The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-06-05
SITTING BULL.
His Intentions Anything ELSE
Than Peaceable-Extensive
Preparations for a Lively
Summer Campaign.
Reports Received at military Headquarters
from the Frontier Predict Severe
Troubles.

The news from the Northwestern
frontier is daily of a more serious char
aeter, and shows the threatening atti-
tude of the hostile Indians who have
sought refuge in the British possessions.
The latest information on the subject
received at Gen. Sheridan's headquar-
tiers indicates anything but a pleasing
prospect for the Upper Missouri River
country.
Gen. John r. Brooke, Of the/Third
Infantry, commanding the District of
Montana, has information from Major
Guido Iges, Of the Seventh Infantry,
stationed at Fort Benton, NJ. T., in
reference to the temper and plans of
the hostiles on the Northern border.
Major Hges states in a communication,
that he has information received from
various and reliable sources, and Is
firmly convinced that the hostile Sioux,
Arrapahoes, C~heyennes. and other In
dams, gathered at the eastern corner
Of the Cypress Mountains, and known
as Sitting Bulls Camp" contemplate
an invasion of the United States terri
tory at an early date. Major Ilges looks
upon the situation as very serious, and
has, therefore called the attention Of
the proper authorities to the facts.
That officer believes there are assembled
at the eastern end of the Cypress Noun
tains not fewer than
1,4O0 LoDGEs AND ABOUT 1000 FIGHT
ING MEN.
While Major Irvine, of the Canadian
Mounted Police, was on a visit lately
to Fort Benton, he informed Major
Ilges that he had but little faith in the
peaceable intentions Of the Indians;
that they were defiant, and that he
greatly mistrusted them. He also sta
ted to Major Iges that the Indians
were well armed, and had plenty Of
ammunition, carrying loaded belts
around their breasts, and Major Irvine
considered the situation of SO grave a
character that he was then moving his
fort to a more eligible site for defensive
purposes. Major nges also learned
from reliable quarters that the Indians
assembled in council in Sitting Bulls
camp, and were harangued by S. Bull
for several hours.
Among the things done by Sitting
Bull on that occasion was the parading
Of about twenty Of his young men in
United States uniforms.
In Sitting Bulls speech on the occa-
sion referred to, he said that he had
left the Yellowstone because he wanted
to, and not because he was afraid. The
stencil from the dead soldiers he had
killed or the Yellowstone drove him
away. He wanted fresh air, and went
over to the British possessions to find
the sons Of the Mother Chief, but he
found none but Canadians, Snakes and
Crees, and they had lied to him. 1t
was reported to Major Ilges that Sit
ting Bull became Sc excited toward the
end Of his speech that he finally tore
his clothes into shreds, which cere-
mony preceded a grand war-dance.
Sitting Bull dispatched runners to all
the neighboring tribes on both sides of
the line, inviting them to a final council
to be held about May LIST. Major nges
reports that he has positive information
thatin response to this invitation about
sixty lodges of the American Assina-
BONES
HAvE ALREADY CROSSED THE LINE,
thirty lodges of them, under Little
Chief, remaining true. The Gros Ven
tres, with the exception of about forty
lodges, have also disappeared. The
hostiles sent warning to the half breeds
on Milk River, and the latter have left
there, twenty families coming toward
Fort Benton, the balance having gone
north. n
Under date of May s, Major nges re-
ports Gen. Brook that he had returned
May I'd from inspecting soldiers graves
on Snake Creek. At Fort Belknap he
~endeayored to ascertain the correctness
of the reports first communicated by
him. He did not find a single eros
Ventre or Assinaboine, and could not
learn their whereabouts. The people
in the Milk River country all reported
to him that these Indians had gone to
the Cypress Mountains, and Major IL
ges states that he believes all but a few
at Sweetgrass Hills had gone over the
line with no good purpose. 1t is sig
niicant that the whereabo uts of none
of these Indians should have been dis
covered, especially rs they had been
warned by Capt. Williams, of the
Seventh Infantry. The half breeds
and others on Milk River say the Sioux
were expected there when the grass
had grown. About forty-two families
of American half breeds had come in to
Benton, and sixty-ive families had
gone v er to Fort Walsh, anticipating
hostilities. On May It'll news reached
Major Ilges that the Sioux had had
their war-dance at medicine Lodge
and that many Indians were assembled
on that occasion. They intended to
start South, so the report ran, when the
grass began to sprout. In the begin
ming of May the grass is not far ad-
vanced in that country, but toward the
close If that month N 10 cu;ko LII,