Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-06-16
The Piegan Massacre-New Report from
a Priest-Letter and Speech of Cbiac,

afflest-Lelter and Speech of Chiefs
Fort SHAW, May 13.-The accuracy 90
the following particulars repspectine tba
Piegan massacre and its effects is voncL1I
Tor by Jesuit priest, Father Devereony
who comes from the Blackfeet Indians
among whom he has been living for nins
years. They have sent him hither Ia ~
certain the intentions Of our Goyernue,,
toward them, and are very anxious fo,
peace. Father DeYereaux brings a latto.
praying for it, and signed by ali the bsnJ
chiefs OF the Piegans and Blood, Nc
takes deep interest in the Blackfeet nation
to which these tribes belong-called
by themselves People OF the Plains H.
has reduced their language to writing, ana
had the Bible and other books printed IN
it. Being thus identified with ther, as
their friend, his testimony relating 70 ns
blow struck the Piegans last winter is
worthy OF consideration. All who escanaJ
at that time went directly to the princinaI
Blackfeet camp on Belly River, north oF
our line, where the priest was He tool
pains to ascertain exactly who of them
were killed, He knows them all by name
You will see that his report differs some.
what from that of the Indian Agent Tba
latter says that of the 173 we killed, ONLY
33-except mere children-were males and
most of them were either to old or foo
young for warriors. Father Deyeresnv
says that there were in the comp 1872 war.
riors, OF whom SO were killed and sc e..
capped. The agent states that the camn
had been stricken with smallpox, and that
the deaths were then five or six daily
Father Devereaux says that no death from
smallpox had occurred in the aamn, and
that it did not appear among the refugees
until four days after they reached Belly
River.
1t is Father Deveraux's opinion that the
effect of this blow upon the Piegans is salu.
tary, and that it presented serious trouble
this Spring. He says the young men of the
Piegans intended plundering and killing
Older chiefs had tried in vain to control
them. Those chiefs lost authority and fell
into contempt. The success of our arms
has changed all that He says, moreover
that the men killed were those who had
caused the trouble.
I'm the Piegan camp, Jan. 90, 1870
there were IA lodges, 81 at one camp, and
7neaY by, containing 4S4 souls: 1872 were
were killed, as follows: sc warriors, 80
women, and 81 children; 294 escaped. The
small-p ox appeared four days after they ar
rived at Belly Biver" myself add to this
that l7women and children died OF wounds
after the engagement, but the warriors
were all killed on the spot. There were.
therefore, killed outright 96 warriors, and
II women and children. Father Deyereaux
confirms the report that some Indians kill.
ed their own squaws
Father Devereaux is the bearer Of let.
ter to President Grant from which make
some extracts ''We held two
great councils, the Piegans one, the Bloods
another. We considered your words tons.
The whites ana ourselves are both your
children. We are seeking good way to
live in peace. Pity us, and discover to US
now thy will Hide bloodshed in the
ground. Let US live full life. Our hearts
are single. We sincerely desire lasting
peace. Tell US now thy will; We will &C.
cept it all. "
Some portion of speech of Otocanepo
in council of the band chiefs, after the
killing Of the Piegans, may be interesting
at is true TLey have killed the woman
with child, the newborn baby, the infant
that crawled on the ground. Their swift
bullets struck down the boy and
the young girl, the young man
newly.married, the young warrior and
the council warrior, the band chief
and the war chief. Neither rank nor yalor
could stop them. They did not respect the
sacred hairs of Ninamaskan-Fir of the
Sun--the hairs whitened by many Winters,
They have not spared him whom the young
men led by the handp ii. e., blnd.) ''Ter.
rible was their vengeance They have
struck to the heart, The spirit of destruc-
ton sided with them; the Sun himself
smiled on them from above, Will hate
those great foes No, never. They came
in help to us chiefs They have given a
salutary fear to all our young men who
were despislng our authority, Yes Let
us have peace with the whites, at any cost,
even though the price be orr blood