Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-04-04

e m In anO
General Terry, had anchored near the
mouth Of the Tongue, under orders OF
the war department to await their fur
ther loadings Of human freight, des-
tined to be transported to their last
refuge and placed under the care OF
the government.
Gen. Nelson A. Miles and the sue
ceeding commandments at Fort Keogh,
after five years of successful warfare
conducted against wandering bands Of
hostiles, had brought into Fort KeOgh
nearly two thousand captives. They
had been led to believe, and they were
encouraged in that belief by Spotted
Eagle and Rain-in-the-Face, noted
Sioux Indian chiefs, that the promises
Of the military authorities to allow
them to live in the Tongue and Powder
River valleys, a territory they loved
better than any other, would be car
ried out. RumOrS that these promises
lied when in early June the Sioux
were corraled near the fort and told
to prepare for a long journey.
The Indians were bath to leave.
They murmured and complained and
their hearts became sad. Spotted
Eagle had failed to bring them any re-
lief by the power OF his natural elo-
quence. Rain-in-the-Fac manifested
the disgust and remorse felt by his
people in his StOlid acceptance OF the
decree. So impressive became the dis
appointment expressed by the cOllec-
tive band of captives that predictions
were made at the time that the In
dams would not remain on the Stand
ing Rock agency, but would steal away
one by one and in bands and declare
another war to the knife in an effort
to regain possession Of their coveted
land.
AS evidence Of the keen disappoint-
ment they felt, the Indians built fires
and burned their lodge poles, bows, ar
rows, robes and all their plumber, which
they were not allowed to take along, to
prevent the white men from getting
them.
The commanding officer at Fort
Keogh, according to a chronicle pub
lished at the time, had wisely made
provision in case of an outbreak by
having the Indian camp, after it was
moved to the banks of the Yellowstone
river, surrounded by troops, and at
short intervals were placed to
command the entire camp. The caval-
ry also was on duty. This display OF
force was effective. The captive In
oil lCdklICu tlldb A. OllC Lax
showed resistance they would get the
worst of the encounter, unarmed as
they were.
1t was the general feeling that the
design of the government to remove
the Indians to a distant agency vas
liable to be productive Of much trouble.
The spirit of the captiveS was willing
but the opportunity for indulging in
any demonstration Of resistance was
not theirs to exercise. Many of the
Indians were brought in forcibly to the
fort. Other bands who saw the futility
of continuing their resistance had come
in voluntarily and surrendered. They
had been promised, according to a leg
end that was current among them, that
they would be permitted to remain in
the region surrounding Fort Keogh,
and in consequence they became con-
tented and happy.
In the early years of the struggle
for supremacy following the battle OF
the Little Big Horn, and as the Indians
were brought in struggling bands from
the far-flung regions in which they
operated in opposing the sovereignty
of the government, ground was allotted
to them. Crops were planted In the
spring time. HarveStS, such as they
were, followed in the autumn. Although
the government did not furnish Suffi-
cient farm machinery or utensils with
which they could labor in the fields,
the Indians were eager to adopt the
ways of the white man and gain a
livelihood under peaceful auspices. In
their enthusiasm the squaws planted
the corn in ground prepared with
knives instead of hoes, and with their
hands scraped and dug up the earth
to cultivate the growing plants. Their
chiefs, under the implied promise of
the military authorities, went to the
territory lying between the Powder and
Little Missouri rivers, and staked out
a reserve where they should not be