The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-10

uaNe peen llDerally performed on tn
part OF the United States, and has ais
been complied with by great mass O
Sioux Indians. Some Of these, however
J. have never recognized the binding fore
Of this treaty, but have always treated i
, with contempt, and have continued /,
: rove at pleasure, attacking scattered sci
a a Elements In Nebraska, Wyoming, Mon
tana and Dakota; stealing horses and cat
r tie, and numbering peaceful inhabitant
and Travellers, On Nov, 9th, 1875, q. s
llndian Inspector G. Watkins, made a
elaborate report TO the Commissioner Q
Indian Affairs, in which he uses this Ian
guage: II have the honor to address vol
In relation 10 the attitude and condition
ofcertain wild and hostile bands Of Siou!
Indians in Dakota and Montana, that cam
! under my observation during my recen
tour through their country, and what
I; think should be the policy Of the Govern
ment toward them. l refer TO Sitting
Bulls bands and other bands Of the Siou5
! Nation under chiefs or under head mel
Of the tribes less notorious but no less un
tamable. These Indians occupy centre
so TO speak and roam oyer Western Da-
kota and EasternlM Montana; including the
rich syalleys Of the Yellowstone anC
Powder rivers and make war OF
the Arickaves, Mondanis, GrosyentreI
Asinabruies, Blackfeet, Pigeons, Crows
4 and other friendly tribes. On cfrcum,
ference from their central position they
strike to the east north and west, steal
horses and plunder from all the sur
rounding tribes, as well as from the
frontier settlements and. luckless white
hunters who are not in sufficient force to
resist them. .g
l After describing at great length their
character and supposed numbers, given at
a few hundred, he says: The true policy,
in my Judgment is to send troops against
them in winter, the sooner the better, and
whip them into subsection. They richly
merit punishment for their incessant
warfare and their numerous murders Of
whites and their families or white men
wherever found unarmed. The force es-
timated US necessary to whip them was
one thousand men. g... 81,
This communication was submitted by
the Committee Of Indian Affairs, Hon.
Edward 2. Smith 10 the Honorable Sec
retary OF Interior, z. Chandler, who in
turn submitted them. to the Secretary Of
Wat, Gen. BelEnap, for his consideration
and action. In subsequent commune
cation Of the Secretary Of Interior Of De-
cember 8, 1875, To the Secretary OF War
occurs this language: I have the
honor 10 inform you that Ihaye this day
directed the Commissioner OF Indian AZ
fairs TO notify the said Indian, Sitting
Bull, and others outside Of their reserya.
ton that they must remove to the reser-
vation before the S1st Of fJanuary, 1876.
That il they neglected or refused SO TO
move they will be reported TO the War
Department as hostile Indians, and that
the military force will be sent to compel
them to obey the order Of the Indian of
ticer. On the lst day Of February the
Secretary Of the Interior further notified
the Secretary Of War that the time given
him, Sitting Bull, in which to return to
the reservation, having expired, and the
adyices received at the Indian office be-
ing TO the effect that he still refuses 10
comply with the direction Of the commit
tees. The said Ipdians are hereby turn
ed over To the War Department for such
action on the part OF the army as you
may deem proper. During all stages Of
this correspondence, the General Of the
army and his subordinate commanders
were .dnly notified land we're making
preparations for striking blow at these
hostile sayages, an enterprise OF almost
unsurmountable difficulty in the coun-
try, where in the winter the thermometer
often fdllst to 40 degs.below zero and where
it is impossibleto to procure food for man
or beast.
An expedition was fitted ont under the
personal command Of Brigadier-G General
Crook an officer Of great merit and ex-
perience which in March last marched
from forts Fetterman aud Laramie
to Powder river and Yellowstone Val
leys, struck and destroyed the village Of
Crazey Horse, one ofth hostile bands re-
ferred to by Indian Inspector Watkins,
but the weather was so bitter cold and
other difficulties so great arose, that
Gen. Crook returned to Fl. Laramie only
Al q LACnouLC huSStbeiuA.
These Indians occupy the parts OF the
department of Dakota and Platte COM
manded:by Brigadier General Terry and
Crook respectively, but the whole is inn
mediately commandedsby Gen. Sheridan,
who has given this matter his special at
tention. Preparations were then made
on larger scale and the columns were
put in motion as early in May as posi-
bic, FROM Ft. Lincoln, in Missouri, un-
der Gen. Terry;. from Ft. Ellis
in Montana; under General Glib
bon, and from Fl. Fetterman un-
der General Crook. These columns
were as strong as could be maintained in
that inhospitable region, or as could be
spared from other pressing necessities,
and these operations are not yet con-
cluded, nor Is more detailed report
deemed necessary TO explain the subject
matter Of this inquiry. The present
military operations are not against the
Sioux Nation at all but against certain
hostile parts Of It which defy the govern
ment, and are undertaken at the special
request Of the bureau OF the government
SH0A6Ca WAkh NlCH buHdEN4aluH uHA
wholly to make the civilization Of the re-
mainder possible. No part OF these
operations are on or near the
Sioux reservation. The accidental
discovery Of gold on the western border
OF the Sioux reservation and the intru-
sion Of our people thereon have not
caused this war, and have only complica-
ted it by the uncertainty Of the numbers
to be encountered. The young warriors
love war and frequently escape from their
agents to go on the hunt or warpath,
their only idea Of tho object Of life. The
object Of these military expeditions was
in the interest Of peaceful part Of the
Sioux nation, supposed to embrace at least
ninc.tenths OF the whole Of ii, and not one
OF these peaceful treaty Indians have been
molested by the military authorities. The
recent reports touching the disaster which
befel paris OF the 7th Regiment of Caval-
ry, led by General Custar in person, are
believed 10 be true. For some rea-
son as yet unexplained, General Gus
tar, who commanded the 7th Cavalry,
and had been detached by his command.
err Gen. Terry, at'tle mouth Of the Rose.
bud, to make detour up the Rosebud
territory to the Yellowstone, across to
the Little Horn and down It to the mouth
of'the Big Horn, the place agreed on for
lhR InaAfinp alfRntai an rnuta a