The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-07-15
THE INDIANS.
Another Account of Clusters Disaster
Horrible MutilatiOn of the Dead-NO

would have killed the whole band if there had
been no enemy behind him, but instead of
charging the 'front.' he was right in the center
of between 5000 and 1000 Indians Those be-
hind him kept concealed until he was in their
midst, and then, when it was too late he made
a bold dash, trying to cut through them. but
the enemy were too many. He fell about the
first one, and the horses becoming unmanagea-
BILE, the poor soldiers were cut down in less
time than it takes to tell it. The Sioux then
turned all their force upon Major Reno, who
charged them with one company and returned
with only eleven men. He then retreated
short distance, placing his men on bluff as
before stated. Out of the whole regiment only
1913 men are left, and 40 of these are badly
wounded.
1t makes ones heart sick to look over the bat
tie ground and see the poor fellows, some of
them with their entrails cut out, others with
eyes dug out and their hearts laid across their
faces. The most fearful sight was Col. Cook.
He was splendid looking man, with long dark
whiskers, and the indians dug his face all out,
in order to get his fine heard, it is supposed.
They did not disfgure Gen. Custer in any way,
but his brother, Tom Custer, was opened and
his heart taken out
1t is estimated that the enemy lost 500 men,
though it is hard to tell how many W ere killed,
as they carried most of them away. Some of
our men claim that Sitting Bull was killed, as
he is known to some, and an Indian answering
his description was found dead, but no doubt
this is mistake they would have tried to
carry him along. Gen. Terry and the remain
ing officers are feeling very badly. When Gen.
Terry came up and looked down on the body of
| the noble general, the tears coursed down his
| face and he said, "The flower of the army is
gone at last" Custer was supposed to be the
| first one who died, but though he fell first we
found seventeen cartridge shells by his side
where he had kept them off until the last mo-
| ment.
There can be no blame attached to any one
| for this fearful slaughter. If Custer had had
| the whole regiment it would only have been
| worse as the Sioux were in great force. Lieut..
| Garlan says that of course there will be some
one blamed by the Eastern papers, but as an
| eyewitness of the battle he cannot censure any
one. There is one poor Crow Indian who has
| five shots through him, yet he is happy because
| he has nine scalps at his side.
The Sioux were all from some agency, as we
found camp equipments that had not been used
and blankets that were new and branded U. S.
Indian department..
| Gen. Sherman Believes Crook All Right.
| WASHINGTON, July IA No information is
| yet received at the army headquarters from
| Crook.
Sherman says that Crook is abundantly able
| to take care of himself and there need be no
! fear regarding him. The Indian bureau esti-
| mated the number of hostile Indians to be 500,
whereas it was found in the recent fight to be
| much larger.
| Crook will have a force of 1900 men, with the
| aid of which it is confidently expected that he
will successfully wage his war.
| Quiet at the BED Cloud Asemcy-NO News
from Crook.
| NEW YORK, July 14-Gen. Sheridan tele-
| graphed yesterday to Gen. Sherman at Wash.
| ington, as follows:
The supply train and five companies of in
| fantry sent to Crook were expected to reach
| him on the 18th. Crook never sends courier
unless he has something important to say or
| wants something, hence the non-arrival of in
| formation from him. Gen. Merritt reports the
| return of a messenger from Red Cloud agency
on the 18th, reporting all tranquil, and the
probability that all the Indians there will keep
quiet. Capt. Jordan reports one day later,
that much excitement existed about Clusters
| fight. and on account of there being no beef
issued when due, the Indians having only corn
i and flour.
| have directed Merritt, who was coming into
Laramie so that he could go to Crook if neces-
| sary, to keep active watch on the agency In
dams, and 10 go there with his command if
| necessary. In expectation that the Senate will
concur in the House bill for posts on the Vel
| lowstone, | send Forsyth to report for consul
taton with Terry about the location, so that we
can Iush them along. Hostile Indians are re-
ported as coming in to the Missouri River
agencies, Dragging about being in Clusters
| light. will take up their cases in few days
by some suggestions to you.
