Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-09
and oil will be we'll when the great father
hears about yeu."
The council adjourned till morning. .
Gen. CROOKS REPoRr.

~ ~ aAtr LHITar-EIEE NAEN.a N-.~.
He Reviews the Subject OF Indians and
Indian troubles.
Washington, Nov. 6.-Brigsdier General
George Crook, commanding the department
of the Platte, has sent his annual report TO
the general OF the army, He reviews the
trouble with the Sioux, and the killing OF
Crazy Horse who engaged In mutiay a
veal. ago last summer; also the removal Of
the Red Cloud aud Spotted Tail agencies
to the Missouri in the month of Novem.
Der, 1877. lowing to the ~lateness Of the
season" be says, "this march was attended
with much suffering, and the removal itself
was a, source Of great dissatisfaction to the
people of these tribes" The capture of
the Nez Perces last fall is also fully de-
scribed, all of which is we'll known from
newspaper publications.
Ia regard to the condition Of affairs
among the 'Shoshone and Bannock Indians,
who were recently 10 revolt, General Crook
says:
/ visited this agency In March and April
last. = y y 1.-THE superintendent of
rations for the supply Of this agency was
ridiculously inadequate, the Indians com.
planned that three days out of seven they
had nothing to eat, and the agent informed
me that the allowance had never been suffi-
cient. at once 'telegraphed the state of
affairs to the department, and urged that
something be done Immediately to remedy
it. 1t was a matter OF surprise to no one
acquainted with the facts, that some Of
these Indians should soon after break out
into hostilities. The great wonder is that
so many of them have remained SO long on
their reservation. With the Bannocks and
S%hoshones our Indian policy has resolved
itself into a question Of war-path or starva-
ton and, being human. many OF them will
always choose the former alternative, in
which death shall at least be- glorious.
They cannot hunt for subsistenccs 40 the
influx Of immigration is each day adding to
the Gordon of settlements around them; and
|if, for:any purpose, they leave their agency,
ifis only the merest accident In The world
that they can avoid a conflict otAs0me kind
with the whites"
These savages know nothing, and can
be made to understand nothing. of such
things, as the ~"lailure Of an appropriation, }"
or the cumbersome and dilatory complica-
tons of administrative "red tape" They
only know that we have promised faithfully
to feed and clothe them, and teach them to
earn their own living, and they insist upon
our living up to the contract or they will
if driven 10 the war. path, wreak their ven
geance upon the unprotected ranchman anG
miners around them.
"They, too, are dissatisfied that, while
they have been for years our steadfas
friends and allies, the Sioux, so lately GU
bitter enemies, have twice the amount o
supplies that is provided for Them"
General Crook comments upon the condi
tion of the,force under his command, which
is good, but complains that it is inadequat
to the demands made upon it, and Insult
cient for the protection of the frontier.
In regard to the removal of the Sioux o
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies, Gen
Crook reports that the Indians Seemed dis
%trustful of the promises made them by th,
president, and feared. that they would no
be carried out in good faith. After man,
assurances that they would be carried Out
they consented to the removal"
upon my arrival at the agencies Octo
Der II, 1 found part of the Indian supple
exhausted, and the remainder would be s,
at the end Of the month. l also found tina
the transportation provided by the India,
department for the removal of the Indian
could not possibly reach them in time
Therefore, prompt action was necessary
With the consent of higher authority, l
assisted the Indians by scraping together al
of the army transp %,rtation within reach.
inprovising many teams of broken down
cavalry horsts, by much effort, many Of the
Indians going on foot; and, by their con.
senting to snbsist on beef during the march
| was able finally to get them off. Had
been required to send any additional troops
with them, it would have been impossibl,
for the move to have been made in time"