Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-01-12
ABOUT SITTING BILL.
POPLAR CREEK, Montana Territor
Dacambar 06tb 1890

condition of things at the seat of war, is
the object of this communication.
On about the 10Th day of October,
Capt. B. Reed, with two companies of
the 18th Infantry arrived here with or
ders to build quarters and remain here
during the winter, and to keep the hos
tile Indians away from here entirely.
About the 10th of November the Call
arrived with about 40 lodges (this Indian
is Sitting Bulls chief soldier and counse-
lor, and made known his intention to
remain here. Captain Reed ordered him
away but he was answered, in the" Gall s"
usual style, that he would not go and was
eady to fight.
! This end however was not wished by
the Captain with his limited force of men,
60 in number, so he telegraphed the con-
dition of things to the Department Com
mander, Gen. A. III. Terry at St Paul.
In reply he was ordered not to make
any aggressive movement, as Che had not
force enough, but to act on the defensive
entirely. At this time General Terry
has special scout out in Sitting Bull's
camp, trying to induce Sitting Bull and
| his people to come in and surrender
| peaceably; this was the second trip of
Scout Allison, to S. B.. each time taking
a load of provisions to make his heart
good. 1t has always been the opinion
here that this gplan would not work, and
we do not think it will yet.
About the LIST inst, Capt Bell came
here from Buford with company of 9TH
Cavalry, and in counsel shortly after
his arrival with the Call and the leading
men of the hostile element here, he told
them he would give them two days to
make up their minds whether they would
surrender or fight The"Gall made very
able speech, in which he complained Of the
whites crowding him out of his land and
still demanding his horses and guns; he
said he could not understand it. he
also told them that as this was his land
and the Military had no business here,
he intended to stay where he was; the
two days expired, and Call remained
in his position and Captain Bell held his
contrary to the expectations of many |
do not know whether Captain Bell was
ordered not TO attack them or not, but at
any rate there was no hair flying on the
expiration of the allotted time
On the oath inst, Major Eges of the
9th U. ). Infantry arrived from Fort
ke0gh with 250 men, and then we al
l)oke for SO n definite Ooarltina; the
Major means what he says as the Indians
well know
Yesterday the Call and his men were
called for counsel, and Major Elges
opened the talk with the following:
81 have but little to say, but what ]
say you must understand | am sent
here by the President to tell you, you
and your people must go either to Fort
keogh or Fort Buford, and surrender |
will give you till noon tomorrow to de-
eide, and you must think we'll of this
matter for if you do not surrender you
will have to fight, for you can not stay
here and You must leave, by force if
necessary"
The Major, told them that the Presi-
dent and himself was their friends, and
| did not want to hurt them. They would
be ted and their arms and horses would
| be sold to buy them cattle.
The Gall" however, expressed his in
tentlon to stay with the usual Indian
| talk
Here it stands, anu at noon to-day. we
think we will either see them surrender
| ing or fighting, | will now close
e. ID. RICHARDS.
Dec. 9th.
At II o'clock to-day, the Gall" ex-
pressed his willingness to surrender but
said he had sent message to Sitting
Bull advising him to come in and surren-
der, and that he expected an answer in
days.
Major Elges, concluded to wait till
word from 5. B. was received in order
that he might get his views on this mat
ter. " Rain in the Face" is with Bull
and think he will not agree to surrender,
| if he does not S. B. will not be in.
Again the military has given the hostiles
here chance to run, and it is the
opinion OF mountain men that should the
weather moderate they will rejoin Sitting
Bull and defy the military.
;. b. is now camped about 40 miles
above here on what is known as the BIG
Bend on the Milk River and as the buf,
falo are all around him he suffers not
from starvation or cold.
He is supplied by Canadian traders
with ammunition; there being no law for
bidding its sale in Canada.
1t mas been reported to Washington
| Officially that Wood Mountain, Canada,
is rendezvous for horse thieves and
point from which arms and ammunition
are supplied to American hostile Indians
and by a copy of letter of the Honor
able Secretary Of State to the Honorable
Secretary of the Interior, sent here for
this Offices information, it seems that Sir
Edward Thornton, Her Britannia Males
tvs Minister at Washington has been
asked to call the attention of his Govern
ment to this place and if possible that
the Canadian authorities remedy this
! evil If this is done it will cause S. B.
surrender, sooner than any other meas
ures that could be taken, as it will de-
prive his people of arms and ammunition
with which they need to get their provis-
| ion, and starve him to surrender,
There has been negotiations during
| the Dast wear going on hetwaan Mo;or