The Stark County Democrat

ON THE TRAIL.

Gen. Miles' Advance on Sitting Bull—Predicting a Defeat.

St. Louis, Mo., July 20.—The steamer Rose Bud cleared this morning at daybreak for Old Fort Peck, General Miles' supply depot, with a battery of six Rodney and four Hotchkiss guns, 140 boxes of shell and grape, 22,000 rounds of revolver cartridges, 1,200,000 rounds of rifle cartridges and several ambulances. At Fort Buford the steamer will take on two companies of Infantry and a troop of cavalrymen.

The steamer Dakota arrived last night, and reported that, at the request of Captain Baldwin, of General Miles' staff, she landed at South Bank to transfer across stream 100 Crow Indian scouts, when the Indians unexpectedly refused to go. It is believed they are jealous of the Yankton scouts in General Miles' employ. The Crows hate the Sioux, but will not affiliate with the Yanktons in running them down.

Miles is in the neighborhood of Bearpaw Mountain, where he expected to find a large party of Sioux. The General's fighting force does not exceed six hundred men. The wood choppers and hair-breadth-escape fellows along the river say he will be cleaned out if he strikes the main body of Sitting Bull's followers. Old officers on the frontier who fought Indians before Miles entered the army say he will get caught. One of them, who is known throughout the United States, said that Miles' ambition to be a Brigadier would lead him into a fight against his judgment. His white scouts, such as Yellowstone and Kelley, and the company commanders of the Fifth Infantry, would bring on an engagement whenever an opportunity presented itself. They feel that this is Miles' chance to make a ten-strike, and they are only doing their duty if they precipitate an emergency where his whole command may be involved. The Fifth has the same confidence in Miles as the Seventh Cavalry had in Custer.