Archive for the 'Indian Wars 1870-1875' Category

LIFE IN FRONTIER POSTS

October 16th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWIn the frontier posts the soldier found his time occupied by many duties. First of all he must be well drilled, then he must learn to be a good marksman. In the smaller posts guard mounting was the only form of ceremony, and was the main event of the day in the soldier’s life. Those going on guard spent much time getting ready, as they must clean and polish their rifles, brush their clothes, and clean their shoes. In addition to their military duties, the enlisted men often chopped the wood, repaired the buildings, and carried on most of the labor necessary to run the post. In addition to the administrative and fatigue duties, the troops were expected at a moments notice to be able to perform duties in the field. On the frontier the men were escorting, patrolling, scouting, and occasionally engaging in a campaign or expedition against the Indians.

The cavalry was often called upon to do escort duty. It might be an escort for the paymaster who visited the post every two months, or for a military train which brought supplies, or an Inspector General or Commanding General. Other escort duty was for surveyors, stages, and emigrant and freight trains. At many cavalry posts this duty was so common that it became monotonous.

The size of the escort varied from three or four men for a mail carrier to several companies for a large supply train. On the road the escort was scattered along the train to prevent surprise and stampeding the animals. If they were escorting horses, there was a constant struggle to prevent the wily savage from stealing their animals. The hour when most attacks occurred was just before dawn. It was necessary for the commander to be especially alert from this time until the train started on the march. When the Indians tried to stampede the animals, they rushed into camp flapping buffalo robes, dragging hardened hides behind their ponies, and yelling in a most weird fashion. If the herd guard was alert, very little damage was usually done, but sometimes the savages succeeded in driving off all or part of the horses or mules.

In patrolling, the troops marched back and forth along the routes of travel, keeping them open. This work was more interesting to the soldiers, as they were not tied down to a wagon train. Usually the presence of troops along a road prevented Indians from committing hostile acts. This work gave the soldiers more opportunity for fighting Indians, hunting buffaloes, and other adventures. Continue Reading »

FIGHT AT PIEGAN CAMP

October 15th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWDuring the summer and Fall of 1869, numerous reports had been received by the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Montana of depredations on the settlements supposed to be committed by the Blood and Piegan warriors of the Blackfeet tribe. After investigation by the War Department, it was decided to send an expedition to punish them during the winter, as it would be easier to locate their camps at this time. Only the camps of Mountain Chief, Bear Chief, and Red Horn were to be struck, located on the Marias River near the British line.

After secret preparations, the column left Fort Ellis, Montana, January 6, 1870. It consisted of Companies F, G, H, and L under Major Eugene M. Baker, Second Cavalry, who had succeeded Colonel Brackett in command of the post. Having arrived at Fort Shaw, the expedition was joined by a detachment of mounted infantry and a company of train guard. From here they marched to the Teton River, where the wagons were left in charge of the company of the Thirteenth Infantry. The cavalry moved by night marches to the Big Bend of the Marias in the severest weather ever experienced in that country, the thermometer sometimes registering forty degrees below zero.

Early on the morning of the twenty-third, they reached the Marias Valley and came upon an Indian lodge. From the occupants, they learned the village was about eight miles down the river. Hurrying on, they soon saw the smoke of the village. Company F, having been sent forward as an advance guard, came upon the pony herd, which it proceeded to capture. When the main body of the force arrived, the camp was surrounded. The attack was a complete surprise and the Indians had little chance to prepare a defense. Within an hour there was no more resistance and firing ceased. Lieutenant Doane with Company F was left there to destroy the camp, secure the horses, and collect the dead and prisoners.

The rest of the force moved on down the valley sixteen miles to Mountain Chief’s camp. They found the lodges abandoned, and after destroying them, marched up the valley to the Northwest Fur Company. It was found they had killed one hundred seventy-five Indians, including Red Horn, destroyed forty-four tepees, and captured five hundred and fourteen ponies. At the fur company, the Blood Chiefs were summoned and required to give up stolen horses in their possession. The captives, one hundred in number, were turned over to these Indians. Only one soldier of Company L was killed. The companies returned to Fort Ellis at once, having traveled four hundred fifty miles.

At the time, there was much criticism brought upon Major Baker by the press for killing women and children in the camp. It was also claimed by some that the Indians were friendly to the whites. In a fight where the occupants were in tepees, it was natural that non-combatants would be killed. Generally, women fought as fiercely as men. The attack was made upon the camps specifically noted as unfriendly. There was considerable small-pox among the Indians, and this might account for the complete surprise by the soldiers. The large number of casualties could be accounted for by the fact that the attacking force was superior in numbers.

