The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-02
Trouble Brewing at The
Indian Agency.
Ranchers Want to Avenge a
Murder Done by Indians.
What Col. Coiy Says OF Fighting
Qualities OF Cheyenne.


the reservation of the Cheyenne Indians.
From there the battle grounds of the
Sioux outbreak In 1890 81, known as the
Messiah war, come reports, meagre ard
unsatisfactory TO the effect that another
outbreak Is imminont. that murder has
been committed and six troops of Uncle
Sans cavalry have hastened 20 the spot
90 intercept the sayages and prevent
further bloodshed should the young bucks
obtain the mastery and make u break for
the mountains is not believed that
anyone was killed except sheep herder
named Hoover whose murder caused tho
excitement. But the situation is grave.
Settlers and cowboys determined To
ayenge the death of their comrade have
shipped all tho women and children To
places Of safety and armed TO the tcotl'
have congregated 1T the agency 10 de-
mand the surrender OF tho Indians ac-
cused Of Hoover's murder The timely
arrival Of the troops has prevented brush
between the reds ana the whites and
though matters are quiet for the moment
10 may possibly bo only the calm before
the storm. The Indians are anxious 20
get at the cowboys and ranchmen but
profess that they do not want to fight
the troops.
Colonel William L. Cody, commonly
known as Buffalo Bill, has snent mucpof
his time among tho Cheyennes and u
News reporter interviewed him on the
habits aud history of the warning Indians
at Reservoir avenue shortly bct ore tho
afternoon exhibition of his wild west
show here on Memorial day. His account
oi the Cheyennes was exhaustive and most
interesting:
Are Great Fighters.
The Cheyenrei have always been con-
sidered great fighters, II Lol the best fight
a Wngfarn
and are cruel, brave and crafty. They
are not nearly SO large tribe as the
Sioux, but have all their fighting quail.
Ties. Many years ago the Sioux made
irien(s with the Cheyennes so that the
sioux and Cheyennes could be the mas
rers of the plains
IN lS65-4, while the Civil war was going
on, the Indians heard, Of course Of the
BATTLES between the whites, and rot know.
ing the numbers OF tho whites-in fact
the Indians themselves at least the Sioux
end Cheyennes, thought at that time
That they were as powerful as the whites
In mfelyes-and learning of tho many
Whites that were being killed, they COM
ire Jet Il aiming themselves ana getting
ready fer war, so that when the whites
killed each other nearly off they could 20
back east of the Missouri and Mississippi
rivers and whip what whites were left
and regain the whole or the country
which they had lost.
In lS6i-5, about at the close Of our Civil
war, the Indians were committing depre-
dations on our frontier, the heyennes
inv, riabl leading all those attacks. At
the cIOse OF tho war all Of the regular
army was at once sent TO protect olr
frontier aan whip the Indians into sub
jecticn. Gen. sherman also particularly
Gen. sheridan, took command of Ito
troops in the f)ld himself, with his head
quarters n Fort Hayes, in Kansas and
lie Il en- aud therl instituted what was
known as the winter campaign Hereto
fore the Indians had besn Iou1nt only in
the summer, and allowed 20 rest aI
recruit during the winter months for the
reason that it was supposed that the men
could not endure the severity Of u winter
campaign. Gen. Sheridan thought differ
vnt and took command of tho largest OK
petition ever formed against Indians in
the istory OF America for wit ter ca m
paign saying that his soldiers could stand
as much cold AS an Indian, ard tat he
could himself, which he did.
Indians Surprised.
These winter campaigns were surprise
10 the Indians, and sounded their knell,
for Sheridan never gave them time to
rest, either summer or winter.
The great fight OF tho Wichita river WINS
made in the winter when Custer fought
Black Kettles band, who was a Cheyenne
Black Kettle himself and many of the
leaders of the Cheyennes.
Gen. Miles fought thom all over Okla
homa, Indian Territory and the Pan.
handle OF Texas. as also did Gen. Han
cock, Gen. Carr, Gen. Penrose and others.
The Indians who did not surrender wers
driven out OF the country south OF the
Arkansas river. and they were fought for
two years between the Arkansas river and
tho Platte river before they were driven
out. They were driven north o the Platte
and were so continually pursued by our
army that they were willing 10 surrender
and give up the struggle, ana utoy werc
then placed on reservations at Red Cloud,
Spotted Tail and Standing Rock agencie.
some Cheyennes who surrendered south
of the Arkansas were placed on resorva-
tion in the Indian Territory but they
were dissatisfied in that country 20 such
an extent that in 1879 they armed them
selves, deied their agents and delber.
ately started north to join the Cheyonnes
at Rcd Cloud and Spotted Tan agencies
Running Fight.
These Cheyennes made running fight
of over 1000 miles, passing entirely
through Western Kansas and Western
Nebraska until they reached South
Dakota killing, numbering and burning
a. they vent Troops were sent in every
direction To- head them off, bat the troops
they did not whip they avoided until
they reached the main tribe OF the Sioux
and Cheyonnes. remaining among their
friends until they were arrested for the
deprodations tLey had committed, aud
were 10 bo placed in the guard house until
they could be sent back 10 Indian Terri
tory. But they resisted arrest and they
ran TO what Is called Chalk Bluffs. two
miles northwest of Red Cloud Agency,
and there fortified themselves among the
rocks deiiel the soldiers 20 arrest them,
saying they would die 20 man rather
than be sent back to the Indian Territory
lie soldiers wore compelled to arrest
them, and fought thon until the last
man was killed In the fight at Chalk
Bluffs.
There was still among the Sioux two or
three thousand Of what was known as the
Northern Cheyennes who, at that time,
were not on the warrath and were among
the Sioux in the Messiah war Of 1880 gl.
Those who were on the warIath uuring
this winter surrendered 90 Gen. niles m
January. 1891, who made treaty with
q hon MI