The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-09-09
THE INDIANS.
Gen. Terry Discovers No Signs of the ST.


Gen. Terry Discovers No Signs of the ST.
0ux.
New YORK, Sept. ga despatch dated at
Gen. Terry's Camp on Deer Creek, Aug. Goth,
says that after crossing the Yellowstone, the
troops have failed to discover any signs of the
Indians. If Indians in any large bodies have
crossed the Yellowstone, they must have done
so further east. Gen. Terry was waiting news
by courier from Crook, expected every hour,
and future movements depended entirely ON
whether Crook has found any Indian trails
There is every probability that the Indians
will be met in the campaign.
Crooks command has had long and tedious
march, and the men and horses are in poor
condition. They are making for the Black
Hills, where they will await supplies.
Which Are the savagess
Thirty soldiers from Fort sully recov-
cred few horses which had been stolen from
miners in the Black Hills. On reaching Crook
city the miners wanted to kill the Indian guide,
saying there were $40 more horses due which
the Indians had stolen.
A murder had been committed before the
troops arrived, and Crook city was full OF
drunken men. During the day man came in
from the foot hills with the head of an Indian
which he had killed. 1t was dragged around
town and reward of $275 was at once made up
for him. Murders and outrages almost daily
occur now in the north of the hills.
Whites Attacked in the Black Hills.
came into Rawhide Springs the present ter
minus of the Black Hills telegraph lines, re-
ports that on Sunday the 18th, the Indians at
lacked his party on Indian Creek and two men
named Gam and Kearns OF Golden City, Col,
were killed. A defensive position was main
tanned by the whites until ten of the Indians
were killed or wounded, when the rest aban-
doned the field Mason's outfit coming up
then assisted in the burial of the dead. Small
parties of Indians have been seen in the vicini-
4o1o rophn mn for Il ,nct oil
moving southwark.
A Trapper's Story of the Caster Disaster.
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi. Sept. S.-The Pioneer,
Press and Tribune publish an interview with
an old trapper named Ridgely, who has been a
long time in the Yellowstone country and
claims that be witnessed the Custer massacre,
being prisoner in Sitting Bulls camp and
seeing every movement Of the troops. He was
taken prison last March and has been in the
camp of the Indians ever since until the Custer
massacre He says Sitting Bull did not organ
| ize to fight the whites, but to drive the miners
| from the Black Hills
Previous to the Custer attack, mounted cour-
| iers from Sitting Bulls camp had for eigh t
days watched his forces, its division into small
detachments being noted with manifestations
of extreme delight. Ambuscades were imme-
diately prepared and while the Indians stood
ready for an attack, many of them clambered
on the side of the hill overtaking Clusters line
| of march. The Indian camp was divided by a
| bluff, a point of which ran toward the Rosebud
river and in the direction of one of the availa-
BILE fords on the river to the camp. By this
| ford, Custer followed their trail down to the
waters edge. There were but twenty-five
lodges visible to Custer but there were seventy
| five double lodges behind the bluffs. Custer
attacked the smaller village and was immedi-
ately met by 1900 or 1000 Indians in regular
with military precision. Ridgely says he stood
| on the side of the hill aud had complete view
| of the battle, which was not over mile and a
half distant. Custer began the fight in asravine
near the ford, aud half his command seemed to
| be endorsed at the first fire. The soldiers then
retreated towards him in the rear and we're shot
| down with astonishing rapidity. The com.
| manding officer fell from his horse in the mid
die of the engagement which commenced at II
/ a. m. and did not last more than 10 minutes.
After the massacre OF Cnster,s FORCE the Indi-
| ans returned to camp with six soldier prisoners
and delrious with joy over their success. The
| six prisoners were tied to stakes at woodple
in the village and burned to death.
Sitting Bull after the fight, exultingly re
| marked that he had killed many soldiers and
one damned General, but didn't know who he
| was. The squaws, armed with knives, visited
| the battle field and robbed and mutilated the
bodies of the soldiers. While the prisoners
were being burned the Indians turned their at
tention to the force evidently Reno's), attack.
ing the lower end of the village. Rdgely says
| Clusters comm and had been slaughtered before
a shot was fred by Reno's force, which attack
ed the lower end of the camp about 2 p. m.
The Indians returned in the evening and said
the men had fought like the devil. but they
the soldiers had been driven back twice and
then they piled up stones. and the attack was
| unsuccessful. The prisoners were kept burn
ing over an hour, but Ridgeley was not permit
| ted to speak with them and is unable to say
who they were. One was noticeable from his
| small size aud prav hair and whiSkprS
Reno killed more Indians than Gustav. The
| night after the massacre the Indians were wild
with delight Many were drunk on wh,skey
stolen from the whites Squaws performed the
became drowsy Ridgeley and two companions
| escaped, secured ponies and began the long
journey homeward. The party ate game ant
lay in the woods four days to avoid the In
dams. On the way Ridgeley's horse STUMBLED
and he broke his arm but the party finally
reached Fort Abercrombe, thence Rdgeley
came here. He describes Sitting Bull as a hall
breed of large size, and very intelligent. HI
has peculiar gait.
Despatch from Gen. Sheridan.
WASHINGTON, Sept S.-The following tele
gram was received at the War department:
| Chicago, Sept. 8.
Gen. W. 7. Sherman, Washington, D. Q.
Gen. Crook communicates with me from the
head waters of the Hart River, under date Sept
9Th. The trail he followed had scattered until
it could not be pursued any further. He says
he has provisions for ten days and will strike il
Forester City in the Black Hills, where hi
wants supplies sent him. am a little sorry
he did not go sack on his old trail to his oil
camp where it seems all orders and directions
about the putting portion of his comman,
have been kept instead of sent him. Thi
deranges and embarrasses the arrangeme n t;
already made for Gen. Crook for the winter
but will endeavor to make such modifca tions
as will still carry out the original programme
Twelve indians came in yesterday to the
Cheyenne Agency to ask for terms for the hos
tiles They were disarmed and made prisoner
and word was sent out to tie hosties that they
| could come in on these terms. The indications
here and at Standing Rock are that there will
soon be large surrender.
(Signel) P. Fl. SHERIDAN.
Lieut.. General.
Precautions at the Agencies.
A letter from the Brule Indian agency, Da
| kota, says that large number of Indians hav,
| appeared near the Cheyenne agency at For
Sulfy. from the hostile camps, but being tolt
| they would be disarmed and shot by the sol
| diers, they have kept away. Only one Indian
| up to Sept. l, had surrendered himself and Civ
en- up his arms.
The returned hostile Indians report that they
get ammunition from a place near Spotted
Tail agency on White river, and that they have
an abundance OF arms and ammunition en- route
for great battle. They do not want to fight
both Crook and Terry combined, not doubling
a victory, but are reluctant to lose SO many
warriors. There are about $500 warriors il
the field, and those who leave are more thar
replaced by acquisition. Sitting Bull and
| chiefs do not want peace, but will fight it out
and will let the settlements hear from them
when the troops are Withdrawn, especially
towns in the Black Hills A large number Of
so called peaceable Indians are leaving the
| Cheyenne agencies, taking the wives and fam
lies of warriors who are with them, and draw.
| Ing ratlOQS for them their ThaV tr
| the Brule agencies below.
| After Standing Rock, Cheyenne and the low.
er Brule agencies are fully garrisoned, which
will be shortly, it is believed, the proposed dis
| arming of Indians will be undertaken. 1t is
thought this will lead to bloody struggle, as
| the Indians will not trust themSelyes with the