River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-04-02

Stambaugh, in the upper Wind River
country, where mining has failed for
want Of water for alluvial washing and
from the hostilities Of the Indians, and
have good reason to believe lin fact, it is
quite certain, that gold exists in the Owl
Creek mountains on the lower Wind
river, and on the headquarters Of the
Powder river, and all these localities,
being under the general meaning in the
Black Hills and outside Of the territory
comprised in the treaty Of 1859, except
so far as the privilege to hunt game. II
has been my intention to communicate
much information this coming summer to
the government on the above described
country, anG as the Indians have no
absolute right 10 the soil, there may be
but little difficulty in extinguishing their
hunting privileges. purpose, if you
do not object, to open up the
Yellowstone river by sending General
George A. Forsyth and Colonel Grant, Of
my staff. up the Yellowstone to the mouth
of the Big Horn as soon as the ice breaks
which will give the lowest tide water,
having already secured a steamboat to
make this exploration. If Gen. Forsyth
is successful will send General Custer
with the command from Fort Lincoln
across the mouth OF Powder river, thence
up on the south bank of the Yellowstone,
crossing the Powder river, Tongue river,
Rosebud river, and on to the mouth Of
the Big Horn. This country is as yet
fairly unexplored.
An expedition may develop very
valuable auriferous section, ana make
Father Desmet's story to some extent
true; but | am of the belief that the
mountain of Mica has not changed to
gold.
will also send an expedition down
Wind river, through the Owl Creek noun
tainS, from Fort Hamburger. via Fort
Brown to the mouth of Big Horn, will
bring it back through the parks about
the headwaters Of Powder river, visited
by Capt. Mills and his command last
summer. These parks are, for beauty.
fully equal to those described so graph.
lcally by Gen. Custer as existing in the
Black Hills of the Cheyenne. ! may also
say from my own knowledge that the val.
ley Of the Big and Little Pagoogie, Little
Wind river and main Wind river can
scarcely be excelled in beauty and fertil-
ity, while the student of nature will find
there the most extraordinary upheayals
OF the earth crust probably to be found
on this continent. | am of opinion this
country is gold bearing, but of its abund-
ance there can only be conjecture at pres
ent.
| feel quite confident Of our ability 10
prevent tresspass OH the rights of the
Indians and the cavalry and infantry in
the Department of Dakota are being
moved at the present time to the most
available points to carry out my direc.
tons of September Sd, last year. Were
1t not for these precautions on the part of
the government there might be repiti.
ton Of the California gold beach and gold
lake humbugs, with still greater suffering,
as many of the persons now crazy to 90
to the Black Hills never think Of how they
are to exist after they get there, or how
they could return in case of failure. II
they will only wait for further informa-
ton from the government, which now
seems DESTROYS of making concessions to
meet these new interests, there will be
no one more willing than myself to aid
in ascertaining their value. So FAR as the
troops are concerned | will promise &C.
tivity in the present emergency and tho
conscientious performance of duty.
Should the points from which miners
start be so remote as to make it impossi.
bic for our scanty force to watch them,
we can occupy the two or three gaps in the
Black Hills and effectually exclude tres.
passers. Very respectfully,
p. II, SHERIDAN,
Lieut.. Gen. Coming.