The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-30
PROM FORT WADSW0RTH.


AOCC1SGIoH OF Gr0RKs-KBHy OF fHA
INDIA s-0AB HUNDRED LoD0ES PRO-
P0GIA0 - EURRDADB6-6AD CONDUCT
% RID RIVER HALF-BRB1D& ETC.
... EeRr WArswok7H, Dee "a, 1854
10 ~ HIissr sf ~ Rs's~: g..
Sm-There has been such . succession
Of storms for the past two weeks that I
eould not write, fearing the words would
blow off before they could be firmly at
tached to paper. To catch An idea WAS
wholly out Of the question.
This statement will prepare you for .
want Of items to ell up . letter. Up to
the I'd Of the present month the weather
was pleasant, and all the business con-
nected with tho fort vas carried on Is
comfortably as In the summer. Bat on
the I'd "ehangs came DER the spirit OF
our dreams; :" the snow began 10 fall, the
wind to blow, and winter reigned supreme.
Mai. Brown arrived With his train on the
ID, travelling all day In severe storm OF
suov,-the frst storm or cold he had en-
eountered after leaving Fort Ridgely. Had
be been two days later bis teams could not
have brought In bis loading. &. ".
This ootean. weather Is something now
70 most of the inmates of the fort, and
they fail to SOC its utility. They cant eco
any necessity for constant blow from old
Boreas for ten consecutive days without
intermission. They admit there may be
fun in it, but they cannot imagine any
process by which it can be extracted. The
skeptical have been satisfied, however, that
In fair, straightforward blow overland,
Boreas could beat Col. McKenty in his
palmiest days. ...r...
These storms, however, do not stop the
locomotion of the old settlers, and We
have recent dates from the scouts camp,
on the James River and the Devils Lake,
BY which we learn that the buffalo have
entirely disappeared from the James and
Him Rivers, and left
s'Tho 5000 drift to preside DER tho scene"
This is an unfortunate state Of affairs for
the scouts and the friendly Sissetons loea-
ted on tho James, ~ 1t cuts them of from
their base of supplies.
From Devils Lake we learn that there
are about one hundred lodges Of Sissetons
located at that place and on the Cheyenne
and James rivers, who have at length sue
eeeded in separating themselves from the
hostile Sioux, and are on their way down
to surrender themselves to tho military
authorities. A few of these lodges will
probably come In during the winter, bat
most of them are well supplied with meat,
and too heavily loaded to attempt winter
march, and therefore will not come in I'M
til spring.
1t has been an object with the authori-
ties to get these people separated from the
hostile bands, that no obstacle might ex-
ist to thorough cleaning out of the en-
tire camp whenever our troops could reach
it. The separation has at length been &C.
cured, and all Minnesota Sioux that may
be found above the head of the OOteau
next summer, should an expedition be
sent out, will be known to be hostile, and
may be attacked without any fear of q
stray bullet hitting friendly Sioux.
Standing Buffalo is not among those
who have come down to surrender them
selves. Although there is no doubt that
he is innocent Of any participation what
ever in the raid, the fellow is such an ar
rant coward that no dares not come in,
although the military agent (Maj. Brown
has labored anxiously to get him to come
down. All the other principal Sissetsn
chiefs have come down.
There is large number of Red River
Haif-breeds located at Devils Lake. These
scamps have labored necessarily to prevent
the Sissetons from surrendering themselves.
They have followed them constantly since
the winter of 1923, AMI thrown every
obstacle in the way OF a reconciliation be-
tween these sissetons and tho government.
Last winter they succeeded in keeping
them on the Assinaboine River, and they
endeavored to get them back there last
fall, but failing to do so, they have fol,
lowed the Indians to Devils Lake, to give
them the benefit of their counsels and get
the furs they may kill during the winter.
will endeavor to give you items as they
may come to my knowledge during the
winter, and for the present subscribe my
self
Yours In storm, @. HARMIN.
Prom Fort AbercrOm bie..Omclal Re.
Of roI