New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-02
THE IMPENDING INDIAN VAR.

COMMISSIONER PARKERs VIEWS OF TIE sITUh-
TION-HOw THE HOSTILE INDIANS PROCURE
THEIR ARms-TIIEIR OPPOSITION TO THE ZIG
HORN EXPEDITI0N-A COLLISION CONSIDERED
INEVITABLE.
WASHINGTON, May lien. Parker, Commits
sioner Of Indian Affairs, has given some interesting facts
in relation TO the anticipated Indian troubles. lie states
hat the Sioux and Cheyennes have invariably re-
eoved their pay and raons according to their treaties
hut in have they received arms
ammunition from his agents employees, so far as he
can ascertain These Indians all well armed and
have plenty Of fixed ammunition, which cone in the
main from the Hudson Bay Company's agents. who sell
to the tribes further NORTH and these in turn sell to our
Indians There small tribes OF Indians who make 1t
their business sell whisky powder and to the
larger and warke tribes, and these small tribes the
haf:breeds and the Hudson Bay Company, Gen. Parker
ascribes the present wearmed condition OF the Sioux
and their coniederates lie says that in the ncighbor
hood Of Fort Sully there about 1900 wellarmed
and wellmounted warriors, about 5000 OF whom arc
Sioux, and the remainder Cheyennes and members
OF scattering tribes. Ho Is satisfied that they are
bent war; and 1t IL his opinion that 1t will be the
most destructive and expensive Indian war we have ever
had. He calculates that every Of these warriors
has at least ten ponies, and that they will not break
down in their effectiveness as our cavalry do, from
want OF extra horses. He states that they can
raise altogether about 1900 warriors; that the
sioux alone number population OF about
10000 people in Dakota and that they, With their ales
III better condition TO give trouble. The
main OF the dissatisfaction among these Indians
the encroachmont Of the miners upon their reservations
There is doubt they have rich country in mineral
wealth. and our pioneers know it, and daily encroach
Ing upon it, To add to this is the important fact that the
Indians aware of the Big Horn expedition, and that,
when starts he en. Parker does not doubt that
VIII soon commence. The Big Horn expedition Is com
posed Of $500 of people. Miners. SURVEYORS 10"
,,in
partv who are row assembled at Cheyenne, and
understood that they win leave On their contcn-
plated tour of inspection time during the coming
range of mSnntaids, and the Hjs Horn Ki2cr aud
ss pS the SAID exist h4 tsai REGION gS scms
10 Gen, Sheridan to event THIS eTpeditiog from start
fer at purpose for he, with Governor Parker felt
tser goins would "7entqally lead to an Indian war
together with q delegation from the expedition,
came to Washin ton and made pledges to ths
not encroach the Indian Reservation o their route
inent lands il they remained in the Big Horn Country
% and Ses a to sSs
order Of prohibition 1t Is this expedition thai has
ts ss s s ess e." ts
that Ibis expedition does not mean trouble to
t Gen % fsGhsr further %r SaHe ba
third sufficient cavalry to W@pery core WIN aha
these
5o6 or iccO at most, and, OF course Will scatter over
Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, aud Dakota ard our poo
In all these Territories Ii Sheridan could get
them into pitched battle IL would he soon over put
fore of the army does not number 3O and a Cen
sheridan cannot have than twothIrdS 81 these VA.
de- his command it readily lie imag medic" dhcu4t
{ viii be to check or defeat these SAVAGE.
Wien Commissioner Pacler called ON Gen. shcr-
ing posts, he compelled to d ny him; he had
not an available man Finally TIE President was a. a.
18th Infantry from Virginia, and the 2Ith
KS9tuefy These U h are tr5 nSw az
tomorrow by boat to Fort suy which about 200 miles
distant from Sioux City the Upper Missouri River
had Not - sally. He thought he would
g arws day from next Ge Or me hs mean
Inc telegraph COMMUNICATION terminates %S at s" m
+ din rent forts along the line Of the
with the force has and if the Sioux in earnest and
be paded the cavalry arm OF the service must
of our Territories will lie destroyed
with these Indians Will the Government than
the feeding of them for one year; AID yet CONGRESS re-
S ss to OF GV With fSoS c further says that Senator'S
during the past few days have been demanding that nc
formed them that they had not yet made any appropri-
atoms for the Indian Bureau, and that on
would lie exhausted, they were surprised, apparently
remembering that when these facts was promulgated;
IA
that one of the Senators desired to know why Gen.
Sheridan did not surround the Indians and take them
risonrrs to which the Commissioner, in answer made
an explanation Of the manner in when inc indians
carried on their and how impossible II was LOT 9
cavalry TO cope with 10000 1900 Indians, scattered
the length and breadth Of four OF our largest
,erritOries. .,., ~. - A., l,,,
TO a question 10 the probability OF war; the Com
announced that he afraid things had gone
TOO far and that before the middle of May we would
,robaby be engaged in the most extensive Indian wars
hat this country has yet had TO encOunter all he
mid do was to hope for the best from the good Judgment
f General Sheridan and the officers who were acting is
his lhe Commissioning agents In that country.