Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-29
THE BLACK NILS.

CHICAGO, March 26. Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan has
written long letter concerning the Black Hills
country, in which he traces back the orig of the
delusive stories Of its marvellous richness and to
Father Desmet, Catholic missionary, who heard
it from the Indians. Father Desmets story, says
Sheridan, was that while living with the Sioux
Indians he was shown by them nuggets of gold,
which they informed him had been obtained at
different points in the Black Hills supposed to be
from the beds of Big Horn, Rosebud and Powder
rivers, and from branches OF the Tongue 1iver,
and on his representing that such yellow metal
was of great value, they tod him that they knew
where mountain of it could be found. Snbse
quent investigation, however, proved the Indian
mountain of gold was nothing more than n mound
of yellow MICA, such are found in a number OF
places in the above described country. 1t so hap
pened says the letter, that the Black Hills coun-
try embraced in the military commission and
years ago 1t became apparent that military post
in the Black Hills of Cheyenne would soon be-
come necessary for the the proper protection OF
the settlements in Nebraska from the raids OF
Sioux warriors, who always, before they com
menced depredating on 1.-The frontier, secured a
safe place for their families and villages i'll the To-
calities mentioned. Believing that these Indians
would never make war on our settlements as long
as we could threaten their families and villages IN
this remote locality Astounding in game and all
that goes to make Indian life comfortable, and
with this purely military object III view an order
was given for General Clusters reconnaissance.
The discovery of particles OF gold by'alluval
of the Black Hills of Cheyenne, followed. and
again brought to the surface Father Desmets sto-
nv. The Black Hills of Cheyenne, described by
General Custer, are situated between the north
and south forks OF that river, one OF which Is
known as Belle Fourche, the other as South Fork.
And although have the utmost confidence in the
statements of General Custer and General Or
sythe of my staff. that gold was found near liar-
neys Peak, may safely say there has not been
any fair test yet made to deternise Its existence IN
L., Thnrn "a hf 10
West where gold does not exist, but in many of
them the quantity is limited TO the color, which is
as much has yet been obtained near Harvey
Peak The geological specimens brought back by
the Custer expedition are not favorable indications
of the existence of gold great quantities; still
it may be there; but as the treaty Of 1869, duly
ratified virtually deeds this portion of the Black
Hills to the Sioux Indians, there is no alternative
but to keep out trespassers.
But to go back to Father Dcsmst's information.
There is not much doubt of the correctness of his
statement that gold exists in the Back Hills but
much farther west than the Black Hills of Chey-
enne. have seen nuggets from the Big Horn and
Tongue rivers and many specimens from near ort
where the mining has failed for want of water for
alluval washing and from the hostility of the In
dams, and have good reason to believe, in fact it
is quite certain, that gold exists in the Owl Creek
Mountains on the Lower Wind River and the
headwaters of the Powder river and the Rosebud,
all the localities being under the general meaning
in the Black Hills and outside of the Sherman,
Anger and Terry treaty OF 1869, except so far as
the privilege to hunt game. 1t has been my in.
tenton to communicate much information this
coming summer to the government on the above
described country; and as the Indians have no
absolute right to the soil there may be but little
difficulty in extinguishing their hunting privileges
l propose, if you do not object, to open up the
Yellowstone river by sending Gen. Forsythe and
Col. Grant of my staff up the mouth of the Vel
lowstone to the mouth of the Big Horn as soon as
the ice breaks, which will give the lowest tide
water, having already secured steamboat to
make this exploration. If Gen. Forsythe is sue.
cessful, l will send Gen. Custer, with command
from Fort Lincoln, across the mouth of Powder
river, thence up on the south bank of the Yellow
stone, cross Powder river, Tongue river, the Rose
bud and on to the mouth of the Big Horn. This
country is yet entirely unexplored, and the ex-
petition may develop very valuable auriferous
section and make the Father Desmet story to some
extent true. But am of the belief that noun
tain Of mica has not changed to gold.
will also send an expedition down the Wind
River through the Owl Creek mountains, from
Fort Stambaugh via Fort Brown, to the mouth of
the Big Horn, and will bring it back through the
forks about the headquarters of the Powder river,
visited by Captain Mills and his command last
summer So tar as troops are concerned l will
promise activity in the present emergency and tho
conscientious performance of duty. Should the
positions from which the miners start be so re-
mote to make it impossible for our scanty force
to watch them, we can occupy the two or three
gaps in the Black Hills and effectuay exclude
tras