F. Storey — His Peculiar Manner — Letters from General Sheridan — " AVestward Ho!" — Omaha — Interview with General Crook — His Advice — Sidney Station — The Crowd at the Depot — A Military " Character " — Cheyenne in 76 — Fort D. A. Russell — A Ludicrous Accident — Orders to Move — General Reynolds — " Never Trust a Horse or an Indian," etc.

Chapter II. The Black Hills Fever

Causes of the Indian Trouble — AA'ars of the Sioux and Crows — Rush of Gold Hunters to "The Hills" — Military Interference — Wagons Burned — Murders by Indians and Brigands — Stage Coaches Attacked — Perils of Prospectors — The Invincible AVhite Man carries his Point, etc.

Chapter III. The March On The Platte

First Day Out— Halt at Lodge Pole Creek— Incidents of the Camp- Long and Short Stirrup Straps— Tired Out — Meeting with Lieutenant Schwatka — Junction with Colonel Royall 's Column — Chugwater Aralley— Blockaded by Rain and Mud— Fort Laramie— Across the Platte— Regular Soldiers in Campaigning Costume— Cavalry on the March "to Glory or the Grave," etc. CONTENTS.

Chapter IV. On To Fort Fetterman

The Old Utah Immigrant Trail— Savage Scenery— Blistering Heat and Stifling Dust— Dearth of AVater— Rough Riding with a Rear Guard— First Glimpse of Fort Fetterman— Perils of the Platte— An Exciting Episode— Cool Bravery of Lieutenant Bubb— General Crook's Hospitality, etc.

Chapter V. Marching On Powder River

On the War-path in Earnest — Scenes on the March— Peculiarities of Mules and Mule Whackers — A God-Forsaken Region— Miserable Camping Grounds — First Look at the Big Horn Range — The Snowy Summits — Pumpkin Buttes — January in the Lap of June — A False Alarm — Tales by the Camp Fires — Lieutenant Bourke Interrupted by Indian Bullets — The Pawnee Sentinel and the Sergeant's Watch — " I Want to go Ho-o-me!" — Powder River- Old Fort Reno — The Soldiers' Cemetery — Victims of the Hostiles — Brave and Humorous Prospectors, etc.

Chapter VI. Glimpses Of The Big Horn Range

A Morning in "Leafy June"— Diamonds in the Dew Fall — A Glorious Panorama of Nature — Supposed Indian Signal Fires — Crazy Woman's Fork— Strategical Montana Miners — Clear Fork — An Indian " Grave "—Military Vandals— Fort Phil. Kearney — The Fetterman Massacre— Grave of the Gallant Victims— How the Site of the Fort was Selected— The Old Bridger Trail— " Massacre Hill"— Camp on Tongue River— A Burial in the AVilderness, etc.

Chapter VII. The First Fusillade

An Indian Voice at Midnight— Mysterious Disappearance of the Owner —Gold Hunters' Delusions— An Evening Call by the Sioux— Our Camp Fired Upon— Flying Bullets— Mills' Battalion Crosses the River— Charging the Bluffs— Retreat of the Savages— Ludicrous Stories — Colonel Mills and his Stove Pipe — In Camp on Goose Creek, etc. CONTENTS. IX

Chapter VIII. Indians In War Paint

The Scout Gruard— His Eventful History — A Captive Among the Sioux — Arrival of Crow and Snake Indians— Their AVild, AVarlike and Picturesque Appearance — Spears, Guns and War Bonnets — Powwow with the General — Indian Oratory — Infernal Nocturnal Orgies — Characteristics — An Officer's Love Affair with an Indian Princess, etc.

Chapter IX. Scout And Buffalo Hunt

Arming and Feeding Our Indian Allies — The Mules and the Infantry — How the Latter Rose Rapidly in the AVorld — Indians Laugh at the Mishaps of the Walk-a-heaps— The Savages as Horsemen — Preparing for Battle — Composition of the Army — Parking the AVagon Train — Medicine Men and Head Soldiers — Their Morning Harangues — The March on the Rosebud — A Matchless Buffalo Hunt — Indications of an Early Fight — Laggard Allies — Position of War Correspondents in Indian Campaigns, etc.

