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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 15 Indians, however,tookthisopportunity toescapein thedirection ofTongue River. The trail was followed down the Tongue, across to the Powder River, and down the Powder to it8 month. xt this point, on August -25tb, the two forces separated, General Terry going north of the Yel-lowstone to prevent escape in that direction. Grneral Crook followed the trail southeast toward the Black Hills until it became so scattered as to beiudistingnishable. During this pursuit, on September 14th, General Crook's advanced column surprised and attacked a village of thirty lodges near Slim Buttes, 180 nliles from the Cheyenne River agency. This was followed up by an attack on his main colurun by the band of Crazy Horse. The troops then came into the vicinity of the Black Hills, and soon afte.r assisted in disarming the agency Indians of Red Cloud and Spotted Tail. General Terry likewise disarmed a~iddi s-mounted the Indians at Cheyeune River and Standing Rock. The main body of the hostiles under Crazy Horse went in small com-nanies toward the Yellowstone. near the Powder River, then av the ?cllowstone to the Tongue ~ i v r l . ,a ud doonu that rirt.1. io a )wiui near Suicide Creek, where a \r inter L.Rl11p \wfi nlnll~iu the heart or'tl1o hulf.ilo couutrv. Thisco11stitut6.11t l ~ ub eadouartrrs of t l~uh ostiles uudcr CI:IZV Horse'Lntil March, 1877, when the Eamp removed to the Powder River. Adother portion, under Sittilrg Bull, took a more northerly course toward the Yellowstone and Clendive Creek. The winter camp of this chief was about two hundred miles north of the Tongue Rirer toward the Dry Fork of the M~ssouri. Be seems to have made frequent trips between the camps for consultatiou aucl to distribute ammunition, which he obtained by trade with the Red River half-breeds near the British boundary. On the 18th of October a large force under Sibting Bull attacked a supply-train near Gleudive Creek, ran off sixt,? mules, and retreated across the Yellowstone in the direction of Fort Peck. This movement was anticipated by Colonel Miles, who, with troops belonging to the jugt-completed cantonment at the mouth of Tongue River, started to intercept them, and came upon their camp October 21. .Under a flag of truce presented by the Indians, two coul~cilsw ere held with Sitting Bull and other leading men, at which the latter reiterated their old desire to be independent of the United States, their indifference to A any government aid in the way of supplies and anuoities, aud their wish to be connected with agencies only to t l ~ ex tent of trading in ammnni-tiou ; nor would they give any pltdgesof good faith. The second day's council was immediately followed by an engagement, in which the In-dians were driven from their position and ned, closely pnrsued by the troops, a distance of 42 miles, until in the vicinity of Bad Route Creek, on the other side of the Yellowstone, the main body co~~sistinogf Min- ~~econjouaxn d Sans Arcs, sued for peace on the terms which five days before they had rejected-uncouditional surrender-and delivered up five of their number as hostagefi,.viz, Red Skirt, White. Bull, Black Eagle, Sun Rise, aud Foolish Thunder. Duriug the flight Sittiug Bull, with his in~n~etliaftoel lowers, succeeded in breaking away to the left, and escaped in the direction of Fort Peck.. The hostages were take11 to the Cheyeune rive^ agency, and their people, estimated at from four hundred to six hundred lodges, were placed, under the direction of Bull Eagle, Small Bear, and Bull, and ordered to reach the Oheyenr~eR iver agency not later that1 December 2, five days being allowed them to pro-vide a supply of buffalomeat, and thirty to make the march. This arrangement seems to hare been made in good faith by some of the leading men taking pitrt ill it; but their influence ore+ the others was |