Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-04-08
Gen. Sheridan on the Black Hills.


HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE
MISSOURI, CHICAGO. March -, 1875
Gen. w. T. SHERMAN, Headquarters of The Army,
st. Louis, Mo-:
General: In reply to your question:
What do you know OF the Black Hills? ?"
/ respectfully submit the following remarks:
Ny first knowledge Of the Black Hills was
derived from interviews with the late Father
de Smet, noted Catholic missionary, whom
[ met many years ago on the Columbia
River, in Oregon from whom | heard the In
dian romance Of mountain OF gold in the
Black Hills, and his explanation of that ex-
traordinary and delusive story.
To Indians, frontiersmen and explorers the
Black Hills country is much more extensive
than that particular locality brought to the
notice of the public by the recent xplorations
of Gen Custer, and gets its name from the
black, scrubby character of the timber which
grows on the sides and tops Of the mountains
and hills. 1t comprises the whole OF the
country bounded on the east by longitude 102
deg, on the south by the Sweetwater and
Laramie Rivers, on the west by the
Big Horn and Wind Rivers, and on
the north by the Yellowstone River
This is really the country of the Black
Hills but embraced in it are several localities
called BLACK Hills" For instance, the
BLACK Hills Of the Laramie" the =" Black
Hills of Powder River" and the Black
Hills Of the Shyenne River" the latter being
the locality in which Gen Custer made his
reconnaissance last summer, and about which
there is SO much speculation at the present
time, and within the bounds of which it is
supposed by large number of people is to
be found the Father de Smet mountain Of
gold.
Father de Smet's story was that, while liv-
ing 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 the Big Horn, Rosebud and Powder Rivers,
and from branches Of the Tongue River; and
on his representing that such yellow metal
was of the greatest value, they told him they
knew where there was mountain OF 1t.
Subsequent investigation, however, proved
that the Indian mountain Of gold was nothing
more than formation OF yellow mica, such
as may be found in a number OF places in the
above-descrbed country.
/ had scarcely given TIL" story thought
after this, until about three years ago, when
/ happened to be in New York, and it was
there brought to my recollection by prom
inent gentleman, who asked me where Father
de Smet was to be found, and insisted that
some one should be sent at once to get from
him the secret of the gold mountain which
would pay the national debt, etc.
After had informed him that it was an old
and exploded story his ardor cooled, and the
excitement about the "mountain of gold"
again subsidized.
1t so happened, however, that the Black Hills
country was embraced in my military com
mand, and two years ago 1t became apparent
To me that a military post in the Black Hills
of the Shyenne would soon become necessary
for the proper protection OF the settlements in
Nebraska from the raids Of Sioux warriors,
who always before they commence depredat-
ing the frontier secured a safe place for their
families and villages in the locality mentioned.
Believing that these Indians would never
make war on our settlements az 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 in view,
the order was given for the Custer reconnois-
sance.
The discovery Of particles Of gold by
alluyial washing near Harney's Peak, on the
eastern slope of the Black Hills of the
Shyenne followed, and brought to the surface
the Father de Smet story for the third time.
The Black Hills Of the Shycnne, described
by Gen. Custer. are situated between the
north and south forks of that river, one of
which is known as the Belle Fourche, the
other the South Fork; and although | have
the utmost confidence in the statement of
Gen. Custer and Gen. FORSYTH, of my staff,
that gold was found near Harney's Peak l
may safely say there has not been any fair
test vet made TO determine its existence in
large quantities.
There Is net a Territory in the West where
gold does not exist, but in many of them the
quantity is limited to the color" which is
as much as has yet been obtained near. Hsr-
ney's Peak. The geological specimens
brought back by the Custer expedition are
not favorable indications of the existence of
gold in any great quantity. Still it may be
there; but as the treaty o. 1869, duly ratified,
virtually deeds this portion of the Black
Hills To the Sioux Indians, there is no alter
native but To keep out trespassers.
But to 90 back to the Father de Smet infor-
nation, there is not much doubt of the cor
rectness OF his statement that gold exists in
large quantities in the Black Hills, but much
further west than the Black Hills of the Shy
euue. have seen nuggets from the Big Horn
and Tongue Rivers, and many specimens from
near Fort Stambaugh, In the Upper Wind
River country, where mining has failed for
want Of water for alluvial washing and from
hoStilites Of the Indians; and | have
good reason TO believe-in fact. 1t is
quite certain-that gold exist. in the
Owl Creek Mountains, in the Lower Wind
River and in the headwaters of the Powder
River and the Rosebud, all these localities
being under the general meaning in the
Black Hills, and outside OF the sherman,
Augur and Terry treaty Of 1863, except so far
AS the privilege 10 hunt game II has been
my infection to communicate much informa-
ton this coming summer to the Government
on the above described country; and AS the
Indians have no absolute right 10 the soil.
there NAV be but little difficulty in extin-
gushing their hunting privileges.
purpose, Il You do not object, TO open up
the Yellowstone River by sending Gen. Geo
A Forsyth and Col. Grant, OF my stad, up
the Yellows .cca 70 the mouth Of the Big
Horn as soon As the ice breaks which viii
give the lowest tide OF water, having already