Chapter X. Battle Of The Rosebud

Dawn on the Rosebud— The Indians Finally Move Forward— Bearing of the Soldiers— Down the \r alley— The Halt Among the Bluffs- Shots Beyond the Ridge — Indian Allies Make Good Time — "Heap Sioux, Heap Sioux!" — Saddling Up— Infantry Deploy as Skirmishers— Charges of Mills' and Henry's Battalions — The Sioux Fall Back but Keep on Fighting — Fierce Conflict Between our Indians aud the Enemy— An Exciting Scene — Rescue of Sergt. ATan Moll by the Crow " Humpy " — Colonel Henry AVounded — Mills' March Down the Cafion — The Movement Countermanded — He and Major Noyes Defile by Their Left and Fall Upon the Rear of the Sioux — The Latter Break and Run — Rovall's Peril — Losses in the Fight — The General Dissatisfied at the Result — How the Correspondents Acted — Treatment of the AVounded — Stuck Full of Arrows — Savage Mutilation — Indians AVeeping for Their Slain — An Atrocious Crow Scoundrel — The Retrograde Movement — AVe Rejoin our AVagon Train, etc. X CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XL IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAINS.

Monotony of Camp Life — A Period of Inaction — The Indian Allies go to See their Mothers' People — Light Literature in Camp — Schwatka and Sir John Franklin — A Man in Love with his own Wife — Lieutenant Lawson's Peculiarities— Reflections on Idle Life in the AVilderness — Arrival of Lieutenant Schuyler and Party — News from Terry and Custer — Nearer to the Foothills — Colonel Mills Sees the Smoke of Custer's Battle on June 25 — Supposes it to be a Prairie Fire — Military Men Petulant during Days of Idleness — The Noble Art of " Sitting Down On" Each Other — Capers Cut Before High Heaven — Unromantic-looking Heroes — Rumors of Custer's Disaster — A " Heap of Pony Soldiers" Reported by Indians and Half-Breeds to have been " AViped Out" — Exploring the Big Horn Mountians, etc.

Chapter XII. Across The Snowy Range

A Strong Hunting Party — Noble Scenery of the Big Horn Range— The Eternal Snows and Ever-falling Waters — A Duplicate of the Pass of St. Gothard — Picturesque Lakes and Charming Trout Streams — The Western Slope — Beautiful Nature — Killing the Big Horn Sheep — A Charming Camp— Colonel Mills and the Author Cross the Range— On the Mountain Peak — View of Wind River Valley and the Gray Bull and Big Horn Rivers — "Bring along Your Italy !"— A Few Shots at Mountain Buffalo— The Return to Camp— A New Trail— A Snowstorm in July — Hunting for Gold — No Paying Prospect — Back to Headquarters for the Fourth, etc

Chapter XIII

TnE SIBLEY SCOUT— A CLOSE CALL. The Author A'olunteers to Accompany a Forlorn Hope— Organization of the Scouting Party under Lieut. F. W. Sibley, of the 2d Cavalry— Leaving Camp— Halt at Big Goose Creek— A Mysterious Object— The Movement in the Gloom - On the Montana Immigrant Trail— "The Rising of the Moon"— Marching by Moonlight— A Dead Silence— The Mountains at Night— A Halt in the Early Morning— Bivouacking near the Foe— The March Resumed— The CONTENTS.

XI Scouts see a War Party of Hostiles — Retreat to the Foot Hills - Our Trail Discovered — Sibley's Remarks— AVe Retire to the Mount ains — The Sioux Hunting Trail — An Unfortunate Halt — The Ride Resumed — Fired upon from the Rocks and Timber — Seeking Shelter in the Woods — Wounded Horses — A Skirmish Line in the Edge of the Forest — The Indian Charge Repulsed — Fighting for our Lives — The Indian Leader Killed — How it Feels to be Looking Death Squarely in the Face— A Prolonged Conflict— The Indians Rein forced — They Occupy the Passes — Gruard and Pourier advise Sibley to Abandon Remaining Horses, and Retreat through the Woods and Rocks in Rear — Sibley's Reluctance — The Scouts Declare it the Only Chance of Escape — Sibley Finally Consents — Beginning of the Retreat — AVe Ford the Head Waters of Tongue River — Hearing the Sioux Firing \rolleys at our late Position — Gruard's Re marks — Toilsome Mountain March — Midnight Halt on Unknown Peak — Terrific Wind and Hail Storm — The March Resumed — A Dash Down a A'alley — Scaling an Awful Cliff — A Dive for Water — Sighting Another AVar Party — Resolve to Retreat no Further — Taking up a Strong Position — Savages Fail to Observe us— Luck on Both Sides — A AATel come Rest — Night March Across the Plains — Fording a Mountain Torrent in Darkness — Two Men Weaken at the Dangerous Crossing — Still more Indians Sighted — Our Exasperation — Soldier Hunters Appear — Surprised at our Appear ance — Six Miles in Four Hours — Send in to Camp for Horses— AVeakness of Sibley's Men from Toil and Starvation — Arrival in Camp — Our Reception — Congratulations on our Wonderful Escape, etc.

