Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-01-15
UP FER MISSOURI.
REPORT OF GEN. NELSON A. MILES.

Especial Telegram to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Jan. 14.-An interest
ing sketch of the Upper Missouri country is
presented by Gen. Nelson A. Miles in COM
munication recently made to the war depart
ment. It shows fully the vast extent of ter
ritory over which the Indians have permits
sion to roam. He says:
The country near the Little Rocky and Bear
Paw mountains is the fnest Indian country
have found from Texas to the northern bound
airy. Over the extensive area of country north
of the Missouri and between the Missouri and
Yellowstone grass was found in abundance,
and the soil will produce every kind of grain
as we'll as vegetables. Mai Walsh, of the
Northwestern mounted police, has produced
excellent vegetables, as we'll as grain, this sea-
son at Wood mountains, while the Indians at
Wolf Point and Fort Keogh and the garrisons
at keOgh and Custer have excellent gardens.
No section of country Astounding in such
pasturable richness can be found in the United
States. The horses, m ules, and cattle keep in
better condition than in any territory that
have ever passed over. 1t is my opinion that q
commission should be authorized to examine
into the condition of the Indians in this Sec
| tlOn of country, with a view of lettering their
condition and allowing them such lands as will
be required for their future. A few thousand
Indians at present roam over an area of coun-
try equal in extent to five States the size of
Pennsylvania. What is needed for the Indians
| should be given them and the remainder
thrown open for settlement. Large tracts of
country that are now held is said to have been
reserved through the influence and for the ben
eft Of few INSCRIPTIONS traders. At the
same time the system of government does not
| tend to improve the Indians, neither are their
| annuitles sufficient to supply their necessities
| or of a kind to do them the most good.
| The Bannock Indians that were captured
OLo year ago have been held at Fort Keogh and
| recently returned to Fort Hall agency. They
have not given the least trouble, and assert
that the only cause of their outbreak was the
fact that they were cheated and starved at
| their agency.
| The warriors Of this band were taken with
the command and used against the Sioux, ren-
| deriug good service. They are an active hardy
mountain race OF Indians, accustomed to the
| high altitude Of the Rocky Mountains, where
it they are justly treated, they would support
themselves and remain at peace.
desire to invite especial attention to the
Indians that remain at Fort Rough. Those
that were surrendered and captured and
brought to this place in abject poverty. utterly
| broken down, by fair treatment, and without
| annuities or appropriations of Congress, have
| supported themselves. The funds realized from
the sale of ponies surrendered by them have
given them good herd of domestic cattle, and
by their own industry they have cultivated an
extensive field, and will this season raise an
abundance of vegetables, sufficient to last them
during the winter and until next summer.
When these Indians were with the hostiles they
were regarded by the Sioux as the most active
and bravest Indians on the plains; but since
their surrender they have become perfectly
loyal and the bitter enemy of the Sioux; they
have proved their fidelity with no less than
eight difficult expeditions and in five engage
ments, and in every way have shown a desire
to better their condition and remain at peace
with the white people. They are exceedingly
useful auxiliaries scouts and in picking up
small parties Of hostile Indians.