FIVE MEDALS OF HONOR

October 14th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWSeveral incursions of hostile Indians had occurred in the Wind River district of Wyoming during the spring of 1870. Company D under Captain David S. Gordon was ordered to this vicinity from Fort Bridger. On May 4, it went in pursuit of Indians who had stolen some stock. In a running fight for twenty-five miles they finally secured the stock, after killing two Indians and wounding one, and started on the way back to camp. Before arriving there, they met a much larger band and a severe fight ensued. Finally, the Indians were driven away, leaving behind seven dead and several wounded. The company lost Lieutenant Stambaugh killed and Sergeant Brown severely wounded.

On May 17, Sergeant Patrick Leonard and four men of Company C, while searching for strayed stock, encountered about sixty Indians near Spring Creek, Nebraska. After a severe fight of one and one-half hours, the enemy was driven off, leaving one dead and seven wounded, while one of the soldiers was wounded. For their conduct on this day, all the men were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry in action.

GENERAL ORDERS No. 21
Headquarters Department of the Platte
Omaha, Nebraska, June 1, 1870

II. On the 15th of May, 1870, Sergeant Patrick Leonard and four men of Company C, Second Cavalry, searching on the Little Blue, Nebraska, for strayed horses, were suddenly surrounded and fired upon by a party of fifty Indians. Private Hubbard and two horses were wounded at the first fire. The Sergeant dismounted his party, giving his horses to be held by the wounded soldier. The Indians immediately charged, but were repulsed with one killed and, it is believed, three wounded. Sergeant Leonard then killed his two wounded horses, and formed a breastwork of them. No sooner was this done than the Indians again charged; were again repulsed and retired with two empty saddles, besides four Indians wounded. Within half an hour they returned for their dead and wounded, and for two hours kept up a series of feigned attacks and desultory sharpshooting. Failing to accomplish anything, they retired. The Sergeant then withdrew his party having had all his horses killed; took under his charge a settler’s family of two women and one child, and started for the lower settlement. Having gone about a mile, he was again surrounded by Indians, who, upon the appearance of a party of surveyors, fled without renewing the attack.

The Sergeant and his party reached Captain Spaulding’s camp between ten and eleven o’clock the same night.

Captain Spaulding commends Sergeant Leonard, Privates George W. Thompson, Hetch Canfield, Thomas Hubbard, and Michael Himmelsbach, all of Company C, Second Cavalry, to the notice of the Commanding General.

By command of Brevet Major General AUGUR
George D. Ruggles,
Assistant Adjutant-General

CAMP STAMBAUGH

October 13th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWDuring June, 1870, Company B left Fort Bridger and established Camp Stambaugh, named after Lieutenant Stambaugh, who was killed near there May 4. The post was built in a section constantly overrun by hostile Indians. The company remained here for the next three years, giving protection to the settlers through constant lookout for the savages, who were frequently met and driven away.

In April Company E left Omaha Barracks and went on outpost duty at Ogallala Station, Nebraska, on the Union Pacific Railroad. Leaving camp at midnight June 14, the company came upon a hastily abandoned Indian camp of a party of about 150, captured the contents, and pursued the Indians for thirty miles. On the North Platte River, on June 18, they had a lively skirmish in which one Indian was wounded.

WYOMING

October 12th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWCompany I left Omaha Barracks, Nebraska, April 6, 1870, for summer duty at Medicine Bow Station, Wyoming, on the Union Pacific Railroad, total strength three officers and sixty-two enlisted men. Discovering a party of four Indians near the station on June 25, a detachment under 1st Lieutenant Christopher T. Hall was sent in pursuit. After chasing the savages for four miles, the soldiers found that they had been decoyed to the main body of Indians and were surrounded. After a brisk fight of about one-half hour the troops charged, routing the Indians and driving them across the Little Medicine Bow River.

Leaving Omaha Barracks April 9, Company A took station to guard the Union Pacific Railroad at Rawlins Springs, Wyoming. While scouting in the mountains at Pine Grove Meadow, Wyoming, June 27, a detachment from the company, under Lieutenant R. H. Young, Fourth Infantry, contacted a band of about two hundred warriors. After a brisk fight the Indians escaped, leaving fifteen killed, and wounding one soldier.

In 1870, Looking Glass Creek, Nebraska, was the focus of much Indian trouble. For this reason Company K left Omaha Barracks April 16 and took station at this place for the protection of the settlers during the summer and fall. An outpost from the company, consisting of an officer and fourteen men, was stationed on Shell Creek to protect the upper settlements. As a result of a tilt with the savages June 27, on the Calamus River, the company killed one Indian and captured twenty-one ponies. On October 6, it went in pursuit of Sioux Indians who had attacked the Pawnees on their reservation. The troops followed them for fifty-five miles, killing at least one Indian.

