1692 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



and a trial of patience to guide the train in the intricate turns of tlie stream and 

 among the huge bowlders scattered profusely in the valley. At 12 in. we Leave the 

 creek, and passing over some rolling country, which is gradually ascending, reach camp 

 in a position sheltered in part from high winds hut away from water. Fair grass and 

 plenty of pine and cedar are obtained. Our march to-day is 12£ miles. 



December 8. — At ?.3<> a. m. we leave camp and move over a rolling country similar to 

 that passed over yesterday afternoon. Many arroyos are met with, and much sage- 

 brush and little grass grows in the hills. At 8 a. m. about li miles to the east of our 

 trail is seen a small stream with hut little timber on its hanks and no water in its bed. 

 We follow down this creek to its junction with a larger stream, and at 3 p. m.. after 

 marching 18 miles, encamp near its mouth in a small hunch of cottonwood. The grass 

 is very poor. The stream on which we encamp is small, with little standing water and 

 deeply cut hanks, and is a branch of the Big Dry River. The weather to-day has been 

 extremely cold, its severity being augmented by a hitter northeast wind. As a conse- 

 quence there is much suffering in the command, many of the men having frozen their 

 extremities. Black Buttes are plainly seen from camp at a distance of 20 miles. 



December 9. — Starting at 6.30 a. m. for two hours we pass over a broken country and 

 reach a small branch of the creek we camped on last night. There is hut little wood 

 on its hanks and no water in its hed. Passing from here our trail continues over 

 "broken ground that extends many miles to the west, while toward the east the conn- 

 try is more open, and appears to he low and rolling. At 12 m. we reach and cross a 

 branch of the Big Dry, and an hour later another smaller stream which joins the latter 

 a few miles to the east of the trail. No wood is seen on either of these streams, and 

 the water is slightly alkaline. Continuing onward we pass over a high rolling tract of 

 land, and at 3 p. m. make camp after having marched 18| miles. >o> wood or water 

 near camp, and the grass that has been so poor during the day is no better in camp. 



December 10. — We start at a. m. and move over a high, rolling country of the same 

 general characteristics as that passed over yesterday afternoon. At 8.30 a. m. quite 

 an important divide is crossed, and we descend to the low rolling country beyond. 

 Buffalo in large herds are seen on all sides grazing on the rich grass that here grows in 

 abundance. At 12 m. we come to a small fork of the Big Dry, cross it several times, 

 and following the course of the stream at 3 p. m. encamp on its banks. No wood, but 

 plenty of water and poor grass are obtained. The march to-day is 19 miles. 



December 11. — Leaving camp at 6 a. m. our road is over a low and slightly-rolling 

 country which extends many miles to the east and west of our trail. At 8 a. m. we 

 cross a small branch of the stream we camped on last night. No wood is seen along 

 its course and the standing water is alkaline. Plenty of buffalo and antelope are graz- 

 ing about. Our trail continues good until camp, which we make on the prairie, where 

 there is no wood or water, but an abundance of good grass. Distance marched 18§ 

 miles. Scouts arrive to-day from the cantonment Tongue River and report the arrival 

 there from the agency of 80 Crow scouts. They also report the hostile Cheyenne In- 

 dians as having driven off some cattle that were grazing near the post. 



December 12. — Snow fell to the depth of several inches last night. Break camp at 

 6.30 a. m. ; the country, at first rolling, becomes somewhat broken, and is intersected 

 frequently by deep arroyos. We cross many small branches of Sunday Creek, in sev- 

 eral of which a little alkaline water is found standing in pools. No wood is seen along 

 their banks, and their general direction is southeast. A severe snow-storm conies up at 

 noon and lasts all day. We find Captain Snyder's trail which leads to the main branch 

 of Sunday Creek, and follow it. making camp at 8 p. in. Here wood and water are 

 plenty, and the grass, though growing sparsely, is good. The distance marched to-day 

 is 23^ miles. 



December 13. — Several days previous to reaching this cam]) our forage had given out, 

 the rations were getting low, and orders were sent to the cantonment to have a train 

 with the necessary supplies meet us at this point. As expected, it arrived this morn- 

 ing. At 1.45 ]>. m. we continued down the valley of Sunday Creek, passing over the 

 same trail we made going out on the campaign, a description of which has already 

 been given. After marching 9 miles, at 4 p. m. we encamp on Sunday Creek. 



December 14. — At 6.35 a. m. we move out of cam}) toward the cantonment, over the 

 trail that was made in November last, and at 12m. reach the north bank of the 

 Yellowstone, opposite Tongne River, after a march of 12 miles. We learn that Cap- 

 tain Snyder and his command have preceded ashy several days, having thoroughly 

 scouted thai section ot Country in the vicinity of the Hack Butte and the headwaters 

 of the Big Dry. Lieutenant Baldwin, who was detached from the command while it 

 was in cam]) on the Missouri near the month of Squaw Creek, arrived at the canton- 

 ment December 22. From the Missouri be bad proceeded to Fort Peok, thence fol- 

 lowing the north bank of the river crossed the hitter near Wolf Point, and gaining 

 the Redwater followed ap its course until December 18, when he came upon the In- 

 dian village of Sitting Bull With the little command of 100 men be at once attacked 

 it, drove the hostiles from their village, and took possession. In the haste of their 

 departure they abandoned everything except their ponies and children, and were left 



