The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-04-01
THE BLACK HILLS.
A Historical, Geological, and Geo.
graphical Six eich by Gen.
Sheridan.
Father De Sanet's Old Story of the
Mountain of Gold.
Early Indian Reports Of Auriferous
Wonders.
Contrary Facts Demonstrated by the
Custer Expedition.


Custer Expedition.
Military Arrangements for the inter-
cepfIon Of Adventurous Miners.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIV IsIoN OF
THE MISSOURI, CHICAGO, March 25.-Gen.
W. T. Sherman, Headquarters of the
Army, st. Louis, Mo.-General: In re-
ply to your question, "What do you
know of the Black Hills?" respectful
ly submit the following remarks:
My first knowledge of the Black Hills
| was derived from interviews with the
late Father de Smet, a noted Catholic
missionary, whom met many years ago
on the Columbia River, in Oregon, from
| whom I heard the Indian romance of a
mountain of gold in the Black Hills, and
his explanation of that extraordinary and
delusive story.
To Indians, frontiersmen, and explor-
| ers, the Black Hills country is much
| more extensive than that particular local
| ity brought to the notice of the public
by the recent explorations Of Gen. Gust
er; and gets its name from the black,
scrubby character of the timber which
grows on the sides and tops of the
mountains and hills. It comprises the
whole of the country bounded on the
east by longitude 102, 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 Yellow
stone 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 Sehyenne River the latter being
the locality In which Gen. Custer made
his reconn oissanoe last summer, and
about which there is so much specula-
ton 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 morntain of gold.
Father de Smet's story was, that while
living 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, sup
posed 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 investiga
ton, howevor, proved that the Indian
mountain of gold was nothing more than
a formation OF yellow mica, such as may
be found In number of places in the
above described country.
[ had scarcely given the story a
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 a. prominent gentle
man, 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 command; 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 the Sioux
warriors, who always, before they COM
menced depredating on the frontier, Sc
cured safe place for their families and
villages in the locality mentioned. Be
heving that these Indians would never
make war on settlements SO long as we
could threaten their families and villages
in this remote locality, abounding 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 reconnaissance.
The discovery of particles of gold by
alluvial 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 Shyenne, de-
scribed by Gen. Custer, are situated be-
tween 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 con-
hdence II the statement of Gen. Custer
and Gen. Forsyth, of my staff, that gold
was found near Harney's Peak, / may
safely say there has not been any fair
test yet made to determine its existence
In large quantities.
There is not 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 Harney'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 of 1869, duly ratified,
virtually deeds this portion of the Black
Hills to the Sioux Indians. there is no
alternative but to keep out trespassers.
But to go back to the Father de Smet
information, there is not much doubt of
the correctness of his statement that
gold exists in large quantities in the