Telegram-herald., 1891-01-07
A Lively Skirmish With Hostilss
Near Wounded Knee Creek.
The iediAns Attack Wagon Train,
Gut Are Driven OF With Loss--
Danger ~ Pine Ridge.


preaching the redskins scattered in all
directions. bat Immediately returned
10 attack on fadiag the small
number Of men In the detachnent
A courier was sent back &c
the camp for reinforcsments. but
In the meantime the incessant fire was
kept up on both sides, resulting in the
wosnding Of ono soldier and the killing
and weunding Of several Indians. the
exact number Of which could not be as
certAined a. the reds carried their dying
and wounded away. About three hours
after the ceurier's departure, troops
were seen coming At full gallop to the
rescue As the troops rode up the
Indians scattered in all directions. and
troop y pursued. them, but abandoned
the chase On account of darkness The
wagon train was escorted to camp in
safety.
PINE RrpeE. 8. D., via Rushville,
Neb., Jan. s.-Ths troops are closing in
On the Indians and big battle is looked
for IT any hour. Infantry is on its way
here from oelriehs and is badly needed,
as this Is the weakest point at the front.
Sunday night the half-brccds took their
turn At being frightened and stampeded
in the night for the railroad. A report
starting from dozen different sources
spread like wildfre through the camp
that many of the hostiles in the guise OF
friendlies were scattered through the
agency and would at signal each
select his IN IN. kill him and then escape
in the confusion and assist the balance
Of the hostilcs in their attack from the
outside. The force here, hardly 500
men, could be wiped ont by snch a plan,
IS the cannon would be useless
In the dark. Every one was under
arms, and sleep was too great luxury
to indulge in. Colonel Forsythc has
been suspended fer trial for the slaugh-
ter Of last Monday. Indians came in
Monday morning saying that about half
of the Indians in the hostile camp were
willing to accept General Miles terms
and come back to the agency and ask
for aid TO get away from their com.
rades.
FoRr TorrES, N. d., Jan. 8.-Rumors
are rife here that the $500 Indians on
the Turtle Mountain reservation are
liable at any moment to inaugurate
massacre of settlers living along the
North Dakota border. This band of red
men, among whom there is large num-
Der of half-breeds, have been ugly
fer a. long time. because of the hall
starved condition they are kept in by the
Government. and they have sew
eral times given trouble. The troops
at this fort are ready to do any
thing in their power to qucu an up
rising, but their power to do is
limited owing to the fact that the gar.
rison is made up of only Company &,
Twenty-second Infantry, less than 10e
men, Company b, Fifteenth Infantry,
is stationed At Fort Pembina and will be
called here in case of an outbreak. The
Immediate cause of the present trouble,
outside OF the general unrest among the
Indians in all parts of the Northwest, is
the failure Of the United States Com
mission to remove the Indians of the
Turtle Mountain reservation to White
Earth, Mimi, to which point they
asked to be sent. Commissioners
Hoyne and Malone were sent here by
President Harrison early in December,
but they remained only one day, re-
turning December 81 and holding a
brief pow-wow with the chiefs. They
distributed severa hundred dollars
worth Of presents, but refused to rec
ommcnd the desired removal. Hence
the great anger. Settlers, too, are in a
disturbed state of mind over the alarm
ing situation and have sent protest to
Washington against leaving this band
Of $500 recalcitrant savages to menace
the people. The reservation consists of
only two townships. yet the Govern
ment expects the $500 Indians TO be al
most self-supporting on this paltry bit
Of land. large part of which can not
be cultivated at all.
LINCOLN. Neb., Jan. 6.-Secretary
Proctor has telegraphed Governor
Thavcr that the War Department wiil
issue rasions temporarily to settlers who
have been driven from their homes by
the Indian troubles. The State militia
In now being concentrated on the South
Dakota border.
WASHINGTON. Jan. although War
Department officials are extremely
reticent as 20 the causes which led &c
the removal of Coionci Forsythe from
his command II eaa be stated with an
thority that the report OF the alleged
butehery of the squsvs and their
children st the battle at Wounded Knee
creek neeera her 90 was the prime
reason for General Miles action. which
was taken upon advice from the War
Department The department feels
that IS can rot afford 20 60 on record as
favoring this method Of warfare There
has been talk 81 Congressional invests
gaticns General Catchson and other
prominent members OF the military
committees have taken the trouble
70 cali upoa the Secretary Of
War 70 express their chagria and
surprise at the result of the fight At
Wounded Enee " was therefors
deemed the part Of good Judgment &c
anticipate The Congressional inrestiga.
ton BY a court OF lnauiry by the War
Department. and. il she circumstances
warrant. "a punish the ossecr RESPONSE
bic aud taus spare the service the dis
oreait Of a Congressional inquiry
There has 6eea laid before shs House
= letter from The Commissioner of In
dian Affairs te The Secretary Of The Tn
terror giving IL ss his opinion
that . relief fand should be fur