Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1896 — GEN. MILES IN DANGER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GEN. MILES IN DANGER

8 INCIDENT OF THE LAST STRUGGLE OF THE SIOUX. A Thrilling Acconnt of How an Impetuous Soldier Imperiled the Life of Hia Commander and Frustrated His Well-Laid Plans. Lame Deer Fires at Close Range. “The campaigns against the combined tribes composing the Sioux or Dacotah nation had been prosecuted with such vigor and success through the latter half of 1876 and the early part of 1877 that by spring, 1877, all except one band had been brought into complete and final subjection,” writes General Miles in his novel. “Lame Deer’s band was still on the warpath, and that doughty chief had boasted that no force strong enough to beat him in battle could overtake him or come near his camp In his own chosen fastnesses. So while proper dispositions were being made of those Indians who had surrendered, a band was being equipped to teach Lame Deer aud his band that the white man could approach his villages. After their people had surrendered and confidence had been restored, it was explained to White Bull (or The Ice), Brave Wolf, Hump, and others who acted as hostages at the cantonment, now Fort Keogh, that It was very important that the only hostile camp left In the country should he brought In. They acquiesced fully, and in fact seemed much incensed because Lame Deer had staid out, knowing that his depredations would be charged to their people, who w 7 ere disposed to remain at peace. When the command was ready to move, May 2, 1877, some of these men were taken along as guides, as they were well acquainted with the habits and haunts of those who were still in hostility. “Four troops of the Second cavalry had been sent to report to me. With this command, two companies of the Fifth infantry and four of the Twentysecond infantry, I started up Tongue River, Montana, on May 5, and after a march of sixty-three miles from the Yellowstone I crossed the trail of Lame Deer’s camp, where he had moved west toward the Rosebud about the middle of April. Foreseeing that some of their men would be watching our command we passed on, as if apparently not noticing the trail or’ seeking their camp. After a short orarch beyond the trail the eomfiiand went into camp apparently for the night on the Tongue River then after dark leaving our wagon train with an escort of three infantry companies, we marched directly west under cover of the darkness with the balance of the command, straight across the country as it was possible to move a body of mounted troops. Although it rained during a part of the night, we marched as rapidly as

possible In a country of that broken character a distance of some thirty miles to a high divide between the Rosebud and Big Horn, a spur of the Wolf mountains. Here we concealed ourselves In a pocket of the mountains. This is a term used for describing a small park surrounded on all sides except the entrance by high bluffs or ridges. The scouts were then sent out, and, carefully reconnoitering the country, they found that the camp of Lame Deer had passed only a few days before. Both the white scouts and the Indian performed their duties thoroughly, and from the top of a high peak they discovered the Indian village some fifteen miles In the distance. “We approached a point within eight miles of the village, where we remained until 1 o’clock the next morning. Then we started, moving slowly to the valley of the Rosebud, and then up that valley for two or three miles, and at 4 o’clotk a. m. May 7 and just at the dawn of day we found ourselves In close proximity to the Indian village. “The mounted Infantry and scouts under Lieutenants Casey and Jerome

were ordered to charge directly up the valley and stampede the Indian horses, while the battalion of cavalry followed at a gallop and attacked the camp. This attack was gallantly made. The command under Lieutenants Casey and Jerome stampeded the entire herd of ponies, horses and mules, some 450 In number, and drove them five miles up the valley, where they rounded them up and by a long circuit brought them around to the rear of the command which was engaging Indians. “When attacked the Indians fled

from their camp, taking only what they carried in their hands, up among the high bluffs and rugged hills in that vicinity. “Firing was now going on all about us. “In the surprise and excitement of the wild onset of the charge a group of stalwart warriors was forced out from the others and became separated from the rest of the tribe. Before making the attack I had ordered our Sioux and Cheyenne Indians to call out to the Lame Deer Indians that if they threw down their arms and surrendered we would spare their lives, as I was anxious to capture some of them alive and hoped thereby to secure the surrender of all the Indians in the camp. As we galloped up to this group of warriors they apparently recognized the purpose of the demand and dropped their guns upon the ground. “In order to assure them of our good will I called out ‘How-how-cola’ (meaning friend), and extended my hand to the chief, Lame Deer, which he grasped, and in a few seconds more I would have secured him and the others, although he was wild and trembling with excitement. My assistant, Adjutant General George W. Baird, was doing the same thing with the head warrior. Iron Star. Unfortunately just at that time one of our white scouts rode up and joined the group of officers and soldiers with me; he had more enthusiasm than discretion, and, I presume, desiring to insure my safety, drew up his

rifle and covered the Indian with it. Lame Deer saw this and evidently thought the young scout’was going to shoot him. I know of no other motive for his subsequent act than the belief that he was to be killed whether he surrendered or not. As quick as thought, with one desperate, powerful effort, he wrenched his hand from mine, although I tried to hold It. He grasped his rifle from the ground, ran backward a few steps, raised his rifle to his eye and fired. Seeing his determined face, his firm set jaw, wild eye, and the open muzzle of his rifle, I realized my danger and instantly whirled my horse from him, and in this quick movement the horse slightly settled back upon his haunches; at that moment the rifle flashed within ten feet of me, the bullet whizzed past my breast, leaving me unharmed, but unfortunately killing a brave soldier near my side. Iron Star broke away from Adjutant Baird at the same time. “This instantly ended every effort to secure their peaceful surrender and opened a hot fight that lasted but a few seconds; a dozen rifles were opened on the scattered warriors who were flght-

ing us, and all went down quietly beneath the accurate, close and rapid fire. The whole Incident was over in much less time than it takes to describe the scene.”

LAME DEER FIRING AT GENERAL MILES.

GIGANTIC TURTLE FOUND ON EGMONT ISLAND.