The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-11-02
The Disarming Of Indians at Standing
Rock.

ing and dismounting the Indians here
had reached us early last week, but were
generally ~discredited until Sunday last.
when it became known that troops were
approaching from above on both sides
of the river. We were not long in
drawing our W inference from the
above fact, and it proved in the end
that the Indians were also pretty well
informed on the same subject.
MOVEMENT OF THE TROOPS.
At half-past two a line was quietly
formed by the battalion under command
of Colonel Poland for dress parade,
after which the men changed their car
fridge boxes for the field belt and were
ready and eager for any duty that might
be required Of them, particularly that
of hunting Indians. And right here
let me say that no finer body of men can
be found in the department than the
nine companies stationed at this point
under General Carlin's command. As
| the line was forming for parade General
| Terry and the column Of cavalry ap-
preaching on the west side, which. was
met near the Standing Rock, two and a
half miles from the agency. aN
THE DIsARMINa COMMENCED.
In the meantime Colonel johnson
with his company of the First Infantry
had moved up to Wolf Necklaces camp
and the work of disarming his band and
taking in the ponies, such as were within
| reach, was soon accomplished. Gener-
! al CarIin, after seeing the work of dis
arming Wolf Necklaces band well I'M
der way, at once rode back to the post
and with the other eight companies of
infantry, comprising the garrison, pro-
ceeded rapidly below to the Black Feet
and Uncapapa camps. AT this time the
view obtained on either side of the river
| esting. The column on the east side,
| consisting Of eight companies of the
| Seventh Cavalry and three Of infantry,
under General Sturgis, was also evident
ly nearly at hand.
ALARM OF II INDIANS.
Both Indians and ponies could be seen
fleeing over the bluffs in every direction.
On the west side General Terry had
placed the entire charge of affairs in the
hands Of General Carlin, who, with
Lieutenant Roach and his detachment
of scouts, had ridden rapidly down to
Grass's camp. The Indians were in a
high state of alarm and excitement and
were running constantly from their
lodges into the timber and thick under
brush back of the camp. Colonel Reno
with his four companies of the Seventh
Cavalry, rode down rapidly from above
the agency, and passing about a mile to
the rear of the post, FASTENED to place
himself both below and between the
Indian camps and the bluffs, and in do
ing SO prevented several parties of In
dams with ponies from escaping.
THE INDIANS QUIETED.
AS soon as possible General .Carlin
endeavored to quiet the alarm of the
Indians in camp by assuring them that
they might fear no personal harm them
selves, but they must give up all their
arms and ponies, and that it must be
done at once, without the least delay.
An Indian is, however, W able to
comprehend or understand without time
for study or thought and an opportunity
to talk, and so it proved at this time.
1t was already getting late and the sun
was fast sinking behind the hills in the
west.
SEARCHING THE LODGES.
The infantry under Colonel Poland
had by this time arrived, and been de-
ployed as skirmishers in real of the
camp in a single line nearly a mile in
extent. General Carlin at once gave
orders for this line to advance, and in
passing through to search every lodge
carefully for arms and to afterward
scour the underbrush and timber. No
resistance of any kind vas attempted,
and in fact it would have been entirely
useless.
ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
1t frequently happened, in passing
through the timber, one or two men
would run Unexpectedly upon a party
of Indians crouching in the underbrush
with their rifles. 1t needed but the crack
of a rifle to start the blaze, but it would
have ended in this instance in the wip-
ing out of the Indians at this agency. 1t
was dark when the work on the west
side was finished, and the command re-
turned to the post, Colonel Reno with
his battalion of cavalry going into camp
near the garrison on the east side. 1t
was late when General Sturgis got up,
and dark came on before he was able to
complete the search of all the camps.
He went into camp nearly opposite the
post, and on Monday sent ont a detach-
ment that secured quite a number OF
ponies and some few arms.
TALK TO THE CHIEFS.
General Terry about the same time
had a short talk with some few prin-
cipal chiefs at the post. 1t was short
and concise, and no opportunity was
| given for the Indians to reply. They
were told by the General that the au-
thorities at Washington had decided
that all the Indians at the agencies must
be deprived Of their arfas and ponies,
and such that had not already been
found must be brought In and given up.
Several Indians offered to go out and
bring In their herds, and quite a num-
Der have since been brought in.