It was determined to burn the prairie south of the "South River," and thus drive the Indians to the Arkansas for food for their horses, as well as for game.

So, one night when there was a strong north wind blowing, tires were set out, and for two hundred miles a sheet of flame swept the country from the South Platte river, for a long distance to the southward. It was a magnificent pyrotechnic display, but as war strategy, it failed of the puqjose. It served to incense the Indians and bring about the crises. Instead of

retiring southward, the Indians moved northward across the "South River," and directly into territory where they were the least desired.

Spotted Tail was evidently south of the Platte at the time, and it is believed that his Indians gave out the information that there were great stores of supplies at Julesburg, and that a raid on that point if successful, would supply the Indians with rations for months.

The great chief successfuly directed the attack and Julesburg was burned on February second. After taking such supplies as they could, the war party destroyed the balance, and crossed the river south of the mouth of the Lodgepole. They then went up the Lodgepole valley to the point near the present city of Chappell, "twenty-four miles from the mouth

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

of the creek," and from there crossed to Mud Springs (now Simla) which they attacked on February 4th, driving off some horses and mules and a lot of Ed Creighton's work cattle. Creighton had the cattle on what was known as "Rankin's Fork." The Indians made a rich haul, there were twenty horses, a number of mules, and several hundred cattle.