Last Bull “Ledger”: Facing soldiers at Powder River Fight (Courtesy American Museum of Natural History)
Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie in the mid-1870s (Courtesy University of Oklahoma Western History Collections)
High Bull “Victory Roster”: Little Sun striking two Shoshone: roster captured from Sgt. Brown, 7th U.S. Cavalry, at the Little Bighorn (Courtesy National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution)
BOOKS BY TERRY C. JOHNSTON
Cry of the Hawk
Winter Rain
Dream Catcher
Carry the Wind
BorderLords
One-Eyed Dream
Dance on the Wind
Buffalo Palace
Crack in the Sky
Ride the Moon Down
Death Rattle
Wind Walker
SONS OF THE PLAINS NOVELS
Long Winter Gone
Seize the Sky
Whisper of the Wolf
THE PLAINSMEN NOVELS
Sioux Dawn
Red Cloud’s Revenge
The Stalkers
Black Sun
Devil’s Backbone
Shadow Riders
Dying Thunder
Blood Song
Reap the Whirlwind
Trumpet on the Land
A Cold Day in Hell
Wolf Mountain Moon
Ashes of Heaven
Cries from the Earth
Lay the Mountains Low
with admiration and appreciation
I dedicate this novel to
Ken and Cheri Graves
of the Red Fork Ranch,
and to
Mike Freidel
of Vermillion, South Dakota,
who all three graciously opened up their
hearts and their homes and allowed me to spend
the better part of a day moving across the
historic Dull Knife Battlefield
as few have since that dramatic battle:
from horseback.
Cast of Characters
Seamus Donegan Samantha Donegan
Military
Lieutenant General Philip H. Sheridan—Division of the Missouri
Brigadier General George C. Crook—Department of the Platte
Colonel William B. Hazen—commanding Sixth U.S. Infantry, Fort Buford, D.T.
Colonel Nelson A. Miles—commanding Fifth U.S. Infantry, Tongue River Cantonment, M.T.
Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie—Fourth U.S. Cavalry, commanding cavalry wing, Powder River Expedition (brevet BRIGADIER GENERAL)
Colonel Richard I. Dodge—Twenty-third Infantry, commanding infantry wing, Powder River Expedition
Lieutenant Colonel Elwell S. Otis—Twenty-second U.S. Infantry (brevet BRIGADIER GENERAL)
Lieutenant Colonel William P. Carlin—commandant at Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, D.T., Seventeenth U.S. Infantry
Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Whistler—Fifth U.S. Infantry
Major George A. Gordon—Fifth U.S. Cavalry (Camp Robinson) (brevet COLONEL)
Major Caleb H. Carlton—Third U.S. Cavalry, commanding at Fort Fetterman (brevet COLONEL)
Major Edwin F. Townsend—Commanding Officer, Fort Laramie, W.T. (brevet COLONEL)
Captain Andrew S. Burt—H Company, Ninth U.S. Infantry
Captain Charles W. Miner—G Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
Captain Malcolm McArthur—C Company, Seventeenth U.S. Infantry
Captain Louis H. Sanger—G Company, Seventeenth U.S. Infantry (brevet MAJOR)
Captain Mott Hooton—H Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
Captain Augustus Randall—Quartermaster, Fifth U.S. Infantry, Tongue River Cantonment, M.T.
