American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-02-01
OUR INDIAN TROUBLES.
An Official Report to Gen. Crook Con
cernins the Outbreak at Fort Robinson.


FoRr ROBINSON, 4 eb. Jan. 15.-Upon full
investigation of the recent Cheyenne troubles
| here, find the facts rs follows On the Sd
/ inst. the head men were notified by Capt
! Vessels that the authorities in Washington
| had decided that they must go back south:
! without giving decisive answer they retired
| I" consult with their pboplet pnthe ueSt day
| Hog, as spokesman, gave an unequivocal
| negative. saying, as had the others on numer-
fifst / ft.,s having ijt,6ti eSa.itiesi' ana pro
fessed Willingness to go, were allowed to re-
by the Others. The attempt to starve and
freeze them out was now the last and only al
formative. On the 9th inst. it vas decided to
arrest Hog, rs he was the leading oppositibiis
| list He having been with difficuIty induced
to come out, was ironcd, but only after a
struggle in which a soldier was stabbed The
Ipdiaus in the PRISON. knowing of this, imme-
tiiately bbrrcadad tile doors aitt, covered the
windows with cloth to conceal their move-
ncnts, tearing up the floor and constructing
tlows. FfoIit tbs tue the prison
was like a den OF rattesnases,
and any white man who had shown his head
in the room would have met certain death.
II was supposed, of course, that the indians
Ind no Hrms other tl,aii,a few knives. Bur
Ing tho evening the building WAS quiet as q
it suspected no danger. AT ten minutes be-
fore 10 O'Clock four shots were fired from the
tinels. Shots were also fired from IL front
window into this gttatd-ro0Iii, Wounding
Goiporal -; spontaneously i a rush was made
ing out resolved to kill ant, be killed like
Ma'aNS running anu"ks fE. quart atlg! 9TH
troops gave chase. The Indians moved
south towards the creek, the squaws being
driven in a mass ahead of the men, at least
five of the latter keeping up an incessant
fire. 1t was in returning the fire that several
women and children we've killed No r-'Sfriaft
or child was Intentionally killed, and, in fact,
many officers and soldiers showed great dar-
ing in trying to save them. To take the men
prisoners was impossible, as they all
refused to surrender, and when eN-
hausted stood ut bay Snrrrai soli,ers
lost the. iives trying to capture
such men. No Indian was killed who could
have been captured. When these CheyenneS
We're first captured they were but partially |
disarmcd, and several guns and pistols were
taken from them After they had entered the
prison they had ample time TO conceal arms
under the flt,ots that place of deposit not be-
ing searched. The prison had been so guard |
ed that the theory of arms having beenilitro
duced subsequently to their incarceration Is
scarcely tenaple; yet events proved that tlle.'
had at least fifteen guns In addition to the two
obtained from the dead sentinels, and some
few rcvolvers- They are well supplied with |
knives. There are many proofs that II des
pcrate outbreak was long premeditated. The !
squaws say that the l:!ei. feared hanging. il |
THY returned south, and that in this affair |
all expected to die. From the time that they |
knew their removal decided upon they
were in such a frame of mind that, were the |
movement to be attempted in any way, it |
would simply be a question as to who should |
be killed, white man Indian. Casualties |
to date Soldiers killed, 8; wounded, I; In |
dams captured, IL killed, 32. A company
sumed the trail to day another viii start to- |
w s. SCHUYLER,
Aid dc Camp.