Chapter XIV

TnE CUSTER MASSACRE. General Crook goes Hunting Again — Official Account of Custer s Disaster — Statement of the Crow Scout, Curly — The only Survivor of Custer's Immediate Command— The Fire of the Sioux was " Like the Snapping of Threads in Tearing a Blanket" — Custer Among the Last to Fall — Gall, the Sioux Leader, Confirms Curly's Story — Custer never Crossed the River — How the Companies of Calhoun and Keogh Died in Their Tracks — Custer's Error — Reno and Marshal Grouchy — General Terry's Famous Order to Custer — Desirable to Enclose the Hostiles Between Custer's and Gibbon's Columns — CONTENTS. Irresolute Conduct of Major Reno— Division of the Command and March to the Little Big Horn— Reno's Retreat to the Bluffs- Junction with Benteen and MacDougall— Benteen's Statement- First Sight of the Hostiles—" Hurrah!

Custer's Luck! " Shouted the Doomed Hero— Custer and Samson— Their Shorn Locks— Horned Horse's Version of the Fight— Captain Clark Pumps the Old Savage — First Appearance of the Troops on the Bluffs— The In dians Rush to Arms— They are Mostly on Foot— The Troops Dis appear — The Head of Custer's Column Shows Itself in a Small Ra vine — Its Charge Repulsed — Soldiers Swallowd by the Quicksand — A Terrific Fusillade — Soldiers Melt like Snow Before It — They Fall Dead in Heaps — Their Steady Courage— Panic Among Their Horses — They Use their Revolvers — The AVorthless Carbines — Practically Disarmed — The Custer Family AAriped Out — Reno's Sorry Plight — The Exultant Savages Exhibit Custer's Guidons — Arrival of Generals Terry and Gibbon — The Soldiers Cheer Them — An Exciting Scene — The Generals Console the Discouraged Troops — Ghastly Scenes on Custer's Battlefield — The Hero's Body Escapes Mutilation — Terry Retires on His Base of Supplies — He Rests at Rosebud Landing until August, etc.

Chapter XV. Merritt's Fight On The War Bonnet

Return of the Snakes— Indian Deviltry— Arrival of the Wagon Train- Bad Women and Worse Whisky— A Captain Dismissed in the Field— General Crook's Anger— The Women Arrested and the Whisky Seized— Arrival of Couriers from General Terry — Traveling in the Indian Country, and How it is Done— AA'aiting for Reinforcements — The 5th Cavalry Unexpectedly Delayed on its March to Join Crook— General Merritt's Brilliant Conduct in Checking the Cheyenne Tribe on War Bonnet Creek— He Drives Them into Red Cloud Agency— The Chief, Yellow Hand, Killed by Buffalo Bill— Thrilling Adventure of a Scout named Kelly— He Goes Alone Through the AVilderness with Dispatches from Crook to Terry— He Gives Some Pointers on How to Make the Trip in Safety— " Buffalo Chip" Arrives from Merritt— Junction With that Officer— Pen Pictures— Merritt, Carr and Buffalo Bill— A Council of AArar— Conflagration in the Mountains— A Prairie Fire- Headlong Flight of Wild Animals— Buffalo Bill's Opinion of the Campaign, etc. CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter XVI. Marching In Darkness

