The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-07-20
THE HOSTILE SIOUX.

Oul VI nullliCootd, ClOSScQ tic 1llocOui
and dendeavored dtoconcentratefor another
invasion of Minnesota. But the next yeai
Sully followed them across the Missouri
and after several running fights, they
retreated across the Bad Lands into the
Big Horn country. Sully followed them
to the Yellowstone and established Fort
Buford. Upon this post and ON the
steamboats, and immigrants to Montana
they kept up unceasing war, often keep
ing the garrison at Buford in state OF
siege for weeks at time, and murder
ing every straggler who went outside
the post. An attempt was made to
treat with them in 1866, but after ac-
cepting the presents and securing some
ammunition Sitting Bull broke up the
council, and the Commissioners escaped
to the fort across the river. When Red
Cloud and Spotted Tail made peace at
Laramie, Sitting Bull stubbornly refus-
ed to come in. All that year he made
war on the steamboats, and commerce
of the Missouri, massacreing several
small boat-loads of returning miners,
and capturing large quantities of gold
dust, which he traded for arms with the
northern half-breeds. In 1867 he threat
ened the Gallatin Valley in Montana,
when the Montana Volunteers were
raised to meet him. In 1868 he attack
ed the settlement of Muscleshell, and
suffered defeat, losing thirty-six warri-
ors. The settlers having notice of his
coming
AMBUsCADED HIM IN RAvINE
outside the town. Although the attack
was made by the Sioux on the village,
this battle was denounced as a 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 hees, tire f5nusIIvr.v., s->a III o4lo-
tribes friendly to the whites, varying it
by an occasional attack on the Missouri
River forts.
In 1870 General Hancock, then COM
manding that department, thought of
organizing an expedition to bring Sit
ting Bull to terms; but as there was a
prospect of the extension of the North
ern Pacific Railroad, which would SIM
plify operations, he recommended an
other attempt to buy peace with him
until that road should be pushed
into the Big Horn country. On this
recommendation, backed by the assur-
ance of the Peace Commission and the
Interior Department, Congress voted
$500, 900 to make peace and support
him. This was the Teton-Sioux appro-
priation, Sitting Bull himself claiming
to be Teton, though his followers are
outlaws and hard customers from all the
bands of the Sioux nation. Considera-
BILE criticism has been made on the ex-
penditure of this appropriation. 1t re-
suited in bringing to the Fort Peck
Agency portion of his following, but
he refused to treat himself. Next year
General Custer went out with the North
ern Pacific surveying party, and twice
defeated Sitting Bull or at least repulsed
his attacks. One of his bands invaded
the Gallatin Valley in 1872 and carried
off 500 horses, after
NUMBERING A NUMBER OF FARMERS
In 1873 he made a night attack on
Colonel Baker but was repulsed and
pursued. In 1874 he drove the Crows
from their reservation and agency, and
made war on all peaceable Indians.
The Peace Commission, finding him in
tractable, now began to demand that
the army take the offensive and subdue
him, and this request has been frequent
ly repeated by the Peace Commissioners
and the Interior Department until the
War Department has acted on it. Last
year some of his followers went down
to meet the Commission in conference
with the Red Cloud Sioux, and came
near precipitating a massacre of the
Commission. Sitting Bull himself re-
fused to go in, and spent the summer
in attacks on the Crow Agency and on
the Montana settlers. He captured a
government wagon-train'o on the Carol
road, murdered number of recruits
going to Montana posts, and captured
the Carroll Stage Company. Such have
been his exploits up to the bloody his
tory Of 80 present year. He defies the
governIf IN the,d ! hopes that, he can get
the Sioux 'ottfeion to join him. If they
will only do$Sjs. he promises to drive
the whites lssSMto the sea, out Of
which they d. He utterly disbe'
lieves the report Of Red Cloud and 9th
ers who have visited the East as to th'
numbers of the whites they saw. HI
says their eyes We're dazzled by ba'
medicine (magic). Ordinarily his fol
lowers comprise not more than 200 o
! 200 LODGES: hut there is M doubt tina