The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-11-04


tionalihL color or religion.
GsneraI Crook, Department
Commander, is sound and practical
onthe Indian question; a careful peru
saIof his letter to the Assistant Adju-
tant General at Chicago, ought to
rpynove all doubts on hat point. He
talks two sides to this question; in
which the frontier settlers grievances
are notignured or forgotten. We pub
Hsh his nnnuul report in this issue Of,
the LEADEIs:
HEADQUARTERS DEPT OF THE
PLATTE, OMAHA. NEB., Sept. Is, 70.
To the Assistant Adjutunt General,
headquarters military division OF the
MissourE Chicago, Illinois.
Sir: In obedience to general orders,
No. IS, current series, udjutant. gem
Gratis Office, | assumed command of
this department ON the 9th day of
April, 1875, and although l have Wis
tied the principal posts and ghrrisOns
in the vicinity Of tHe lUdinn.agencies,
and the Black Hills country itself, /
do not feel that lam familiar enough
with il To report fully upon its cundi-
tiun and future wants.
The efforts which were being made
by the military force of the DEPART
sulent when Iarrived to keep miners
aud IrdSpectors from Infringing upon
the Indian reservation, in when the
BLACK Hills region is located, were
only partially successful, though in
some cases very stringent measures
were resOTted to.
q / Visited the mining regionin July,
and, after seeing many Of the miners
IN their. caulps, gave them sufficient
time To secure their claims against
future loss, in ca-e they were event
unity allowed to return. Taey agreed
10 vacate the country, an agreement
l have reason To believe they have
generally observed.
In connection with this matter, and
lmving as / conceive an Important
bearing upon il, | would mention the
fuct that Since | came To the depart
ment there have been Uver four hun
dfGd HORSES stolen by Indians from
the settlers along the line of the rail-
ruaf, which lave been trailetl to the
Sioux reservation. 70 have followed
AlNNl WIN sunni VI i'ANN W lt-NbD-
ture the stock would undoubtedly
have resulted in II general war with
the Sioux nation; go tins stock has
never been recovered, hut is still in
the hands of these Indians, n fact
~wellbphwn not only To the parties
wh9 prt them, hut To the people gen
orally thruughuutthe country.
Now, when | visited the Black
Hills country and convcrSed with the
miners la regard To vaeating, and re-
minded them that they were viola
ting "A treaty stipulation, it was but
NATURAL that they should reply that
the frdians Themselves violated the
treaty hundreds of times every sum-
Incl / predatory incursiOnS. where
by many settlers were utterly ruined,
and Uelr families left without means
OF subsistence; and this by Indians
who are fed, clothed aud maintained
in utter idieneSS 10y the government,
they. the settlers, help to support. ]
,resbGlfnllY submit that their Hide of
the story Should he heard. aS the Sci
tiers who ~develope our mines and
open the frontier to civilization are
the nations wards no less than their
more fortunate fellows, the Indians.
In any event, unless sOIna arrange
menT can Toe nude this winter by
which the Indians will be satisfied to
cede the mining region, my impress
sion is that serious trouble will ensue
when the miners attempt to return ,as
l hefieve@the will by early spring.
BY my direction, Major George d.
Ruggles, the able acknowledgement of
this department, has prepIreI IA re-
port upon affairs in the department
fur the entire wear which contains
much valuable information, many i'm
pOrtant details, and several recon-
mendatiuns in which l concur.
Attention is invited to his report as
well as the reports of chiefs of the
several staff departments here on
JdItv. Enclosures Nos. l, ., 3, 1, 3,
6 and Z.
| believe the administration of the
affairs of the staff department has,
under The several chiefs, been eco
no1nical. satisfactory, and character
lied by ability. | have the honor to
be, go
Very respectfully, your obedient
servant, GEORGE CROOK.
Brigadier-G General, commanding
department G1a