The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-16
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies
Occupied by Troops.
INDIGNATION OF THE REDS.
A General Rising Feared to Expel
the Blue Coats.
Peace Palaverers and Commits
sioners Interfering.
In CAMP, SPOTTED TAIL AGENCY, /
March % 1874

under command Of Brevet Major General John e.
Smith. United States Army. have for the present
terminated with the occupation of Red Clouds
and Spotted Tails agencies. at each OF which are
stationed four companies OF infantry and one or
cavalry. At the former Major J. J. Van Horn,
Eighth United States infantry, Is commanding, and
at the latter Major II. N. Lazele, Eighth United
States infantry. These troops marched from Fort
D. A. Russell, W. T. GEO miles distant). on the 22d
day ofFebruary. encountering en- route severe snow
storms ana being exposed TO the most intense
cold, the mercury ranging from zero to thirty de-
grees below, several men being badly frozen.
SITUATION OF THE AGENCIES.
Spotted Tails agency Ia situated on White River,
in white clay region. and at the edge OF the
''7naurGiS teyre" and is go miles from Fort Rus
sell, Wyoming Territory. Red Clouds agency Is on
the same river, fifty miles nearer its source The
surroundings Of each are simply horrible The
river water is discOlored with white mud and It's
valley is utterly destitute OF timber even fuel for
the troops having to be hauled trom six to miles,
wherever IT can be found in ravines. The hills
have little or grass and no other vegetation,
being little more than escarped clay banks. The
valleys are narrow, cut up by sharp ravines, and as
for plains there none. 1t is impossible for one
who has never viewed such great features OF the
lar West landscape to even ideallze them In their
huge and repulsive grotesqueness.
THE RAMBLING MURDEROUs SIOUX.
The immediate cause OF this expedition. as you
are aware, was the killing OF Lieutenant Robinson
and corporal oil the Fourteenth United States
infantry, at about twenty miles from Fort Lari-
mie, Wyoming Territory, followed by the
shooting OF the acting agent at Red Cloud
agency, and the hostile attitude OF certain Indians
at both agencies. All this mischie, as is sat-
lsfactolily ascertained, was consummated by
northern bands OF Sioux-viz.. Uncapapas Mime
cUujoes and ,ansarcs-lndians having their homes
on Powder, Tongue and the Big Horn rivers, tribu.
tares Of the Yellowstone, and VINO have stead
lastly refused to remove on to, or to conhne them
selves to reservations yet who visit constantly not
only these two agencies but also those the Mis-
sour-viz., Cheyenne River Agency, Grand
River Agency, Lower Brule Agency and Yank-
ton Agency, receiving therefrom, whenever they
come. rati0ns and other issues by che gov.
erument. About 600 lodges OF Minnecoujoes were
for six weeks prior to the arrival Of troops en-
camped about Spotted Tall's agency.
THE PRESENCE OF THE TROOPS OBJECTED TO.
At both Spotted Tail and and Red Cloud agency
the Indians OF their bands have generally been
well disposed and quiet up to the time when 1t
became positively known among them that troops
were coming into their country. Although they
themselves have never taken any steps Tor the
safety Of their agency for the security OF It's
ployes against the demonstrations OF their north
ern visitors, and though they know that troops
were sent here for the protection OF their
agency, yet the presence OF the blue
coats has greatly changed their pacific dis
pos! ton ana exasperated them. Great numbers
\ OF Indians or these two bands have lett
their agencies. Those remaining are generally
sullen, insulting, making frequent threats against
the troops, and many Will doubtless join The hos.
tile northern bands. The cause OF this strong
lv for md
treaties with these two bands the country north
OF the North Platte River Is included their
ervations The military posts Of forts Reno, Phil
Kearny and c. +. Smith were gwen up by the
government in these treaties, and these Indians
were given to understand that 1t should be tneir
country exclusively. and they now naturally look
with suspicion upon its reOccupation by tue mill
tary authorities, regarding this measure as hos
tile declaration II Is obvious to every thinking
man In this section OF the country, who under
stands tnis question and who daily witnesses the
conduct Oh these Indians, tnat the continuance OF
| troops on the line OF the White River-these TWO
ageucies-wlll result In long war, and Of no
smaIl magnitude nor only with the northern bands
already mentioned, but with the greater portion Of
| Spotted Tails and Red Clouds oands These two
bands will thereby become alienated more than
ever from the whites, and good influences, which
| have been especially brought TO bear upon them,
and which nave considerably amehorated their
point OF view, then. it seems this should be
avoided. But nows There is but one method and
draw 4 the troops IS to expose the agencies to
possible destruction by northern bands, or at
least to continue evils and dangers that
Tails or Red Clouds people win, under any
circumstances take up arms against the northern
! unit-mere branches OF one common FAMILY.
SHOULD THE AGENCIES BE REMOvEDs
Maniiesty, then, the only remedy Is to remove
the agencies to some point where these differences
will no longer exist, and that Is TO the Missouri
River, where an the omar agencles oi Tue
yhnln
sherman, with his rare sagactty, saw at once
the situation, and this It's proper remedy. In his
when the troubles were first reported, he recon-
mended that all agencies should be on the Missouri
River, and the Indians thus I've WITHDRAWN nom
the vicinity OF settlements and the temptation to
mischief There are already TOUR agencies OF sioux
Grand River cheyenne River and YanEton; and
at none OF them Ia there any trouble. though at
each small military guard OF company OF troops
| Is stationed THESE agencies are, with one eXcep-
ton, on the west bank OF the river, and are all
above and Tar removed nom any white settle.
ments; whereas below the two agencies OF Spotted
rail and Red Cloud, und not over l75 miles from
this line southwark or WITHIN three days ride, as
an Indian would ride it, there are many cattle
Indians having come thus FAR south TO Visit tnelr
sist the temptation to commit some deviltry upon
tue settlers. 1t has been so year alter year since
these two agencies were established mere. l. may
be SAID that the moral effect OF Withdrawing troops
alter having sent them here would be bad. But
this would certainly not be The case II the agencies
were moved al Inc same tllIlc.
| THE COST OF REMOVAL
The question OF expense at once comes up IN the
removal OF the agencies. But compare tnls ex-
pense with the cost OF building and supplying GER
tainly one twelve.company, II noC Two slx.com-
pany posts on this line, which would nave TO be
{ pullt where those supplies and much OF the build.
inv material would have TO be transported In
wagons from the line OF the Union Pacific Rail
road and then the relative expense OF rebuilding
these agencies ON the Missouri becomes as o drop
In a rain storm.
wonid come from the War Department and In the
other the outlay would be by the INDIAN Depart
ment. but in either case the government must
ina the agencles even did 1t compare with the
cost OF building permanent posts Is as nothing
comLareu to tnat OF u prolonged Indian war WITH
the people IN whose country they are
now situated. Ana the military moral
eject lost by withdrawing the troops is as
nothing TO the retrogadlng OF THESE people ron
the seps-feebie, II Is true-which they nave