The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-07-12

sary. At this stage OF the cor-
respondence the general of the army
and bis suborGin commanders
were duly notified and made preparstien
for striking a blow at these b stile In
disns, an enterprise CT almost insur-
mountable difficulty in country
: where in winter tie thermometer often
tsl's to 40 degrees be'ow zsro and
when 1t Is impossible to procure food for
| man or beast. An expedition was fitted
cut under the personal command of Brig
adler General George Crook, an officer of
great merit ard experience, which, in
March last, marched from Forts
Fetterman and Laramie to the
| Powder river and Yellowstone
| valleys, struck and destroyed the village
OF Crazy Horse, one of the hostile bands
referred to By Iodisn Inspector Wst-
kiDs, but the weather was so bitter cold
aud other difficulties 50 great arose that
Gen. Crook rttug1td to Fort Lar
| annie in measure unsuccessful
so far as the main purposs was concerned.
These Indians occupy parts of the depart
ment OF Dakota AID Platte, commanded
by Brigadier Generals Terry and Crook
| respectively, but the whole is Immediately
commanded by Lieutenant General
| Sheridan, who has given this matter
| his special attention. Preparations
We're then made on large scale and the
| columns wers put in motion as early in
| May ss possible from Fort Lincoln, ON the
| Missouri river, under Gen. Terry; from
| Fort Ellis, In Montsns, under Gen. Glib
bon and from Fort Fettermsn under Gen.
Crook. These columns were as strorg
as could be maintained in that inbospits-
bic region, or as could be spared from
| other pressing necessities, aud these oper-
atioDs are not yet concluded, nor is q more
detailed report dsenrd necessary to ex-
plain the subject matter of this inquiry.
THE PRESENT MILITARY OPERATIONS
are not sgainst the Sioux nation at all,
but against certain hostile pats oft which
DEFY the government, and are under
taken at the special request of the
| bureau OF the government charged
| with their supervision, and wholly
to make the civilization of the remainder
possible. No part OF these operations are
on or nesr the Sioux reservation. The ac-
cidentsl discovery of gold on the western
| DOrdar OF the Sioux reservation and in
trusion of our people thereon, have not
caused this war and have only
| complicated it bv the uncertainty
of the numbers to be encountered
The young warriors love war, and fire.
quenJiy escape their agents to go on the
Dunt or war path. If the Sioux nation is
supposed to embrace at least go of the
whole, and not one of these peaceful
treaty Indians has been molested
by lhe military authorities, the
recent reports toucning the disaster, which
| beiel part of the seventh regular cavalry
led by Gen. Custer in person, are believed
10 be true. For some reason as yet unex-
planned, Gen. Custer, who commanded
the Seventh cavalry and bad been detached
by his commander, Gen. Terry, a.
| the mouth of the Rosebud TO make a wide
detour up the Rosebud tributary to the
| Yellowstone, across to :he Little Horn and
down it to the mouth of the Big Horn,
the place agreed uOon for meeting, attacked
TN route large Indian village with one
part of his force, having himseli
/ tercept the expected retreat OF
ssvsges, ana experienced an utter snnihi-
| lai ion of his immedis command. The
forces of Gems. Terry ard Gibbon reached
the field OF battle the next day, and rescued
so wounded men, aud buried 261 dead
George A. Custer, Captains Custer,
Krough, and Ystes, Lieutenants
Cock, Smith, Mcintosh, Calhoun,
| HocgsoD, Reilly, Porter, Sturgis, all OF
the Seventh Cavalry, and Lieutenant
Crittenden of the twentieth Infantry,
| Lieutenant Harrington. Assistant Surgeon
LORD, and acting Assistant SURGEON
DeWoli are missing. Tne wounded were
carried back to the mouth fthe Big Born
in the Yellowstone, which is
nayigsble and there were two steamboats,,
one of which was sent down the river 80
| Fort Abraham Lincoln with the wounded
and TO communicate the sad facts. Gen.
Terry is therefore at the mouth of the
Big Horn, refitting and will promptly
/ receive reiniorcements and supplies
and will resume operations i'm.
mediately. In the me 4ntime General
Crook has also advanced from Fort Fetter-
man, ana on the IL b of June, eight days
before Gen. Casters attack. had encoun-
tered this same force OF warriors at the
head of the Rosebud, with whom he fought
sever hours, driving the Indians from the
field, losing nine men killed, one
| tfficer and 20 men wounded. Gen. Crook
reports his camp as on the Tongue river,
Wyoming. r Inducements and supplies
are also enroute TO him ana every pos
sibe means have been adopted to
acc omplish concert OF action
between these two forces, which are neces-
sarily separated and are only able to COM
municate by immeI Sc distances around by
their rear. The task committed to the
military authorities Is one OF unusual
difficulty, ard has ceen anticipated for
wears, and must be met and accom- plished.
1t can no longer be delayed. Everythin g
will be done by the department 10
e-ssry to give even an assurance oi
comparative safety to important but
scattered interests, which have grown up
In q remote and almost inaccessible por-
ton of our national domains. 1t Is again
earnestly recommended that the sppro-
priation asked for repeatedly by General
Sheridan OF $200, 900 be made, to build two
poste on the Yellowstone, at or near the
mouth of the Big Horn and Tongue
mines. Enclosed herewith please cd
copies of Gen. Terry q report just receive q
by telegraph since the preparation of this
letter Your obedient servant,
| TSigneO1 j. ID. CAMERON,
Secretary OF War.
| SHERIDAN SANGUINE.
lHE WANTS NO MORE MEN, ONLY A LITTLE