Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-08

writes to Agent Meeker 40 follow:
Sir: l shall o with my entire com
mand to ome convenient camp near an,
within striking distance Of your agency
reaching such point during the 10Th. l shal
then halt and encamp the troops, and pro
csed to the agency with my guide and iiv.
soldiers, IS recommended in your letter o
the 27th inst. Then and there I will b,
ready to have q conference with you auG
the Indians, % that 10 understanding MAJ
be arrived at and my course Of action deter
mined. l have carefully considered whe,h
er or not it would be advisable to have my
command at . point q distant % that desir-
ed by the Indians who were In my camp las,
night, and have reached the conclusion that
under my ORDER, which require me to march
this command to the agency, I am not At
liberty to leave it at q point where it would
not be available in case of trouble. You
are authorized to say for me to the Indians
that my course of conduct 10 entirely depen-
dent on them. Our desire is to avoid trou.
bic, and We have not come for war. l re-
quested. you, In my letter Of the 26th, to
meet me on the road before I reached the
agency. l renew my request that you do 90,
aud further desire that you bring such chiefs
Is may wish to accompany you.
Under date Of Z p. m., Sept. %, Agent
Meeker replied
DEAR Sin: I expect to leave in the
morning with Douglas and Serrick to meet
you. Things are peaceable, and Douglass
flies the United States dag. If you have
trouble in getting through the canon to-day
let me know. We have been on guard three
nights. and shall be tonight not because
Ne know there is danger, but because there
may me. 1 like your last programme. 1t
is based on true military principles.
l give these letters entire, because l be.
lieve that Major Thornburgh acted from
beginning to end exactly right. So did
Mr.. Meeker, and the crimes afterward
committed rest wholly on the Indians.
The report then recites the events incl
dent to the death of Major Thornburgh, the
killing of Lieut.. Weir and the murder Of
Agent Meeker, and embodies various dis
patches aud military orders heretofore
published) relating to subsequent move.
ments Of troops.
The following dispatch will show the OBJ
jects arrived at and orders existing at this
moment of time
Headquarters of the Army, Washington,
Oct. 24.-General P. H. Sheridan, Com
handing Division, Chicago: l have re-
ceived your three dispatches of yesterday
giving an account of the killing of Lieut..
Weir and the strength of your forces at
White River and Forts Garland and Lewis.
All these seem strong enough and are we'll
commanded. Let all preparations proceed,
and be ready the moment 1 give word to
pitch in. Should Agent Adams fail in his
mission, l understand the civil authorities
will stand aside and the military will take
absolute control Of this whole Ute question
and settle it for good and all. Meantime
humanity to captive women and friendly
Utes, even Of the White River agency, justi-
fed this seeming waste of time.
w. T. SHERMAN, General.
The report continues:
All the world now knows that Special
Agent Gen. Charles Adams. of Colorado,
appointed by the secretary of the interior to
conduct these negotiations with the hostile
Utes, has partially succeeded in his mission,
has obtained the surrender of Mrs. and Miss
Meeker, Mrs. Price and two children, who
are alread, safe with their friend. He is
now supposed TO be again with the hOstlles
on Grand river, en%deavoring to effect the
other conditions required OF the Utes by the
honorable secretary of the interior, who is
primarily responsible for the entire manage.
ment OF the case. l certainly applaud the
courage and energy thus far displayed b.
Gen. Adams, and hope he will fully and
completely succeed IN his praiseworthy
mission, and yet believe that prudence de.
mands that military preparations and pre-
cautions shall not slacken. Thus far We
have lost eleven citizens, " officers, and
twelve soldiers killed, and forty. one wound.
ed. The Indians admit Q loss of thirty nine
warriors killed, so that they have not much
reason to boast.
The report next treats of the Apache raid,
and states that troops are in pursuit, but
nothing definite can be given o. yet. 1.-The
Apaches." the general says, 'only resort to
agencies to rest, reeuperate and make ready
for the next war. l infer that as soon Us
winter comes they will return to the agen-
cles and be good"
Gen. Sherman refers at som length to
last summers incursions of Indians from
sitting Bulls camp, and kindred subjects.
and remarks that some more permanent se.
curity must be found than results from the
goodwill of our neighbors. He therefore
recommends that congress be asked to ap.
proprlste $100,000 to complete Fort As.
siniboine. and 100000 to build a new post
near Wood mountain, and says:
10 this connection l also beg to submit
nv conviction that very soon the progress
of events will make it absolutely necessa-
~ to move all Indians now located on the
upper Missouri, viz. Arickarees, Gros
ventres. Plegans, Bloods. and Crows, to
the sioux reservation below Cannon-bsll
creek, and to open for actual settlers all the
land in the region north and west of that
reservation.
General Sherman reports q highly salts
factory condition Of affairs in the department
OF Texas, especially along the RIO Grande
frontier: The large immigration which has
poured into Texas having now extended to
what were formerly her waste lands. the
removal of some of the frontier posts furth.
er west 10 necessary, and Gen. Sherman
therefore indorses the recommendation
made to him by Gen. Ord for congressional
appropriations to construct military noats
on the new western frontier.
Referring TO the troubles caused during
the past year BY attempted immi. ration to
the Indian territory from the southern bord.
er Of Kansas, Gen. Sherman says the deli
cate duty imposed on the military was ad.
nlrably performed by troops under orders
from Gen. Pope.
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