Down to Bed Rock — The AVagon Train Abandoned — In Light Marching Order — Through Tongue River Canon — Cross March to the Rosebud — Site of the Great Hostile Village — A Fresh Indian Trail — Weird Night March — Intense Darkness — Grewsome Surroundings — A Splendid Illumination — Lurid Grandeur of a Forest Fire in the AVilderness — Halt and Bivouac, etc. CHAPTER XATII. CROOK AND TERRY MEET. Down the Rosebud — Great Bituminous Coal Deposits — Daring Ride of Captain "Jack" Crawford, the Scout, and Captain Graves, the Montana Miner — A Cheerless Camping Place— Letters from Home— A Cloud of Dust—" Is It Terry ? Is It Sitting Bull ?" Buffalo Bill Rides Forward to Find Out — Panic of Terry's Crows — Line of Bat tie Formed Across the Valley — Our Snakes Mistaken for Hostiles, the Cause — Indian Sagacity — Terry and Crook Temporarily Unite Their Forces — The Remnant of the 111 starred 7th Cavalry — Correspondents with Terry's Column — Back to Tongue River — A Ghastly Discovery — The Sioux Scalping Knife — Drenched to the Bone — Off for the Lower Powder River — Excellent Infantry — Exhaustion of the March — Pitiful Examples — In Camp on the Yellowstone — A Steamboat and a Colored AVoman — Humors of the Situation, etc.

Chapter XVIII. Under

A DELUGE. Sleeping in " Everlasting Wet "—A Senseless Change of Camp — Vivid Lightning — Awful Thunder — Stampeded Mules — Soldiers Chaff Each Other Under the Down-pour — Farewell to the Yellowstone — The Commands Separate — Indians Again Desert Us— Buffalo Bill Goes Down the River — So do Some Correspondents — " Ute John " — Following the Trail — Hardships of the Cross March — Irremovable Boots — The Eternal Mud and AVater — A Fine Grazing Country — Great Coal Deposits — Burning Coal Beds, etc. CONTENTS.

Chapter XIX. Half-rations And Horse Meat

On the Little Missouri— Loads of Wild Fruit— An Old Camping Ground— Discomforts of Campaigning on Short Allowance of Food and Clothing— The American Army— Some Tyrannical Shoulder-Straps -Crook Makes a Bold Resolve— "If Necessary We Can Eat Our Horses"— Lieut. Lawson's Disgust —Steam from Wet Human Bodies— Losing Horses by the Score— " Shank's Mare "— Mills' Advance Party— A Country Without Wood — Soldiers, Almost Starved to Death, Kill and Eat Horses— Dining on Roasted Cacti Leaves— " The Curse of Camps" Attacks the Command- Horses Ordered Shot for Food— General Discomfort, etc.

Chapter XX. Fighteng At Slim

BUTTES— AWFUL SCENES. Mills Strikes an Indian Camp and Captures a Pony Herd— Gallant Conduct of Lieutenants Schwatka, Crawford and Von Leutwitz — The Latter Loses a Leg — Crook Goes to the Rescue — Custer's Guidons Recaptured— The Gauntlets of Colonel Keogh — Other Relics of the Battle of the Little Big Horn — Personal Bravery of General Crook — Several Officers Distinguish Themselves in Trying to Dislodge a Party of Intrenched Indians — Pourier Takes a Scalp — A Fire of Hell — The Indian Death Chaunt — AAromen and Children Surrender — Warriors Fight On — American Horse, Fatally AVounded, Surrenders with Two Young Men— They are Given Quarter — A Revolting Group of Dead — Scalping the Slain — Remarkable Death of Private Wenzel—" Buffalo Chip " Shot Through the Heart— "My God, Boys, I'm Done For!

" — A Dead Pappoose — Hungry Soldiers — Crazy Horse Calls Around in the Afternoon — Daring Bravery of the Hostiles — They Attempt to Recapture Their Village — A Picturesque Fight— A Cordon of Fire Around the Valley — A Dashing Indian Leader — Was it Crazy Horse Himself? — The Savages Finally Baffled and Forced to Retreat— A Burial by Night— The March Resumed— Attack Made on the Rear Guard— The Savages Repulsed by a Battalion of the 5th Cavalry, under General Eugene A. Carr, etc. CONTENTS. XV

Chapter XXI. Marching In The Mud

The Tramp to Clay Ridge — A Peculiar Geological Formation — Distant Profile View of the Black Hills— Mills Again Sent Forward for Supplies — The Horrible March From Owl Creek to Willow Creek — The Soldiers Straggle Into Camp All Through the Night — Colonel Royall's Grit — Camping in the Dark — The Lowing of the Beef Herd — " Hurrah for Old Crook!" — Quick Butcher Work — Different Styles of Horse Beef — A Cure for Epicureanism — Startling Adventure of Sergeant Van Moll and Corporal Bessie — What Crook Accomplished by His Extraordinary March — The Abandoned Horses — On the Belle Fourche, etc.

