Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-09-17
DESTRUCTION OF THE INDIANS.

DESTRUCTION OF THE INDIANS.
The St. Louis Republican has obtained the
following melancholy intelligence from Ma
jor Picot, of the American Fur Company, who
recently arrived from the Rocky Mountains
At Fort Pierre, in the year 1860, the first case
of cholera occurred on the 4th Of July. Other
cases followed this, and the disease continued to
spread until some three or four hundred Mis-
souri, Sioux Indians had fallen victims to it.
The ravages Of sickness were not confined to
the Indians, it would appear. The cholera CON-
municated to the CATTLE and Maj. Pcot states that
from his own knowledge only, some fifty head
of cattle died of sickness for which he can
not account, unless it were cholera. They were
seized suddenly with vomiting and purging, and
in many instances, indeed in the majority of in
stances, death ensued after five or six hours
from the manifestation of the first symptoms.
When the disease was raging most violently
among the Indians, council was held, after
whose decision the entire nation struck camp,
and separated for various quarters A portion
of them took refuge in the mountains, and the
remainder journeyed towards the north. The
cholera followed the party who had repaired to
the mountains, and continued to commit sad
ravages among them. To add still more to
their misfortunes, the small pox broke out
among them about the same time, and while it
ran its course there were from five to six hum
dred of their numbers who fell victims to it.
The traders done all in their power to alleviate
the suferings about them. They were fortu.
nately well provided with vaccine matter, and
Maj. Picot supposes that no less than fifteen or
twenty thousand Indians were vaccinated by
them, to start from the occurrence of the first
case. The most frightful panic spread itself
among the Indians on the appearance Of the
cholera in such malignant form. Neither in
terest nor friendship nor parentage, were suf-
ficent bonds to keep them together in this time
Of affliction. Wives were abandoned by their
husbands, parents by their children, and friends
by their friends. The cholera as also the small
pox, fingered from July 1850, to July 1851, a.
batting in winter to a considerable extent In
that time numerous children and helpless wo-
men, and old men, who had been suddenly a.
bandoned by those that had hitherto supported
them, were picked up and taken charge of by
the traders.
The fact may not be without its interest, that
in the present year, when the party Of Sioux
| Consisting of one thousand tamilies) went
north, they fell in with a party of Blackfeet,
who were in search Of the Crow Indians The
Sioux attacked them, and murdered every per-
son in the party. Not single one was left to
bear the tale to his nation.
After the occurrence Of the first few cases of
small pox, those Indians who had retiredt to the
north, became particularly careful in their in.
accommodation with strangers. Guards were
stationed about their village, whose duty it was
to warn all strangers from approaching them
and further to shoot down such as persisted in
crossing the line of their encampment Mai
Picot adds that very many Indians of foreign
tribes, as well rs the Sioux tribe itself, were
murdered for the reason that they disregarded
this regulation.