Chapter 23

Soon after, we sent for reinforcements. We set out again, tracking the renegades and outlaws. We doubled our flank guards, to keep us fully warned in case of an ambush. We knew that it would be at least several hours before help could arrive.

As we were following the tracks of the outlaws I dropped back to speak with Spotted Owl. "This seems to be a large party of mixed white men and Indians. How do you think we should handle this?"

"We need to follow and watch. See how ambushers act. Decide then best way to kill them."

"I think we need to try to get some prisoners. To find out if this is just one bunch or part of a conspiracy."

"Is good idea. Take prisoners. Make prisoners talk before kill them."

"That's going to be a problem. We can't just kill them. Those that we capture will have to have a fair trial and if found guilty will probably hang. The main problem is an uneasy balance between the white men and the Indians. If we just slaughter the prisoners, then in reality, we are no better than they are. So they will need to have a trial, and that leads up to another problem. Since there is a mix of both white men and Indians, and we may have a problem with fairness. That may spark off a new uprising, if it is seen that we are harsher with the Indians, than we are with our own people."

"Is not problem. White man's law judge white men. I am sub-chief Lakota nation. Red Cloud and the other to sub chiefs judge Indian people. Then no problem."

"There is still a problem if it is seen that one race is harsher than the other that could still cause problems."

"Maybe it better if white judge all, and Indian judge all. Then it cannot be said not fair."

"That's a good idea. We'll take all the prisoners to Hill City since Judge Mitchell is the federal judge for this territory. Do you think Red Cloud would consent to be the judge for the Indian people, since he is chief of the Lakota nation?"

"Yes, Red Cloud will want to judge. Renegades go against his orders not to start trouble."

"So if they are found guilty of murdering Reverend Smith, what will be the penalty? If it is not strong enough punishment than the white men will think justice is not done."

"Is not problem. Penalty for disobeying Chiefs' orders is banishment or death. Since others were killed also, penalty will be death."

"That's not going to make it easy to capture them. They'll think that they have nothing to lose by continuing to fight."

"True. They will fight to the death. I don't think many will be captured alive."

At this time the forward scouts came up quickly. They reported to Spotted Owl rapidly in Lakota.

He turned to me and said, "They have found the camp, ahead. There are eight white men and twenty-three renegade Lakota."

He then said something else in Lakota to the scout. After a short exchange, he turned back to me.

"It looks like the white men and Lakota don't trust each other. Many arguments." Just then the scout said something else and Spotted Owl translated. "Leader of the Lakota renegades is Red Dog."

"Red Dog? I don't think of ever heard of him?"

"Him brave that you fix leg for. Have strong hate for white man."

"If he hates white men so bad, what's he doing with these?"

"I think him just using them. Soon him kill them."

"I think so, too. It will probably take until the day after tomorrow before reinforcements are here. In the meantime we have a lot of enemies against us. I think it may benefit us to try to get them fighting among themselves, to pare the numbers down a little before we have to fight them."

"How we do this? Need to keep us being here as surprise."

"What I think we need to do is get them fighting among themselves. After dark, do you think we could sneak a couple of scouts into their camp, and cause a little trouble. Such as take, something from one group that's valuable to that person, and include it among the other group's things. When they awaken to find their valuables among the other group's belongings, it should cause a lot of resentment. Furthermore, if we can locate any of the valuables from the robberies they have with them, we should take them, too. That way they are when they discover that the loot is gone, and they are unable to find it, that should really cause them to start fighting among themselves."

"That can work. But what about guards? If they are alert, it will be much hard to sneak into camp."

"You're right ... let's see ... I know! How many guards do they have?"

Spotted Owl to spoke with one of the scouts and then said, "They have seen only two guards."

"I have an idea but I'm not sure that will work? How hard would it be to make it look as if one guard killed the other than robbed the rest of the camp, and then disappeared?

"If careful, it could be done easily. One guard is white man the other is Lakota. If it made to look like Indian killed the white guard and stole weapons and horses from the others, it should cause many distrusts and cause fighting among them."

"That could work. However, also since it does not look as if the two groups really mix together much. While we are waiting for reinforcements why don't we stir up a little more trouble? We can let them catch glimpses of us stirring up trouble for the other group, causing unrest, and hopefully start them fighting more among themselves. That would whittle down the odds."

That night the raid on the camp seemed to go off like clockwork. The sentries were easily taken out. Forward scouts slipped into camp and made off with several weapons and most of the horses. While unable to eliminate most of the outlaws, it was hoped that the result could cause distrust amongst them.

Early the next morning, as we were planning our next move, we heard horses approaching us from the other direction. Quickly, we concealed ourselves. We soon saw that it was the reinforcements from Silver City. Included among them, was Doc Williams, the veterinarian from Spearfish. He was probably the only other person in the area with any knowledge of medicine.

I quickly appraised them of the situation in the enemy camp, only a couple of miles down the road. They were at what appeared to be an abandoned mining site. Some of the reinforcements were all for attacking at once, until I explained that there were over forty of them. By attacking now, we would basically be committing suicide. It seemed to stop some of the haste in their attack plans. I then explained that reinforcements were coming from Hill City, and that they should arrive by the afternoon.

When asked how many reinforcements, I explained that I was not sure, but that Red Cloud would be sending a war party to help support us, since the majority of the enemy were renegade warriors.