The Grange advance., 1874-09-02
Return of Custer's Expedition.

Return Of Custer's Expedition.
BISMARCK, D. T., Aug. 3l.-The Gus
ter expedition arrived at Fort Lincoln
yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock. The
whole command, wagon trains and all,
came in in good condition, The CON-
mand has, in fifty-nine days, marched
about nine hundred miles, and Dor
ton of it nearly two hundred miles
more.
The losses have been three men died
of dysentery and one killed by a COM
rade, and fifteen horses and mules
abandoned. The general health of the
command has been good, dysentcry be-
ing the prevailing disease.
The result is satisfactory in every
respect, except, perhaps, to Custer, who
did not have chance to fire shot at
the hostile Indians.
Twenty-six days we're spent in the
Black Hills and nearly three hundred
miles Of it's valleys traversed by the
entire command. Gold, in unlimited
quantities, was discovered at various
points; also silver and lead, (galcna)
plumbago, mountains Of iron and mex
haustible beds of gypsum. The search
for gold was not exhaustive, as the
halts were brief, but at one point, in
what will hereafter be known as Gus
ter's Park, shaft was sunk to depth
of eight feet, and from the grass roots
down gold was found amounting to five
cents per pan at the top and increasing
IN amount to twenty cents at depth
! of eight feet. The bed rock was not
ached and yet shot gold was found.
The Running Water region, reported
by the Indians to be exceedingly rich,
and the Big Horn region, known to
abound in gold, were not explored, for
lack Of time.
/ Custer Gulch, where twenty of the
boys took gold claims, declaring their
intention to occupy so soon as possibly
possession Of the country can be OBJ.
tanned, is situated seven miles south of
Harney's Peak, two hundred and fifty
miles from Bismarck.
From Bear Butte the command
marched in a northwesterly direction,
striking Prospect Valley, from which
Custer reported July 10th, and where
four hostiles who came into camp at
Bear Butte, reported the whole Sioux
Nation was congregated, determined to
intercept Custer, but they were not
there. They had burned the paairie,
however, for hundreds of miles in cx-
tent eastward to the Heart River. hop
ing thus to embarrass the expedition.
The command marched down the Lit.
| tie Missouri until they struck Stanley's
trail, when they marched across to the
headquarters Of the Heart which they
followed to Bismarck, finding, as the
Bismarck Tribune correspondent says,
the best country along the line of the
Northern Pacific. Wood and water
was abundant and the grazing unsur.
passed. The surveyed line of the
Northern Pacific follows this valley
out about one hundred miles.
Five days out the force was ex-
hausted and rations were decidedly
short, but by forcing marches they
gained day and came in all right.
The explorers are well satisfied with
the prospect and are ready to conduct
an expedition into the new Ell Dorado
as soon as the Indian title is cxtinguish-
ed or as soon as satisfied the government
will not interfere.
The impression generally prevails
that it will be impossible to prevent
parties from occupying the country,
because they will seek to enter it from
every quarter-from the east, west and
south. as well as from Bismarck, the
nearest railroad point to the mines, and
from whence they can be reached to
the best advantage.
The hostile Indians never visit the
Black Hills, bu t confine their operations
to the buffalo region northwest and
west Of them. The Hills arc
never occupied by the friendly Sioux,
and but occasionally have been visited
by them.
Lieutenant Carpenter, who has just
arrived from the Southern'Agency. says
the Indians there think the Great
| Father has acted in bad faith