Mackenzie's Last Fight with the Cheyenne's

A winter campaign in Wyoming and Montana commonly known as the Dull Knife Fight
November 25 and 26, 1876

Written by late Captain John G. Bourke; 3^rd Cavalry In U.S Army Recruiting News

(Continued from last issue)

The Indians listened attentively and as Crooks remarks were translated one sentence at a time by interpreters or expressed in the sign language a chorus of oughs and grunts of approval passed from the inner circle to the outer circles. Most of the braves appeared in their new uniforms while a few sported work clothes and other regalia. Responsive remarks were made by Tupsi-paw, O-ho-a-tay for the Shoshones, Sharp Nose for the Arapahos, Three Bears for the Sioux and Li-heris-oo-la-shar, Us-sah-kah-lah for the Pawnees. Li- heris-oo-la-shar, 'leading Chief' of the Pawnees made the most of the occasion to express upon the other Indians that he was nothing more or less than a white man, determined to follow the white mans road.

His clothes were a suit of hand-me downs obtained from the interior department during a visit to Washington but his face paintings would not be justified by any canons of good taste known to artists of the white race. Eyelids, ears and the median line of the forehead blushed with vermilion. Cheekbones were stained a dark brown and the lower half of the face was a dirty lemon color: his hair was divided into two braids wrapped in yellow tape and hanging over the ears.

That night, November 19, a wretch was caught selling whiskey to soldiers and Indians: his cart was confiscated, and the heads of his burros knocked in, a punishment utterly inadequate as next day we consigned to the grave a recruit who under the influence of the vile liquor wandered off into the snowy blast and was frozen to death. At the worst of the storm a detachment of eight Arapaho and six Sioux scouts were dispatched on a reconnaissance to the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains to the west.

Somewhat before daybreak the storm abated, but through all of November 20 there were rough cold blast of wind from the north and the northwest with occasional flurries of snow not enough to prevent our Redskin auxiliaries from holding a series of peace talks, smokes and dances, in which there was mutual serenading, some giving of gifts and innumerable declarations of most affection friendship. I could fill pages with descriptions of the curious customs observed on such occasions, but let's hurry on to other scenes.

After narrowly escaping death in a blizzard and almost starved 34 miners from Montana reached the cantonment that day: rations were supplied to them, and everything the means at hand would permit was done for their comfort.

The reconnoitering party of 14 Indian scouts who started on the 19^th returned with a young Cheyenne warrior prisoner who seeing them dress like his own people (they had taken the precaution to leave all military trappings behind) mistrusted nothing until they had seized and bound him and started back over a long cold ride of fifty miles to rejoin the main column. He was taken to headquarters where cross examination developed the fact that he was one of a small party living in five lodges near the head of Crazy Woman's Fork: and if they became alarmed, as they might be by his failure to return, they would surely break across country to join Crazy Horse, who was encamped close to the battlefield of June the 17^th 1876 on the Rosebud, Montana. That night the blizzard resumed it's furry and covered the ground with deep snow.

We looked upon that as a benefit rather than a misfortune because of the better opportunity to draw close to the enemy without discovery. Planning to start prompt and early in the morning all hands were busy scratching off a few lines to the folks at home: the mail was soon ready and with the dispatches of the only correspond who succeeded in joining the command before it started from the railroad, Mr. Roche of the New York Herald, a companionable, scholarly gentlemen who later forsook journalism and became possessed of considerable means in Texas, was securely wrapped, tied in a oiled silk envelope and given to the carrier. The latters prompt hearty " Good night, Gentlemen" was uttered on the same instant of full reign and dash of spur. In another moment he disappeared in the gloom to find his way as best he could through snow and sleet, cold and dangers of many kinds back to Fort Fetterman about 90 miles.

A few remarks upon the principle Indian chief's accompanying us may be of value. Sharp Nose, of the Arapahos was tall and straight of large frame, Roman nose, firm jaws and chin, piercing eyes and a face inspiring confidence in his ability and determination. His manners were commanding and dignified coming nearer to the James Fennimore Cooper type of Indian than any I had ever seen since my visit of Cocheis, renowned chief of the Chiricahua Apaches in the Dragon Mountains of Arizona in February, 1873.

Li-heris-oo-la-shar, the Pawnee, had a good face; prominent cheekbones, aquiline nose, large mouth and frank open eyes though not as piercing as those usually noticed among aborigines. He had the air of a far seeing judicious law-giver, one who took note of all he saw and his advise could be relied upon. Yet, he was no lamb as the outlines of his continence showed plainly that if aroused he would be a bad enemy. Tupsi-paw and O-ho-a-tay of the Shoshones were crafty old rascals who were without much sentiment or romantic imagination lining out their features.

Three Bears of the Sioux was young in years and mature in thought looking as he was a man whose friendship could be relied upon. He made no pretensions as a speaker and cut a poor figure in declamation when Sharp Nose was in the same council. As a leader, Three Bears depended more upon winning success from stealthy movements and crafty combinations than from any lion-like attack such as Sharp Nose suggested that he might make.

On Wednesday, November 22, 1876 we moved to Crazy Woman's Fork of Powder River about 25 miles from cantonment Reno: the wagon supply train was ordered to park and remain with the strong guard under Major Furey, the quartermaster, on the banks of the stream at a point where good water, grass and fuel were abundant and a extensive view of the surrounding country made surprise difficult. Ten days rations were packed on mules; a hundred rounds of ammunition issued to each man and all preparations made for swinging loose on a march and search of Crazy Horses village. That afternoon the Indian scouts killed three buffalo and brought the meat to camp. Though not the last time I saw buffalo on the plains, I mentioned the fact as the great herds have almost entirely disappeared.

General Crook's intention had been to push out from the Crazy Woman and strike at the camp of the great Sioux chief Crazy Horse then believed to be on the upper Rosebud, Montana, near our battleground of the previous June. A plan changed by a trifling circumstance. Shortly after dawn on the morning of November the 23^rd a white flag waved from the crest of a bluff in the vicinity of our camp. It was borne by Sitting Bear a Cheyenne Indian who had been dispatched from Red Cloud Agency, Nebraska, by Colonel Julius W. Mason, in advance of the expedition with an ultimatum to the hostiles and asking them to surrender without bloodshed.

He was soon at headquarters with the important information that the capture of the young Cheyenne warrior had alarmed his village, which had started across the hills to join Crazy Horse. There was however, he understood, another and extremely large Cheyenne village hidden in the canyons of the Big Horn Range near the sources of the Crazy Woman, the very stream we were on. To determine the location of the village surprise and hysteria were the order of the day.

Colonel Mackenzie was ordered to take the Indian scouts and all the Cavalry, except one company, push up Crazy Woman's Fork to its head and then strike into the Big Horn Mountains. His effective force was 1,100 officers and men, one third of them Indian scouts. The artillery and infantry companies and one Calgary Company, the last reserved for use as carriers and mounted work generally, were to follow as promptly as possible on the trail of the first division. Proceeding all by eight or ten miles was a very small detachment of Indian scouts selected with special references to their knowledge of the locality, coolness, good judgment and experience in war.            (To be continued)