Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-12-05
The Infantry Would Be Useless in a
Warfare With the
Indians.
He Estimates the Number of Hostile
indians in the West at Four
Thousand,
SAdvices From Forts Sully and Ben,
nett Say That the Gold
Weather
Has Put a Stop to the Ghost Dance
s and No More Trouble Is
w Feared.
interviewing General Miles.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2-General Miles,
who has been in Washington since
last Saturday night, in consuIta-
ton with Secretary Proctor. General
Schofeld and Secretary Noble upon mat
tiers relating to the Indian situation in the
northwest, left for Chicago to-day.
"The causes of this difficulty" said GEN
eral Miles, rare easy of location. Insufi-
cient food supplies, religious delusion and
the irate disposition of the savage to 90 to
wal must be held responsible" "Are cam
paign preparations on the part of the gov
eminent complete was asked. mot
quite" replied the general. Everything
will be ready in a few days though. The
troops and supplies are en- route and will
be available very speedily. All that is
possible is being dOne to encourage the
layal and reduce the number and influence
of the hostile, and in this way an outbreak
may be averted. | sincerely hope there
WILDE no hostillties, for a general upris-
ing would be a most serious affair."" "HOw
contend with 2" Taking them altogether
there are in the northwest about 10000 who
are affected by the Messiah craze. That
means fully 5000 fighting men. Of this
number at least one-third would not 60 on
the wal path, 50 that leaves us with about
Indians in the Indian territory who will
need to be watched if active operations
take place. -Four thousand Indians can
make an immense amount OF trouble.
But one fifth of that number were con-
cerned in the Minnesota massacre, yet they
killed more than 500 settlers in a very
strength of your force" General Miles
avoided the question somewhat by re-
ferring to the great necessity which exist
ed for more cavalry. "AltOgether," he
said, "we have about 1900 mounted men.
We have infantry, but you cannot catch
mounted Indians with white soldiers on
foot. The infantry had M or two good
fights in 1867 7 but such engagements are
rare in frontier warfare"
as it moi a novel proceeding for Indians
to go on the warpath at the beginning of
winter" queried the reporter. "Yes, in
some respects it is" replied the general.
Their argument is good, though. They
are better armed now then they ever We're
be desired. Every buck has a Winchester
rife, and he knows how to use it. In the
matter of subsistence they are taking but
little risk. They can live on cattle just as
well as they used to live on buffalo, and
the numerous horse ranches will furnish
Lnem WIN IreSn SCOck Wnen cOlu ana
starvation ruin their mounts. The north
ern Indian is hardy and can suffer a great
deal. These hostiles nave been starved into
fighting, and they will prefer to die fight.
ing rather thar starve peacably. l hope
the problem may be solved without blood
shed, but such a happy ending to the
trouble seems improbable. An outbreak
would cost the lives of a great many brave
mel and the destruction of hundreds of
homes in the northwest. Ii peace is posi-
BILE we will have it."