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bands of hostile Indians on their way to join the fighting forces, and about a month later General Merritt came and took command of the regiment. July 16th it was reported that 800 Cheyenne warriors had left the Red Cloud agencies to join the fighting devils under Sitting Bull. The soldiers were then nearly eighty miles from the principal trail of the Souix. General Merritt immediately ordered his command to the saddle and before daybreak with Buffalo Bill as guide, seventy-five miles had been put behind them, having made the distance in thiry-five hours by forced marches. The force who went upon this expedition numbered 500 men. The white men were thus on the ground ahead of the reds and patiently awaited their coming. At day break the scouts observed horsemen coming from the south. Word was sent to General Merritt, who came to the outpost himself and soon saw about 100 Indians approaching. In the meantime two couriers who were following on the trail of teh regiment were seen by the Indians, and they at once started to head them off, ignorant of the fact that General Merritt's command lay hid in ambush. Eight warriors headed by Yellow Hand started for the couriers, and Buffalo Bill with six scouts started to eat up the Indians. The latter had reached a point about 300 yards of the outpost when Bill and his men sallied out on the dash. They were surprised and made ready for a hot fight. Yellow Hand singled out Buffalo Bill, and when the men were but a few rods apart, both fired at once. Yellow Hand's shot missed, but Bill's brought the chief's horse to the ground. Before he could disengage himself and get another bead on Bill, the latter's repeater brought him to the dust. At this time the main body of the Indians came up on the rush, but at once swopped down on them a whole company from General Meritt's command. This saved Bill and his men, and in another moment a regiment of cavalry was chasing the red devils in all directions. They dropped their provisions and loosed their spare ponies and scattered for their lives. Soon after this orders came to join General Crook's forces, and August 3d they found themselves with him on Goose creek. Crook took command of the whole force, and, after striking Sitting Bull's trail, pushed rapidly forward, and were gaining fast on the Indians when they met General Terry's command coming from the Yellowstone region. General Terry took command and wasted a day and a half in council, it ruined the expedition entirely, as the Indians could not be overhauled when they were gien so much advantage. This is reality settled the campaign as the reds got fairly and safely into the fastnesses of the mountains.
TWO GENERALS.
There was a great difference...
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