Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-04-06


about the mountain of gold again
subsided.
1t so happened, however, that the
Black Hills country was embraced in
my military commission, and two
years ago it became apparent to me
that military post in the Black
Hills of the Cheyenne would soon
become necessary for tie proper pro-
lection of the settlements in Nebraska
from the raids Of Sioux warriors,
who always before they commenced
depredatiEg on the frontier secured
| safe place for their families and VIII
lagos in the locality mcntiQned. Be
leving that these lad ians would never
make war on our settlement as long
as we could threaten their families
and villages in this remote locality,
abOuDdiGg il game and all that goes
to make Indiln life comfortable and
with this purely military objects in
view, an order was given for General
! Clusters reconnaissance.
The discovery of particles of gold
by alluvial washing near Harney's
Peak. on the eastern slope of the
Black Hills Of Cheyenne, followed
and brought to the surface Father
Demest's story for the third time
The Black Hills of Cheyenne describ.
cd by General Custer are situated be
tween the north and south forks of
that river, one Of which is known as
| Belle FOurche , the other as he South
Fork; and although [ have the utmost
| confidence in the statement Of Gen
eral Custer and General 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 Har
ney Peak. THe geological Specin ems
brought back b. the Custer exped,~
tiou are not favorable indications Of
the existence Of gold in great guam
titles. S,iil It may be there But
as the .reaty Of 1869, duly ratified,
virtually deeds this portion of the
BisCc Hills to the Sioux Indians.
there Is 80 alternative buJ to keep out
trespas,ets But to 90 back to Faith
e. bssmet's Information, there is not
much dolbt of the correctness OF his
statement that gold exists in the
Black Hills, but mHch further west
than the Back Hits of The Cheyenne.
| have seen nuggets from the Big
HDla and Toague rivers and many
specimens from near Fort Strambougb,
IL tac upper Wind River country,
where the ris:;Eg has failed for waDt4
Of water for alluvial Tashing, and
from the hostility Of the Indians,
a4d l lave good reason 10 believe
IN fact. it Is quite ccftain-that gold
exists IN tbe OEl Creek Mountains, on
the Lover Wind River, and on the
headquarters Of the PoAder River
and lie Rosebud, ali the locali les
being, under tie general meaning,
in the Black Hills, and Terry treaty
of 1859, except so far as the priv
lcge 90 hunt game. Ii has been my
inten ton 10 communicate much Ia
formation this coming summer to the
Government on the above>described
country, : and as the indians have no
absolute right to the soil there may
be but littledii1iculty ia extinguiShing
their hunting privileges.
| purpose. if you do no; object.
10 open up the Yellowstone River by
,endi, @ General George A. Forsyth
ard Colonel Grant, of my 'taf, up the
Yeiiowstone to the mouth Of the Big
Horn, as soon as the ice breaks,
which will give the lowest Underwater,
having already secured steamboat
to make this exploration. If Gener
al Forsyth is successful. | viii send
Geueral Custer VITA a command from
Fort Lincoln across the mouth Of
Powder River, thence up on The south
bank of tue Yellowstone, crossing
Powder River, Tongue River, the
Rosebud, and on to the mouth OF
Big Horn. This country is as yet
enurtI unex )lored and the expe iition
may develop a very valuable aurlter-
Gus section and make the Father
Desmet story to some extent true >
but | am of the belief that 4 noun
tain Of mica has rot changed to gold.
[ viii also send an expedition down
the Wind River, through the OH
Greek Mountains. from Fort STAN
bOugh VIA Fort Brown to the mouth |
of the Big Horn. and will bring it
back through the parks about the
headquarter- Of the Powder River,
visited by Captain Mills and his
CONN and last summer. These parks !
are for beauty fully equal TO those de-
scribed 50 graphically by General
Custer as existing in the Black Hills
OF Cheyenne.
I may also say from my own know
ledge, that the valleys of the Biz md
Little PopoogIe, Little Wind River
aud Main Wind River can scarcely be |
excelled in beauty and fertility, while |
the student of nature will find there |
most extraordinary upheavals of the |
earth's crust probably to be found |
On this continent. | am of opinion
that this country is gold-beariug, but |
of its abundance there can only be |
Il
confident Of our ability 10 prevent I
the intended trespass on the rights Of /
the Indians. and the cavalry and Ill
faatry in the Department of Dakota
are being moved at the present time
to the most available points to carry /
out my directions of September 3 OF
last year, Were it not for these
precautions on the part of the Gov
ernment there might be repetition /