I said that, notwithstanding all the caution that we could take, we were likely to run into a party of hunters, who would immediately inform the camp of our presence.  In case of discovery, I said, it would be necessary to make our charge at once.

General Reynolds called his officers together and gave them my suggestions as their instructions.  In a very few minutes everything was moving.  I accompanied Colonel Mills.  His column had crossed the Dismal and was about two miles to the north of it when I saw a party of Indians chasing elk.

I knew that sooner or later—­probably sooner—­these Indians would see me.  I told Colonel Mills he had better send the scout back to General Reynolds and make all haste to charge the village.  We had no way of sending word to Major Curtiss, who led the other flanking column, and we had to trust to luck that he would hear the firing when it started.

Colonel Mills kept his troops on the lowest ground I could pick out, but we made our way steadily toward the village.

Inside of half an hour we heard firing up the river from where we were.  Colonel Mills at once ordered his troops to charge.  Luckily it collided with the Indians’ herd of horses, which were surrounded, thus depriving most of the braves of their mounts.

Men were left to guard the animals, and, taking the rest of the company, we charged the village, reaching it a little after the arrival of General Reynolds.  The attack was not as much a surprise as we had hoped for.  Some of the Indian hunters had spied the soldiers and notified the camp, but General Reynolds, coming from the south, had driven all the Indians on foot and all the squaws and children toward the sandhills on the north.  Mills came pretty near finding more Indians than he was looking for.  Their force largely outnumbered ours when we collided, but Major Curtiss came charging down from the north just at this instant.  His arrival was such a complete surprise that the Indians gave up and began waving the white flag.  Then all firing ceased.

On rounding them up we found that we had captured about two hundred and fifty warriors, women, and children, most of whom were from the Spotted Tail Agency.

The general had the Indians instantly disarmed.  Most of their tepees were up and they were ordered to go into them and remain there.  We placed a sufficient guard around the whole camp so that none could escape.  On the arrival of the wagon-train, for which a scout had been sent, the command went into camp.

Taking me aside, General Reynolds said: 

“I want you to send one of your fastest men back to Fort McPherson.  I am sending dispatches to General Ord, asking for instructions.”

I selected White to make this trip, and he was ready for duty in five minutes.

We were then sixty-five miles from Fort McPherson Station.  I told White that the matter was urgent and that he must get to that telegraph office as soon as possible.  At ten o’clock the next morning he rode into our camp with a telegram to General Reynolds.  The general was ordered to disarm all the Indians and send them under guard of a company of cavalry to the Spotted Tail Agency.