New-York daily tribune., 1861-01-19
UPPER NEBRASKA.
Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.

Correspondence Of The ". Y. Tribune
COTTONWOOD SPRINGS, N. T., Dec 20, 1850.
| have seen from different publications some
strange accounts of Indian hostilltes and threats
along the Platte As / have been among them
five years. working and trading, and now have
commenced farming almost in their midst, shall
beg leave TO differ with some of the accounts
that have seen. One is, that large party
of Sioux and CbeyeDnes near Fort Kearney, last
month heard that the post was TO be abandoned
sooD. and said when that was done they would wipe
out all the settlements on the Platte.
/ am perfectly satisfied that no Indian ever SAID
il, even in jest. But the settlers near the Fort
have fears that the post viii be moved up the river,
and put out these publications TO keep it where it ia.
And believe the last disturbance they had down
there was to keep the Fort from being removed, be-
cause as l understand il from whites and Indians,
there were some men went down from near kear-
ney with an Ox-wagon into the bluffs to make meat,
and found there some Indian ponies, brought them
to the Fort and reported that the Indians had stolen
their oxen. whereupon the commander detached some
troops, with eleven of the aggrieyed settlers IN the
van, who ran into the Indians near Plum Creek,
shot one and wounded two others. The Indians
turned on them and ran them back until they came
in sight of the troops and then retreated TO their
Ogalalla camp, on the Republican opposite fhls
place. CO.,
had been 10 Cottonwood Springs and seen a chief Of
the Ogalalla band, by the name of High Bear, and
settled things amcaby. :.
Iwas at the Springs when Capt. Steel was there,
and found that his interpreter (who IS very poor
Interpreter according to the Indians account had
the High Bear in fine keeping two three days 10
settle the difficulties and the Indian was very re-
served in his talk The fact was that High Bear is
an Ogalala, of what they call the Contrarie branch.
He is no chief nor even q soldier, among the Oga-
lalas: besides he has been in the Bruiey camp for
three months and not out of and Capt Steel sup
posed he was just from the Ogalalla camp. No In.
dian has been from their camp, and we q" no not
know what move they Will make Ill the matter YET.
As they are the most peaeesble Indians on the
plains We are in hopes that they viii DO no harm for
this Ofense.
People near these military posts are very brave;
and take an insult very easy besides, If they WISE
to steal borse from an Indian they know that they
are out of danger. And believe 1t Is generally
known that all of our Indian troubles originate near
fort and the settlers the road have to pay Tor
it in scalps.
We manage to keep peace with the Indians at
some cost but We can't settle the troubles OF every
person. We have in sight 300 Bruley Sioux lodges,
who annoy us very much, and are known to be the
most hostile band Oh the Plains They are advocat-
inc war every Winter, to get some of the other
all of our cottonwood timber to get the bark for
their horses II Capt. Steel had went ten miles
further when was up, and told them TO go on To
their ow n lands would not have been annoyed
by them any longer for while. 1t has been recon-
mended often that Fort Keaney be removed TO ting
place, but our very economical War Department is
too much engaged in more important undertakings.
We have too small settlement to turn the scale
of Presidential election, even if we had vote;
but as nature has done more for US than for any
other place between Denver City and the Missoun
River hope Of We saye our scalps) 70 have some
voice in our State when we become one, and We
will mark the men and measures that spend no
many millions in the thicky-setted State OF Texas
and other popular places. Nebraska started Slln
a lor cabin, and have seen Northern Illinois, WIS
consin Oregon and California take their hrst start,
when the questions would be asked, Can yea ratse
nuuL;ng hersf Is Il not sicJsiyl Bhat 'os0 yoH do
for ro0d1 Do y0a haze any RAM &c. VINO
is not able now 70 answer these questl0nsi
And three-fourths of the many travellers on this
road will stand on high bank, within 100 yards OF
corn that have raised here this year, planted on
sod the Sth of june, and ask the same questions,
in August, when they saw it nearly ripe, and as
large as any they ever saw in Illinois. have tried
al kinds of vegetables here, and am satisfied that
we can farm il here 6s well as in any part OF the
Territory. / also have seen every kind OF Vegeta-
bles raised at Fort Laramie, as well as planted
garden two years 500 feet higher than Fort Lara
mie at the bare of Laramie Peak, which perfectly
satisfies me that here 500 feet lower and 200 niles
east We can raise al want, or oil that Is raised
in this latitude. But We want protection 10 start.
Yery respectfully yours, w M hlNaAN'