Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-07-09
BLACK HILLS EXPEDITION.
General Custar's Reconnaissance - 0rgantza.
ton of the Expedition-The tight TO explore
the Region Reserved by Treaty-What is
Known About the Black Hills-The Story OF
Bears Ewes.

started from Fort Rice last summer,
one of the pleasant but unauthorized
dreams which a survey of the map
created, was that having penetrated
to the heart of Montana, it might be
possible to return to our starting point
by way of Black Hills But the de,
sire was only dream. The plan was
not comprehended in the official order,
and geographically there was too
much latitude in the way. 1t would
have required detour of many miles.
| The jaded condition of our horses and
mules and the insufiiciency of forage
and supplies put the thing entirely out
of the question. And so the primitive
wilderness of the Black Hills suffered
no intrusion by the white man. What
was not done last year because it did
not come within the official and prac-
tical scope of the Yellowstone expedi-
ton, is to be done this year, not mere
ly in an Incidental way, but by an ex'
petition thoroughly organized and
equipped for that purpose.
hAALA An
The expedition of reconnaissance, as
it is officially termed, is to be essential
y military one-military in compost
ton but peaceful in intent. It is to be
in command of General Gustav, whose
well known and important exploits
during the war, and more especially
his subsequent, and no less successful
career on the plains in which he has
been made familiar with every phase
and exigency of frontier life, and with
every possible attitude, hostile, peace
full or diplomatic that an Indian can
assume-are guarantees for his con-
Quoting such reconnaissance to a
successful issue.
THE FoRCE-THE STAFF-sCIENTIFIC
AIMS.
The forces thus designated will be
numerically as follows: 600 cavalry,
100 infantry, 100 civilian employees
and upwards of so scouts. There will
be a section of Gatlin guns and train
of l59 wagons. General Gustav will
be accompanied by Bloody Knife, who
with Clemmo, piloted the Yellowstone
Expedition last year, and Bears Ears,
who is said to know more about the
Black Hills than any available Indian
on the river.
General Custar's staff will be COM
posed of the following officers: Acting
Assistant Adjutant General, James
Calhoun, First Lieutenant 18th Cavalry;
Quartermaster and Commissary, A.
E. Smith, First Lieutenant 7th Caval-
ry; Chief Medical Officer, Assistant
Surgeon J. w. Williams, U. S. A.;
Engineer Officer, Captain William
Ludlow, Engineer Corps, U. S. A.;
Acting Aids, Lieutenant Colonel Fred
d. Grant, A. D. c., and Major George
A. Forsyth, A. A. d. q. to the Lieu,
tenant General.
General Gustav will endeavor to
make as thorough a scientific survey
as possible, and to this end is to have
the company Of George Bird Grinnell,
an assistant Of Professor Marsh, of
Yale, who aided by Mr.. L. III. North,
will secure as large collection of fos-
sils as the opportunity affords, and
will make report on the geology of
the country. 1t is to be regretted that
mineralogy, botany and zoology are
not to be specially represented in the
scientific corps. A photographer,
however, accompanies the expedition,
and will bring to the outside world
the first authentic representation of
this unknown region.
The expedition this year will be less
unwieldy than the one last year, which
contained twice as many soldiers and
required much larger wagon train.
The object of that expedition was to
determine the feasibility Of railroad
from the Missouri river to the Yellow
stone and beyond. The survey was
paramount and could not be delayed
TO satisfy our curiosity about the ad.
iacent country. General Gustav will
proceed as directly as possible to the
Black Hills. which are on an air line
about 21O miles distant, on a march
ing line about $50. Once there he can
go when and where he pleases. The
march to the hills will occupy some
fifteen days. Allowing the same time
for the return, whole month will be
left TO spend in the heart of the Black
Hills. The infantry will be sufficient
to guard the train. The cavalry, af-
ter having established a rendezvous,
can move wherever the country seems
to invite.
THE COUNTRY To BE EXPLORED.
IF the reader will take a recent map
of the United States and find the point
where the corners of Wyoming, Da.
kota and Montana touch each other,
and will there notice that great swarm
Of centipedes by which map makers
are wont to indicate hills, he will
know about as much of the Black
Hills as the best geographer of the
country at present can tell him. For
the chief thing known about them is
that they are there. In 1850 an ex-
petition going west from the Missouri
river skirted this range of hills and in-
dicated Bear Butte and some of the
streams which find their sources in
The interior But only so much of
the country was seen as might be seen
of a walled city by moving outside
under portion Of the wall and noting
4 few of the domes and steeples from
distance. OF vast area in the in
terror of the Black Hills We have no
knowledge.
The truth is that the Black Hills
have long been the stronghold of large
bodies of hostile Sioux, who have been
and still are jealous of the approach
and interference of the white man.
Yet the reports of this region which
have now and then been brought to
the agencies by friendly Indians have
been such as to stimulate interest to
lSt