The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-07-12
SITTING BULL.


The Missouri Riccr StcattO,cs Up Part
! of His Lodges.
| John Howard, a scout and spy, who
had orders from his commander, Gen.
Miles, to penetrate the English posses
sions, and secure, if possible, an inter
view with Sitting Bull, has returned
from his successful trip, and reports the
result of his adventure, which is set
forth in written account forwarded to
Gen. Sheridan from Gen. Terry's head
quarters.
Sitting Bulls camp is situated about
thirty miles northwest from Pinto Horse
Duties, on the east bank OF a small
stream known as Frenchman creek. He
had no difficulty III entering the camp
They were well mounted and armed,
though he could not discover that they
had very much ammunition. He asked
Sitting Bull how it happened that SO
many warriors were occupying SO small
a camp. The chief explained that they
had met with serious disaster last win
ter. Before crossing over the line into
British America they were encamped
for some weeks on the ice in the Mis-
souri, river. One night, or rather one
morning, before the Indians had begun
to stir around the camp, everybody was
awakened by crashing sound that
seemed to proceed from the bowels of
the mighty river under them, and this
was quickly followed by a tremendous
upheaval of ice. Through the huge
oriices thus opened the water rushed in
torrents, and the play of the ''Sea of
Ice" was enacted by Sitting Bulls
troupe as it never had been upon any
stage. The squaws and papooses left
everything and reached shore after the
most arduous climbing over the broken
ice. The bucks had hard work to save
any portion Of the camp equipage, and
still harder work to save their lives.
About eighty lodges were carried under
by the cakes of ice, no portion of them
being recovered, as they were finally
sucked under the solid ice. A number
of horses which were on the river at the
time were drowned, while a number o
guns, a large stock of ammunition, and
quite an assortment of plumber, captured
and stolen during the last years cam
paign, were lost in the general break
up. This disaster left many of the In
dams destitute of lodges, horses, guns
and ammunition, and, as they had to b(
provided for, Sitting Bulls camp has
been crowded ever since, the sleeping
accommodations especially being yer,
meager.
Howard reports finding the young
warriors under Sitting Bull very cage
for another combat with the soldiers
The bucks were engaged in making az
, rows and war-clubs, and the women wer,
manufacturing large number of small
> lodges, using from eight to ten skin
each.
Soon after Towards arrival in CAM
a distinguished party of Canadians pal,
a visit to Sitting Bull. Tile visitors wer
| Mais. Walsh and Irving, Capts. Clark
and Allen, and twelve troopers. The
were on tour of inspection. All TIN
gentlemen named are members of Par
lament, and Maj. Irving is sub Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs Mai. WaIsl
invited Howard to the council between
, the Canadians and Sitting Bull. Whel
+ the council had been organized, Mai
Walsh told Sitting Bull that so long a
he remained on their side of the line an,
, behaved himself he would be entitled t.
, receive the protection OF the British Gov
. eminent, but that if he crossed tn
, boundary on to American soil for preda
p tory purposes he would be arrested an,
, held as a prisoner Immediately on hi
return. The Major then asked hin
l which side of the line he proposed to sc
f lect for his future home Sitting Bul
n replied: eff [ cross the line [ shall neye
S return to the English side again. hay
S not given away my country, which stil
I consider my home"
f The size and strength of the hostil
o. camps north of the line is reported b
G Howard as follows: Sitting Bull, -
Or lodges, $50 warriors; Black Moon, 30
lodges, 600 warriors; Long Dog, 6
F.. lodges, $50 warriors. Total number c
G lodges, 397; total number of warriors
o 1,300.
e AS Sitting Bulls young men have
from all accounts, resolved to give til
# soldiers another little brush before cor
T senting to return to the agencies, Gen
v Miles has been ordered to accommodate
n them at his earliest convenience