Captain Wyllys Lyman—I Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Captain James S. Casey—A Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry (brevet MAJOR)
Captain Andrew S. Bennett—B Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Captain Simon Snyder—F Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Captain Clarence B. Mauck—Fourth U.S. Cavalry (brevet MAJOR)
Captain Alfred B. Taylor—Troop L., Fifth U.S. Cavalry
Captain George M. (“Black Jack”) Randall—Chief of Scouts, Powder River Campaign Twenty-third Infantry (brevet MAJOR)
Captain John Lee—D Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Captain Wirt Davis—F Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Captain William C. Hemphill—I Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Captain Henry W. Wessels—H Troop, Third U.S. Cavalry
Captain Gerald Russell—K Troop, Third U.S. Cavalry
Captain John M. Hamilton—H Troop, Fifth U.S. Cavalry
Captain James “Teddy” Egan—K Troop, Second U.S. Cavalry
Captain J. B. Campbell—Fourth U.S. Artillery battalion commander (brevet MAJOR)
Captain John V. Furey—quartermaster, Powder River Expedition
Captain Edwin Pollock—Ninth U.S. Infantry, commander of Reno Cantonment (brevet MAJOR)
First Lieutenant John Bourke—Acting Assistant Adjutant General for Expedition
First Lieutenant Walter S. Schuyler—aide-de-camp to General Crook
First Lieutenant Oskaloosa M. Smith—H Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry (Battalion Adjutant)
First Lieutenant William Conway—H Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
First Lieutenant Benjamin C. Lockwood—G Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
First Lieutenant Mason Carter—K Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry (brevet CAPTAIN)
First Lieutenant Theodore F. Forbes—G Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
First Lieutenant Robert McDonald—D Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
First Lieutenant William Philo Clark—I Troop, Second Cavalry, aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Crook
First Lieutenant Henry W. Lawton—Fourth U.S. Cavalry, campaign Quartermaster for the cavalry (brevet CAPTAIN)
First Lieutenant Charles M. Callahan—B Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
First Lieutenant John A. McKinney—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
First Lieutenant Oscar Elting—Troop K, Third U.S. Cavalry (acting agent at Red Cloud Agency after 31 June)
First Lieutenant Charles Rockwell—Fifth U.S. Cavalry, expedition commissary officer
Second Lieutenant Alfred C. Sharpe—Company H, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant William H. Kell—Company K, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant James D. Nickerson—C Company, Seventeenth U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant Frank S. Hinkle—Fifth U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant Hobart K. Bailey—Fifth U.S. Infantry, aide-de-camp to Colonel Miles
Second Lieutenant James Worden Pope—E Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant David Q. Rousseau—H Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant William H. S. Bowen—Fifth U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant James H. Whitten—Fifth U.S. Infantry
Second Lieutenant Joseph H. Dorst—Fourth U.S. Cavalry, Regimental Adjutant
Second Lieutenant J. W. Martin—B Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Second Lieutenant J. Wesley Rosenquest—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Second Lieutenant Harrison G. Otis—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Second Lieutenant Homer W. Wheeler—G Troop, Fifth U.S. Cavalry
Second Lieutenant Hayden Delaney—Ninth U.S. Infantry
Lieutenant Henry Allison—Second U.S. Cavalry
Lieutenant O. L. Wieting—Twenty-third Infantry
First Sergeant Thomas H. Forsyth—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
First Sergeant James Turpin—L Troop, Fifth U.S. Cavalry
First Sergeant James S. McClellan—H Troop, Third U.S. Cavalry
Sergeant Patrick Kelly—F Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
Sergeant William Hathaway—H Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry
Sergeant Frank Murray—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Sergeant Joseph Sudsberger—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
†Sergeant Robert W. McPhelan—E Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Corporal William J. Linn—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
†Private John Geyer—I Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Private William Earl Smith—Fourth U.S. Cavalry, expedition orderly to Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie
Private Edward Wilson—F Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Private Thomas Ryan—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Private Jonathan Kline—G Troop, Fifth U.S. Cavalry
