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Un dee symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernlAre Image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols -^ signlfle "A SUIVRE". le symbols V signlfle "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction railos. Those too large to be entirely Included in one exposure are filmed beginning In the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following d'lgrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fllmAs A des taux de reduction dIffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cllchA, 11 est fllmA A partir de I'angle supArleur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. ' i 1 2 3 1 2 3 § i 5 ■ 6 MAJOR-GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. *lflf* ^W^-'^ M^ X .,^f M M PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS OF GENERAL NELSON A. MILES EMBRACING A BRIEl- VIEW OF THE CIVIL WAR OR FROM NEW ENGLAND TO THE GOLDEN GATE AND THE STORY OF HIS INDIAN CAMPAIGNS WITH COMMENTS ON THE EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS OF Our Great Western Empire Copiously illustrated With graphic pictures by FREDERIC REMINGTON AND OTHER EMINENT ARTISTS TWE WERNER COMPANY CHICAGO NEW YORK 1897 I Copyright 1896 By NELSON A. MILES PREFACE «»i»i» T HIS nOOK is l;i !•<;(' ly tlw i<'siilt olji dcsirp tocomply witli riio wishoa of Irioiids who Inivc cxpn'ssrd tlic ()|iiiiioii that such a work woiihl liiid a ;j:u()(lly iiiiiiihi>i' ot' iiilcrcstcd leaders. It was ii<» part of my purpose to write my memoirs or a history; hut rather t«) ret j'ace. with such I'eaders as shall choose to accompany me. some poit ions of the journey of life that now lie in the past. It is impossilde in a sin^Me volnme to do pistice to all my compannms who wei-(» en^'a;,MMl in the ^M-eat canse (d" the Civil War, or those who en<,'a;^'ed in the war for civilization alon^^ onr western frontier; yet it has heen my endeav(n' to do injnstice to none. I iiavo hy no means exhausted the important features that marked the ori;j,inal journey, hut have aimed to point out hrielly. as far as practicahle. the more interest in;^' and instruct ive events .so that the time (d" the reader may hesi)ent not only a;^Meeal»l>. hut with sonu' dej^'ree cd' pr(dit. In present in^i; these tliouf^dits and ohservat ions I have hoped to nu>et the favor of tiio int(dli}.,'ent. ^'enerons Am(>rican. whom I know to he nM)st con- siderate, and I trust I may rely upon his liheial consideration, especially Avhen it is iPmoniitered that I have heen ohlij^ed to ^Mther and prepan? much of the material at s|>are hours during' the time la rj^cdy taken up with the cares of exa('tinL\I)E Me Not an A(iENC'Y Indian" Chief Gall ...... Montana Blizzard .... Captain Baldwin Hunting the Hostile Camp "You Have Had Your Last Breakfast" John Brughier, Scout .... Surrender of Little Chief White Bull and Horse Road Indians Firing the Prairie L\ME Deer Firing at General Miles . The Crazy Horse Fight Chief Joseph ..... "You Will Now Have to Go to War" Calling Back the Steamboat Pursuing the Indians Captain Hale ..... After the Battle .... " Those Indians Are Bad " . The Lame Deer Fight Indian Gala Day ...... CuRLEY, Sole Survivor of Custer's Last Battle Custer's Last Stand ..... Mounting the Infantry on Captured Ponie.s Indians Watching the Enemy's Camp Captain Bennett ...... The Mountain Buffalo .... Yelloavstone Falls . ...... "Old Faithful" Geyser in Winter, Yellowstone Park "Bee Hive" Crystallized Geyser. Yellowstone Park "Giant" Geyser, Yellowstone Park .... AN • • I NDIAN, ANI 8 Page 201 205 209 211 214 216 217 219 223 225 231 233 237 239 242 244 245 251 257 260 261 265 269 272 276 279 281 284 287 288 291 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 I * 4 PERGONAL RECOLLECTIOSH OF GEN. NELSON A. MILES. Page Fighting Oveu the Captuued Heud ........ 307 Ckow Foot, Son of Shting Bill ....... 310 Indian Raiding Pakty .......... 313 "1 Make You a Present" ......... 315 The "Whisi'eking Spirit" ......... 317 Marching on the Staked Plain ........ 3!23 Scene in the Yellowstone Valley ........ 324 "Castle" Geyser, Yellowstone Park ....... 328 Surrender of Chief Joseph. "From Where the Sun Now Stands, I Fight NO More Against the White Man " ...... 331 Indian Medicine Man .......... 334 Chiricahua Apache Students, 1894. ....... 343 Faces of Noted Indians .......... 349 An Early Finding in Colorado ........ 350 Placer Minlng in 1858 .......... 358 Brkuiam Young ........... 303 The Mormon Exodus .......... 304 Mormon Temple ........... 308 Distant View of Salt Lake City ....... 309 Scene on the Columhia River ........ 372 Mount Hood ............ 373 Cascades of the Columhia. Indian Dipping for Salmon . . . 377 Shoshone Falls, Idaho .......... 382 Dr. Marcus Whitman .......... 385 Mrs. Narcissa Prentice Whitman ........ 380 The Old Wago.v 387 Whitman Pleading for Oregon Before Daniel Webster and President Taylor 388 CiiiKicHUA Apaches as They Arrived at Carlisle from Fort Marion, Florida, November 4, 1885. The Same Children Four Months After Arriving at Carlisle .......... 393 The Skjn Language 398 Dizzy Heights ............ 401 Watching the Coming of the White Man ...... 405 Captain Baldwin ........... 400 Cherubs. Indian Babies in Their Cradles ...... 408 Indian Weapons ........... 410 Generals Crook and Terry ......... 413 Alaskan Totem (1) .......... . 420 ES. I Fight jksijjkxt IMauion, After Page 307 310 313 315 317 3'^3 3'^4 328 331 334 343 349 356 358 303 364 368 369 372 373 377 382 385 386 387 388 393 398 401 405 406 408 410 413 420 ILLVSTRATIOXS. Gkol'P of Eskimo Girls ..... Native Kayaks ....... Seal -Rookery"' ...... Alaskan Totem (2). Arizona Vegetation (Giant Cactis) ..... Cliff DwellinciS on Beaver Creek, Arizona, Three Miles from Sometimes Called Montezima's Palace Oldest House in the United States, Santa Fe, New Mexico Petrified Poorest, Arizona ...... The Fainted Desert ...... A CvNON A Mile Deep ...... SiiiNi-Mo Altar from Brink of Marule Canon . Atache Cruelty ....... Claimin(} His Reward ...... His Actions Were Curious ..... Captain Maus ........ Crossing the Haros River ..... One Indian Attempted to Ride hy Me Geronimo ........ Our Indians Were Yellincj and Preparing to Fight The Death of Captain Crawford .... Apaches Watching the Troops with Glasses Apaches in Ambush ..... Fort Bowie, Arizona .... Heliograph Station ..... Heliograph System, Department of Arizona Mountain Fastness — Cochise's Stronghold . Drunken Indians in Camp .... On the Way- to Florida .... General Miles at Telegraph Office Captain Leonard Wood ..... FiNDiNci the Murdered Mexicans '•You Are the Man I Want to Talk With" Lawton's Pursuit of Geronimo . Explaining the Situation .... VicTORio, Apache Chief .... Geronimo and the Heliograph Apache Waiting for a Victim Apache Bridk ...... Fort EDI, 5 Page 423 424 427 430 433 437 438 430 440 441 442 446 447 448 451 454 457 459 464 466 469 473 477 482 484 489 496 502 503 507 508 511 515 522 523 524 526 529 '■' li I •J '' 1 6 PERSONAL RECOLLEVTIOSS OF (lES. XELSOX A. MI LEU. LiTTi.K MiKK, Indian Boy Rkakkh hv Wiiitk Pkoi'le Okfickkh Who Wkkk EN(JA(iKi> in tiik Captikk of Gkronimo a Akizona ......... Indian Wkatons and Gakments .... San (^ahi.os Mii.itaky Camp ...... ToNTO Wakkiou ........ Motii'i Indian Giul ....... MOJAVK KfNNEUS ....... Aktksian Wklls ........ SWKKT WATER Da.M ... ... Redwood Pu-k, San Beknaudino County, Cai.ikoknia Fm'.me Brii.i)iN(j. Springing in the Bottom Plank . Ti'NNEi. Portai,, San Diego Fm'.me .... Plains Travel Before the Railroads Came The Old and the New Way ..... At the Hindredth Meridian ..... Poutuaits of Ma.jok Simon Snyder, Ad.tutant G. W. Baird. Lieu Capt. Lawton ....... Mount Shasta ........ Glacier Point, Yoskmite Valley .... Leland Stanford ........ Leland Stanford University. Palo Alto, California Irrkjating Ditches. Orange Grove .... Orange Grovk Near Los Angeles .... Market Street, San Francisco ..... A Scene In Southern California .... Golden Gate, San Francisco ..... Page . 529 t Fort Bowie. . 530 531 . 533 534 . . 535 537 • 540 54«.) . . . 551 554 . . . 550 500 . . 501 505 LT. Allen, and 509 • 570 577 . . . 578 579 . 581 583 . . 580 589 591 ■■ 1 I llu_. 'iM- Bowie. Page 529 530 531 533 534 535 537 540 54W 551 554 55f) 500 501 505 509 576 577 578 579 581 583 580 589 5{'i Table of Contents CHAPTER I. I\ NEW KN'(il.A.\I> KIFTV YKAKS A Bt-forp llic Iiidiiin — rnlcolitliic Man in Anicrica — Tlic (ilacial Kpoch — The Cala- veras Skull — The ralcoliiliic Man of Kiiropc — Tlif Three Kinds of Ancient Americans — The Mound-Hiiilders — The Day of llie Manunoih — I'rohlenis not yet Solved — The Mounds, and What They Indicate — Professor Putin.m's Pescription of Moun«l-lr Tiived — His Nunihers — One Singular Hemaininn Tribe — Seats of His Mi>;ralion — No Traditions of Coming or C'on(|uest — The Destiny of tlie Tribes in Mmlern Times — Professor I'utman's Views I'AliKS 64-86 I'll CHAITKK VI. INDIAN CIIAUArTKU. II Indian Character — Indian Studies (tf (tcorpe Cntlin, Uarkman. Schoolcraft and Others — The Ori^imil North American Indian (Jentle. Hospitable and Kindly Disposed Toward the Newcomers — Causes of the (Mianjje in Indian Clharacter — Kn^lisli. French, (ierman, and Spanish (lolonization Schemes — Indian \\'ars — Benjamin Franklin on the Indian — Maniuotte's Reception Beyoiul the Mississipi)i— llalleck's Stanzas on Ked Jacket 87-102 CHAPTEH VII. INDIAN LAW. HKI.KtION AM) KI,0(JliEN<'E. Systems of Govermiient — Doiuestic Affairs — Uelij^ious Beliefs and Observances — Not Originally Nomads — Tecumseh — In Council with (teneral Harrison — Te- cumseh's Character and Death — The Black Hawk War — Surrender of Black Hawk — His Eloquence — Taken to Washington — Presented to tlie Presi- dent — Tour Throujili the North — Keturn to Iowa and Meeting with Keokuk — Death of Black Hawk 103-120 CHAPTER VIIT. GAMK IN TIIK (iKKAT WKST. The Wild Horse — :Meth(Hls of Taking the Wild Horse — The Buffalo— The Chase- Captain Baldwin's Adventures — The Surround — The Antelope — The Wolf — Small (ianie — Buffalo Bill — Deer — Big Horn — Wolf Hiuiting in the Indian Territory — Bear Hunting — Game of tlie Northwest. . . . 121-135 CHAPTER IX. TUli INDIAN DfRING THE CIVIL W AH Indian Uprising in Minnesota — Causes Leading Thereto — Governor Ramsey's Indian Council — Ked Iron — Lean Bear — The Chivington Massacre — General Dodge's Indian Caniiiaigns — The Bent Boys — Major North — Discovery of Gold in tlie Black Hills — The Peace Commission — General Connor — Battle of the Tongue Kiver — Fetternian Massacre 136-144 i! I TMii.i: or ro\Ti:srs. riFAITKK X. 'AliKH St>MK IIIS'l'«tlEI<' CAMPAKiNS. (i»'iH»rnl UniiciH'k's Kxpt'dititiii — (tfiirral Curr's ('iimpaijjiis — ('(iloi.'l Korsjtli's Dfs- pcralt' KiKl't I'li lln' Arickart'c — limiiaii Nusc — l>ariiiK Di'cds uf Stillwcll and Trudcaii — CiisltT Strikes IJIack Kt'lllc's Villaitf — Ufalli uf Major Klliult — Till- riains — K(irt Hays — Ihiiitiiiu — l'"nrl llarkt-r — Fori Lt'avcii- wnrtli — The MimIuc War — Dcalli of (Ji'iu-ral ("aiihy — (Iciii-ral Slifrman's TrilMitf to inanity . * . . . 