xxxii INTRODUCTION. 



who had ascended the river in the steamer Far West. 

 The valleys of five branches were searched, and gradually 

 the fighting district was narrowed till it centred in the 

 valley of the Eosebud, and the valley of the Big Horn. 

 On Terry's column, which was almost wholly composed 

 of Ouster's regiment, the 7th Cavalry, reaching this tract, 

 the two columns occupied a position to the north of the 

 fighting men under ' Sitting Bull,' while Crook, in 

 command of the 3rd the strongest column was to the 

 south of the hostile Indians. The Sioux were therefore 

 between the two Terry, Gibbon, and Custer being in the 

 valley of the Yellowstone, at the mouths of the tributaries ; 

 while Crook was at the head-waters of these streams. 

 The object of the combined movement was for each column 

 to drive the Indians before it, till the retreat of the Sioux 

 was checked by the advance of one of the others ; but c Sit- 

 ting Bull ' seems to have early concentrated his warriors, 

 heavily reinforced by the Cheyennes, Arrapahoes, and other 

 tribes. He therefore held a commanding position, which 

 he has thus far turned to account. When Crook arrived 

 at the head-waters of the Eosebud, learning that the 

 camp of the Indians was in that valley as Gibbon 

 had discovered, some eighteen miles from the mouth of 

 the river, he immediately advanced by forced marches to 

 attack the village ; but ' Sitting Bull,' aware of his move- 

 ment, took up a position, and, instead of Crook surprising 

 Sitting Bull,' the latter surprised him. The battle that 

 ensued was long and furious, and the loss on both sides 

 severe. Crook fell back to his camp, and the Indians 

 struck their camp and hurried away to the Little Horn 

 Eiver, a tributary of the Big Horn. 



Meanwhile, Custer encamped at the mouth of the 

 Eosebud, and General Gibbon broke up his camp on 

 the north or opposite bank of the Yellowstone, and 

 marched up the stream to the confluence of the Big 



