Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-02-07
Siouf Gitp 4tgisttr
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1863.
DAKOTA CORRESPONDENCE OF
THE REGlSTER.


YANKToN, JAN Both, 1868.
Editor Register:-For more than q
year past hos,ilities have existed between
| the Yankton Sioux and the Ponca Indi.
ans. Both these tribes have treaties with
the Government, the former having their
reservation of land on the east side of the
Missouri river, in Dakota Territory, and
the Pawnees theirs, directly south, on the
Loupe Fork Of the Platte River, in Ne
brasha Territory, distant from each other
about l50 miles. On a line between the
two, on the. north side of the Niobrarah
river in Dakota, but only about Is miles
below that of the Yankton Sioux, is the
Reservation of the Poncas. The Yank,ous
in their raids upon the Pawnees have
passed in the vicinity of. and always on
their Reservation have made their trail
directly toward the village and agency of
the Poncas. 1t has been with difficulty
that the Agent, Ma jor J. b. HOFFMAN, and
the chiefs Of the Poncas have prevented
the young warriors of the tribe from
yielding to the inducements Of the Yauk.
tons to join hem, and persuaded the Paw
nees that the Poncas were not impli Gated.
At ore time last summer the Yanktons
joined by few Brue Sioux, attacked the
Pawnees on their reservation, and while
at work in their fields, killed and scalp.
ing quite number, and loosng several
of their own warriors On their return
they rode through Fort Randall, garrison.
ed by three companies OF Iowa volnn'
teers, triumphantly exhibiting the scalps
at the end Of their spears and these
scalps we're examined by officers and sold.
iers Of the command, and yet these Indi.
ans, who are under treaty with the gov.
ernment, having made war with another
tribe also under treaty and at peace with
the Government, were allowed to exhibit
these trophies and hold a war dance in
honor Of their victory, withou, moleslation
or rebuke.
For some time past Major HOFFMAN,
Agent for the Poncas, has been untring
in his efforts to bring the Chiefs and war
riors Of /. sse hostile tribes together at his
Agency, to effect treaty of peace between
them. la doing this he came very near
getting more than he was bargaining for
1t so happened that late in tho afternoon
of the Goth inst. when there were about 20
of the Yauktons at his Agency OH a visit
to the Poncas, word was received that a
party OF Pawnees we're coming in. J.: was
at frs, reported that :hey numbered one
hundred, and the Yanktons retired beyond
the bluffs to the north but subsequently,
just as it grew dark, when they learred
there were but thirteen Pawnees, they
returned. The hatred existing between
them soon discovered itself, and in their
dances, though in and around different
lodges, they sang loudly, boasting of their
prowess in battle and of the numbers each
large earth lodges where few Of them
came together, knives were freely drawn,
and one was used by Yankton, slightly
cutting Pawnee, and for time the dan.
ger Of general fight was imminent. The
night was mild but dark The lights from
the lodges and numerous outside fires Of
the camp, around which danced the war
riors Of the Sioux, Pawnees and Poncas,
dressed in their full war costume presented
wild scene. At last quiet was restored.
On the next morning Major HoFFNAx
called them to the council room. FIRST
came the Ponca chiefs and the head man
of the Pawnees. The Yanktons for time
remained outside, but one by one they
were gathered in. The Major then ad.
dressed them on the folly of the war exist
ing between them, OH the certainty of
being severely dealt with by the govern.
ment If it was continued, and advising
that treaty Of peace be made between
them. AS these Yanktous were not the
chiefs of their tribe and were present only
on visit, the Major addressed letter
and dispatched a messenger with it to
their Agent advising him of the presence
OF the Pawnees. and requesting him to
call their chiefs and warriors together, to
select from among them and send dele.
CATION authorized and empowered to make
a treaty.
On the evening Of the 22i. some eight
or ten Of lne Yanktons arrived, and at
about nooa Of the 23d the appointed dele.
/ CATION, accompanied by abou, fifty warri