Description:

THE 4TH U.S. CAVALRY ARCHIVE OF MAJOR CLARENCE MAUCK
Historically important archive of about 85 manuscript letters, documents, and telegrams from Mauck to superior officers and to him from GEN. JOHN P. HATCH and others detailing the operations of the mounted 4th U.S. Cavalry forces under Major Clarence Mauck in operations against the Cheyenne from Sept. 20, 1878 until the end of the year when the force returned to Fort Elliott, Texas. Mauck pursued the Cheyenne marauding in a widespread area, and was most notably ordered to escort a large band of armed Northern Cheyenne from their home near Fort Sydney, Nebraska across the plains in Kansas to Fort Reno, Oklahoma. With the assistance of Indian translator and guide Ben Chapman, narrowly averted a massacre when the Cheyenne angrily protested their disarmament and the confiscation of their horses. The archive also documents Mauck's movements against Dull Knife's Cheyenne operating in the area of the Red Cloud Agency. In small part: [Chalk Creek, Sep. 28 1:30 PM A.D.S. in the field from Mauck to AAG, Dept. of Mo.]...We found the Indians waiting for us about 5 PM in the canyons of Punished Woman's Fork. Col. [W. H.] Lewis [19th Inf'y, later would die] wounded, we got one dead Indian, 17 dead saddle ponies and 62 head of stock. We were prevented by darkness from following up our success. I followed the trail the A.M....I detach...25 cavalry men to escort Col. Lewis and two wounded men into Wallace. The Indians I think will cross the KP about Sheridan. I will be on the KP for their trail some time tomorrow unless they again lay and wait for us...I will pull out on the trail immediately...[Mauck, Sep. 29]...Indians went within sight of Carlyle last night and then scattered to cross the road, they came together about three miles east of the station...going towards the head of the Saline...[From Gen. Jefferson C. Davis, Sep. 29 via wire]...you will continue in pursuit of the Indians, push attack and fight them wherever you find them. A column under Capt. Vance of seventy infantry with detachment of cavalry...will move forward...Since the death of the gallant of gallant Lewis the conduct of this pursuit devolves upon you...I hope you will not fail...[from H.Q., Wallace, KS, Sep. 30]...latest report from the Indians places them on the north fork of the Solomon River, 35 miles north of Buffalo...Major Dallas is expected to operate to the east of you...[wire from Mauck in camp, North Sappa Creek, Oct. 1]...The Indians have killed about 25 people in this neighborhood...will get to Beaver and probably beyond tonight...between fifty and a hundred horses have been stolen...[wire from Mauck, Buffalo, Oct. 1]...Indians left here this morning. They robbed Post Office and wounded one man. A party of 25 more seen 15 miles north...I think they are splitting up for the purpose of raiding...[wire from Mauck, in the field, Oct. 2]...They are killing all the men they come across but as yet no women or children They have got in the neighborhood of 200 horses from the settlers...they murdered every man that they came across who was unarmed...[From Thornburgh, in the field, to Gen. Williams in Omaha, Oct. 4]...Indians seen to be going almost due north crossed the North Platte at 2 PM. I have about 135 mounted men and will push on...I will strike them tomorrow...[From HQ, Dept. of the Platte, to Mauck, Oct. 5]...pursue Cheyenne as far north as Red Cloud Agency...[From Mauck to AAG, Platte, crossing North Platte, Oct. 5]...I will overtake Maj. Thornburgh as soon as possible...My stock of course is failing rapidly and my men poorly provided for...[From Thornburgh to Mauck, Camp on Ash Creek, Oct. 6, by hand]...I followed the trail until...it scattered in every direction...I am now going to move NW...I have no guides and but one man who is good on a trail. Send some trailers if you can...[Telegram to Mauck from Ft. Sidney, Oct. 6]...General Sheridan telegraphs that Spotted Tail Indians have all left the agency and are burning the grass in all directions...beyond control...this looks very bad and fears a general outbreak...". Apparently out of provisions and forage, Mauck returned to Ft. Sidney where some detachments under his command are ordered back to their home forts. On about Oct. 14 Mauck is ordered to escort a band of Cheyenne from their homes around Fort Sidney, through Kansas to Indian Territory under command of the Dept. of the Missouri. Undoubtedly, this is ordered to preclude any further "excursions" by the disgruntled Cheyenne. Mauck is further ordered to: "...take every necessary possible precaution for the protection of these Indians, while passing through Kansas...". Mauck also engages noted Indian translator Ben Clark to ease communications between he and his charges. On Oct. 21, Mauck commenced his march with five companies of cavalrymen, 24 mule teams, a medical student (a doctor not being available) and his 190 Northern Cheyenne "prisoners" who had just been issued 500 rounds of ammunition for hunting purposes. On Nov. 7, AAG Platt wires Mauck, who is still en route, asking if the Indians with him are armed, and if the arms are: "...boxed up...is it certain the Indians have no arms concealed in baggage?...". The next day the same AAG, advised by Mauck that the Indians bear 22 carbines, asks if any promises had been made to the Indians concerning their arms and ponies. On Nov. 21, Platt asks the commanding officer at Fort Elliott, KS to have Mauck detach troops to escort starving Cheyenne under Long Robe while they hunt near the fort "for the protection of the settlements south of Elliott". On the 24th, Gen. John P. Hatch writes Mauck advising: "...Little Robe with 300 warriors left the Agency without permission. Little Robe has however failed us and has...started for Fort Reno...". Likely as a result of Little Robe's action, on Nov. 29 Platt sent Mauck the following dispatch: "...on receipt of this dispatch wherever en route it may reach you, you are at once to seize...all arms the Indians with you may have with them...[and] all war ponies are also to be immediately taken...when the Indians reach Fort Reno they are to be turned over to the agent dismounted and disarmed...". Platt's order nearly caused a massacre. A contemporary printed tract written by a lieutenant present at the scene and included in the lot describes a showdown where the warriors, who had always cooperated with the Army and had actually been given army discharges, with the guns and ponies also given them for their government service, threaten a revolt. It was only through the negotiations of Mauck and the brave Cherokee interpreter Ben Chapman that disaster was averted: the Indians reluctantly surrendered their carbines, but Mauck allowed them to keep all but ten ponies (as a receipt indicates). No more than three days later, Mauck and his "prisoners" arrived at Fort Supply, thence travelled on to Fort Reno, having covered a distance of over 600 miles in about two months. Also included in the lot is a Mauck's hand-drawn ink map on waterproof cloth, 12" x 11 1/4" showing the route from Fort McPherson, near present day Sidney, NE to Fort Hays, near Topeka, KS, a distance of about 470 miles. Eight camps are shown along the route, as well as major rivers, streams and creeks. This important museum-quality archive bears just a very few pieces that have been mouse-nibbled, but is in otherwise very good to fine condition. CLARENCE MAUCK (1831-1889) was brevetted twice for gallantry during the Civil War, and also led 4th Cavalry soldiers in Indian battles Indians throughout the West, in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and Wyoming.

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