Late fall of 1870 found the companies stationed as follows:

Regt. Hq., Band, Cos. C, E, K, M; Omaha Barracks, Neb.
Co. A; Fort Fred Steele, Wyo.
Co. B; Camp Stambaugh, Wyo.
Co. D; Fort Douglas, Utah
Cos. F, G, H, L; Fort Ellis, Mont.
Co. I; Fort Sanders, Wyo.

FIGHT AT PRYOR’S FORK

October 11th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWA column consisting of Companies F, G, H, and L, and four companies of the Seventh Infantry, all under Major Eugene M. Baker, Second Cavalry, was ordered into the field July, 1872, as an escort to surveyors of the Northern Pacific Railroad along the Yellowstone River. On August 13 camp was pitched on that stream near Pryor’s Fork. Before daylight the next morning the camp was attacked by eight hundred Sioux, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Indians, apparently in an attempt to drive off the stock. Because of the vigilance of the pickets, the savages were discovered before the attack and the alarm was given. On account of the darkness there was much confusion, making it difficult to distinguish friend from foe. The fight lasted about three hours, during which time the Indians were driven to cover first in the surrounding bluffs, and later down the valley. The casualties on the side of the troops were one killed and six wounded, while the savages had at least two killed and ten wounded. No doubt the small loss on both sides here was on account of darkness.

A detachment of forty men of Company B, under Lieutenant Randolph Norwood, left Camp Stambaugh, September 10, 1872, in pursuit of Indians who had been committing depredations in that vicinity. After traveling about five miles, they came in sight of the savages and gave chase. Then followed a lively pursuit of fifty miles before the detachment came within rifle range. In the running fight none of the soldiers were injured, but at least one Indian was wounded. The pace of the troop was so fast that one horse died of exhaustion and one had to be abandoned.

After three years of service at Omaha Barracks, Nebraska, Regimental Headquarters was moved on October 10, 1872, to Fort Sanders, Wyoming, where it remained for the next five years. Continue Reading »

THE BATTLE OF SNAKE MOUNTAIN

October 10th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWBy Brigadier General Frank U. Robinson

Thus matters went on, we scouting in a small way hoping to strike some war parties before they could get in their work, until the latter part of June, 1874, when word came that Washakie’s scouts had located a small village of 40 lodges of hostiles near the head of Norwood River, a small stream heading in the Powder River mountains and running northwest into the Big Horn River below Owl Creek Canon, and about 125 miles from Fort Washakie. Having received this information and having the promise of Chief Washakie that he would go with us with a band of warriors, Captain Torrey concurring, Captain Bates resolved to strike. All was soon ready. Just as soon as it was dark enough so as not to be seen by any scouts of the enemy that might be lurking in the vicinity, our little command started from Fort Washakie the evening of July 1, 1874. It consisted of Troop B, 2nd Cavalry, 56 men, Captain Bates, Lieutenant Robinson, 20 Indian scouts under command of Lieutenant Young, acting assistant surgeon Thomas McGee, four hospital men, a pack train of ten mules with a chief packer, and about 50 Snake warriors under Chief Washakie. Captain Bates was in command. We marched all night and just as soon as the day began to break went into camp in the brush low down on the Little Wind River. Washakie, on intimation, sent out videttes to keep a bright look out during the day, to see without being seen, which the Indians understood to the letter. There are no scouts who could have performed this duty better. We lay very close during the day of July 2nd and just as soon as darkness set in were on the march, pushing at a rapid gate, mostly on the trot, across an underlying sagebrush country. Our course was a little north of east. Just as the day was breaking we went into camp in the brush on a little creek which, I presume or am quite sure, was Bridger Creek, named after old Jim Bridger, the pioneer and scout of this line of country. Continue Reading »

WINTER QUARTERS

October 9th, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

IWCompany B left the camp again July 13 and scouted along Owl Creek, Rattlesnake Hills, and south of Sweetwater. It struck a party of Indians July 19, killing one and capturing eight animals.

During 1875 the Indian marauders became bolder in their raids, sometimes coming near the military camps. First Sergeant Mitchell and a detachment of Company D discovered a party of savages near the company garden on July 1. After a spirited fight the hostiles were driven away, leaving two dead.

In the fall of 1875 the regiment went into winter quarters at the following stations:

Regimental Headquarters, Band, and Cos. B, E; Fort Sanders, Wyoming.
Co. A; Fort Fetterman, Wyoming.
Co. C; Fort Stambaugh, Wyoming.
Co. D; Fort Fred Steele, Wyoming.
Cos. F, G, H, L; Fort Ellis, Montana.
Cos. I, K; Fort Laramie, Wyoming.
Co. M; Camp Brown, Wyoming.