The New York herald., 1876-08-18
General Crooks Army on the Eve
Of Advancing to Battle.
ARRIVAL or ALL His REINFORGEMENTS.
Scouting Near the Deserted Site Of
the Sioux Village.
WILL THERE BE A FIGHT 2
CAMr ON THE RosEsuo, August Q,

General Terry's iorccs have finished crossing the
Yellowstone, aud We only awat the completion Of the
Quartermastcrs preparations for the transport Of sup
pes An Official circular round afler the
troops had pitched their tents announcing that the
umn would tho morning Of tho sth, SO that
weave one days rest before setting On the
path Tho column will be provslonod for thirty days
aud unless succeed in catching tho Indians, they
In catching u.s. within that lime, shall retro to win
quarters aud the campaign will be for this
year. If should be unlucky enough not 10 find tho
Indians the fault hardly, In justice, be aid at tho
door OF tho Generals the neld The government has
treated this Indian question with too much levity,
the authorities in Washington pcrssting In shutting
their cyes to the and power OF the Sioux
ton. No one power willing to admit that
shero could be more than 100 Indians AL
though tho uusoundness of tho view has
been fully demonstrated all sfhs preparations
based upon this estimate, and result there
has great delay In the assembling OF supplies
enable General Terrys column to reat before taking
tho field. II the cam pagn should prove failure the
blame should Be visited where it belongs and not
IN officers who doing their best to bring the
var to a successful issue. Under very discouraging
circumstances every here has been doing his best
10 get the column in motion, and every anxious
for the campaign 70 close. rhe country is most
Inviting, and all the Of this Yellow
stone region fades like the baselsss fabric
OF vision when viewed from a mil
tary camp with Its prospect OF long
and faguiug marches through the sand hills and sage
brush under the burning bcams Of sun that scorches
the very OF the bones, with alkai water FOR
drink and sweet OF sleep mado hideous by
tho bowling of coyotes terrible yell of the
Indian savage
cusrKR's TRAIL.
Tod opvtou wapd tho Sast IN
the abandoned hresides the memory OF wife and child
to sadden the soldiers heart, for who
among all this gallant array say he will
rsturn2 Within fow foet Of tho spot
where write runs the broad trail marking the passage
Of Custer and his "Custer's Trail" as It is
called and they went in far moro confident OF SUCCESS
and fuller Of courage than even the who follow TO
Rvenge perhaps lie with them There is no use try
Ing the that she victory Of the Sioux
errblc Its completeness, has lowered the morale Of
troops much, perhaps but one listens to the
soldcrs they discuss among themselves tho cam
paign the conviction is forced that they no longer
look upon victory certain Perhaps IL Is better
80 than TO have an excess OF confidence fighting
w1iy a foe the Indian has always proved himself.
To prevent SO Iamentablc a disaster far be
judged the present campaign will be conducted with
the utmost saut,on; 1t may be barren, but it is not
likely DISASTROUS unless the Indian revolt has
taken proportions beyond all estimation
ARMS AND AMMUNITION FOR THE INDIANS.
There is every believe that the Indians
amply supplied with arms ana ammunition, the
traders have been openly engaged in this neiarious
Of furnishing the hostile Indians with munitions
since the troops moved against them, and the mil
itary authorities Of stopping this traffic
In the blood Of soldiers Tho Interior Department
locks with such paternal interest the poor Indian
that only permits the sale of and ammuni-
the Indians, but lest their wards should be
able purchase enough powder and lead to light the
this branch Of the government actually sends
tribes who carrying on activc hostitics guns,
powder and lead II the wants render Indian
wars impossible will take steps prevent the Ind
ians obtaining arms keeping thcm oven If they
should succeed In obtaining them Tho true
way of dealing with the Indians Is to tako
their guns and ponies away from them, supply them
with domestic cattle instead OF rittcring away the
funds voted by Congress annuites 10 the different
tribes the purchase Of useless trnksts paints
and other articles that given to the savage
ncke his fancy and encourage him 10 continue his
parbarous habits OF life Tho present system is admir-
lby calculated prevent any progress toward civil
sation on the part of the red man.
THE INDIAN CHEATED
He IS brought into contact only with men who
Interested In cheating and deceiving him. and upon
whom there OF tho healthy cnscks upon dis
honesty which exist in all other departments of the
xovernment The few checks created by act Of Con-
gross arc dsrsgared and Indian agents convicted OF
fraudulent practices been known to pay
In FULL although tho examining officers had refused to
sign tbs vouchers Under these conditions it Is not to
be wondered at that the Indians look the
white . cheat and liar, and despise what We
arc pleased to call civilization. Unless We 10 bo
constantly exposed to cruel and ruinous wars the
Indian question be dealt with statesmanliks
spirit
TIE
The solution is easy enough 70 DO found II honestly
sought IL consists In dsbandng that group OF thieves
tho Indian Ring. and treating the Indian
with ilrmnoss and justice There should bo
no more treaties, as shough We were
dealing with . sovereign Power but each
Indian should be made responsible being before the
law with the same rights and tho samc duties other
meu With the abolition OF tho agencies the Indian
sraderships troubles with the Indians would soon
ccase 10 assume the importance Of armed revolt
There IL very little doubt from the time OF the
Missouri tradcrshps sho hostile tribes are
now receiving arms and ammunition In rela-
ton 70 this subject General Gibbon has ad-
dressed the following letter 70 the Governor Of
Montana and 10 OF the traders, who n popularity
supposed to the chief furnsner OF war material to
Sitting Bull and his braves. General Gibbon says he
does not accuse Mr.. Powers Of selling ammunition to
the hostiles but simply writes so as TO warn him
against the consequences Of doing so. osher sfcers
arc. however BY no means consderata |, is posi-
svely asserted that within the last year the Indians
have been supplied with
Tons AxnUSrr.os
from the Cheyenne Agency, and steamboat captains
,ssert that and ammunition are constantly gong
40 the Missouri River for the Indians A reliable man
asserts he starting out from Carroll train Of
thirteen pack mules, carrying $4,000 rounds Of
,mnun.tion for sitting Bulls party. Each
muIe carried two boxes Of fixed ammunition
and sack OF -four. 1t was notorious