145-155 64-88 CIIAITKU XI. CAMI'AKiNS IN IKXAS. Caust'S of Iiulinn IVprcdations — (!oiislriiclioii of llif 'rrans-coiitificiilal liaihvayw — Dcslructii.ii of till' IliilTalo — Pisasli'r to llu- ( ii'miaiiio hainily — Attack on Adolu' Walls — Or^'aiii/.iiiK an Kx|i('dilioiiary Force Apiiiist the Hosfilcs — Uiifortimatc Conililioti of Western Kansas — |)rontli — liociists — Marcli IJndera Hiirin'nn Sun Into the Country of tlie Ijostiles — l)escri|>tion of tlu' (loiinlry — (iypsnin lielt — On tlie hulian Trail — The Indians at Hay — An Exciting KnKaK'''nenl — A Mot I'nrsiiit — Apostrophe to the Ued Uiver — A Norther and a Deliij,"' 156-171 87-102 c'nArTp:R xii. KIOWAS AM) ssi(>ii — f'a|ttnin Cf(Klfrcy'n Statciucnt — Tlit'doricliisiotimif (it'iit'nil Fry — 'I'lic Krnir nf I'lidcrt'stiinaiiiig tin- Korct'df llu' Kiifiiiy — Tlit> Aiitlior's (!(»iicliisiwst(me — F'ort Bufonl to the Kosebud — Junction of Terry and (!rook — The Largest Military Force Ever Assembled on the Plains — Captain Anson Mills at Slim Buttes — (Jenerals Terry and (!rook Repair to Winter (Quarters to Hesinne the CampuiKn in the Spring — "Yellowstone Kelly" — In Cantonment — Severity of the Climate in Winter CHAPTER XVI r. '2l-2-2-2i) A WINTKK CAMl'AKJX. 1: Preparing for a Winter Campaign — Sitting Bull Divides His P'orces — A Narrow Kscape — Supi)ly Train Driven Back By Indians — limiting for Sitting Bull — He is Found — Meeting Between the Lines — Attempted Treachery — A Second Meeting — Conference Ends Abru])tly — The Battle (Ipens — Prairie on Fire — Indians Defeated and Hotly Pursued — Again a Flag of Truce — Main B(Kly of Indians Agree to Surrender n* Agency and (rive Hostages — Escajie of Sitting Bull and Portion of Indians — Scout Boyd — Again After Sitting Bull — Captain Baldwin Surprises and Routs Him — Return to the Cantonment 221-235 CHAPTER XVIir. CAMPAIGN AGAINST CIIKYENNES AND OGALAf.LAS. Preparati(ms — The March — Experiences of Winter Campaigning — First Encounter — The Battle — Big Crow — Battle in a Snowstorm — Retreat of the En- emy — Brughier the Scout — Coming in of the Indians — Conference — A Suicide — Oration of Little Chief — Hostages — Sitting Bull Decamps — First Exi)eriments in Farming 236-247 iW CHAPTER XIX. TIIK LAME DEER EXPEDITION. Composition of the Command — Beginning the March — Weather — Sharp Indian Eyes — A)>i)roafhing the Camp — The Attack — A Close Call — Losses — The Return — Mounting the Infantry — A Circus with Indian Horses — Following the Retreating Indians — Winter in the Northwest — Queer Peculiarities of Indian Feet — Fine Specimens of the Race — VL.''t of General Sherman — Report of General Sheridan 248-256 ^■>i_. TA/U.K OF ro.\T/;.\T.s 11 CHAITKIi XX. TIIK XKZ VKUcf. rAMI'AKlN. Character of tlH> N»'7, PiMv^^r* — Tlif Wallowa NalU-y — Cliicf .Fnsi'pli — How tin* War Was Ht'f^un — Howard and (iihlMtii's ('am|iainiis — Preparations for tlu' M«»v»'iiH'nt — Tilt' Troops Dt'ttiilt-d — Tli»* Indian Allies — UrinniiiK a Stt'anit'r — The Recall — Captain Baldwin — A Forced March — Mans and tlio Bear — A Change of Costume. . . PAOKS L>50--'tlH CHAPTKK XXI. THE SIEliK A.NH TICK SIKKHNDKU. The Attack — Surprise of the N<'z I'erc^s — Death of Hale and Middle — Escape of White Mii-d — Layiny Sit^,'e to the Indian Camp — Precautions Against a Counter Siege — A ''•>•<•■••(• and an Kxchange — .\ False .Marni — The Sur- render — Back to the Missouri — Meeting Sturgis' Comimmd — (Carrying the Wounded and Burying the Dead — Apjtearance of the (Jommaiul on the March — ("onduct of the Indian Allies and Their Kewanl — Their Kndur- anoe — Return to the Cantonment — Final Dispt)sition of the Indian.s. . 271-1280 CHAPTER XXII. A VISIT TO irsTKU's LAST HAITI. KKI KM). A Season of Quiet — The Crow Indian Camj) — An Indian Field Day — Colors and Disguises of the Indian Warrior and Hunter — An Indian Sham Battle — .loiirney to the Custer Battle Oround — Indian Explanation of the Fight — Nature of the (Jround and the Disposition and Movements of Cust<'r's Ccmimand — Why the Battle Was Lost 283-293 CHAPTER XXIII. TIIK HAXNOCK CAMI'AIOX. Changea AVrought by Peace — Kailroad Surveys and Telegrai)h Lines — Interrupted Journey to Yellowstone Park — News of the Bannocks — Beginning of the Campaign — The Crows ns Allies — The Stealthy .Approach — Atta<'k and Victory — Losses — The Return — An Indian Burial — .lourney to Yellow- stone Park Kesumed — The Mountain Buffalo — Scenery of tiie Route — A Wonderland — Fourteen Years Later 294-305 I CHAPTER XXIV. SITTINii Iiri.I.. His Camp in Canada — Camjmign of Lieutenant Clark — The Red River Half-Breeds — Campaign of Captaii' Huggins — .Stealing as a Fine Art — Customs in Re- si)ect to .Stealing Expeditions — How the Theft is Accomplished — Names of Places and Why They Were Given — The "Counting Coos" — Exi)l()it of Sergeant Glover — A Conference with the Indians — The Telegraph and Telephone as Arguments — The Surrender of the Chiefs — The Ute Out- break 306-319 I 11! 1 1 fiiii s- l',» /7;A'.s O.V.I/, nr.iOl.l.F.rTHtSS OF CF.S. SKI.soS .\. MII.ES. CIIAITKU XXV. HKSl'l.TH (IK SIX VKAlts (»K IM»I,\N TA >l I'A Hi M Ml. He'.leenuKi Tcrritoi-y — Iti* \iist Art-n — /mu'snl' KmiKnitioii — Iii(liciitii)nMir(!|itiriu't«M' From Nntiiriil Siirrc'iiuliiiK?* — Tin' Tniiis-iMHitini'iitiil Uiiil\Mi.v> — l.iiiid niul Its I'lTlility — l»t')*tiii,v of tin' Wi'st — Yt'llowstniit' Vnllcy — Tlif I'mlilt'iii of IrriUiititiii — A ^V(•^t('^ll " City " — Tlie l'lin'«' niul Work of Our Soldiers in \V«'8t»'rii I'ro^frt'HH CIlAITKIf XXVI. TIIK INDIAN I'KOIII.KM. CtHU'liiHioiis of Personal Kx|n'rit'iic(' — Kntl of tin' liuliiin Troultlt's Not Vi't Near — (►riKiiia! I'liiiscs of Tln'sf — Intiiaiis in Motivf I.ikf Otln-r Men — History of tin' Iiuiiaii ill tin' United .'States — The Two Mcnles of Solving; the t^iestion — The Author's I'lan for tlie Benefit of the Indian and the .S'ciirinu of Perma- nent Peace X\Q-Zh\ PAOKH 3-J(V38r) CHAPTKU XXVII. •lOfllXKY WKSTWAKI). Promotion from Colonel to Bripnlier-deneral — He>,'inniii^; of .Tourney Westward — Ori^jin of iH'iiver — The (iold .Seekers from (ieorfiia — From I-awrence and Leavenworth — The Keeoiil on the Hocks — The Town of Montana — The Kansas rommissioners — Arapahoe County — Overland Communication — Vice in the lOarly Times — A Historic Tree — The First llailroad — The Hen- ver of To-day 352--361 CHAPTER XXVIII. mv\ r ' l| m SALT I.AKK niV AND TIIK MORMONS. Josepli Smith — The Mormons in New York.ry of tioti — 'rinii- iwl — I' iiiul - Th.. on — Dt'ii- ind I'AdKS 3J<>-33r) ClIAlTKlf XWI. l»KI'.\KTMKNT OK TIIK ttH.l.MIUA. n36-3fil 3o2--36i 362-370 Tilt' liulinn SIkm T.nnuiinK»' — Tlif " Cliiiiotik " LiuiKUiiKf — Viiiu'oiiVfi' BurrnckH — Troops in lli<' Iif|iarliMfiil — Woi'k Acf<>ni|ili>liftl — I iifxplori'tl Ui-nioMH — Expi'tlition of l,ii'iiifiiHiil Symoiis — of Lii'iititinnl I'ifrcf — nihcr Siir- vi'jH — ViHJt of (ii'Mfral Slicrnmn — KITfcl of llnilroail JtiiiltlinK — N«'\v ('imst Hatti'i'it'H — U«>M«>i'vatioiis, and N(inilM>r of Indiana. ... CIIAITKH XXXII. ("II IKK MOSES AMI II 1> 11! I UK. Tilt' Bt'^iniiliiK of Trouldt' — Ciiii'f Mosi-s, and thf Mom-s Ki'si'i'valion — ('hiisi-s of Dissatisfaclioii — Action of Colont'l Mt>rriain — Invfslipitioii hy Captain HaUhviii — Mci'tln^ and ('oiiiuil at N'ancoiivt'r — .\ Nt'W Treaty aiitl a Ni'W Ut'stTvation — Tin' Iti'stiits — Loo|doop's .Siatt'inciit of tlii' .'^itinilion — Uf- vii'W of till' Ni'z I't'i-ct'' .Situation on Tlu'ir Final |{t'tiirii From tlif Indian Territory rilAlTKU XXXIII. OIK A I, ASK AX I'dSSKssltl.NS. Discovery of Alaska hy Relirinj,' — The Fur Hunters — Tlie I{iissi;Mi Companies and Their Successor — Sale of the C-oimtry to the I'liited States — The Trr.ns- fer — N'ast .Size of Alaska — Climate — Mountains — Mount .St. lOlias — (Uaciers — Miiir (J lacier — Kxpedition of Lieu tenant .Schwatka — Character «)f the Natives — Their Hoats — Exju'ditioii of i.ieiitenant Ahercromhie — The ('opjier Hiver Country — Seals and Their Htmkeries — Sahiion and the Cunniiif^ Industry — British Streiifjth in the Northwest Territory. . CHAITER XXXIV. l'.\llKl4 ;m7-44>3 •UM-416 410-431 lint or- FKO.M INKIAX TKUKITOKY Tt) A1!I/.<»NA. 371-383 situation of the Indian Territory in Ihh") — The Utes in New Mexico and Colorado — Visit to the Cheyeimes and Arapahoes — Bejfinninys of New Apache Troubles in Arizona — Early Arizona, and F^arliest F^xplorations — Ancient Ruins — Character of the Country — Mines — Population. 432-444 ns Id le of )f 384-396 C^IIAPTEH XXXV THE APACHE AXI) THE SOI.OIER. (tenornl Crook and His Experiences — Character of these Indians — Illustrative In- stances — A Wilderness CeinettM-y — Mountnin Fastnesses of Arizona — Kesources of the Apache in Wai — A Former Cuinpaiyn. ...... 445-440 PACiES 14 PERSONAL KECOLLECTKLXS OF (iEN. NELSOX A. MILES. CIIAPTEU XXXV r. A CAMPAKiN A(iAINST AI'ArUKS. (Captain Mais' Xakhativk.) Beginning of the Cnnipnign of (KHrj — C'rossing Into Mexico — MetliiKls of the Indian Scouts — Litth' Mexicnti Towns and Their People — Mescal, and Its Use by Indians — First News of the Ilostiles — iSegi'ining of a -Mountain March on Foot — AI)andoned ('amps — The Devil's Hackhone — Finding the Ilos- tiles — The Attack — A Battle witli Mexican Troops That was Fought by Mistake — Captain Crawford >b)rtally Wounded — I^ater Action of the .>b'xi- cans — The Homeward March — ^h'ssenger from (ieroi\imo — A Confer- ence — An Iiulian Trick — Death of CJaptain Crawford — Mnrial at Nacori, Mexico — Unfriendly Disposition of the Mexicans — Arrival in United States Territory — Return for the Ilostiles — The Signal — The Escape and Fur- suit — Kesults of the Expedition 4r)t)-479 CIIArTElJ XXXVII. TIIK AI{IZ(»NA CAMTAKiN. I. Problem Presented by the Situation — Opinions of Citizens — The Obstacles to Success Presented by the Natural Conditions — Aid From the Signal Corps at Wash- ington — The Ileliostat — Arrangement of Stations — Number of Messages Sent — Districts of Observation — Cantain Lawton — ("aptain Wood — Other Officers of the ('omniand — Breaking Out of the Ilostiles — Details of the Campaign Against *he Ajjaches 480-493 m- ii' CHAPTER XXXVIII. THK AUIZOXA CAMrAUiN. II. The Que^-tic.i ef Pemoving the Indians From Arizona — C'onsultations with Agents- Captain Pierce — Colonel Wade — Discharge of the Ajjache Scouts — Visit to Fort Ajiache — The Appearance of the Agency Indians — " Tiswin " — Sending a Delegation to Washington — The Result — Correspondence with War Department — Fort Marion Decided Upon as Place of Confinement — Prejmrations at Fort Apache — Using the Telegrai)h Between Wilcox and Fort Apache — "A Chip of the Old Block." 494-505 CHAPTER XXXI X. INCIDENTS t)F TIIK Al'ACIIK CAMPAKiV. The Story of the AVounded Apaclie — Captain AVo(h1's Story — Cliaracter of Ajmche Raids — Tlie Case of the Peck Family — Indian Ideas About Insane Persons — Fight Between Apaches and Alexicans, and Some of its Results — fleeting the Mexican Troops — Finding the Murderetl Mexicans — Finding Dead B — ^b'xican Towns — Extreme Hardship »)f the Campaign — The Pro[)ortion of Survivors — (teronimo's Philosophy of Sur- render 506-518 i T.xniE OF rOXTEXTS. cnAiTER xr. END OF THE ArACIlK WAK. PA0E8 450-479 15 PACiBS Pri'liminaries of tiunviuler — An Indiiin HostaRc — (loiiin in Person to Meet the Indians — Courajn' >>f Otticers — Litnitcnant Kncker, antl " Kucker's CaiTon " — Arrival at SkeltMon Tafion — Visi; by (icroninio — A Question of Terms — (ieroninio and tiie IlelioslHt — Telling' tlie Cliief of the Destiny of His Tribe — How Nateliez was Hrougiit in — C'iuiracter and Dress of (u>r- oninio's Hand — How Crimes Were Committed — Ditheuilies of the Civil Power in Dealing with KeneKade Indians — The KtTeet of the Campaign Upon the Officers — Arranp'nienls at Fort Kowie — >b'etinKof Otlieers and Their Families — Dei>arlure of the Indians for Florida — " Auld Lanfj Syne" — Feeliiifjof the Citizens of Arizona Toward the Apaehes — KlTeet of Removal Upon Values in the Territory — Colonel Wade's Task in Kemov- inR the Iiulians Fi >'> Fort Apache — Remarkable KscajM' and Return of a Sinjile Indian — Ideas and Emotions of the Indians While on the Train — The Remaining Small Hand of Hostiles, and Their Fiiuil Capture — At- tempted Escape of Mantis from a Train — Tribut»> to the Officers Engaged in the Campaign. ... 