I knew this to
be a new camp, as I had been over the same ground only two days
previous. The Indians were camped in a valley nearly a mile wide
that had not a stick of timber on it, except the few small willows
that grew along the little rill that ran through the valley,
consequently I could not get close enough to ascertain the number
of the Indians until after dark. In the meantime I telegraphed the
Lieutenant to hold his men in readiness or to move on at once as
he thought best.
As soon as he received my message he mounted two companies of
cavalry and pushed on to the place where I had told the messenger
to meet me on his return.
While the messenger went to headquarters, in company with one of
my scouts I went down near the Indian camp to try to ascertain if
possible their number, leaving the other two scouts in charge of
the horses. The only way we could get at the number was to count
the fires and make an estimate in that way. The Indians seemed to
be nervous and much disturbed that night from some cause;
continually little squads of them would walk from one fire to
another. After we had crawled around something like two hours and
made our estimate, we returned to our horses and comrades, and I
never was more surprised in my life than when I got back and met
Lieut. Jackson there with his command, for I did not think
sufficient time had passed for him to come that distance.
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