Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-04-08
What Gen. Sheridan Says About the Black
Hills.

hEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF' The
MISSOURI, CHICAGO, March 25, 1875 {
Gen. W. T. SHERMAN, Headquarters of the Army
ST. Louis, Mo-:
GenerGl-In reply to your question
What do you know of the Black Hills !"
I respectfully submit the following remarks
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
Indian romance of a 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 explora-
lions 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 longi-
water and the 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
Powder River" and the "Black Hills of the
Shyenne River" the latter being the locality
in which Gen. Custer made his reconnois-
sance last summer, and about which there is
SO much speculation at the present time, and
within the bounds of which it is supposed by
a large number of people is to be found the
Father de Smet mountain of gold.
Father de Smets 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 it.
Subsequent investigation, however, proved
that the Indian mountain of gold was nothing
more than formation of yellow mica, such
as NAV be found in a number of places in the
above-d described country.
I had scarcely given the story thought
after this, until about three years ago, when
I happened to be in New York, and it was
there brought to my recollection by promi-
nent 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.
It so happened, however, that the Black
Hills country was embraced IN my military
command, and two years ago it became ap-
parent to me that a military post in the Black
Hills of the Shyenne would soon become nee
essary for the proper protection OF the settle
ments in Nebraska from the raids of Sioux
warriors, who always before they commenced
depredating the frontier secured a safe
place for their families and villages
in the locality mentioned. BelieV
ing 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 in view,
the order was given for the Gustav recOnnols-
sancc.
The discovery of particles of gold by allu-
vial washing near Hsrney's Peak, on the
eastern slope OF the Black Hills OF the shy
enne, followed and brought to the surface the
Father de Smet story for the third time.
The Black Hills of the Shyenne, 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, |
may safety say there has not been any fair
test yet made to determine its existence III
large quantities.
There is not Territory in the West where
gold does not exist, bit in many of them the
quantity is limited to the f'color," which is
as much as has yet been obtained near Har-
ney's Peak. The geological specimens
brought back by the Custer expedition are
not favorable indications OF the existence OF