A HINT FOR THE NORTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 902, 13 March 1869, Page 15

A HINT FOR THE NORTH.

A Eed Indian named Black Kettle has figured extensively of late in Kansas, where he has amused himself in harrying the settlers in much the same style as Tito Kowaru has harried them in Wansanui. A correspondent of the New York Tribune, in a late issue of that journal, gives a graphic account of the manner in which the American troops contrived to extinguish him :—: — I> T THE riKLD, INDIAK TERRITORY, NOV. 29. It was what the Boys in Blue call a nice little fight. We had surprised Black Kettle's band in their village. We had marched for days through sage-weeds, woods, morass, and sand, tediously, persevermgly. We had faced, the pelting storm of snow, wading wearily through its increasing depth, from its first fall ; and had taken brief snatches of sleep upon its soft cold bed at Bight. We had finally abandoned our train aad supplies, and had marched all day on the enemy's trail ; and, turning our backs upon the setting sun at night, steadily and vigorously pushed on ; at times nearly falling from our saddle with sudden sleep. It was after niidniqht, when two Osage Indian scouts in the advance, announced that they smulfc the smoke of a wood fire, a tire which we came ■upon after going about a mile further. Around it were traces of Indian boys who had been herding ponies. On we pushed again, the crisp-frozen snow rustling softly m?der the horses' feet, and our long, dark column winding through the valley like a huge black monster. Not a voice could be heard. Ten miles more were passed, and the scouts, who were ascending elevated ground, suddenly wheeled their horses and quickly moved j totherear, reportingthat ponies were grazing nearly a mile ahead of us, and that a village was doubtless in the woods beyond, which skirt the stream in the valley. Strict silence was observed, but no white man who looked, could, by the utmost straining of the eyes, see a living object where the telescopic vision of these Indian scouts had discovered co much. Soon a night-glass verified the presence of the animals. The officers were assembled by Gen. Custar, and all cautiously crept up to the crest of the hill overlooking the valley below, and the surroundings were carefully noted. It was a moment of exultation, and the General's enthusiastic instructions were quickly and eagerly given and received. The hour was now about 2 o'clock a.m. Quietly the squadrons marched arc-nnd to their respective positions, and there rested for the signal of the first gray tints of the morning. It came at last ; and, as the band struck up "Garry Owen," the platoons swept down with a yell from every side upon the doomed village. The savages sprang into ditches and holes, and behind trees and bushes, and opened a raking fire from every direction with bullets and arrows. Some fled with the terror-stricken squaws and papooses, fighting as they ran. These strove hard to reach the ponies to mount ; but very few succeeded in doing so. Sharp and loud rang the rattling carbines, echoed back by the hills and bluff 3on every side. Swift and sure rode the troopers, whose lines soon extended across the valley, furiously tearing after the flying enemy- many of whom bit the snow — miles beyond their village, where their bodies were not afterward seen nor counted. Two platoons were dismounted to fight to better advantage among the bushes. Gradually all the Indians wer** hunted from their cover like wild animals whose escape is cut off, and the fire slackened. One hundred and three bodies were tound around the village proper, but many wounded escaped. A few of the squaws took part in the fight, using pistols. Others were Bpared, except those who had been seen to murder white captive children in their hands. These instantly met the fate of their warrior braves. The ground was strewn with blankets, robes, and clothing, shed by the fugitives. Nearly 1000 animals (horses, ponies, and mules) were surrounded and driven in, by detaohments when the fight opened. A great many rifles, pistols, saddles, lariats, bridles, robes, &c, were taken ; also, large quantities of ammunition, dried meat, and other food, all of which we destroyed, together with the 5L lodges. When the squaws and children, were overtaken, collected together, and turned back in their flight, they defiantly and resignedly chanted their war or death songs. Even the youngest did this, expecting to be pub to dtath. Captain Louis Hamilton, Major J. H. Elliott, and Brevet. Lieut.-Col. A. Barnitz, fell in the fight. Black Kettle had for Bcroe timo been disposed to keep | peace with t jjjie whites* but hod been over.

ruled by His tribp. At the first sound of horses' feet, when the cavalry approached, he sprang outside his lodge, and sounded the war-whoop, then shouted that the whites were coming to kill them all, and that he was glad of it. Thus he fell, and died with hia faithless braves, though "Becking for the right." The village had no sooner been taken than swarms of mounted Arapahoe warriors approached at full speed from their village a few miles below, drawn thence by the sound of fire-arms. They began circling around the village, after their custom — now dashing up and firing, now retreating in crooked circling courses behind hills and knolh. They cut off a few of our bravest, but more imprudent men. Yet, we well know that many a pomp-saddle was emptied ere those few fell. The battle ia over, and the field covered with dead animals and savages, muddy and smeared, and lying upon each other in holes and ditches. The field resembles a vast slaughter- pen. We have 55 prisoners.