Year: 1875

CAMP ON FRENCH CREEK, FIVE MILES NORTH oPl


CAMP HARVEY, August 10, 1875


In accordance with General Crooks programme
Lieutenant Colonel Dodge and Captain Russells and
Lieutenant Halls companies of the Third and Second
cavalry on Sunday left Camp Crook for Cuser's Gulch
and arrived here yesterday encampng in little hol
low Off tho main valley. Lieutenant Colonel Dodge,
having been given by General Crook supervision
she movement against the miners came here to be
observer of the taken by the latter at their
meeting to-day. On reaching French Creek company
Il, Seventh cavalry, belonging to the Department of
Dakota, was found encamped upon small plateau
over the stream The major part of the Black Hills
lies in the Department Of Dakota, and
Captain Bentecn ordered hther by Cen
eral Terry with strict orders to search
the country for miners, them all, and put them
the Missouri River at Fort Randall Captain
Benteen left Fort Randall with sixty days. rations
pecting to remain in the hills long there any
miners here to cxpel 1t is twentysix days since
nc left Fort Randall On meeting General Crook, who
on his way homeward he received counter orders
In consonance with the spirit of the proclamation issued
TO the minors He is to start for Fort Randall on the
10Th, In charge of the miners who wish go in that
direction when they depart from the delusive land of
promise.


A CANVAS CITY.


The valley Of French Creek is now populous. Two
log houses have been erected on the fiat bottom
which Custer had his camp three miles west of the
stockade, and ideal city already in existence the
plots have actually been measured and the thorough
fares laid out One of the two is called
'the store probably bitter sarcasm there is
nothing within it, and the other is the ''Cy Hail. but
looks like barn Not less than 800 tents whiten the
little hooks of the valley between pnetued hills that
kindly intercept the OF the MONDAY sum- and
The inhabitants number about 600 Probably 600 miners
have already left the country, homeward bound


LAND


No were the ideal lines # the new city con-
eeived OF than a mighty contest began between two
stubborn elements is usual in nfante communities
on the Western frontier. Two parties have sprung
existence; the one composed of the miners, who
btaked their claims weeks before the idea of the
city born in the very soil upon which is be
established; the other of those whose claims else
where The latter are of course in the majority. The
smaller party headed by Harrison, who is the
'recorder' of the thinning district" Of Custer's Guch
and they had formed a company who laid out
The town and intended to hold and control It, OF
course here was an embryo 'job'-a budding specula
tion The community OF miners indignant They
slaim the "Cty Hall and the whole site gen.
era property and ready enforce their pretensons
The conflict absurd because neither party has a legal
right to foot of ground but the motto uttered by
of the municipal gladiaors is that mners know law
but their own The first outgrowth of this principle
the quarrel just begun, which might easily reach the
point where the miners of executing his
law would bo displayed-namey, by the
tyranny of force On Sunday. the day before the
rival of Lieutenant Colonel Dodge it had already
30 warm that general pistol scene seemed imminent
The first tragedy of Cusers Gulch was, however post
poned by peaceful councils for tho time prevail
Ing


10 INDIAN


body Of red men suddenly up the valley past
The stockade the miners shelters scattered along
The edge Of the bottom and the hair of the brave adven
lurers who their approach literally stood end
Some of them had been habitues Of the agencies on
White Earth River and they the head of dozen
stawart warriors the redoubtabe chief Spotted Tail
Major Howard, the government agent for the Brules
not at first recognized, but he among the In
dams and the miners from his presence gained pluck
Spotted Tail made his bvouac at the foot of a butte
which rises behind Captain Benteens camp, and here
the chief overlooks both military and miners With him
are the following braves


Whitewash, Medicine Bear


Slow Thunder. Walking Eagle


Bad or Sassy Tongue, Bear Ghost


Blue Tomahawk, Long Face and
John, Yellow Breast
Blue Teeth,


Rose, the wife of Medicine Bear s also of the COM
pany. They came from the agency by a direct route
much shorter than any Of the military trails.


Spotted Tail has not visited the hunting reser
walton OF his nation without a polite purpose None
Of the rcd chiefs of the present day have so much
Ihrewdness and wisdom Spotted Tail and
IN his countenance he wears the marks of
superiority of mind He has not so much
of that dull stolidty of expression which
in the Indian reminds too much OF the brute In
eonversing with him human intelligence CLEANS from
his eyes He is more aiable than many would suppose
member Of the next to aboriginal could possibly
be. A smile accompanies almost every response which
expresses only natural courtesy-so far as NAV
into the actions of savage-but also degree of
genality


Spotted Tail Informed Captain Beneen that no wanted
to the country that the whites desired much 10
possess and in which he knew there great amount
Of gold He came over this gold that he could
talk about 1t in council


SPOTTED TAIL's SPEECH.


Spotted Tail addressed the assembled miners after his
arrival; asked them Indignantly If they had heard
of people being bad before TO come and take
land not belonging to them and dig It up and steal the
gold. lie denounced them very severely. He subse-
quently, with somo of his braves went down to the
brook to see the miners washing out gold They
bnly few small particles taken from pam but Spotted
Tail expressed his cynlcsm by struggling his shoulders
and declaring that tho miners tried deceive him by
letting much of the gold wash with the sand He
was undoubtedly right in his shrewd penetration


A VISIT TO SPOTTED TAIL


paid visit to Spotted Tail in the cool shade of the
pines near his bivouac, which steep side hill
Several dusky braves stretched upon the ground,
within the shadows, nduging in sound siesta, and
Rose, the only Indian woman in the camp reclin-
ing half waking and half aseep, in pose of natural
grace cannot say however, that her broad and stod
'ace was crowning compliment to the lthesome lines
OF her figure The roigning chief Of the Brules was
Aaa10d at the foot Of large pne leaning against ts