The New York herald., 1877-10-22
Meeting of the American
and British Officers.
A DASHING RETINUE AND ESCORT.
Appearance of Fort Walsh and
Its Surroundings.
THE INDIAN CAMPS AND TEPEES.
Remarkable Scene at the Meeting Of the Com
mission and the Sioux.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
FORT WALSH NORTHWEST TERRITORY, Oct 1871
Via HELENA, M. t.. Oct. Il, 1871 !
The United States Commission sent out by the
government to find and treat for peace and good
VIII with the Sioux chief Sitting Bun, has at length
succeeded in coming face to lace with the re-
doubtable Indian chieltain and have failed
10 bring him to any terms In short, the
commission has met Sitting Bull and
Sitting Bull has dismissed it abruptly and disdain-
fully. The expedition has failed in it's purpose and
the Sioux question is as far from satisfactory
solution as when General Terry and his brother
commissioners first set out on their long and
tedious journey to the Northwest 1t is sad to be
compelled to thus preface my despatch, but truth
compes the admission.
THE GLORIOUS DELAYS ENCOUNTERED.
The Sitting Bull Commission. which left the city
OF St. Paul, Minn, early on the afternoon OF the
i4th OF September, met on its long journey hither
with series OF delays, which were cheerfully ac-
cepted because they were glorious delays. Glo-
rious because they were rendered so by the bril-
liant and hard-won victory OF the troops under
General Nelson A. Miles at the Bear Paw Mountains
over the indomitable Chief Joseph and his band
Of Nez Perce Indians. This battle at the foot of
the mountains obliged General Terry to part with
nearly all his personal escort for a time, as the
troops were needed to guard the supplies sent for
ward to General Miles from Fort Benton, and SO
impeded the movements OF the commission
INPATIENT OF INACrTvITy
Both General Terry and General Lawrence be-
came so impatient at length their enforced inac-
tivity that they determined to move forward with
what troops were lett them. The commission
accordingly started out from Fort Benton north
ward on the 10th OF October as already teegraphed
to the HERALD, we having only fifteen or twenty
infantry men with us.
DUCKING IN THE TETON RIVER
Alter few mishaps, including the drenching Of
part OF its baggage in the waters OF the Teton
River, the party met Its original escort on the
18th at the Springs, q desolate locality, holding
few miserable pools OF water in the midst OF the
vast traveless and woodless waste of
Northern Montana. The escort, when re-
united, consisted OF three companies of the Second
regiment OF cavalry, which had taken part in
the fight with Joseph's band OF hostiles This was
under the command OF Captain George L. Tyler, OF
Company f. The commanders of the other two
companies were Second Lieutenant Edward ]. Nc
Clernand and Second Lieutenant Lowell H. Jerome.
was under command of Major Henry b. Freeman, OF
the Seventh infantry.
An INCENTIVE FOR SPEED
A message received that night from Colonel Nc
Leod, the Chief Commissioner of the Dominion no
lice force announced that Sitting Bull had been
INDUCED to repair with few Of his Sioux chiefs to
Fort Walsh. forty five miles north OF the Canadian
boundary. where it was believed he would consent
10 hold conference with the American commls-
sion. This news came very welcome and natu.
rally spurred the Commissioners into increased
speed, and induced them to enter on series OF
hasty and forced marches
a TWO DAYS HURRIED JOURNEY.
The ensuing two days were consumed in travel.
ling forward at a to!eraby rapid pace across the
lonesome and forbidiIng Bad Lands, the animals
npon which we dcpeded to carry us TO our destna,
lion, drinking occasionally from the alkaline pools
encountered from time to time on the toIlsomc
route. Dry camps g., camps where 10 decent
drInkablc water could be obtained--were made on
our haltlng for the night The water IN the can.
teens carried by officers and men soon became
acrd and painful to the tongue and palate.
MUDDY WATER ASD ouIcKsASDs.
on the forenoon Of the 18TH the Journey grew
latiguing In the extreme for want OF water but
we were positively reioiced on reaching a spot
whore wc found few holes containing some stag.
nant water. About ten O'Clock tile next morning
muddy pool was encountered, but 1t being COM
pctclv surrounded BY quicksands the teams
and horses were wholly unable TO approach
the pool with safety. Various devices were
adopted such as the digging OF long trench and
the sinking OF numerous wcns, to procure the
water necessary Tor the famshing mulcs and cav.
airy stceds. But these efforts occupied consider
...~ time all, unt,i tho hnur of noon