519-632 CHAPTER XLI. now TIIE KEUULAKS AKE TKAINEP. 4SO-403 Itedueed Expenses on the Cessation of Indian Hostilities — The Nogales Disturbance — Troubles at San Carlos Reservation — The Emergencies of Present Military Service — Why Indians Are Difficult to Cai)ture — Field Service and Its Value — The Field Maneuvers of 18(^7 — Oiilers for the Same — Their Suc- cess. Value and Results. 533-544 494-505 CIIAITEU XLII. THE ARID KE«ilON AM) IKUKi ATIOX. The Conditions of the Arid Region — A Rich Soil, but a hack of Rainfall — What the Arid Rett Includes — Area, and Proportion Irrigated — The Sub-Humid Region — The Standard of Humidity — Science and Personal Experience — Idea of Farming by Irrigation New to the Saxon — The Instance of Cali- fornia — Irrigation in History — Univer.sal Efficiency of the System — The Measures Taken by the Govermnent — The Actitm of States — Cost — Reasons for Further Government Action 545-657 h s A Ihe U'- 506-518 CHAPTER XIJII. TKANsrOKTATION. rht' Uiibridged Space Between the East and the Wt-st — Early Railroads — Early Railroads of the United States — C^hange in Rates of Speed — Prophecy of Simon ('ameron — Vast and Rnjiid Increase of Mileage — The Slee|ting Car — The Old Passenger Car — Through Tickets ami Transfers — The (M-igin of the Idea of n T''ans-continental IJne — The Um'on and Central Pacitic Lines — The Ncn'thern Pacific — The Thirty-tifth Parallel Route — The Southern Pacific — Land (xrants to the PaciHc Linps--Sum of Land Grants to All Lines — Gross Income of the Kailroatls of the United States. . . . 658-508 n m I 16 I'EHSOXAL RECOLLECTIONS OF (lES. NELSON A. MILLS. CHAriEH XLIV. •"I CAI.IFOKMA. Size of California — Tht> Naiiu' "California" — Discovi'ry — Tli('S|mniai-ds — Drake — The Coinin^j of the Fnincisoins — The Missions — Wcaltii of the Siinie — Tiie IndiiiMs and Tlicir ("oiidition — Customs of the Oitl Time — First Immigrants from tiie Slates — ConniKKlore Siont and (ii'!n«ral Fremont — First IIoisliiiK of (lie American Fhi^ — Discovery of Cold — Sutler and Marsliiiil — Ivapid lucreasf of Population — The (Character of the Pioneers — Admittanci> as n State — Ccofiraphy of California — The Two Nntural Divisions of the State — ('alifornia Wonders — Yosemite, Little Yoscmilc, Kinj?'s River Cai'ion, etc — The Seasons — Vast Product of the State in Fruits and Ce- reals — ^lanufactures — Educational Institutions — Los Anp'les — Santa Barbara — San Francisco — The Vipilance (Committee — The Harbor. PAOKS 671-590 A !i 'V il LLS. ke — The no — The iii^'rimts Hoisting — Kiipid tniiee as s of tlie :'s Uiver ami (!('- — Santa PAGES 671-690 1 CIlAPTKi: I. In New England Fifty Years Ago. PiuposK OK This Hook — Tiii: Sioni'imkni" ok Cointhv L'\i\ khs ai. — A Dkmockacy Natikai, i.n Amkiiicv — Tm; (IiiANCii: khom I'iumitivk Xavv. to tiii; I'uksknt, and tiii-: Mk\ Who Madi: IT — Kaiu.y Nkvv Knci.am) (!oi,omsts — Inki.i knci: okCi.imvti: — Mas- sAciiisirri's — Tin-: Iski.iknci; ok Nkw lONcii.AMi Ii>i:as in Oik IIistoky — Tin; Indian in Ni;\v lONdi.ANO — Likk Tiikui; I-'ikiv Ykaks Alds jtrodneed an almndance of the reifnirements of life, whih^ now tlu* conntry has been denuded of much of its splendid forc^st. and has hecome a vast snecession of manufacturing towns and cities. I recall it as it was in my diildhood, and naturally cherish its mem- ories, privik'^'es, })leasnres and influences. My and most lasting impressions are ed with that time. To my mind, Mii^ l)a(d\ through the h)ng vista of eventful years, my home was an ideal one for the i)assing of an innocent and Inqtpy childhood. Certain it is that its sur- roundings and influence were all well suited to the growth of hotli the phys- ical strength and mental qualities re(|iusite to the responsibilities and duties of after life. Through i)a- rental guidance \ had, even before my childhood days were passed, learned the usual round of rural accomplishments. Fi'om my ear- liest recollection 1 have felt i)er- fectly at homo on horsel)ack. I first rode in front of my father, with his arms about mo; afterward behind him, holding on with my arms; later alo'ie, (dinging to the mane. I was given a liorse, and rode and managed him. at the ago of six. I became at an early age passion- ately foiul of coasting, skating, ball-playing, swimming, hunting and trap- ping, and many a day was delightfully spent in exploring the surrounding country, with a favoi'ito dog as my only companion. Theso physical and mental advantages were not the only ones for which I feel it a very [)leasant duty to render thanks to my honored parents. Simplicity of life, pui'ity of tlnmght and action, and high moral stand- ards were as characterisiic of them as of their ancestors through many Daxihl Mii.ios. I Mit from what ilciit. A wcll- <'11-I»oc(Hiio a vast as it \\as in risli its mcMi- tllKMlccs. My picssions are 'o my mind, »n<4' yista of an ideal one it and happy tliat its snr- were all well xttli the piiys- tal qualities sihilities and Through pa- even before ore i)assed. id of rural oin my ear- ive felt pei-- orsehack. I father, with .vard behind : later alone, iven a horse, at the ago age passion- ig and trap- uirrounding ~\y ones for L'ed parents. I oral stand- bugh many (JKNKHAI- NKI.SON A. MILKS. 21 j^cnonitions. Mv fjiiher. Daniel Milos, excollod in stnMin- tinental money, and he was e' entually impoverished thereby through the repudiation by the government of this currency, which was a loss of what would have amounted by this time, with accumulated interest, to several millions of dollars. I have often heard my father tell of the experiences of his father and grandfatlier, as related above, of their sudden departure for the Held, and of the hardships and dangers encountered by them and their comrades. My father, Daniel Miles, was born at Petersham, but moved in early manhood to Westminster, ir the same county (Worcester) in the State of Massachusetts, where lie engaged in farming and in the lumber busi- ness. Here i was born, and here my youthful companions and myself were wont to illustrate in play the doings of our ancestors. Some of the boys were necessarily assigned to play the part of the odious Britisher, the bloodthirsty Indian or the unfortunate Mexican, and these were in- variably defeated in the desperate encounter and put to ignominious rout. My mother, Mary Curtis, possessed traits of character similar to those of my father and excelled in those which most adorn womanhood. It is not jtossible to adequately express my sense of obligation for her devotion. She was a true Christian ; never was one more earnestly prayed for during childhood and manhood, during peace and war than myself. It was her loftiest ambition to guide her children by good example, pure thought, upright and praiseworthy life to honorable and noble purpose. To her un- selfish devotion, her gentle and loving admonitions am I greatly indebted for whatever there may be in me that is commendable. My mother was a direct descendant of William Curtis who arrived in Boston on the ship "Lyon." September 16, 1632. The rural home to which I have referred was situated near Wachu- sett Mountain, about fifty miles from Boston, Massachusetts, in the to ■ •,-\] (iKNKIJAL NKLSON A. MILKS. 23 moved from H sett lenient lusetts. vvlieii ;e al)iui(l()ned Daniel, were >t" Lexinjjfton. ents. pussiii^r 'sent at tlie great -grand- rty into con- throngli tile loss of what st, to several i experiences 'n departure )y them and ed in early n the State Limber busi- and myself >ome of the s Britisher, se were in- nious rout, to those of . It is not tion. She or during t was her |e thought, 'o her un- indebted irrived in Wachu- ?, in the town of Westminster. Worcester County. The scenery was pictur- es(|iie, and the climate exhilarating. Hill, valley, forest, stream and the cultivated farm variegated the landscape. Ivjuallv reinov«l.v polifi '!»' time Tl,„ r .' , '"' "'<' <>"*'-«„w „f d,; . ■/ "'"•»a,sii,,.vi,. "" - " """ ■ '—"=' ssis !;£r'" ' I\r.' , D"C-*'- "*«! UENKiJAI, NKI.SON A. .MILES. Zk) political toi- '«"' was iiicvit- "♦ii^'oiiisiii ,,|' •^tcanicst and "'•'♦in^' iiitrr- ■ timt in flu. ^Ih' niaintc- msiniftctl to iH'h thon^rlit t^^ as I could • the day (»f or rcndcrinL' '^ nnicli time estions then I'e Ix'inj; os- LMit of their f^auie time iU'.V lustory, ' under the tlie time I " niilitaj-y iiiiand and lier in all iNtrnction and last, iiniher of nts. 1 i ^^ CHAITIIU II. ThK (JkKAT CiVlL Wak. I'lIK (}rKSTt(lN» .AT TmHI-K — Kl.KfTlMS ur AliiMIIVM Ll\('nl,\ — ( i KMMl A I, ScnTT — ( )nnKllV VTIuNM |{KI.\Tt\(l TO TIIK \V Ul— |{ AIHI.\(i \ CnMI-.NNV KnltTIIK CmhN SlKVICI: — Ki.IMTKH .\M> (;rMrMsic.M:i> (Vm-tain — Taki:h tiii: Kiki.k as Kihmt |,iki th\ \\r - I)i;tmi.i:ii to Staki' Dt tv — Vaiiiui s I'ii.>M(.ii..sm— Tin; Simcnd Aumv CoKi'w — Tin: (iuAM) l{i I'duii iih Tin: Aumv ui-tiii: I'otumai'. Ill'i K»'^'»tt ^'ivil War, last in<; for four lon«,' years, drenched the soil witii the best hlood of our people. It shadowed nearly every household of onr land with the drapery of mourning'. The passions and prejudices en^'endered by the protracted ' and bitter stru^'^de have, with the lapse of time, in a lar^n^ n)easure subsided, and as the years roll on are surely th(>u^di ^n-adually passing' away from the hearts of men. The anta^'- onistic idtnis which contended so strenuously for the nuistery, iiud from which were kindled the Hames of conflict, are now better understood, are more clearly barmonized l)y a mutual yieldin*; of extreme views, and their influence lias less eit'ect ilum ever before upon the j^jeneral welfare of the whole people. The character of that war was so extraordinary, the issue at stake so important and the results, while far-reachin<; and beneticent to all man- kind, affected so directly and es[)ecially the destiny of our jjfreat undevel- oped West, that a brief review of those issues and results would seeui appropriate before proceeding to the chief topics of this volume. The first and ji^reat (|uesti(m at issue between the contending [tarties was whether the republic (•(►uld be dissolved by the action of one State or of a number of States, or whether it had the capacity to endure; whethei-. in fact, it had the inherent ri^lit and power of self-pi-eservation. There was no question as to the power of the Federal (iovernment when wielded at^ainst forei«j;n aggression, but l)()th its legal right and its actual power to quell internal dissension and hostility — especially when such lujstility was assumed and supported by a State or a confederation of States — were still to be established. This question had from time to time since the forma- tion of our government absorbed the serious attention of the people, and r\ f ■ I ■; 2(; I'KKSONAL |;K('()M, ACTIONS OF had ni^M^'cd the hcst tlMni^ht of our most ciiiiiKMit stat<'siiHMi. ('los(>ly coiiiicctcd with this (|ii('stion in om- political history was the h>ii^' <'oii- teiitioii o\(M' the cxislciicc or cxtciisioii of the institution of hnnian shivery. No political parly had pi'oclainicd any intention of intci-fcrin^' with the lahoi" system of any Stat«'. The inipoi'tant «piest ion was as to the fnt nre status (d' lahoi- in onr ^n'eat WCsteiMi domain, then unsettled and unorgan- ized ; and this was the (piestion which ai'onsed tin' liercest political c«»ntro- versy and the bitterest peisonal animosity. Acrimonious and heate(! discussions in the pi-ess an election to the presidenc\ of .