L am not aware of the slightest foundation
for the recent report that Crook had an engage
L
munication with Fort Fetterman by telegraph,
which is the nearest point to Crook, and where
all couriers come in, and there is no such in
| formation there.
Agent Van Dever's Report.
| WASHINGTON, July 14.-Indan Inspector
/ Van Dever reports that at the council with the
| Indians of Red Cloud and Spotted Tail apen-
ces June Both, these chiefs and others express
ed their Willingness to relinQuish the Black
Hills country upon the terms named by Van
Dever. The chiefs all promised to keep their
people at home and remain about the agencies.
They declare and the evidence here sustans
their declaration that very few Sioux are abb
| sent, and that it is chiefly the Cheyennes who
have committed the deprepations in this neigh
borhood and who have gone north to Join the
| hostiles
The inspector says the arrangement with
the Indians that regard as practicable, is an
agreement between them and the government
by which they shall rehnquish all right to the
Black Hills and consent to such diminished
boundaries of their reservation as shall secure
this object. In consideration the government
shall guarantee to continue the supplies of
food and other articles to them as under the
former treaty for five years from tie date of
the new agreement. l would further stipulate
with the Indians that they shall whenever the
government requires consent to the removal of
their agencies from their present location to any
point that may be designated for them, on or
near the Missouri river where better farming
lands can be found, or to wherever the govern
ment may choose to transfer them to better
their condition. AS an inducement to their
consent to such removal or transfer there should
be offered them reasonable supply of stock,
cattle, oxen, farming implements, lumber for
houses, cooking stoves and utensils wagons,
&c, to be distributed to those only where they
take land and settle upon it for cultivation,
and to who engage in stock raising or other
useful industry. Provision also should be
made for schooling the children and for the
instruction of young men in the mechanic arts,
A law should be established among them, the
jurisdiction of our courts extended to them the
same as to white men. 1 would give the Sioux
tribes the privilege of sending one of their peo-
pie to sit as delegate in Congress.
The Indians of Spotted Tail and Red Cloud
troubles commenced been inclined to join the
hostile tribes of the north The northern
Cheyennes who do not properly belong here,
have gone out in considerable numbers to
avenge the destruction of one of their villages.
Nearly the entire force of Sioux Indians old
men and young, are at home and with the ex-
ception of 300 or 400 have not at any time been
absent within the past several months, If,
however, they are deprived of the means of
subsistence at home, they will necessarily
scatter in search of something to eat. Mapy
of them will strike for the buffalo country and
that will take them to the vicinity Of the hos
tile camps and tend to swell the forces now op-
posed to Gen. Crook.
Appouueu W tuo Iepoit Is Tue following state
ment of ar-Stands-up," an Ind an Of Spot
ted Tail agency, who arrived from Sitting Bulls
camp June 25th.
L went to the hostile camp for the purpose of
bringing home some relations and children be-
longing to my wife. There are a few northern
Santees, Yanktonais, Assinafoines, Arickoras
and Grosventres. The chiefs of the above are
Santee- Red-End and White Face The others
are not known. OF the above there are but
very:few people. OF the Northern CHEYENNE.
Black Moccasin is chief of about 40 lodges;
Biackfeet chief is Scabby Head; Uncapapas
chief is Sitting Bull; Sansorcs chief, Spotted
Eagle; Minneconjous chief, Black Shield; Ogo-
lallas chief, Crazy Horse In all these there
are little over 1000 lodges. After the troops
got into the country L could not get away.
The Indians made the soldiers watch the camp
and keep the people together, L talked with
Sitting Bull before leaving and then moved
my lodge out in the night, coming very far
around to keep out of the way of both Indians
and troops, and came home by the road known |
as the old Fort Pierre road on the east side of |
the Black Hills striking the road about half |
way between the Missouri and the Black Hills, |
and then came straight to this agency. Sitting |
Bull sends now to my agent, to Bismette and |
to Bouchet that he does not intend to modest |
any one south of the Black Hills but will fight |
the whites in that country as long as the ques- |
ton is unsettled and if not settled, as long as
he lives, AS soon as the Black Hills question |