New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-11
The Reds on The War Path.

General Sheridan forwards to ARM head
quarters copies OF teiegrams from General
George A. Custer, dated Fort Abraham Lin
coin, via Bismarck, Dakota Territory, May
&c, announcing that he is in receipt OF dis
patches from General Stanley and the In
dian agent at the Cheyenne agency, from
which it will be seen that the Indians are
no longer comfortable by their agent, and,
in spite of the efforts OF General Stanley
and their agent, they have taken the war
path in formidable numbers. The alleged
pretext OF the excursion-nameiy, to attack
the Rees-is simply subterfuge, as they
Invariably give this purpose when they
leave their reservation, when it Is we'll
known that not only the Rees become OBJ
jects of their attack, but every white man
on these frontiers is an object of their hos
tility. General Custer further telegraphs:
This voluntary and nnprOvoked departure
Of SO formidable war party from their
reservation rests upon no idle rumor, but
upon the positive knowledge of General
Stanley and the agent of these people,"
The telegram from Agent Bingham, dated
Cheyenne River agency. May "a. reports
the number which have left the agency at
about 100.
About four weeks previous to the date Of
his dispatch, the agent had turned back
large party, and now large number of the
same Indians have gone again. He advised
the chiefs that he should proceed at once to
learn who were absent from the agency,
and that they should receive no more
rations. He was afraid that the party
would not turn back.
General Stanley, commanding Fort Sulley,
as his telegram to General Custer states,
had visited the chiefs at the Cheyenne
agency to induce them to follow the war
party and urge the Indians to return. They
agreed to deliver any message to the war
party, but declared that nothing would in
duce them to turn back
With regard to the manner of dealing
with these Indians. General Stanley SAYS to
General Custer: They are not likely to be
amenable to soft words, and you had better
use the powder and lead at once
The commanding officer at Fort Rice had
Deen notified to be on the lookout for them.
General Custer, in telegram from Fort
Abraham Lincoln. of Nav q, to General
Terry. at st. Paul, says:
Until the war party develops itself or we
can discover its Whereabouts. nothing de-
cisive can be accomplished. 1t has hardly !
had time TO get this far, and | do not deem
1t prudent to push my force far west of this |
point, lest give them opportunity to make |
a strike here during my absence. pro-
pose 70 keep scouts on the alert, and allow |
the war party time to get here, if this is |
their objective point, or to pass us on their |
way to Berthold, should the latter be their |
object, then to move the cavalry up the |
valley OF Heart river, examining the latter |
closely, until We discover the trail. This |
Will place us between the Indians and their |
reservation, and think we can overhaul |
them before they can harm the Rees, par
ticularly as l have notified the latter, |
which will save them from surprise. Gen. |
eral Custer will take ten days rations and |
one company of infantry, the latter to
guard the wagons whenever it becomes |
necessary for the cavalry to move rapidlv.