Chapter XXII. Invading

TnE BLACK HILLS. General Sheridan Orders Crook to Meet Him at Fort Laramie — The Command Turned Over to General Merritt — Black Hillers Visit the Camp — Black Hills Scenery — Approaching Crook City— The Deadly Frontier Whisky — Deadwood in 76 — A Mountain Municipality — Firing Salutes in the General's Honor — A Public Bath- House — At Night the Entire Population Give Crook "an Ovation" — Deadwood Characters and Characteristics — Gold Dust as Currency, etc.

Chapter XXIII

CLOSfNO THE CAMPAIGN. Hunting for Horse Shoers — Artillery in " The Hills " — Crook as a Path-finder — Grand Scenery — Harvey's Peak— Hill City — A Stout- Hearted Ranch-Keeper — " Indian Scare and No Gold" — Arrival at Custer City — Capt. "Teddy" Egan — An Infant Prodigy — Sheridan Impatient — A Remount and a Hard, Rough Ride — Crook Tries a Short Cut — A Hunters' Dinner — The South Cheyenne — A AVild Gallop Over the Plains— An Early Morning Halt— Red Cloud in the Distance — The Arrival — A Hard-Looking Crowd — Crook Leaves for Fort Laramie — Military Hospitality — A Night at the Sutler's — Lieutenants McKinney and Clark — A Meeting with Gen. R. S. McKenzie — Back to Civilization, etc. CONTENTS

Chapter XXIV. Defeat Of Dull

KNIFE— DEATH OF CRAZY HORSE. The Winter Campaign— McKenzie's Prediction Fulfilled— Expedition Against the Village of Dull Knife— A Brilliant Victory— Lieut. McKinney Killed— The Cheyennes Badly Broken Up— Their Subsequent Sad Fate— Crazy Horse, the Famous AVar Chief of the Sioux, Surrenders— He Conspires to Murder General Crook and Escort— His Arrest and Tragical Death— Sitting Bull and Other Hostile Chiefs Remain Obdurate— They Seek Shelter on British Soil.

Chapter III. Encamped On The Big Muddy

The Author en route from Bismarck to Old Fort Peck, via the Missouri River — A Dangerous Cargo on Board — Lieutenant Quinton's Command of 100 Recruits for Miles — The Redoubt on the River Bank — Speculations as to the Whereabouts of the Savages — A Friendly Cafl by Red Stone and the Assiniboines — Scared Hunters — Red Stone and Lieutenant Quinton— Celebrating July Fourth Under Difficulties— Joy of the Recruits, etc. CONTENTS. XVII

Chapter IV. Miles Arrives At Fort Peck

A Change of Commanders — Ponies for the " Conscripts" — The Mosquito Pest — " Smudging" the Varmints Out — Absurdities of the Service — The American Recruit — An Advance Guard — General Miles Arrives with the Main Body — Old Friends — Reminiscences of 76 — Testy Officers— Rudely Aroused— Indian Generosity - Two Moons and Long Dog — The Fort Custer Battalion — The AVhole Command United — General Miles' Reply to Old Necklace — Recruits as Horsemen — The Hotchkiss Guns, etc.

Chapter V. Sitting Bull's Last Fight

The March Toward "The Line " — Signaling by Heloistat— Characteristics of Milk River — Buffalo in Sight — Cheyemies Pursue Fugitive Horsemen — Something about Sitting Bull as a Leader — Black Cattish and the Yanktonnais Delegation — A Frightened Half-breed — A Long Chase and Capture — Philo Clark makes a Forward Movement — He Runs into Sitting Bull's Band on Beaver Creek — Miles Hastens to his Relief— A Sharp Fight— Effect of Rice's Artillery- Retreat of the Sioux — A Retrograde March — Terrible Thunder and AVind Storm — A Singular Phosphorescent Phenomenon — The AVagon Train — Confusion in the Darkness — Mr. Booth and His Pistol— A AATild Scene in General Miles' Tent— A Ghastly Trophy, etc.

