8 July 1869; Laird Colorado: When Maj. Royall returned to camp from his pursuit of Cheyennes on Frenchman Creek during Maj. Carr's June-July expedition on the Republican River, he reported that in his estimation, the Cheyennes were too far ahead of them to be caught, and, furthermore, that the country was too dry and barren to make a pursuit practical. Carr nevertheless decided to keep up the chase, backtracking downstream to where the North and Arikaree Forks of the Republican converged, then forcing a march over the divide to Frenchman Creek. Spying Indians saw his retrograde move and assumed he was leaving.
As Carr left, he sent Cpl. John Kyle with three men of Company M backup the North Fork to bring in a few horses they had left behind at their previous camp. After several miles Kyle spotted 13 Indians watering their horses. He tried to elude them but they saw him and gave chase. Kyle directed his men to some sheltering rocks, where they killed a horse and defended their position, killing three warriors and compelling them to retreat. After the fight, Kyle's squad rejoined Carr's command, who were camped near the mouth of the Arikaree Fork about 12 miles away.
That night, the camp was attacked by Cheyennes trying to steal the Pawnees' horses. The Pawnee Angry Bear was wounded, and the Ute-Cheyenne Yellow Nose was thrown from his horse and broke his arm. He crawled into a slight gully and hid in the darkness while Pawnees jumped right over him. He got back to this camp two days later.
