nd ▁Caval ry ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Horn ▁Ex ped ition , ▁and ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 7 , ▁fought ▁with ▁his ▁company ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pow der ▁River , ▁Mont ana ▁Territ ory . ▁Three ▁months ▁later ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 7 , ▁S ible y ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Rose bud ▁under ▁General ▁George ▁Cro ok . ▁The ▁battle ▁was ▁a ▁defeat ▁for ▁Cro ok ' s ▁men , ▁and ▁they ▁retre ated ▁to ▁Go ose ▁Creek ▁in ▁Wy oming ▁Territ ory . ▁ ▁S ible y ▁Sc out ▁ ▁After ▁remaining ▁idle ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁weeks ▁at ▁Go ose ▁Creek , ▁on ▁July ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁General ▁Cro ok ▁ordered ▁Lieutenant ▁S ible y ▁to ▁take ▁ 2 5 ▁men ▁and ▁two ▁sc outs , ▁Big ▁Bat ▁P ou rier ▁and ▁Frank ▁Gr ou ard , ▁and ▁make ▁a ▁reconna issance ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁to ▁locate ▁Indians . ▁Two ▁civ ili ans ▁joined ▁S ible y ' s ▁party , ▁bringing ▁the ▁total ▁up ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁men . ▁While ▁travel ing ▁down ▁the ▁T ong ue ▁River ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁present - day ▁Day ton , ▁Wy oming , ▁the ▁sc out ing ▁party ▁discovered ▁a ▁large ▁party ▁of ▁Si oux ▁and ▁Che y enne ▁war riors ▁moving ▁south ▁very ▁close ▁to ▁them . ▁Their ▁only ▁chance ▁of ▁escape ▁was ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁trail ▁to ▁the ▁B igh orn ▁Mountains . ▁The ▁war ▁party ▁followed ▁closely , ▁and