Chapter VI. On John Bull's Frontier

Fording Milk River — Contrary Horses — How Indians Cross Rivers — Crossing Frenchman's Creek — General Miles' Energy — Gallant Act of Private Dowd — Narrow Escape of Colonel Whistler — Recovering Lost Scalps — Cheyenne Notables — Young Sitting Bull Murdered by the Crows — Old Smoke — Degenerate Assiniboines — Hunting for the British Line — AVe Find It — In Camp Near the Line — Scouts See Hostiles — Major AValsh, of the Northwestern Police, Arrives in Camp — He Confers with Captain Whelan —Natural Pit falls — General Miles and Major Walsh Confer — A Cold Snap — Stagnation in Camp — Death of Shadow-Comes- Out, etc. CONTENTS.

Chapter VII. Face To Face With Sitting Bull

The Author Visits the Camp of Sitting Bull with Major AValsh— Medicine Lodge Creek— Millions of Mosquitoes— Fine Grazing Land — Long Dog Grows Restive— His Admiration of Artillery— In Sight of the Hostile Camp— Sioux Come to Meet Us— A Lying Half-breed— A Scalp Dance— A Formidable Turn-out— Indian Costumes — Big Necklace — A Savage Council — The Author as a Suspect — A Deep Circle of Savages in AA'ar Paint — First Look at Sitting Bull — His Personal Appearance and Manner — A Group of Famous Warriors — They Hurl Speeches at the Author — He Replies in Kind — Broad Trail and Spotted Eagle — Bad Soup's SuUen Demeanor — Major Walsh's Remarks — Sitting Bull Leaves the Council — A Case of Mistaken Indentity — Sitting Bull as a Horse-breaker — He Explains His Retreat from Milk River — AArailing for the Slain, etc.

Chapter VIII. Hobnobbing With The Hostiles

Looking at the Teton Village — Immense Array of Tepees — Young AVarriors Haughty and Hostile — A Message to Sitting Bull— His Peculiarities — An Immense Pony Herd — A Reminiscence of the Little Big Horn — Arrival of AVhite Eagle — He Calls Upon the Author — An Unfortunate Skirmish — A Sioux Mortally Wounded — AArhite Eagle's Remarks — Remarkable Tenacity of Life — An Old Indian Acquaintance — A Critical Situation— AVhite Eagle G ives a AVaming — Danger of Retaliation, etc.

Chapter IX. French Half-breeds

— BALAKLAVA. Savages Short of Supplies— About Pretty Squaws— Indians not Christians — Not Half as Dirty as Painted — Trained to Endure Suffering—The Half-breeds— A Peculiar People —Primitive Vehicles— AVooden-wheel Tires— Farewell to the Sioux Chiefs— Back to the Frontier— My Escort— Peculiar Reflections— A Hero of Balaklava His Story of the Charge of the "Six Hundred "—Nolan's Order- How Cardigan Led— Headlong Rapture of the Charge— A Mad CONTENTS. XIX Impulse to Kill— Terrible Sabre Strokes — Right Through the Rus sian Ranks — The Ride Back Out of "the Jaws of Death" — An Irish Soldier's Humor — An Ungrateful Country — The Homeward Ride — Bivouacking Under the Moon Rays — Captured Half breeds — Exciting Adventure with the Cheyennes — Back in Miles' Camp, etc.

Chapter X. In The Last Ditch

The Half-breed Camp — A Light-hearted Set of Prisoners — Dancing in the Moonlight — AIiles Breaks Camp — The Expedition Scattered — Last View of the Great Northern Bison Herd — Extinction of That Race of Animals — Effect on the Hostile Indians — Captain M and the Coyotes — Starved Out — Final Surrender of Sitting Bull — The Sioux Conquest Consummated, etc. ADDEXDA.

Chapter I. Deserters And Dog Robbers

About Army Abuses — " Dog Robbers" Very Often Better and Braver Soldiers Than the Fellows AVho Insult Them — Captain 's Instructions to His " Striker": " If Any Man Calls You a ' Dog Robber' You Have my Permission to Knock Him Down " — The Very Satisfactory Result — Causes of Desertion From the Regular Army — Ennui, Inaction and Discontent, Owing to the Stagnation of Peace, Have More to do with It than Anything Else — Private Me- XX CONTENTS. Intyre's Reply to the Author, AVhen He Was Told to Keep His Place in the Ranks Until the Column Halted— An Unpremeditated Military Compliment— Characteristics and Qualities of the Different Elements That go to Make up the American Regular Army. etc.

