The Far West-Sheridan’s Movements 1869

SHERIDAN, CUSTER, SHERMAN, BLENDE, HAZEN, HOME WOLF, SANTANTA, ELLIOTT

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 1/17/2018 at 18:27:18

Dubuque Daily Times, Sunday, January 03, 1869, Dubuque, Iowa, Page: 1

The Far West

Sheridan’s Movements-What he Proposes to Do. St. Louis, Jan 2.

General Sherman has received a letter from General Sheridan, dated Ft. Cobb, Dec. 19; noting his arrival at the fort on that day previous with Gen. Custer’s 7th Calvary and ten companies of the 19th Kansas Calvary, in all about fifteen hundred men. Sheridan spent one day on Custer’s battle field and he found the bodies of Maj. Elliott and sixteen soldiers; also the body of Mrs. Blende and children, white captives in the Indian camp. Mrs. Blended had been shot through the forehead and the children’s brains mashed out.

Gen. Sheridan again followed on the Indian trail down the Washita seventy-five miles, when he came to a camp of Kiowas, who met him with a letter from Gen. Hazsen which declared them to be friendly. Sheridan required the Indians to accompany him to Ft. Cobb, but discovered while traveling toward that point that they were sending their families to the Washeta Mountains; suspecting they were attempting to deceive him he took Santanta and Home Wolf and notified them that he would hold them as hostages, and that if all the Kiowas did not come to Ft. Cobb he would hang them. Sheridan says:

The Indians realize now for the first time that the winter will not compel us to make a truce with them, and adds that the Kiowas now at Ft. Cobb and such others as may come in there from the march from Camp Supply. The winter and snow were very severe, but the health of the command was good; only 2 men of the 7th Calvary and six of the 19th Kansas Company being sick.

In a private letter to Gen. Sherman dated on day later, Sheridan says the Kiowa’s are coming in and that the Cheyenne’s have been very humble since their punishment by Gen. Custer, and he has no doubt that the Arapahoe’s will also come in and surrender and abide by his terms, after which he has no fear of the renewing hostilities.