It was my purpose when I found I had been designated to remain in that country not to occupy it peaceably in conjunction with the large bodies of Indians that were then in the field, and which practically included the entire hostile force of the five Indian tribes, namely: the Uncpapas under Sitting Bull, the Ogalallas under Crazy Horse, the Northern Cheyennes under Two Moons, and the Minneconjoux and Sans Arcs under their trusted leaders. Judging from our experience of winter campaigning in the southwest, I was satisfied that the winter was the best time for subjugating these Indians. At that period it was regarded as utterly impossible for white men to live in that country and endure the extreme cold outside the protection of well-prepared shelter. But I was satisfied that if the Indians could live there the white men could also, if properly equipped with all the advantages we could give them, which were certainly superior to those obtainable by the Indians. I remarked to General Terry that if given proper supplies and a reasonable force, I would clear the Indians out of that country before spring. He remarked that it was impossible to campaign in the winter, and that I could not contend against the elements.

About this time fortune threw in my way a man who was destined to prove very valuable to me, and who was known in that country by the soubriquet of "Yellowstone Kelley." Mr. Kelley had gone into that region as early as 1868, and had lived there as a hunter and bearer of dispatches ever since. He was an educated man, came of a good family, and was young and strong; but he had become so infatuated with that wild life and with the beauties of nature as he found them there, that he had remained, making that country his permanent home. He had traversed almost every part of it. In coming down the Yellowstone he had killed a large bear, and cutting off one of its paws he sent it in to me as his card, and with his compliments. This led to an acquaintance and an inquiry on my part into his career and capabilities. I felt convinced that he was a person who could be put to a very useful purpose at that juncture of affairs, and on expressing myself to that effect I found that he was ready to place himself at my service. I supplied him with two of the best horses I had, one being a thoroughbred, and with these he made several

"YELLOWSTONE" KELLEY.

long journeys by himself. I shall have occasion to mention his name from time to time as this narrative proceeds.

My command moved from Glendive to the junction of the Tongue River with the Yellowstone, where ground had already been selected for the cantonment by Lieutenant-Colonel J. N. G. Whistler, Fifth United States Infantry, and every preparation was being made in the way of the cutting of timber, the hauling of logs, and the building of huts for the shelter of the stores, as far as possible, as well as for the shelter of the troops while they were in cantonment. Preparations were made for the accommodation of the entire command during the winter, but I felt sure that simply to hibernate and allow the Indians to occupy the country meant a harassing and unendurable existence for the winter; besides giving great encouragement to the Indians by permitting them to believe themselves masters of the situation while we were simply tolerated upon the ground we occupied. My opinion was that the only way to make the country tenable for us was to render it untenable for the Indians; and with that view I made all the preparations necessary for the protection of our stores, and every possible provision for the comfort of the troops when they should be able to rest. I also made the most careful preparations for a vigorous, active, and severe winter campaign. I appreciated all the terrors of that rigorous climate, and determined not to expose the troops to any unnecessary hardships, or to undertake a campaign in the snows of Montana and Dakota with no better equipments than those found necessary for a summer campaign in Texas. I was satisfied that if the Indians could live in that country in skin tents in winter, even though sheltered by favorable bluffs and locations and not required to move, that we, with all our better appliances could be so equipped as to not only exist in tents, but also to move under all circumstances.

I, therefore, as far as possible, equipped my command as if I were organizing an expedition for the Arctic regions; and in respect to climatic effects, the record during that time and since has demonstrated that the severity of the cold of winter there was nearly equal to anything encountered by Schwatka, Greely or other explorers. During the winter campaigns of 1876 and '77 all the mercurial thermometers we had with us were frozen solid. The following winter a spirit thermometer registered between 55° and 60° below and the lowest record was on Poplar Creek where the command crossed in 1876, and where the thermometer subsequently registered 66° below zero; which was equal to the cold of the Arctic regions. That temperature is simply appalling. Even when the air was perfectly still

and all the moisture of the atmosphere was frozen, the air was filled with frozen jets, or little shining crystals.

We were abundantly supplied with food and clothing, and every precaution was taken to protect both men and animals against the severity of this intense cold. Every effort was also made to keep the train and riding animals in full flesh. They were fed abundance of corn to give as much heat to their systems as possible, and plenty of hay whenever it could be obtained, and when this was not obtainable they were given the dry grass of the country that is cured on the ground.

Both officers and men profited by the experience they had been through in the winter campaigns in the Indian Territory, and applied themselves

and warm underclothing. They were abundantly supplied with mittens and with arctics or buffalo overshoes, and whenever it was possible they had buffalo moccasins made, and frequently cut up grain sacks to bind about their feet in order to keep them from freezing. They made woolen masks that covered the entire head, leaving openings for the eyes and to breathe through, and nearly all had buffalo overcoats. This command of more than four hundred men looked more like a large body of Esquimaux than like white men and United States soldiers. In fact with their masks over their heads it was impossible to tell one from another.

When the snow was deep they frequently marched in single file, the leading man breaking the road until weary, then falling out for another to take his place and returning to the rear of the column while the fresh

man continued to beat the pathway through the snow. At night they made large fires of dry cottonwood and frequently slept on the snow beside them. They crossed all the principal rivers, the Missouri, the Yellowstone and the Tongue, with heavily-loaded wagons and pieces of artillery on the solid ice. These active operations continued from early in October until the middle of February.

CHAPTER XVII.

A WINTER CAMPAIGN.

PREPARING FOR A WINTER CAMPAIGN - SITTING BULL DIVIDES HIS FORCES - A NARROW ESCAPE SUPPLY TRAIN DRIVEN BACK BY INDIANS - HUNTING FOR SITTING BULL - HE IS FOUND

MEETING BETWEEN THE LINES - ATTEMPTED TREACHERY A SECOND MEETING-
CONFERENCE ENDS ABRUPTLY-THE BATTLE OPENS-PRAIRIE ON FIRE-IN-

DIANS DEFEATED AND HOTLY PURSUED AGAIN A FLAG OF TRUCE - MAIN
BODY OF INDIANS AGREE TO SURRENDER AT AGENCY AND GIVE
HOSTAGES-ESCAPE OF SITTING BULL AND PORTION OF IN-
DIANS- - SCOUT BOYD-AGAIN AFTER SITTING BULL-
CAPTAIN BALDWIN SURPRISES AND ROUTS

HILE the work of constructing the cantonment was going on, and preparations were being made for an active winter campaign, I went with a small escort over the country from the mouth of the Tongue River to Fort Buford at the junction of the Missouri and Yellowstone, in order to reconnoitre and find the best route by which to bring trains from that supply depot. In the meantime I made every effort to obtain the best information in regard to the position and disposition of the hostile forces, as from the latest news I had received I knew that their main body must be something more than a hundred miles to the south of the Yellowstone. I had spies at the different agencies who obtained information from the runners who were constantly going from the agency Indians to those in the hostile camp, and by that means found out much that was useful to me. In fact, in all campaigns against the hostile Indians I have found a few good spies that would give me reliable and accurate information of inestimable value as early as possible.

On my return from Fort Buford I stopped at Camp Glendive on the Yellowstone. About five hours after leaving this camp, a message was received there for me, sent from one of the lower agencies from a reliable source, giving me the most important information. Instead of sending this message to my camp, it was sent through the ordinary means (by courier) over a distance of nearly a hundred miles, to the cantonment at the mouth of the Tongue River. I, therefore, did not get it