\bi"ahain L'!'''.»ln in lS(iO. upon a platform oppos(»d to the further extension of slav- er; , Ails the immediate occasion oi- excuse for the war. Manu'st etTorts for the preservation of peace and unity wer(^ made by patriotic men, both North and Smith, but without avail, lieason. ar«;ument, fraternal ties, the memoi"ie> of a common and <^hn'i(ms iiistory. were all swept aside. A lew may have been actuated by political and militaiT ambition, and othei' s"ilish motives, but it is certain that the nnisses of our people on both sith^s beliexed themselves to be contendin;^ foi' a princi[>le ( lu' ^reat ([ues- tion of the un>ral ri^ht or wronjj; of Inunan slavery. Muring these Ion*? yeai's of lierce and incessant strife, throu^di the storm there stood at the helm of the ship of state a man of the i)eopIe. yet a most uiu'ommon man, patriotic, calm, persistent, unmoved i)y i'lamor. tender-lunirted as a wonuin. yet an intellectual ^iant, and wit!) a devotion :v his trust nev(M' surpassed in the iiistory of the human race, Abraham liincoln is forever embalmed in the loving' ^'vatitude of the .Aukm'- ican people, -iiid \\\o siMitiment is not bounded by partisan or sectional lines. Side by side with Aoraham Lincoln in the early (hiys of the ^'r(^at war stood )iir mitst a( co;'<])lislied and distin^iiislie the future lui tie; iiiior^rj,,,. ll «'()Mt |-<)- tlie hiills of '<»j>le until a imj»(>ssil)le. ^ liurst forth ►f Ahralumi ■*ioii of sla\ - y iikI wit! I a man race. tile Amei-- sectional L'l-eat war •<> of two I'r in \ ir- U — moi'<^ seventy iii-e in- i>f a free i 't asi(l(>. A I 1. and otiier 1 I'h' on hot I' I ABRAHAM LINCOLN. ri; ;: (til f I i ^'f^m 1 •aI 1 ^ri i r* 1, I > - ■ i. GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 29 From the spring of ISUl until that of \S{\') there was waged such a war as mankind had never before witnessed. The best bh)od of the hind was (Migaged in that conflict. The tiower of our youth soon formed the larg- est, most intelligent and host ecjuipped armies that the world had up to that time seen. During all those four years the contest did not cease for a single day. it was a death grapple of giants. Somewhere, along a battle-front extending from the Chesapeake to the upper Kio Urande overland, and from the month of the Hio (Jrande to the Chesapeake l)y sea, the sound of Hying bullets marked the fleeting mo- ments, and the l)oom of cannon tolled the passing hours. For every day of those four yean- of strife there was ar engagement, great or small, which brought death and sorrow. Fvery other interest was oveisliadowed, and all the energies of both combatants were strung to the utmost tension, a tension never for a moment relaxed until the final close at Appomattox. The inventive American genius which had been so prolific in peaceful l>ursuits was turned into warlike channels, and novel inventions and appliances for war purposes on sea and land were introduced and ap- proved by the test of successful trial. Boys from the field, the factory, the counting house and the college entered the ranks, and favored by the swiftly changing fortunes of war many ros^ by their own merit to such leadership as elsewhere could only have been gained l)y birth and inHn- ence, or by long years of unremitting effort combined with unusual talent. This war w^as in many respects without precedent. The world's history fur- nishes no similar record of so gigantic a rebellion suppressed, nor of such a vast body of armed men subject to the orders of a single commander. The valor and devotion of the American soldier, as attested by the appal- ling lists of killed and wounded on both sides, are the common heritage of the reunited nation. That feature of the conflict which for moral grandeur towers above all others was reserved for the triumphant close. Never before were com- plete victors so generous to the vanquished. The highest thouglit of the boasted age of chivalry was now immeasurably surpassed in a magnanimity to defeated foes hitherto unknown. It was my fortune to take part in that memorable struggle, and it may not be amiss for me briefly to allude to some incidents which most im- pressed themselves upon my memory. No two can see the panorama of the war alike, for each sees it only from his own point of contact, but to each who survived, it was a schooling for all his future life. (General ^ i ■ \ i ;! :i ' 1 ' 1 i ' 1 ! 1 ■1 ' ' ' ! ■:! ' i^'ll' n jj./i -If '• ; ; il m r} r- m PEHSOXAL IfKCOIJ.ECTIOXS OF Slieniiaii has said: "The best school of war is war," and he might have added that the thoroii}j:h discipline of the military service is always a most valuable education for any sphere of manly occui>ation. Leaving the commercial pnrsuits upon which I had entered, T turned my efforts to the raising of a company of volunteers. A number of public- spirited men called a public meeting in the Koxbury district, Boston, and in urging the enlistment of men pledged them- selves to raise a fund and donate a portion of it to each member of the company as they should volun- teer; this fund, when so desired, to go to the benefit of his family. In the expense of recruiting this company and making good tothe men these pledges which had not been entirely fulfilled, 1 expended one thousand d()llars that my father had given me, and twenty-five hun- dred more which I had borrowed, giving my note for the last. With the aid of others 1 succeeded in raising a tine com- pany, was duly chosen captain, was commissioned as such by the governor of the State, and with that rank was mustered into the United States ser- vice. Subsequently the governor claimed that on account of my youth, twenty-one years, I should accept a lower commission and yield up the one 1 held, to l)e given to a political friend of his. To this 1 of course demurred, but on the evening l)efore the regiment left for the field, the governor sent his adjutant- TvIKl I'KNANT MlT.r.S. general to me with a first lieutenant's com mission, and with directions for le to return the captain's commission which I had pre- viously received. As 1 had engaged in the service against the enemies of my countiy, I did not propose to a])andon that service to engage in a contest with the governor of my State, how- ever just my cause, though 1 certainly regarded the position he had taken as unwarranted and harsh in the extreme, i. therefore, began my military service as a captain reduced to a first lieutenant, in the Twenty-second ! f GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. ni ; "4 Kegiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, organized and first eonnnanded by Colonel Henry Wilson, afterward Vice-l'resident of the I'nited States. Hefore leaving for Washington, in Sei>tenil)er 1S()1, the regiment was paraded on Boston Common and presented with a Hag at the hands of lion. Hohert VV'inthrop. at that time the oldest living lv\-Speaker of the House of Representatives, and lately deceased. In receivingthe Hag Colonel Wilson acknowledged the gift by an elociuent speech which created the greatest enthusiasm, closing with these words: •• \W hope that when this contest shall close, the unity of the republic will he assured and the cause of repuhlii-aii institutions in Anu'rica established evermore. We go forth, sir. in that spirit to do our duty, cheered with the conlidence and a]i|trobation of our friends in .Massachusetts. And may Ciod in his providence o'rant that by no act of oui-s we shall lose that coiilitlence and ap|)rol)ation."* After serving for a short time with the regiment 1 was detailed for staff duty as aide-de-camp, and afterward as assistant adjutant-general of a brigade. On the I^lst of May, lsr)2, on the recommendation of that dis- tinguished soldier, (Jeneral Francis C. Barlow, I was appointed lieutenant-colonel of his regiment, the Sixty- tirst New^ York Volunteers, by (lovernor E. D. Morgan, and on September 80, of the same year, was com- missioned by (Jovernor Morgan to the colonelcy of the sauie regiment, to Hll the vacancy caused by the promotion of Colonel Barlow to the rank of brigadier- general. On the 12th of May, 1S()4, I was promoted to brigadier-general ; on the 2'>tli of A ugust the same year 1 received the brevet of major- general, and was promoted to the rank of major- general of volunteers the following year. Among the incidents of my early service in the army which impressed themselves indeli- bly upon my memory, were those attending the organization of the Army of the Potomac under General George B. McClellan ; the crossing of the Rappahannock ; the return to Alexandria ; the embarkation in transports and debarkation at Fort Monroe ; the advance up the Peninsula until face to face with the enemy under (ieneral Magruder in his line of fortitications near Yorktown, Virginia, stretching from the James to the York River. I remember that this movement occasioned the comment 1 ■ n m 'I i i :' ill r: ■(, ■i. ;f'!i: 'r:! 'JH' I' Iff "^ r- irnuuuiigi.. TKIiSONAI- l{K(M)IJ.b:CTI()XS OF ;?"!' IWii at the tiino. evon amoii^ the youii4 from the Wilderness to iVters- burg and Richmond, in which more than sixty thousand men of the Army of the Potomac were placed hors i/c coni/xif. 1 also took part in the final campaign of 18()5. In these campaigns my com- mand consisted of a regiment, the Sixty-first New York, then of a brigade, and during the last two campaigns, of the first Division of the Second Army Corps; also, for a short time during February, 1S()5, 1 was in command of the Second Army Corps. The chances of war cast my lot fiom the first with this organization, the Second Army Corps, organized and first commanded by the veteran Major-(Jeneral Sumner, and afterward in succession by Major-Cenerals Couch, Hancock, Sedgwick, French. Hayes, Mott, Barlow. Caldwell. Humphreys, and for a l)rief period by myself, as stated. It inscril)ed a greater number of engagements upon its l)anners than did any other corps of the army, and 1 think, more than any other army-corps in the history of the world. The graves of its fallen are to be found on every battle-field of the Arniv of the Potomac from (iKXKKAI, AVlNTIKI.I) S. IIaNH'DCK. it' 4 'Hi ■ ;il l'KI{S()\.\L ifKCOl.l.KC'I'IONS OK the (late (if its (»r;iiiiiiziit ion t(» .\|t|Mniiiitto\. The ItattN'-fhi^'-s it ('ai)tiinMl (Hitiiiiiiilt(MT(l its rii^ii<,'('iiu'nts. As the war toi' the I iiiinent in aii.\ one i"e<;inieiit was in a re;^niiieiit Ixdon^^in^' to the Second Corps. The second hi^diest perceiita;^*' of i"e;^nnientai l<>ss hy death and wounds was also in a re^'iinent of that corps.'' .