The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-07-13

his Career Since IS67-The Number Oi
His Followers.

Washington Correspondence Chicago Tribune
HWhen Red Cloud and Spotted Tail
made peace at Laramie, Sitting Bull
stubbornly refused to come in. All that
year he made war on the steamboats,
and commerce of the Missouri, massa-
creing several small boat loads OF re-
turning miners, and capturing large
quantities OF gold dust, which he traded
for arms to the Northern half-breeds.
In 1867 he threatened the Gallatin Val
ley, in Montana, when the Montana
Volunteers were raised to, meet
him. In 1868 he attacked the set
Element Of Muscle-Shell and suf-
fered defeat, losing thirty-six warri-
ors. The settlers having notice OF his
coming, ambuscaded him in ravine
outside the town. Although the at
tack was made by the Sioux on the
village, this battle was denounced as
massacre by portion OF the Eastern
press. After this he lost prestige
During 1869 and 1870 he devoted himself
principally to the slaughter of the
Crows. the Mandans, the Rees, the
Shoshone, and all other tribes friendly
to the whites, varying it by an occasion
al attack on the Missouri river forts.
In 1870, Gen. Hancock. then command
ing that department, thought of organ
izing an expedition to- bring him to
terms, but as there was prospect of
the extension OF the Northern Pacific
Railway, which would simplify opera
tions, he recommended another attempt
to buy peace with him until that
road should be pushed into the Big
Horn country. On this recommenda-
ton, backed by the assurances of the
Peace Commissioners and the Interior
Department, Congress voted half mil
lion dollars to make peace and subsist
him. This was the famous Teton
Sioux Appropriation. Considerable
criticism has been made on the expen-
diture Of this appropriation. 1t resulted
In bringing to the Fort Peck Agency
part OF his followers, but he refused to
treat himself. Next year Gen. Custer
went out with the Northern Pacific sur
veying party, and twice defeatedSitting
Bull, and at least repulsed his attacks.
One of the bands invaded the Gallatin
Valley in 1872, and carried off five hun
dred head Of horses, after numbering a
number Of farmers. In 1873 he made
night attack on Colonel Baker, but was
repulsed and pursued. In 1874 he drove
the Crows from their reservation
agency, and made war on all peace
able Indians. The Peace Commission
finding him intractable, now began to
demand that the army should take the
OueubiNo duu SuDuue ulIl, anu Lie T6-
quest has frequently been repeated by
the Peace Commission and the Indian
Department, until the War Department
has acted on it. Last year some of his
followers went down to meet the Com
mission in conference with the Red
Cloud Sioux, and came near precipitat-
ing massacre of the Commission. Sit
ting Bull himself refused to go in, and
spent the summer in attacks on the
Grow Agency and on the frontier set
tiers. He captured a Government
wagon train on srtha~Carroll road, MUIR
dered number OF recruits going to the
Montana posts, and captured the stock
OF the Carroll Stage Company
! Such have been his exploits up to the
bloody history OF the present year.
How many followers has he ordinarily
Not more than two hundred or three
hundred lodges, but there is no doubt
that his numbers are now. swelled by
recruits from all the agencies. The
Northern Cheyennes are with him, and
q large portion of the Ogallalahs, and
probably he has had two thousand or
more we'll armed and well mounted
warriors in these late fights. There
were times last winter when he could
not have gathered eight hundred men,
but the young bucks have silly slipped
away from the agency, where they win
tered, and where the old people, and
women, and chilcren are being fed by