Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-10-17
1hs Daily fress aud Dxkstai1s
fhas1oh Otyork
Wednesday Evening, October ". 1871
TINE YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY.

Gen. s~is-r'na"'s Views Regarding The New
Country.
The following il an extract from Gen.
Sherman's report TO the secretary Of war in
regard 10 his observations in the Yellow
region:
The Rosebud was boarded by 4 p. m. on
the 9th. dropped down from Bismarck three
miles to Fort Lincoln to take W on board,
and began the assent Of the Missouri, which
was full, with q strong current. It was
about "a large and Of the same character ~
at Sioux City. In three days We reached
Fort Buferd, on the north bank, just below
the mouth Of the Yellowstone. We stopped
there over the night of the 18th. making as
much Of an inspection a. the mosquitoes
would allow, and At daybreak on the 18th
resumed the trip entering the Yellowstone,
which for a hundred miles seemed almost a,
large ~ the Missouri, with numerous is
lands, and a vide valley. Thisvalley con-
tracted after about a hundred miles, and the
river changed its character somewhat, being
lined IN either side with fantastic hills,
known as "Bad Lands" making short bends
with a powerful current, against which We
had slow Roadway, but in four days we
reached this p ,st, on the south bank Of the
Yellowstone, just above the mouth Of Ton
que river. The troops, mostly the Fifth
infantry, still occupy the huts made last
winter, but a new post is in process Of con-
struction, about a mile higher, and half a
mile back from the Yellowstone, the ground
being higher and leas in danger Of an over.
flow.
General Miles is in command here-has
about 300 Indian prisioncrs-says none of
the boats on the river this year have been
molested-that all the hostiles which twarm-
ed hereabouts last year are gone. the grea-
ter part to the agencies, while Sitting Bull
has taken refuge across the border in Cana
da, about $50 miles north. When the new
post is finished. which will be before winter,
the troops will be comfortably quartered,
and the Indians cannot return. Already a
class Of frontiersmen are making ranches
and settlements hereabouts, and in a few
years VI can make the route to Montana by
way Of the Yellowstone as safe as he Platte
and Arkansas, thus forcing the hostile Indi-
ans to break up into small and harmless
parties. For tome years hence we will
have to keep a pretty strong garrison here,
because, besides defending this point, detach-
ments must go out to protect other threaten
ed points, and to follow any small parties
engaged in depredations. In other words,
the forts along this line will not only have
to defend themselves, but be able to send
out strong detatchments.
There is a great deal of valuable country
along the line of the Northern Pacific rail.
road. That road, from Duluth to Bismarck,
although a financial failure, has been, and
will continue to be, Of advantage to the
country at large. AS far as Bismarck it il
done, and we'll done. The next link, from
Bismarck TO the mouth ofPowder River, il
very important. 1t will be q distance o
$50 miles but will cut off 800 miles of tn
Missouri river, and $50 Of the Yellowstone
leaving the Yellowstone, from Powde
river to the mouth Of the Big Horn. 70
navigation. The valleys Of the uppe
Yellowstone afford lands capable Of cultiva
ton in wheat, corn, oats, barley, and al
garden vegetables, with IN unlimited rang
for cattle, horses, and sheep, ctr. I don
know a single enterprise in which tn
United States has more interest than in tn
extension Of the Northern Pacific ~railroa,
from its present terminus at Bismarck
the mouth Of the Powder river on the Vel
lowstone. After that is done We can safel
leave to the time the extension of the roa
to the head of navigation of the Columbi
river. After a couple Of months l ca
speak with more confidence on that poin
l now regard the Sioux Indian profile,
as q war question as solved by the opel
atoms of General Miles last winter, and b
the establishment ofthe two new posts thi
summer. Boats can come and 20 nov
where a year ago, nom would venture. e,
cept with strong guards. Wood yards a,
being established to facilitate nayigatio,
and the great mass Of the hostile Indiar
have been forced to go to the agencies f
food and protection, or have fled across tt
border into British territory.
have driven all about this post, locke
into the barracks, which are as yet mel
huts of cottonwood posts, with dirt foo
and dirt roofs, but soon will be replaced /
i, good frame barracks and quarters. Tt
, stores of all kind on hand are abunda,
and good, SO that no apprehension is felt c
account Of the enemy or the severity Of Il
: winter. Six small companies Of infantl
are here, two more are en- route, and 70,
are mounted on captured ponies aud a.
i, out on q scout. The seventh cavalry il al
near here, scouting to the north, but di.
, cOyer no marEa Of an enemy.