St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-03-24
IMPORTANT N 10 coin. SEEKERS.
LETTER FROM MAJ. Gen. PORE.
Hc Pronos,nccs 1t Unsafe for Idaho
Gen. Suliy's Expedition.

Hc Prono,.nccs 1t Unsafe for Idaho
| u lSmis'nnt* to 80 IN Advance OF
Gen. Sully's Expedition.
HEADQuARrERx, Der.nrMESroF riIE)
NoR1HwEsr. Milwaukee, Wis, q
March 14th, 1864.
The Indications Of heavy emigration to
the mines Of Idaho during the coming sea
son, across the plains and by the Missouri
river, seem to render il proper for the Gen
| cral Commanding this Department. to pub.
lish some information and suggestions
which cmigrants will dnd it judicious to
cons der carefully. -1; rs.! ID; ~: .-
AL information and every indie .,ion from
the plains of the Upper Missouri point to a
combination Of the powerful bands Of the
Ehanklonais Sioux, (who were driven to the
Upper Missouri by the expeditions cf last
year) with tic Unkpapa and other strong
bands Of the Teton Siorx south of the
Missouri: to obstruct tho navigation of
that river and to rcsis. the passage Of emf
grants across the upper plains 1t seems
AMY AVN tA0G u SohSIAtidtIOu VI tHCSC
INDIAN tribes will be made early in the
; spring, at some point OH The Missouri.
above the mout!, of Grand river. ';..'
a large force IF cavalry, under Gen. Sui
ly, will march against them as soon as the
grass on '!.o prniriss is, sufficient to sub*ist
the auin,als,. and will give battle 10 the In
dians, or otherwise secure peace with them
Until this expedition moves ii viii be IN
safe for any steamers 10 pass up the Mis-
sour; river above Fort Pierre. The force
under Gen. Sully will be strong enough 10
bcat.e'G lpdians if found concentrated OIL,
TIE river. If the Iudilns fail to make this
concentration, heavy forces. of cavalry will
scour the country on both sides of the river,
and after driving the Indians into the inte-
rior will pursue them du, inl, the summer.
and either force battle or Il peace.
1t is recommended, therefore, to emf
grants by water, that they communicate
with Gen. sul'y on the Upper Missouri ri:-
er, and do not attempt TO pass in advance
Of lis forces until notified by him that i,
will be safe. As .,any as possible Of the
boats carrying emigrau,s should 60 togeth-
or, under some sort of organization. aud it
will be found judicious to project the vul-
nerable parts Ct the boats, !sy planking
them so as % be bullet rrco* :. isis Scarce
ly necessary to say that the navigation of
the Upper Missouri river is difficult, and
! that the river in many places is vesy hal
row and torturous. Indians in anbusi. aud
under cover Of the banks would have ev-
cry advantage over even an equal number
of whites on steamboats,. by 4:eeping n
rear of Gen. Sully ard only continuing
their voyage up the river after he notifies
them that danger is past, the emigrants
will no doubt be able to prosecute their
journey in safety
Such of the em'grants as arc going with
trains overland from any point on the Mis-
souri, above Fort Randall, arc recommend
ed to select a poin9o rendezvous on .the
river at which 10 assemble as large a force
as possible, and there make some organ
izatlon which will place the whole bvdy
under the direction Of those members Of
the party most experienced in Indian war
fare and travel on the plains Not less
than three hunarcl men in a body should
attempt 10 cross the plains at present from
any point on the Missouri river above Fort
Pierre. 1t is hoped that by the middle of
the summer the expeditions against the In
dians will have rendered the travel across
any portion Of the Upper Prairie as safe as
travel usually is in the Inlian country,
whe,c, under any circums, aoccs, Men
should journey in considerable parties and
with every prccautiou.
\ large cavalry force will be sent ont
from Minnesota as early as possible il the
ESpriig for the Missouri river, near liz
mouth Of Long Lake, an; ;emigrants from
that State can avail themselves of the pro-
lection Of this force if they think uc:ss
sary.
These suggestions, and this advice arc
communicated thus publicly that :hcy may
reach as many; as possible Of those who pro-
pose To- cmigratc TO the gold regions this
summer. 49,.
1t is essential TO their security that they
consider and act upon this advice carefully.
1t is proper to repeat with emphasis that
the country along The banks of the Mis-
souri, above Fort Pierre, viii most likely
be unsafe until General Sully passes up.
(Sfgned ~@ >~ JOHN POPE,
r. . j., ;, Maj Gen. U. s. A.:
s.i ays.Yt4 sctcmd'ng Dept Northwest.
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