Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-25
THE MILES EXPEDITION.


Department Headquarters-His Safety
Felt to be Fully Assured-Lieut. Johnson
Reports Sitting Bulls Forces Largely
Overestimated.
Nothing was received at department head
quarters yesterday from Gen. Miles COM
mand, nor was any communication from the
frontier relating received ANYTHING of hos
tile characture.
Notwithstanding this absence of news,
Miles expedition is the source of much con-
versation and prophecy. Among all the
army people in the city, and especially so
with Gen. Terry, no grave apprehensions of
Gen. Miles safetyexist. The belief is enter
tanned that Sitting Bulls force is largely over
estimated, and that Gen. Miles, COM
mand of 800 men will be equal
to any force of Indians which may be en-
countered. repetition of the Custer mas
sacre is foreign from the thoughts of any
one connected with the army, and is only
suggested by the unwarranted fears and sur
misses of the public.
Gen. Miles has 800 men in his command,
He has seven companies of the Fifth United
States infantry and seven of the Second
United States cavalry and seventy two Indian
scouts. These are supported by six riaed
field guns and six Hotchkiss breech loading
4-inch guns.
Clusters command consisted of 615 men
| at the time of the massacre. These he sep
arated into three detachments, retaining
under his own command 268, who were ali
slaughtered. Col. Reno's command, when
Joined by Benteen, numbered $50 men OF
thereabouts. Yet this force withstood the
Indians in open field and behind entrench-
ments until relief came up.
Gen. Miles command moves in q BODY,
numbers 800 fighting men, with artillery;
Custer had none. And il can readily be
judged, Or at any rate is the belief in mill
tary circles, that Gen. Miles will not and
cannot be made to repeat the misfortune OF
Clusters rash advance and horrible massa-
Gre.
ARRIVED FROM THE FRONT.
Lieut.. A. B. Johnson of the Seventh
| United States infantry arrived in this city
yesterday direct from the camp at the mouth
| of the Muscle Shell. He reports some OK
element in that part of the country in re-
gard to the movements of Indians, which
increases as one recedes from the field Of
operations Considerable anxiety seems t.
be felt in regard to Gen. Miles movement
but Lieut.. johnson says that the Miles OK
petition was fitted out by Gen. Terry and &c
completely organized and equipped as to b
able to defeat any column of Indian,
at all likely to risk al
engagement. OF course the repor
as to Sitting Bulls effective force is preatl,
exaggerated. His commissary department
is not very thoroughly organized and henc,
he cannot supply provisions for SO large ,
number of men. To subsist on the wal
path it is necessary to break up into small
parties. Lieut.. Johnson thinks that tn,
idea of defending HIMSELF never for on,
moment entered into Gen. Miles calcula
lions, as he is so well supplied with all of tn,
sinews OF war that he feels the superiority O
his command over any body of Indians tina
he is at all likely to meet. The genera
public need have no apprehension in regart
to the safety of that command, but may res
satisfied that should collision occur tn
Indians will be badly worsted. The CAM
at the Muscle Shell has been wei
chosen, and Col. Ilges can tax
care of that part of the country
The weather has been intensely hot, and tn
mosquitoes almost beyond human endurance
The waters of the upper Missouri have fallen
yet there is good navigation for the smalle
| boats.
| Lieutenant johnson was called to this cit
on account of the serious illness of his child
On his arrival he found that the crisis ha,
| been passed and that there was marked i'm
provement. He expects to return to hi
camp as soon as recovery is assured.