\s t(> the suc- cesses aiul achievements of that famous corps, they are indicated hy the fact that // i((j)liii(il III (I simile ihiij lis iiiiiii// /iiiff/r-j/iii/s, ciiiniini niid iirismirrs of' f/if riiiiill/ lis il hisf ill the nifii'c Jniir i/niis n/ iliir. SpeakiiiLT <>f this coi'ps. Majoi'-Ceiieral W inlield S. Hancock says in a letter dat(>d in Aii^iiist. JSIU. hefoi'e I'etershnr^. \ irj^'inia, and addressed to Lieiitenant-( Jeiieral Craiit : ••It is I If rl laps known to ymi t'liit this coriis liad ncvfi' lost a culoi- or a i;iiii |ii't'\ ions to this (•ain|iaii,''n. tlionyh (it'tcncr and nioft Ifspcratcly cni^ao'cd than aii\' otlirr corns in this arni\'. or ncrhaiis in an\ other in the conntrN'. I have not the means of knowint^' exaetU' llie nninlx'r of oiins and eohu's I'aptiired. hnt I saw inysell' nine in the hands of one division at Antietani. and the ojlicial reports sliow that tliirty-fonr fell into tlie hands of tliat corps at Cu'ttvshuro-. liefore the opening' of this campaign it had at h'ast captnred over half a hnndred cohirs. thonoli at cost of over twenty five thonsand ('jr).(MM>) casualties. I )urino" this caiii|iaiori \(ni can jndo'c how well the corjis lias performed its iiart. It has captured more muhs and colors tlian all the rest of the army conihined. Its re\t'rses haxc not heeti manv. and tliev Ix'o'an only when the corjis had dwindled to a remnant of its former str'iii^th ; after it had lost twent v-li\t' lirio-ade i-oMnnanders and over one hundred and tweinv-tive reo;iiiiental commanders, and over twenty thousand men." The Army of the Potomac was jirohahly on<;a^'ed in as many desperate battles as any army evei- was in the liistory of the world. The map of the country between (iettyshnrJ,^ I'ennsylvania, and Appomattox. Virj;iina, is red with the crimson sjiots that indicate its history. That army was chai-v < z < > > (!> I- t- o Q. 05 < CO IHw; ' fill m ■I .fi. ; i it'L . I !,. J- I (JKNKIJAL NKI.SON A. MII.KS. :{7 tliat tliiinclorholt of war, "St<»in'\v}ill" .Isickson. All thoso tasks tlio Army of llir Potomac accomplisluHl. The inimlK'ramI (l<'S|K'nit<' character of its cii- coiintcrs may he illustrated hy the history of the siii;^'le corps of tiiat army already mentioned. Its personnel were larj^'ely volunteers who had heen (|uick to ott'er up their lives for the preser\»ation of the I'nion. Knowing the value of military discii»line they a<'cepted without complaint its exl remest re(|Uirements. Tl lis e xpl th aiiis The im itchl ess fortitude displayed hy that army throu^di the loiij^ and tryinj; years of the war, much of the time siitterin^ under reverses and disasters that would hav(^ destroyed the IHi tidir of anv arniv com |>os( d of less choice material. And of the same choice material were the entire national forc«»s composed. While heroic sacrifices were made hy the Army of the Potomac, other armies and fleets were with similar devotion en^'a^'ed in the same nohle «*ause. The Army of the I'nion was, in fact. " The People in Arms." It mirrore<| all the diversified oi»inioiis and pursuits of a free and intelli^'ent democracy. The force that called it together was the same spirit that had made a "•government of the people" ijossihle. Love of adventure may have had its natural influence in stimulating enlistment, hut the ranks were, never- theless, largely tilled with youth, who had no love for war. hut who left their homes and the pursuits of peace that the Nation might not perish. To the large niimher of young men is to he attrihuted much of the lio[)eful sjjirit always manifested hy the army in adversity. Though often hatHed hy costly and disheartening reverses, though changing commanders often, especially in the east, it never lost its discipline, its high spirit, and its cou- tidence in final success. ' hS M— :i ! i ! 'il 88 I'KUSONAI, UKroLLKlTIONS OK (•||.\ITi:i{ III. liAST ScKNKS OK TIIK (lUKAT WaR. HaI'TI.K ok N \SIIV!I.I.I: — M MKIIIM; 'rilllnl (ill (illultlin — I'lVi: KhUKS — Sl'ciUMIMi TIIK \V(lltK!4 AT I'KTKIINIIIIK* — Km, I, n|' Ku'llMnM) — SciONKM IN I'aMI' — ( "i HtUKSI'l INDKNCK lU'.TWKKN TIIK Two CiiMM WKKIIM — A I'l'uM ATTi "V — Jiiv nr T|||.; Sul.lHKUS — |)|:\T1I UK Tin: I'llKSIllKNT — WllVT U' K WnV, AM> ('c )NMi;nr KNCKS isii\miki> — AiTimu'w Ar- I'cilNTMIlNT \S ("ill.oNKI, AMI HltKVKT MaHHI- (iKNI'ltAI. I'MrKD Si'ATKS AUMY. UK spring' of ISC)") witiiessod the final scones in tiiis prosit (iniina of war wiicre tlie staj^e was a continent, and tiio whole world the andience. The " I{o<'k of Chickamanj^a." (leneral (Jeoi'f^e II. Thomas, had annihilated the o[)i)osinj^ forces on the ice-covered fields of Nashville, and Sherman's victorious army had swept from Atlanta to th<^ .sea, and was taking the South Atlantic defenses in reverse hy its onward nuirch toward the North. The success of Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley had enahled him to return the Sixth Corps, which had been temporarily detached, to the Army of the Potomac, and to move with liis cavalry corps to the left of the line confrontinjj; I'etersburjjf. The line of battle confronting the Army of Northern N'ir^inia under (Jeneral Uol)ert E. Lee, stretched from the north side of the .lames Kiver, northeast of Kichmond, to the south side of Apponuittox near Five Forks, south of Petersburti^, more than thirty miles. The troops on the north side of the James Hiver, immediately in front of Kichmond, were under the command of Major- Ueneral F. 0. C\ Ord ; the Army of the Potomac under Major-tieneral (ieorjj^e (J. Meade. occui)ied the center, and the cavalry under Sheridan the extreme left ; all under (Jeneral I'lysses S. (irant, commanding all the armies. It would be impossible to ade(|uately describe the closinjj; scenes of this historic conflict. There w is a j;eneral advance ordered along our entire line, and the extending of the line to the left, with Sheridan's cavalry reinforced by the Fifth Corps of the Army of the Potomac under Major-( Jeneral Warren, resulted in a victory for us in the engagement The following morning the entire line of at Five Forks. April 1. ISIir). 1 (JKNKK'AI, NKI.SON A. Mll.hX ;iu liiittN' assaiiltiMl tlio (MHMiiv's works, swrpt ovrr tli«^ fort iticat ions <»r IN>t«M'sl)Ui>; and lti<'liinoiMl. and tli«> national tla^' at last tloatod ovn- tlit> capital and stronj^dioid of tlio ConlVdrracy. From that point to Appo- mattox Court llous(« was ainiostone continiioiis liattlclirld. tli«» pursuers iittackinj^ tin' rrtrcatiiiir mnny wlwrrvrr ovrrtakrn. Anyone who lias witnessed a tornado, or a violent storm at sea or on the ^'resit lakes, wheie the sturdy ships have been swei>t hefore the eontinuous and incessant fury of the storm, every safe^aiard broken down, their anchors dra^^in^', and 'iverythin^ swept hefore the destnjyinjx power, imiy form some i()7,l'Ii:US (iA.Mlil.INc; WITll ( *( IN (•'KDKH ATK MciNBOY. bonds were rai)idly disbursed. If they wero at a discount, they were crisp and new and in enormous denominations. Spreading their blankets on the ground by the bivouac tires the veter- ans proceeded with the comedy, and such preposterous gambling was pr()l)ab)y never l)efore witnessed. Ten thousand dollars was the usual "ante:" often twenty thousand to "come in;" a raise of fifty thousand to one hundr?d thousand was not unusual and frequently from one million to two millions of dollars were in the " pool." •' He i were s* irether i the Ha glad r 1 " We a i A brail a I do you i the" C( r etc.. et( l^he; as light ions to as it i^ (Hers t( up the r of the \vere to sacrificf while ()\ ness thf iimph. troops i Ai)poma engatren to its ch ing the my divi; addresse inandinj under a the sam 1 is again 1 (h-y H flirt 1 11' r re jfl tliiit it is ^ H offusioii o H Ariiiv kiio H Gkn GENERAL NELSON A. MII-ES. 41 N^ ■^ ^^■^\ '' Be prudent stranjet you. or will desijriuite otiieers to meet any officers you nuiy tlesifTiiate for the same purj)ose. at any point ai^reeable to you. for the purpose of arranifinir deiinitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of Xorthern Virijinia will be received. U. S. Gkant, Lieutenant-General. Geneual li. E. Lee. The correspondence continued as follows : 8 A])ri', '05. Gex'i,: — 1 rec'd at a late hour your note of to-day. In mine of yesterday I did not intend to pro])ose the surrender of the Army of N. \n.. but to ask the terms of your prop- osition. To be frank, 1 do not think the emeroency has arisen to call for the surrender of this army, but as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that end. 1 cannot therefore meet you with a view to surrender the Aruiy f N. \'a., but :;s far as your jtroposal may affec. the C. S. forces under my command and tend to the restoration of peace, I should be pleas.nl to meet you at 10 A. M. to-morrow on the old staije road to Kichmond between the picket lines of the two armies. ^'ery respt. your obt. svt. n. E. Lek, Genl. Lt.-Gen'i. U. S. Grant, Commd. Armies of the U. S. Ai)ril 9, 18C5. General: — Your note of yesterday is received. 1 have no authority to treat on the subject of peace; the meetiniij proposed for ten A. M. to-day could lead to no ^ood. I will state, however, General, that I am e(jually anxious for peace with yourself, and the whole North entertains the same feelintf. The terms upon which peace can be had are well understood. By the South layiui; down their arms they will hasten that most desira- ble event, save thousands of hunum lives and hundreds of millions of property not yet destroyed. Sericmsly hoping that all our difficulties may be settled without the loss of another life, I subscribe myself, etc. U. S. Gkaxt. Lieutenant-General. General K. E. Lee. GKNEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 43 April mil. ISiT). Gknkkai.: I received vor.r note of tliis inoniinsr on tlie picket line whither I hiul coiiie to meet you uiid ascertJiin deliiiitely what terms were emljraeed in your proposal of yesterday, with reference to the surrender of this army. 1 now n'(|uest an interview in iiccordance with the offer contained in your letter of yesterday, for the purpose. N'ery respectfully. Your obedient servt. R. E. I^KK, General. Lt.-Gkn. I'. S. Grant. Conidur|)ose of meetini^ you. Notice sent Mie on this road where you wis!' tliis interview to take ])lace will meet me. I'. S. GuANT, Lieuteiiant-General. Gknkkai. K. E. Lkk. (Joinmandinrely yours, Ciias. A. Wihttikk. Gkn. Nki.son a. Mii.Ks. Coinmaiider U. S. A. The final result was, however, most gratifying, though the culminating scene had been thus shifted and delayed. During the four hours of the suspension of hostilities pending the surrender, the batteries went into position and the lines of l)attle were formed, ready for immediate attack. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 45 Y'ou could see the gleam of alternating hope and anxiety playing npon the , faces of 'Jiose war-worn troops vvlierever yon turned. In anticipation of the Hnal result the head(iuarters hand of my division was ordered up close in the rear of our line of battle, and when the announcement came that (leneral Lee had surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia, this hand broke the silence with the music of '' Hail Columbia" and the other national airs with indescribable si)irit and volume. The example was foHowed by all the bands of the Army of the Potomac, the shouts of victory and peace swelled from a hundred thousand throats, and above all re- echoed such continued thunder from double-charged cannon, Hring blank cartridges, as has seldom been heard on any battletield. At the same time the air was full of hats, canteens, haversacks, cartridge boxes; everything that could be detached from the person and thrown high overhead. Sol- diers who had borne the brunt of battle for four years with absolute forti- tude melted like overjoyed women and embraced each other in their arm.s, or rolled like children ui)on the turf. Their hearts were Hlled with irre- pressible gladness, their faces l)edewed with tears of joy. The l)attle-torn flags were waved, eml)raced and kissed by the l)r()nzed and war-scarred veterans, it is utterly impossible to adequately describe the scene, or the feelings that swelled the souls of that army. Thankfulness, joy, generosity, magnanimity, patriotism, were all mingled in the feelings of the hour. The exultation of victory and the joyous anticipation of returning to our homes, were tempered by sympathy and respect for a vanr(Mi<'e for their ineniories in these lines: iii! (Oxer tlit'in (ucr witli Ixsmtifiil tlowcrs. i)t'ck liit'iii will) narliiiuls. those l)rt)|l iiM's Ol ours l.\iiii; so silent liv iiiiiflit and l)v lets the\ won in tlu' strife list: (. tl lem tlie laun Is tl lev lost wi th tl u'lr life Cover tht>m over. \ I's. eoxcr them over. I'arent and hushand. i)rother and lo\er; Crown in \our hearts those heroes of our Cover them over with beautiful tlovvers. Cover the thousands who sleep far awa\. leeii w here their friends cannot lind them to-day: riiev who in inonntain and hillside and dell. Kest wheiH> thev wearied, and lie where thev fe Softiv the s^rass-hlades cre(>|i round their repose: «wei"tlv al)ov(> them th t> wi Id II owen t hi ows; /ephvrs of freedom tl\ o'entiv oerliead. N\'his|uMMntr |ira\»'rs for the patriot dead." The hlack-moiithed eannon were at last parktnl in siltMice. and the lon^ coniniissary trains of tln^ victorious army passed throu^'li the surrendered lines to sui>ply alike i>oth armies. The majj:naniniity and jjenerosity of the silent commander touched the hearts of all with respect and admiration, and all reali/etl that the cause that divided the two forces had at last disappeared, and that friendshi]) and coniidence ninst be restored. The jjrroat-hearted leader and helovetl President was soon to fall, hut his wise and iienerwus words express the spirit of the million of armed veteran soldiers who put off the hahilimentsof war and resumed the res])onsil)ilities and duties of American citizens. They represent the earnest ai>peal and wise counsel contained in his lirst inaugural: "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of atfection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every battlefield and patriot-grave to every living heart :y t - i (JKNKUAI- NKI-SON A. MILKS. 47 and hcartlistoiie all over this broad land will yot swell tho clionis of the lliiioii, when touched a^'aiii. as surely they will he. by the better aii^'els of oiir nature." and his words at his second inau^niration, "With malice towards none, with charity for all, with lirniness in the ri^dit. as (iod ^'ives us to see i\w ri^dit." In this spirit, the veterans furled their triumphant banners, stacked their arms, and returned again to the peaceful walks of life. In order to comprehend the magnitude of the cause in which tliose men were eng-ged. we must consider what would have been the result t(> the people of this country, and to tin' whole human race, if they had faih'd T AlM'KDACII OF (ilCNKHAI. l-l'.i: rSDI'.K I""l.A(i <>r Tl{l<'i;. in that heroic enteri)rise for the restoration and perpetuity of the great republic. It was a (piestion of national life or of dissolution, of one grand re})ublic. or of two or several conflicting republics or pi-incii)alities. !t was a (luestion between anarchy to be followed by desi»otism. or the restoration of the great republic in all its grandeur and magniticence with an assured prosperous and })eaceful future. Let us consider for a moment how near we came to dissolution and destruction. Let us take a few reasonable illustrations. What would Hil'i^ sii! 48 l'KI{SOXAL KKCOLLECTIOXS OF have 1)0011 tho rosult had Ahraliaiu liincoln and Wintiold Scott failod whon the ooiintrv was in tho lirst dark luuirof its iiiiininoiit i»onl.' What would luive hoeii tho rosult had -lanios B. Kads ^oue from St. liOiiis to liiolinioiid iiistojid oi to Wasliiii^'ton, and proi)osod to construct and place at the service of the C'onfodoracv instoail of the Federal (iovornniont, that Wdii- (Um- tl 10 gallant niticent flotilla of giin-hoals that contrihuted so larj^'oly. undoi Foote. to the ()i)enin^' of tho Mississippi from the Lakes to tho iiulf.' Sup- pose .rohn Kricsson. that mastor-inind whet twice revolutionized tho navies of the world, had placed his ]\Ioiiitor under the Confoderate flag hositlo the Merrimac on the (.'hosapoako. or with his system of battleships hatl block- aded the Northern po -ts iastoad of the ports of the Southern States^ What would have Ik in the result if Sherman's army hid exhausted its stronu'th arn hemisphere, from the (Jreat Ijakes to the extreme southern border of South America. Liberality, humanity and justice now, more than ever, influence or <'ontrol the govern n^Mits of the civili/ed world. The surrender of the armies of the ('onfed(»i.)cy left the South banki'ui)t and ])aralyzed, and mourning and loss had colitic. It was said bj some that to give them the right of citizenship '• would be like placing; the club of Hercules in the hands of a blind Sam- son." The great black problem which alarmed tlie peo[)le of that section of the country then has agitated the minds of the Southern people ever since, and is a grave problem even to-day. Yet it will work out its own solu- tion. There is no black blood being imported, and the negro poinilation. while rising in the scale of intelligence, is spontaneously scattering itself throi <.''hout the North and West, in every State and Teri-itory, and the problem is i'l sure course of settlement in due time. At the ch se of the war those who had been engaged in actual conflict in the main buried their prejudices vitii the sword. Then was the best opportunity the people of the South have ever had for dividing up their large plantations and disposing of them in small portions to the hundreds of thousands of enterprising men, who would have been glad to pay for them a fair compensation and build their homes among them, thus making the land reserved even more valuable to them than the whole has :.M, '■'' I ill % 60 I'KUSONAI, WhJCOIJ.KCTIONS OK yet com to Ik\ Nortlirni caidtjil and Northern iiiiniiurratio!! vvould luive j^ivt'ii to the South ^Mcater piospcrity than it ever liad htdoro. What that s(>('tion needed was less politics, less credit, and more solid capital, and intellij^^'nt labor with ^neater diversity of industries. It has now hy fortitude and enterprise, risen from the ashes of a devastating war to a place of prosperity and yreat future promise. The Southern States have for the past few years been invitinj^ Northeiii and KnroiH'an capital, and intelligent immigration. These, together with their own economy, enteri»rise and intelligence, will in the near future develoi) the vast resources of that interesting and valuahle itortion of oiii country. As an incident outside the actual conflict, at the ('lose of the war, France had an army in Mexico, a menace to our institution.^ and syst(>m of government. Our commerce had l)een swept from the seas by priva- teers built and manned in foreign ports, although at that time we had built up the strongest navy afloat. Some of our statesmen advocated the formation of two great armies composed of the soldiers of the North and the South, one to be moved to the city of Mexico, and the other marched to Canada. I'artly owing to the enormous burden of an un- precedented debt, which furnished one of the strongest arguments against such policy, partly because the people had already had so much of war that they had become tired of it. but mainly through the tragic, cruel and unfortunate death of Abraham Lincoln, a change was worked in the trend of affairs, Jiincoln's death at that time was perhaps the most unfortunate event possible. He was so kind hearted, so unselfish, so magnanimous, and he so fully comprehended the condition of the South, that he would have been able to guide and direct it back to a condi- tion of peace, prosperity and loyalty, l)etter than any other man could have done. His life would have })een of greater value to the Southein ])eoph» than it could i)ossibly have been to the remainder of the country. The UH'thod of forming provisional governments, first tried, was soon al)an(l()iied. A bitter controversy .u'ose between President Johnson — who had IxMMi elected \'ice-Presi(leni. and l)y the death of ]\lr. Lincoln became President- and Congress, the final outctmie of which was a pitlicy of reconstruction under military direction: and whatever else may have l)een said in regard to national matters at that time, it has been universally conceded that the militai'y commanders executed the re- construction laws with great discretion, judgment, intelligence and integrity. The constitutions of the several States were re-formed, ap- (JKNKIJAI, NKF.SON A. MII.KS. 51 proved by ('ou^mvss and adoptod. and tlic contnd of tin* military was in a very siiort tinw practically uitlidrawn, and tlio States restored to their former status as nieniln'rs of the Feih'ral I'nion. The ^'I'eat duty then was the substitution of civil ^'overnnuMit for military rule, an many vohunes such as this. The task I have assigned myself is, therefore, siin{)ly to record the more salient facts that came within the scope of i.'y own observation and experience. I : I i '' i'' teil 'ti ^ 52 TEHSUNAL IJECULLECTlUNa; UF CIIAITI<:i{ IV. OiK Actji'iuKi) Tkkkitoky. Coi.i'si/ \Ti(i\ — i;i:si r.Ts Imhw W.mi — Tin: liOiiwiwA !'ti((ii.\Hi: — Al'(JIIHITIii\ o|' ThMUllTiiHV lllnM .Mi;\U'n — KxiM.i iHATItlNH n|' I,|;\\IS AMI Cl.AHK — FUKMnNl'M Km'I.hII \ I'IoNS — Si HVKVM l-uu Tli A NS-('()XTIM:NT M. Iv AII.W \vs — l»i:- KII.TK iiK Tin; WaH IN ITH Kl'IKCT (IN TllK I )i; VKl.nI'M i:NT dl' llli: \Vi:sT — ( 'OXHTHl'CTKlN' lU" TUANH-fdNTINKNTAI, H Ml. WAV — IkM'll* Sktti.kmknt <•!■" Tin; Wkst — I'itthiii lui — Cincvdu — St. Liii is — Kads — Kokt I,i: wKNWnuTii — Kmi- (iinNl- Tit MNS — lllNTINO K \ I'KIHTIuNS — Tin: DoNinns Km'kiiitiiin. OON 5iit(M* (»m- f(H('tatluM-s had planted tlicir little colonies aloiijj! the Atlantic Coast, their children ascended the Hudson, the Mohawk, the Siis(|iiehanna. the I'otonuic. and othei' valleys, penetnitt'd to the Ohio, and at len^'th invaded "the dark and Itloody ^M'onnd" of Kentucky, and slowly moved westwanl alonj; the I'e^non of the (ireat liakc^s. A little later they he^^Mn to occupy the rich prairies of the ]\lississii)i)i Valley, and to-day their remote descendants have transformed the treeless j)lains of the central West, and the mountain valleys and jjjold-tields of the Pacific slope and of the liocky Moun- tains into busy and prosperous communities. Long before the day of the Anglo-Saxon occupation, adventurers of other races had passed lightly over much of what is now the I'nited States. Yet only in a few iso- latetl spots had they left any endnring trace. Pressing closely upon the fo()tstei)s of the hunters and trappers, the Daniel Poones of the frontier, the American has always founded homes, established schools, and organized permanent industries. The favoral)le termination of the Frencli and Indian wars, waged for more than two generations, gave the English colonists the great lake- region and northwestern territory west of the AUeghanies, and put an end forever to the Frenchman's dream of empire in this quarter. The Louisiana purchase gave us a vast area in the South and West, wiiile the Texas revolution and the war with Mexico, gave us New Mexico, Arizona, and California. ■mi I' i (;knki{.