Chapter II. Sandy Forsyth's Famous Fight

Stories by the Camp Fires — A Fighting Parson — His Heroic Conduct at Crazy AVoman's Fork, as Told by Colonel Baker—" There is a Time for Praying— There is also a Time for Fighting"— The Chaplain Takes His Choice — He Adopts Muscular Christianity — His Gallant March Through the Indian Lines — He Brings Succor to the Besieged — "Sandy " Forsyth's Famous Fight on an Island Sandbar in the Republican River — How Fifty Brave Frontiersmen " Looked Through the Sights of Their Rifles " — The Outnumbering Force of Indians — A Terrible Situation — Forsyth Twice AVounded — Dr. Movers Mortally Hurt — A Tremendous Fusillade — Undaunted Bravery of Forsyth and His Command — Desperate and Gallant Charge of the Cheyenne Chief Roman Nose and the Flower of His Warriors on Forsyth's Position — They are Bloodily Repulsed and Roman Nose Falls at the Head of His Brave AArarriors — Lieutenant Beecher Killed — Seven Days of Awful Privation — Scouts Succeed in Getting Through to Fort Wallace — Arrival of a Rescuing Party Under Colonel Carpenter, etc.

Chapter III. General Crooks Career

His Birthplace and Education— Campaigning against the Indians long before the Civil AVar— His Career in the Union Army— Conduct at Cedar Creek and Elsewhere— His Promotion— Lieutenant-Colonel of the 23d Regular Infantry— Appointed to Command in Arizona- He Conquers the Apaches— Promoted Brigadier-General in the Regular Army — Appointed to the Department of the Platte — He is Again Victorious— Subsequent Actions— His Sudden and Lamented Death, while Major-General Commanding the Military Division of the Missouri, etc, CONTENTS. XXI

Chapter IV. General George

A. CUSTER. His Native Place and Admission to AA'est Point — Brilliant Career in the Army ot the Potomac — He Leads Sixty Successful Charges — He Captures Innumerable Battle-Flags and Cannon — His Campaigns in Kansas and the Indian Territory — Brilliant Victory over Black Kettle on the Washita— The Tactics of the Little Big Horn Foreshadowed — Death of Major J. A. Elliott, Captain Lewis McLain Hamilton and Several Soldiers.

Appendix

OFFICIAL REPORTS. Echoes from the Little Big Horn — General Sheridan's Report — Lieutenant De Rudio's Interesting Statement — Extracts from the Journal of one of General Gibbon's Officers — General Crook's Account of Rosebud Fight — List of Killed and Wounded at Rosebud and Slim Buttes — Colonel Poland's Indian Aversion of the Little Big Horn Disaster — List of the Killed and AArounded in that Conflict- Organization of the Different Military Columns, etc. MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE CROOK, U. S. A. (Died, March 21st, 1890.)

PART I THE BIG HORN AND YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION.

Chapter I. Bound For The Plains

In the beginning of May, 1876, I was attached to the city department of the Chicago Times. One day Mr. Clinton Snowden, the city editor, said to me, " Mr. Storey wants a man to go out with the Big Horn and Yellowstone expedition, Avhich is organizing under Generals Crook and Terry, in the departments of the Platte and Dakota. There is apt to be warm work out there with the Indians, so if you don't care to go, you needn't see Mr. Storey." "I care to go, and I'll see Mr. Storey," Avasmy answer. The famous editor of the Chicago Times did not, at that period, show any significant indication of that " witheringat the top" which subsequently obscured his wonderful facul ties. He was a tall, well-built, white-haired, white-bearded, gray-eyed, exceedingly handsome man of sixty, or there about, with a courteous, but somewhat cynical, manner. '•You are the young man Mr. Snowden mentioned for the Plains?" he asked, as soon as I had made my presence known by the usual half shy demonstrations, because eATery body Avho did not know him well, and who had heard his reputation on the outside, approached the formidable Ver monter in somewhat gingerly fashion.