New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-08
THE TROUBLE ON THE PLAINS.

1uo BOSeIuueul LIS IeCeully lSbueu
stringent orders against the encroach-
ments of emigrant trains on the Sioux
agency, and directed the officers on the
plains to see that they were obeyed.
Owing to the great temptations offered by
the Black Hills on account of the sup
posed existence Of gold in large quaint
ties, and the adventurous spirit Of the
Western pioneers, the officers find dis
charge of their duty in obedience to these
orders to be beset with great difficulties.
A train under the charge of Gordon was
recently captured in Nebraska by two
companies of cavalry under command of
Captain Walker, and all the property, in
Guiding provisions, wagons, arms, cloth
ing, etc, destroyed by fire. The report
states that thirty-nine Winchester rifles Of
the latest pattern were among the burnt
offerings on the plains. The Gordon
party was then marched to Fort Randall,
with the exception of one man who sue
ceeded in making his escape to Sioux
City, where he told piteous tale Of the
hardships he was made to undergo after
having been caught and checked in the
contemplated raid.
A correspondent of the Chicago Times
at Sioux City was promptly on hand to
listen to the description, and possibly
supplement it here and there with fanci-
full Inventions Four or five unknown
private persons sent an indignant dispatch
to President Grant demanding to know if
the action of the military is to be sus-
tanned. They also volunteer the ipforma-
ton that the men in the captured train
did not contemplate all encroachment on
the Sioux reservation, which will proba-
bly, be taken in Washington for what it is
worth.
OF course, General Sheridan comes in
for a good share Of abuse. The CORE
spondent of the Times asserts that his
orders, issued last season, are Sin defiance
Of all law, and are only equaled by his in
famous Louisiana message begging per-
mission to slaughter the peaceable in
habitants of that State. The Bohemian
could scarcely have said anything that
would more effectually weaken his cause
than to compare the incident on the plains
to the Louisiana case in the manner he has
done. People in this section of Uncle
Sans farm will readily say that if Sheri-
dan has done nothing worse in Nebraska
than he did in Louisiana, he has not in
CURED censure, but is rather to be ccm-
mended for his wisdom and fidelity to
duty under the law. As for the fiction
that he asked permission to slaughter in
nocent and peaceable inhabitants of this
State, we can inform the frontier man who
telegraphs such bosh to the Chicago Times
that no one here ever believed it, and that
now even the malicious partisans who first
| invented and gave currency to it no longer
rely upon it to fire the Democratic heart.
As General Sheridan never asked permits
sion to slaughter any innocent person, he
| can not be condemned for military fault
on the testimony of witness who afirms
the libel in making the charge.
Doubtl4s there was much suffering
among the hapless vretches who have
been lured by cupidity and the love OF
adventure into collision with the law.
When they and their apologists say there
| 20 No Low RI ir,Stify and Suctai, Sbari
dams orders, they simply. proclaim their
own ignorance. If they had looked for
the law with determination to find all
there is of it applicable to such cases,
they might have saved themselves great
deal of trouble and expense. And they
may furthermore be very thankful that
they fell into the lands Of soldiers, who
did not scalp them, instead of being