Trumpeter Richard Hicks—K Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
Charles T. Gibson—Acting Assistant Surgeon, Glendive Cantonment
Joseph R. Gibson—chief medical officer, Powder River Expedition
L.A. LaGarde—army surgeon, Powder River Expedition
Marshall W. Wood—assistant army surgeon, Powder River Expedition
Civilian
Elizabeth Burt
Martha Luhn
Nettie Capron
Maynard Collins—trader at Fort Laramie
Johnny Bruguier (“Big Leggings”)
John B. Sharpe—wagon-master, Powder River Expedition
Tom Moore—pack-master of the Powder River Expedition mule train
Army Scouts
Frank Grouard (“The Grabber”)
Billy Hunter—half-breed guide with the Pawnee Battalion
Billy Garnett—interpreter with the Powder River Expedition
Robert Jackson—Glendive Cantonment
William Jackson—Tongue River Cantonment
Luther Sage “Yellowstone” Kelly—Tongue River Cantonment
Victor Smith—Glendive Cantonment
Billy Cross—Tongue River Cantonment
Joe Culbertson—interpreter, scout with Miles
Todd Randall—squawman with Sioux wife among Red Cloud’s people
George Boyd—Tongue River Cantonment
John “Liver-Eating” Johnston—Tongue River Cantonment
Tom LeForge—Tongue River Cantonment
Major Frank North—commanding, Pawnee Battlion
Captain Luther North—second in command, Pawnee Battlion
Lieutenant S. E. Cushing—Pawnee Battalion
Tom Cosgrove—commanding Shoshone battalion
Yancy Eckles—second in command, Shoshone battalion
Baptiste Pourier (“Big Bat”)
Bill Rowland (“Long Knife”)—Cheyenne squawman, interpreter for Powder River Expedition
“Old” Bill Hamilton—scout on Powder River Expedition
Lakota
White Bull Sitting Bull
One Horn Gall
Long Feather Bear’s Face
No Neck Red Skirt
High Bear Jumping Bull
Fire-What-Man Bull Eagle
Black Eagle Rising Sun
Small Bear Standing Bear
Spotted Elk Red Cloud
Pretty Bear Yellow Eagle
John Sans Arc Red Shirt
Jackass Three Bears
Feathers on the Head Spotted Tail
Arikara/Ree
Bear Plume White Antelope
Cheyenne
“Tse-tsehese-staeste”
“Those Who Are Hearted Alike”
Crow Split Nose Last Bull
Sits in the Night Morning Star
Little Wolf Old Bear
Young Two Moon Beaver Claws
Wolf Tooth Brave Bear
Wooden Leg Left Handed Wolf
Beaver Dam Gypsum
Hail Crow Necklace
High Wolf Brave Wolf
Black White Man Working Man
Buffalo Calf Woman Braided Locks
Black Hairy Dog Coal Bear
Box Elder Medicine Top
Spotted Blackbird Wrapped Hair
Yellow Eagle Turtle Road
Medicine Bear Long Jaw
at ambush ravine:
Curly Little Hawk
Strange Owl Bull Hump
Bobtail Horse Little Shield
Two Bull High Bull
Burns Red in the Sun Walking Calf
Hawk’s Visit Four Sacred Spirits
Old Bull Antelope
Buffalo Chief Two Bulls
Wooden Nose Charging Bear
Tall Sioux Dog
White Frog
with Little Wolf at mouth of the ravine:
White Frog Two Bulls
Bald-Faced Bull Walking Whirlwind
Comes Together Yellow Nose
White Horse Big Horse
Little Horse Beaver Heart
Big Head Walks Last
White Buffalo Young Turkey Leg
Sitting Bear Fox
Stops in a Hurry
Cheyenne scouts and in-laws with Bill Rowland:
Colonel Hard Robe Roan Bear
Little Fish Old Crow
Cut Nose Satchel/Wolf Satchel
Hard Robe Bird
Blown Away
Pawnee
Ralph Weeks Frank White
Peter Headman (“Boy Chief” / Pe-isk-le-shar)
Rus Roberts
Shoshone
Dick Washakie Anzi
Arapaho
Sharp Nose Old Eagle
Six Feathers Little Fork
White Horse William Friday—interpreter
Casualties
Spring Creek Encounter:
Private John Donahoe—G Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry (wounded)
Sergeant Robert Anderson—G Company, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry (wounded)
Private Francis Marriaggi—G Company, Seventeenth U.S. Infantry (wounded)
Cedar Creek Encounter:
Private John Geyer—I Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry (wounded)
Sergeant Robert W. Phelan—E Company, Fifth U.S. Infantry
Dull Knife Battle:
*First Lieutenant John A. McKinney—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
*Corporal Patrick F. Ryan—D Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
*Private John Sullivan—B Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry (only soldier scalped in the battle)
*Private James Baird—D Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry (only soldier buried on battlefield)
*Private Alexander Keller—E Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
*Private John Menges—H Troop, Fifth U.S. Cavalry
*Private Alexander McFarland—L Troop, Fifth U.S. Cavalry (died on November 28 of his wounds)
†First Sergeant Thomas H. Forsyth—M Troop, Fourth U.S. Cavalry
†Sergeant James Cunningham—H Troop, Third U.S. Cavalry
†Private Philip Holden—H Troop, Third U.S. Cavalry
†Private George Talmadge—H Troop, Third U.S. Cavalry
* dead
† wounded
The fact of the case is the operations of Generals Terry and Crook will not bear criticism, and my only thought has been to let them sleep. I approved what was done, for the sake of the troops, but in doing so, I was not approving much, as you know.
