That worthy was entertaining a party at dinner,
and was about to give Hogan fits for bringing the message to him instead
of to the post adjutant; but a glance at the contents changed things and
in a moment all was bustle and confusion.
For weeks the premonitory signs of this outbreak had been plainly
visible, but true to the red-tape conditions, the army could not move
until some overt act had been committed. The generous interior
department had supplied the Indians with arms and ammunition and then
Mr. Red Devil under that prince of fiends incarnate, Sitting Bull,
started on his campaign of plunder and pillage.
At eight o'clock that night Colonel Clarke wired his chief that his
command was ready, and at midnight he received orders to proceed the
next morning at daylight, by forced marches up to the junction of the
forks of the Red Bud, and take position there to intercept the Indians
should they attempt to cross. Two regiments from the more northern posts
were due to reach there at the same time, and the combined strength of
the three commands was supposed to be sufficient to drive back any body
of Indians.
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