The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-17
) BRING THEM IN.
Wnat an \ ohicer Thinks of the Can.
tureS q the Hostiies' Camp.

Wnat an X ohicer Thinks of the Cap
tur3S 4 the Hostiies' Camp.
Major Evan Miles, of the Twenty-ffth
infantry, arrived from Missoula yesterday
and is registered at The Helena. Major
Miles is not off to the scene of the Indian
troubles. though he has seen considerable
warfare and campaigning in that line dur :
ing MS many years OF army service in the
northwest. He is in Helena on other busi-
ness just at present, though his command
has been sent further east, part being at
Fort Keogh and part at Fort Custer. The
major was very much interested in the re-
ports about the killing Of Sitting Bull,
whom he had seen and whose character he
was able to depict from personal knowl-
edge OF the old chief and from association
with the Indians of the Sioux and other
tribes.
Sitting Bull, Major Miles saws. was at
heart cowardly Indian. He could plan
trouble, but knew how to keep out of it. In
this messiah craze he let the other people
DO the dancing, but kept out of it himself.
After the Custer massacre, a great mistake
was made in taking him east, and putting
nlm = M. on exhibition and making
that he was of great Importance, and that
it was necessary for the government to do
something to appease him and keep him
from making trouble. The people at the
agency mistrusted him. rs they knew he
was treacherous. Sitting Bull knew this,
and as he had considerable influence among
MS people, ne used it to keep mp the idea
OF his Importance. But for him the othe r
Indians would be satisfied to take up Ian
in severalty.
IF it is true that the troops have captured
sitting Bulls camp, with the women and
children, 1t will have q good effect on the
hostile Indians" continued the major.
Strange as it may seem the Indians are
much attached to their families. When
they 60 on the war-path, if they can run
their women and children off in the noun
talns where the soldiers cannot reach them
the Indians can keep up their fighting for
long time. # driven out Of one place
women and children captured, the chances
are the Indians will soon be found go
ing into the agency. The killing of
Sitting Bull and the others, however, may
render them timid for awhile. Another
thing which think has surprised the In
dams is the rapid concentration Of troops
by means of the railroads. That is some
thing they have not been used to in previ-
GUS troubles, when it was hard work to get
troops overland. think, too, it will have
some influence on them hereafter. The
time has gone by when they could get out
OF reach. There is no place that they can
go now to hide. They cannot 20 to Canada,
because troops could be carried by rail to
head them off,
Time and railroads have changed the sit
uation greatly since Major Miles, then in
command of the Twenty first infantry, had
to march through the hills during the Nez
Perces war. Part Of the journey was made
by wagon trains and part by pack trains.
Now there is scarcely region that cannot
be approached by rail to within conven-
lent distance.
Major Miles says the messiah craze pre-
vailed among the Indians in Washington
territory years ago. The Indians did no
damage, but were allowed to dance it ont.