—Lieutenant General Philip H. Sheridan
(to General Wm. T. Sherman)
The [Battle of Cedar Creek] was no more bloody or decisive than the fight with Otis a week earlier, but it afforded Miles the chance to maneuver an entire regiment and laid the groundwork for much self-congratulation.
—Robert M. Utley
The Lance and the Shield
The encounter [at Cedar Creek] between the colonel [Miles] and chief [Sitting Bull] is one of the most striking episodes in the Indian Wars. It is as replete with imperious demands and arrogant challenges to combat as any knightly tale …
—Fairfax Downey
Indian Fighting Army
Neither the wild tribes, nor the Government Indian Scouts ever adopted any of the white soldiers’ tactics. They thought their own much better.
—Captain Luther H. North
Pawnee Battalion
The noble red man is not a fool. He is a cunning nomad, who hates civilization, and knows how to get all out of it that pleases him—whiskey, tobacco, rations and blankets, idleness in peace and a rattling fight whenever he is ready for it. And when he is beaten he returns to the arms of his guardians on the reservation, bringing his store of white scalps with him as pleasing memorials of the good time he had.
It is time to stop all that. The continent is getting too crowded.
—Editorial
New York Herald
This expedition was one of the best equipped that ever started on an Indian campaign … [The Cheyenne] were foemen worthy of Mackenzie’s or anybody else’s steel. The battle which ensued was in some respects one of the most terrible in Western history, and in its results exemplified, as few others have done, the horrible character of war.
—Cyrus Townsend Brady
Indian Fights and Fighters
Never again would Northern Cheyenne material culture reach the heights of richness and splendor that the people knew before that bitter day in the Big Horns.
—Peter J. Powell
Sweet Medicine
Foreword
At the beginning of some chapters and some scenes, you will read the very same news stories devoured by the officers’ wives and the civilians employed at army posts or those living in adjacent frontier settlements—just what Samantha Donegan herself read—stories taken from the front page of the daily newspapers that arrived as much as a week or more late, that delay due to the wilderness distances to be traveled by freight carriers.
Copied verbatim, word for word, from the headlines and graphic accounts of the day, remember as you read that these newspaper stories were the only news available for those people who had a most personal stake in the army’s last great campaign—those people who had tearfully watched a loved one march off to war that autumn of the Great Sioux War of 1876.
By starting some chapters and scenes with an article taken right out of the day’s international, national, and regional headlines, I hope that you will be struck with the immediacy of each day’s front page as you finish reading that day’s news—just as Samantha Donegan would have been from her relative safety at Fort Laramie. But, unlike her and the rest of those left behind who would have to live out the days and weeks in apprehension and fear because the frontier was often terrifyingly bereft of reliable news, you will then find yourself thrust back into the historical action of an army once more marching into the teeth of a high plains winter—this time to finish what it had begun nine months before in the trampled snow along the Powder River.