The trail crossed this stream a few miles from
where we had first discovered the Indians. They had made almost a
complete circle in the hope of misleading us.
Late in the afternoon we again saw them going over a hill far ahead.
Toward evening the main body of warriors once more came back and fought
us, but we continued to drive them till dusk, when we encamped for the
night.
Soon the Indians, finding they could not hold out against us, scattered
in every direction. We followed the main trail to the Republican River,
where we made a cut-off and proceeded north toward the Platte.
Here we found that the Indians, traveling day and night, had got a long
start. General Carr decided we had pushed them so hard and given them
such a thorough scaring that they would leave the Republican country
and go north across the railroad. It seemed, therefore, unnecessary to
pursue them any further. Most of the Indians did cross the river near
Ogallah as he predicted, and thence continued northward.
That night we returned to the Republican River and camped in a grove of
cottonwoods, which I named Carr's Grove in honor of our commander.
General Carr informed me that the next day's march would be toward the
headwaters of the Beaver. I said that the distance was about
twenty-five miles, and he said we would make it the next day. Getting
an early start in the morning, we struck out across the prairie.
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