The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-12-31
Pisins and Upper Misaouri


Among the number OF travellers up the
Missouri and OF. the Plains, we have met
with Henry Belknap. Esq, who has spent
the greater part OF the year in explorations
VI the rivers ana mountains OF that far OF
country.
Mr.. Belknap left st. Louis in the spling Of
the ear, with Col. Vaughan, Indian Agent
Tor the Upper Missouri. on board the steam
IT Twilight. Leaving Col. Vaughan's po>
among the Blackfeet Indians, he crossed the
mountains to the head of the Columbia, ana
thence down directly through the mountains
until he reached Utah Territory. Mr.. Belk
zap was at Green River when the Unite,
ates trains of provisions. &c.. were burn
w the " cr> ",-1 = of
Mormons was concerned IN the operations;
twenty Mormon's only destroyed Russell d
Co.'s train. The men were awakened from
sleep and found two men with rifles cooked
standing at the head Of each wagon. The
whole affair of getting POSSESSION Of the wag
ons conducted by the Mormons in the
most civil, not TO say friendly, manner. The
men in charge Of the wagon, were allowed It.
AXE any articles they desired from the wag
MS in the train. and the train was set on
The -tat"ment that they plundeied the
| train is not correct.
Mr.. Beknap represents that the position
Of the small body Of men on Hams Fork was
critical in the extreme. The Mormons were
ranging the country at will, driving off the
cattle, cutting off supplies. and annoying the
| military in ev-ry possible way. Henry's
Fort, where Colonel johnson proposes win
| tering his command. Is tolerably well shell
| tered valley, and provided with wood and
| grass; but it is very much exposed to attacks
from the Mormon enemy. The latter arc
usually we'll mounted and equipped, and are
said to be in possession of seventeen pieces
of artillery. This Is very reasonable num-
Der, as many of the Mormons are mechanics,
and have been engaged in the manufacture
Of cannon.
Fifty OF Magraw's party, engaged in max
ing u road in that direction to the Pacific, had
volunteered in the army and their services
were accepted, and they had marched from
Wind River to Join Col. johnson.
Leaving the South Pass early in Novem-
Der, MIR. Belknap struck directly across the
! Plains, crossing the head of u Eau Qui Cou'
and White liver. anG arrived at Fort Ran
dali on the Upper Missouri, on the I'd of De-
cember. The Ogallalah Indians were at tho
Sand Hill Peak; two hundred and fifty lodg
es Of Brules were in the Sand Hills between
the head OF u Eau qui Cur and White Riv-
, er, and other scattering bands were on tn,
way. These Indians were all starving, anC
they reported no buffalo in that part of th'
} country.
mere mas Deen some naru IgntllS on ln
Plains the past fall and summer, between TIN
different tribes of Indians; and eighty lodge
OF the Crows had been nearly extcrminate,
by the Minnccanjou tribe Sioux in one bat
4 tie. A white man by the name of William
Leeierc, had been killed by the Yanctonnai-
The other tribes Of indians were quiet. TIL
country was reported To be black with buff
i 10, from Fort Pierre northward. IL is ais
r said that the prospects Of good winter
trade in that section of country was highl
promising .-4S. Louis RepublicGR.