New-York daily tribune., 1845-04-01
The Indians of the Far West.

To he Edffor Of he Tribune:
In the early part of last autumn detachment OF
Infantry from Fort Smelling and o. Dragons from
Fort Atkinson went on an expedition into the
S,seton Sioux country TO demand redress for GER
tain outrsges committed by those Indians a
party Of drovers. have never seen statement
of the circumstances which led TO the necessity OF
this expedition, and having received within few
days letter from friend at St. Peters containing
such statement, take the liberty of lranscr!blng
it for your paper, though not intended for the pub
lie eye This was the first demonstration our Gov
crnmen; had made against the Ssetons, who have
hitherto thought that the arm of their great Father
could noi reach them IN their remote homes around
Lac Travcrs. Ii is TO be hoped that the Impression
which the l25 ''paie faces" made on the Red Men
will restrain them from farther outrages:
"You are aware that portion oi the Sioux re.
ceve hnnuItles from the Government, and during
the past Summer they were TO receive IA large nun.
Der of cattle which were contracted Tor IN Missouri
The route by which these cattle We're TO be driven
was long and tedious for the country through which
they must pass is for the most part unlnhabied ex
cept by Indians The trst Intelligence we had Of
the approach of the drove through an Indian
who reported that be had seen the trail of large
drove of cattle; and, from his DESCRIPTION oi It's
locality, il was known that If the trail was made
by the cattle intended for the Sioux in this vicinity
ing Norlhward and about 100 miles Southwest OF
us Some anxiety was u, first felt for then but IL
wa. concluded that the report OF the Indian was
erroneous or exaggerated, until intelligence was
received from a source that could be depended
on, that the drovers had wandered far from their
true course, and had fallen in with band o
Sisetons returning from unsuccessful expedition
against the Chippewas. In the early part OF August
an old Indian Chief called Sleepy-Eyes, who lives
about 100 miles South West OF us met near his WI
lage wretched objec, bearing the sembance of a
man, who, on seeing that he was discovered, at
tempted 10 hide himself In the grass
"The Chief, curious 10 know something more o
this appariton, approached it and found misera
bic, emaciated white man nearly naked Though
fearful nj first tor his lte, the poor fellow, taking
courage from the benevolent look of the Chief, rose
and throwing his arms around his neck wept like
n child He was taken TO the lodge OF the old
man, and was treated with all the tenderness Il
father could bestow on child. In few days
the Chief set out for the Mission Station OF Mr.
Riggsat Travers de Sioux, and the latter started
nj once with cart to bring the lost man 10 his
home, where he remained till he was suflcieullyre
stored TO proceed to For, Smelling. This poor fellow
was the only one of the four droveys who escaped 10
tell the story OF the horrors which he and his com
rades witnessed Twill give yon some of the leading
points of his narrative. One ot the four killed
and stripped Two sent by the Indians 10
collect the cattle which had been dispersed over
the prairie by the onslaught made upon them by
the hungry savages, and they made their escape,
though almost max ed; and after travelling SIX days
without food, one was drowned in attempting 10
swim river; the other was found, as already
stated, by the Indian. The fate OF the fourth is
unknown. He either escaped from the Indians or
was suffered TO depart, after being stripped He is
undoubtedly dead" j. S Of MGine.