Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-03-27
Yellowstone River in 1865 Tenaciously Held
BY Indians Who Resented Invasion of Land

In 1855, the Indians, goaded to
desperation by the invasion Of their
best hunting grounds BY the white
men and instigated by the Sioux who
had left Minnesota, crossed the Mis-
souri,, and located north Of the Platte,
made an effort to unite their forces
In driving the invaders from the In
dian country.
1t was the lure Of gold that led to
the trouble The Indians undoubtedly
knew 1t was in the Black Hills long
before its so-called discovery. They
knew it was there, but its presence
meant nothing to them. They could
not eat it nor wear it, nor could it
raise tepees over their heads. The COM
ing Of the goldseekers into the Black
Hills spelt ruin to the red men. With
their hunting destroyed, they would
lose food. clothing and tepees: game
supplying them with all three.
Then, too, how could they have any
confidence in a nation that failed to
keep its promises? The entrance of
prospectors and those who followed
them there, was a direct violation of
a treaty between themselves and the
United States government. The In
dams were desperate. and they did
what white men would have done I'M
der similar circumstances-they went
on the warpath. The killing of Custer
and the numerous minor casualties
that occurred, until the Indians were
subdued, can be charged to the vacil-
lating policy Of our government.
Ignorance Was Plentiful
This was partially due to ignorance
at headquarters. against which the
army of the northwest had to struggle
then and later, and which operated
against the development of that re-
gion for many years.
In the days of Indian occupancy,
the Yellowstone country was their
Flanders, where the hardest battles of
the north were fought. During 1865
and until the Indians were overcome.
1t was the battle-ground between white
and red man. The dark and bloody
ground of the northwest.
All travel through that section was
accomplished at great risk. and settlers
remained on their homesteads at peril
OF thsir lives. There is something of
the mob spirit when men go into
battle, but it is a different motive
that actuateS those who individually,
or with one or two comrades nerve
themselves for conflict. Along the Vel
lowstone, men on the road to the gold
mines; living on isolated ranches;
trapping or engaged in other activities
were murdered. How many will never
be known.
An instance IN point Is the finding
near the mouth of the Big Horn, in
1865, the skeletons of five men and
one golden-haired woman. Who they
were never has been discovered. Sew
eral persons were killed who were
travelling by boat or mackinaw down
the river, and some trappers met with
similar fate.
The gold discoveries in Montana
were drawing the attention of the
world to this favored locality, and 1t
was expected there would be heavy
immigration with the opening of the
season Of 1865. The new Bozernan and
Bridger trails offered a shorter route
to the gold fields In preparation for
this, three new ferry boats were built,
and placed on the Big Horn, Clark's
fork and across the Yellowstone. A
Mr.. Davies took the contract to build
them. When these boats were In good
running order news arrived that the
military would permit no travelling on
the contemplated route. because of the
Indian outbreak. On learning this,
these ferries were abandoned, and the
men in charge of them, set out for
the Davies camp.
Three men and pony had been as
signed to each boat, making the party
six in number, which left Clark's fork.