\l nki,s()\ a. mii.ks. :.:i I i Wliat liius lui»;4 Immmi called «mr ^MTiit \V(»st«'ni Mm|»in» iiiiiy Itr loii^'lily (IcscrilxMl as iiicludiii;,' tlir coiiiitry lyiii;,' rnuii ixirtli to suiitli l»<>t\v«M'ii tho hoin'mion of Caiuuhi and the Kcinihlic of Mexico; and fioin cast t«> west (with boundaries less delinitely tixed) hctweeii tlu^ Missouri Uiver ami the Pacific Ocean. It is renuirkalde that when the ^'n»at Corsi- cau had exhausted iiis treasure in tlu' desolation and destruction of homes in Kuroiie to extend his eiujiire, he was willing' to disiiose of his vast area of territory in North America to tla* I'nited States. Sevonty-tive million francs at that time was a great boon to the French con- (|ueror. and one million one hundred and . .s« »'enty-two thousand sijuare miles of '^ 5=: the territory of North .America uasdes- tiiu'd to he a still j^'reater boon for tlie millions of free [)utenant -I. C. Ives, Corps of Topogra})hical Engineers, made a most laborious exploration of the Coloi'ado River in IcSOT S under the direction of the Oflice of Exphu'ations and Surveys, Captain A. A. Humphreys in charge; and his reports and maps were of gi-eat interest and value. While the Lewis and Clark expedition was on its return journey, a second important exploration was working its wav to the westward. This w;i- under the command of Zebulon M. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 56 Lilt I'S. le 1)11 vs. on ug M. Pike, whose monument is the mountain which bears his name, looking out across the uhiins from the eastern edge of a world of mountains. Lieutenant Pike was, as so many of those have been who led the way into our western empire, a soldiei-. He was born in the army, and while yet a boy, was an ensign in his father's regimenl. And as a soldier he (lied. He was killed while leading his regiment, the Fifteentii Infantry, in the assault at York, Canada, April. IS];}. After the stir he made in the v>Vl time when the ground his mountain stands upon was not ours but belonged to Spain ; after all the charming narrations that have been evolved out of his adventures, we marvel that he died at thirty-four, the colonel of the regiment he led. There were twenty-three men in this expedition, all told. They started from Bellefontaine, a location on the Missouri, fourteen mih^s north of the city of St. Louis — the same locality which had been the starting i)oint of Lewis and Clark, and the first site of a military post west of the Missis- sippi — in July, 1S()(). There was then the beginning of a dispute about boundaries; the same that was ended by the treaty of (iuadalonpe Hidalgo after the war with Mexico, while all the scars were healed by the Cadsden purchase a little later. Pike's errand was not entirely one of exploration, and without (piestion it was desired to know also how strong Spain was along the boundary she claimed as her northern limit, and which we dis- puted. His journal reads now like a romance. It is of starved, frozen, ragged men wandering through a region that is the favorite and cosy tourist- ground of three generations later. His journey led liiin westward through what is now the State of Kansas, through millions of buffaloes, and into the toothills above what is now the city of Pueblo, Colorado. He tirst saw, far away, the mountain that liears his name. November 15, ISOO, and it was in sight of his party througli their waiderings for more than a moiitli. He (lid not reach it, or nani*^ it himself, and wr.s tlnally cai)tured while in a. stockade he had built on the ]{io (iraiide. thinking it the Red Hivei' and that he was within our acknowledged territory. This captivity took him a long journey into Mexico. It was tilled with incidents that read strange now, and show liow little the Spaniard has changed to the present date, and. ecjually, how much we have changed (turselves. Pike was released in -July, lS(f7. and was thanked by the gov- ernment for his services. Long's expedition was also that of a soldier, and he, too, is commemo- rated by a lofty mountain which be^rs liis name. His journey was made l! I 'i» P J ■I( i\ iljl 56 TEHSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF in 1810-20, with valufi))le results, but without either the suffering or the romance which fell to the share of Pike. In a follovvinjif chapter I shall dwell moiif particularly upon the beautiful region first examined by these men — Colorado. Much of the region under consideration had been at a comparatively early date penetrated by a few men of the Latin races. French traders and missionaries in small parties had, from time to time, entered the pres- ent States of North and South Dakota, Montana and Idaho, before the tide of Anglo-Saxon immigration set in. They, however, made no systematic exploration. Their scattered soon rotted away. 'J'liey at colonization, and except sions. and French names for ities. all trace of their pres- The Spaniard, Coronado, from the south early in the other Spanish fired alike by ligion and for desultory ex- the territory Colorado and erected here arrastras side the cross, and colonized por- are now New Arizona. But tion planted guished,and in even entirely eitherfrcm inherent weakness or encroached upon by the fierce savages, who I, ad become much more formidable by the acquisition of firearms and horses. Santa Fe, which was a Spanish colony fifty years l)efore the landing at Jamestown or Plymouth Rock, remained a feeble village of adobe houses, until in recent years rebuilt by American <^nergy and thrift. The Anglo-Saxon is preeminently the colonizing race. From the first day of his landing on the eastern shores of the continent he has pressed eagerly and steadily forward, his eyes fixed upon the western horizon, Gexkrai, Pikk. trading-posts, Imiltof logs, made no successful effort for a few picturesque mis- certain streams and local- ence has disappeared, ascended the Gila Kiver sixteenth century, and adventurers, the zeal for re- gold, made peditions into that is now Ftah. They and there rude by side with to some extent tions of what Mexico and the civiliza- by them lan- some localities disappeared. until 1] waves Th years he bell iuHuen at leas Fast ai the "pi Joh accomi Jessie GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 57 until his onward march has been, for the present at least, checked by the waves of the I'acitic. That eminent statesman. Senator Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri, for years .'lad urged the construction of trans-continental railway lines which he believed were destined to become "the road to India." His ability and influence did much to attract attention ic the importance of estab.Ushing at least one great avenue of commerce and communication between the East and the West, and it w^as chiefly through him that the exoeditions of the "path-tinder" Fremont, were authorized and equipped. John Charles Fremont was a native of Savannah. Georgia. He was an accomplished officer and engineer, whose romantic wooing and winning of Jessie Benton, now liiswidow% may yet be remembered l)y those who were young at that time. Fremont's expeditions were organized with great care at the mouth of the Kansas, or Kaw Kiver, at Bent's Fort on the Arkan- sas, and at various points west of St. Louis. He penetrated the central zone, passing o\ er the Rocky, Sierra Nevada and Cascade Moun- tains, and along the entire Pacihc CV^ast from the Columbia River to southern California. He had with him a corps of scientists, and his discoveries were valuable contributions to the knowledge of the times. His chief guide ws^s tlie famous Kit Carson. He had several en counters w ith hostile Indians, and was fortu- nately in a position to establish our right of domain at a critical time on the Pacific Coast. In 1844 Congress authorized the first survey for a trans-continental railway, and an expedition was fitted out by Fre- mont at private expense for the purpose of making this preliminary sur- vey. He wrote a history of his explorations wliicli attracted great attention, not only in this country but also in Europe. The close of the war gave a great impetus to the settlement and de- velopment of this region. The causes of this impetus iiave already been alluded to, and are not far to seek. The discharge from military service of such large bodies of men, mostly young, vigorous and intelligent, was a powerful stimulus to every kind of further achievement, both material and intellectual. The tremendous volume of enoi-gy and ability which had been engaged in mutual destruction, when suddenly released found its most natural and congenial field of expansion in the West, to wliicli many Kii' Cahson. i ••jl 1 ii Mill ill ■■\\iyim ■jli I'iK ii" III i! 5{- PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF :\V ii ; ; i i thousands of the young men from both armies soon found their way. Before the war, the border troubles in Kansas, and the prospect of similar trouble in other sections, while attractin^jj perhaps a certain class, mij^ht well de- ter the peaceful farmer seeking a home for his family. That vexed question, the source of such l)itter contention, as to whether free or slave lal)or should possess the virgin fields of the West was now settled for all time. The Homestead Law g'c'e to each settler in fee-simple one hundred and sixty acres of land, which to the rack-rented toiler from beyond the sea must have seemed a princely estate. And among the results of the war as connected with the West, was the acquisition of Alaska, that magnificent pendant to our territorial area. The undisguised symi)athy shown lo us in our struggle ))y Russia aggravated the strained relations alieady existing ))etween that country and Ureat Britain, while drawing still more closely the bonds of friendship previously existing between her and the Ihiited States. Soon after the war, rather than endanger these friendly relations by the complications that seemed likely to arise from the presence in Alaskan waters of our whalei's and fishermen, and perhaps willing also to perform an act showing her inde- pendence of (treat Britain, Russia departed from her traditional policy and sold this teri'itory to our government for $7,200,()()(l. Within a few years after the purchase considerable American capital and several thousands of our citizens were e.igaged in the mines and fisheries of that region. The actual construction of a ti-an^. continental railway w^as inaugurated during the war for political reasons. At one time there was apprehension lest California and the Pacific Coast should secede from the Unif n. That State, particularly in the Southern portion, had been largely settled and dominated by men of Southern birth and sentiment, and in ISGl great sympathy was manifested there with tbg secession movement. California was, in fact, seriously in danger of being lost to the Cnion cause, and was saved largely by the efforts and eloquence of Senators Baker and Mac- DcMgal, the Rev. Starr King, Leland Stanford, and their compatriots, and by the timely action of the (Jovernment in sending (ieneral E. V. Sumner in 1801 to command the Union forces on the Pacific Coast. The danger that the communities of the Pacific slope, so far from the population of the East, and separated from it by a vast tract of wilderness, might become alienated from the Union, was plainly seen by the statesmen of that day, and the building of the first trans-continental line was hastened in order to establish a physical connection between the Pacific States and the East- ern portion of the republic. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 59 Since the war many powerful States have .sprun<^ into existence, prac- tically six lines of trans-continental railway have been built, linking with iron bands the Pacitic States to their sisters of the East, resources that hitherto were undreamed of have been discovered, and a volume of devel- opment that is marvelous and bewildering to contemplate, has been crowded into a quarter of a century, making this the brightest period in our national history. Returning again to my personal story, in the spring of lS()i), having been assigned to the command of the Fifth Ihiited States Infantry, with headciuarters at Fort Hays, Kansas, I bade adieu to the balmy atmosphere of the Carolinas where 1 had been on duty, and traversed by way of the then most convenient railway route the several intervening States, most of them being then seen by me for the Hrst time. The battle-torn fields of Virginia and southern Pennsylvania were familiar enough, but beyond the picturesque Alleghanies the scenes were new to me, and presented ever-varying beauties of landscape. Crossing the Ohio at Pittsburg, a day's run through the populous and thriving States of Oliio anil Indiana with their ever-present woodlands, extensive 'clearings, chai'ming villages and busy manufacturing centers, brought me to the border of the great prairie region near that spot where the immortal voyageur. La Salle, tii\st set foot upon the domain of the Illinois, almost two hundred years before. What a marvelous change! Not a vestige was now left of the powerful and warlike race he found there except their tribal name. Where they had roamed was now a mighty State, the undisputed home of the white man, and one of the great commonwealths of the richest and largest agricultural valley on the face of the globe. Where the smoke of tlieii' signal fires had curled toward the skies now stood "the school-house on the hill," and the church-spire pointing to heaven. Following the pathway of the "Course of Empire" still westward another day took me l)eyond the Mississippi, across the State of Mis- souri and the great river which shares that name, and I found myself at length at my destination within the boundaries of the State of Kansas; "bleeding Kansas," as she was then still termed, but now long since arrived at her imperial rank among the sisterhood of Jigricultiral States of the great Valley of the Mississippi. At that time Missouri was a State of one million seven hundred thou- sand inhabitants in round numbers. She is possessed of boundless natural resources, and is especially rich in mineral and agricultural wealth. Her iron, coal, lead and zinc treasures are seemingly exhaustless. She is now ■i imi I ' 'till ill «! ()(> PEHRONAL KtirOLLECTIONS OF '% ii« '; widely celebrated for her packing' industries also, as well as for a wide range of manufacturing enterprises and industrial pursuits. Her com- merce is very extensive, since a large portion of the produce of the north- west as well as of the supplies for that section is borne upon the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, and over the numerous railroads of the State. The time of this first journey of mine across the central West was little more than twenty-hve years ago at this writing. To illustrate the uni)recedented growth to which I have alluded, 1 may call the attention of the reader to one or two instances out of a very lai'ge number. The first city after crossing the Alleghanies was Pittsburg. The last ]»revious census (18(5(1) gave her a population of 49,217. The first fol- lowing (1S70) showed S().()7(). She is now a city of nearly 3(10.(100 inhab- itants. A steamer starting from J^ittsburg, 450 miles from New Yoi-k, and 2.000 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi, may sail the en- tire distance going, and returning, every mile of it within the great Missis- sippi Valley, without once being stoppt^d by ^i government official, or being taxed by any tariff. Then came Chicago. Her then last census showed a population of 1(M),20(); the next gave her 21)8.977. Two years later she was a heap of smouldering ruins from which she rose with astonishing rapid- ity, and now boasts a population of two millions in round numbers, a growth without parallel in the history of the wor'd. A ship sailing from any part of the world may discharge its cargo at her wharves, a thousand miles inland. Her commercial success was already widely spread at the time of my first visit, and I regarded the city with much interest. The tragedy of the Fort Dearborn massacre was enacted on her present site, at as late a date as LSI 2. Continuing westward I came to St. Louis, at that time a city of 350,000 inhal)itants and the great rival of Chicago. This interesting city was «)rigi!ially settled by the Fi'ench. The names of many of its oldest families are French, and the city still retains in its social character many of the . ttributes of that polished and pleasure-loving people. St. Louis was for a long jieriod the chief seat of the French power in the Mississippi Valley, and also of their fur trade, to which it was admirably adapted by its situation at the mouth of the Missouri, the great western tril)utary of the Mississippi. This river was the natural thoroughfare of commerce from the Mississippi to the great fur-bearing regions of the northwest, being navigated by fiat lioats and other small craft, and. at a later date, by small stern-\\ heel steamers al- most up to the base of the Rocky Mountains. At St. Louis the traders in !!i GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 61 early times met the representatives of munerouslndian tribes from tiie plains and mountains, and at this point caravans of hardy pioneers were formed to push forward the ever advancing line of settlement still farther to tho West. When I passed through St. Louis in l.S()l) its gi-eat engineer. James ii. Eads, had turned his attention from the construction of giin-hoats and engines of war to the construction of the avenues of peace. Disregarding the adverse opinions of other eninent engineers he had delied the ele- ments, and was sinking his iron shafts deep below the waters of the Missis- sippi and through the more ditlicult and treacherous stratum of cpiick- sands beneath, to the solid foundation. His enterprise was afterward carried to a successful conclusion, and the great arch that now unites the banks of the Father of Waters was completeil in the early seventies. His later work, at the mouth of the same river, will add to his high distinction as an engineer of lu'oad and original conceptions, and as a far-seeing and pul)lic-spirited American. I arrived at Fort Ijeavenwortli. Kansas, near the city of the same name, in April. '1 his post was established in 1S27 by the distinguished soldier of the \Var of 1.S12 whose name it perpetuates. It was for many years the principal base of military operations for the vast country be- tween the Missouri Kiver and the Rocky Mountain range. For many years it w^as the concentration point of a number of hostile tril)es of Indians, and had its influence in restraining their warlike propensities, l)eing at that time the extreme outpost on the western frontier. It is beauti- fully situated on the right bank of the Missouri. al)()ut six hundred miles above its mouth. Later it was from this point that the war material was shipped by w^agon-traius westward across the plains to the distant military posts that were established from time to time for the protection of lines of communication and settlements. Here the escorts were made lip to conduct the great transportation trains laden with supplies for the trof)ps engaged in protecting the i)ony express and mail routes. Thence the exploring exi)editions were sent out in the spi-ing. and thither they returned in the autumn. Here came the young officers fresh from West Point, and other officers older in service, sometimes bringing their fami- lies to share with them the i)leasures and lighten the burdens of theii- service on the distant frontier. While there was much of danger, priva- tion and hardship incident to this remote frontic: sprvice, yet there was also much to attract and interest the am1)itious and enterprising, and to furnisli as well an occasional romantic episode of the service. When larger garrisons were gathered at Fort Leavenworth it aflorded an ! 1 \ i' t hfff urn i : h;!-li ^ M I 1 1 >■ I' 6'2 rKKSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF I'll opportunity for social civilitios {iiid recreation, as well as the amusements incident to refined society. The officers were, as a i iile. educated and in- tellij^ent gentlemen, while their wives and daughters were cultured and i;entle, forming a society refined in tone, hut free in j^M'eat measure from the rif^id ti>;!ventionalities whicli govern restricted localities. The yreat industrial interest at that time in Leavenworth, and also iii ^v^^5s5?525r^ ^ Pikk's I'kak as PiKic Saw It. other growinj^ cities of that region. Kansas City. Omaha, and Council Bluff's, was the construction of the two trans-continental railway lines, the Tnion IWific and what was then known as the Kansas Pacific, after- ward a hranch of the Union Pacihc. Numerous wagon-trains of immi- grants were also moving westward, the principal points of organization and departure being the towns above named. At these points Bishop m (iKNEKAI. XKLSON A. MILKS. OIJ I Berkeley niiglit 1) ive seen the most ti^tinji; illu.stmtioiis of his words. "Westward tlie C(> ■ ;^e of empire <^a,kes it way." Here were gal i '>red ea'.'li yen" thousands of newcomers, who with their children iiov swell th'^ ;)()pulation of our i.tr western States and Territories. IIuiim rs anl tra[)i)ers. t'arniers. men from every walk in lifo, every hundicraft i-very learned pr()f(»ssiou. and of every business and trade; ^)n ^?•iarchs with famili\s it. id beardless youths, conjjrregated in great camps and ''outHtted" for the exciting and perilous [»lunge into the Western wilderness. }lere wei'c gathered together pr<''' ' » < M^ « II 04 rKKSONAL liKL'Ol.LI'XTlONS OK CIIAITKIi V. PuKHlSTOKtC A.MKKK ANS. On Kir \ nr I'm: IIiMi M \ v r\KMi\\ \ — 'I'm: " Ni;\v " \\i>i;i,ii —'I'm; TiMiins Tii \i' \\'i:i!i: lii:i'i>i!i; 'riii; I Mil w — I' \i.i:i>i,n iiK M \ \ i\ Amliiic \ — 'I'm: ( ii. aci m. I'ii'cicii — 'I'm: (' m. \vi:ii \s Sk r i.i. — 'I'm; i' \i.i:i>i,ii'iii<' M \\ 111' l';riiiii'i; — 'I'm; 'riiiii:i; Kisus nr A \(u:\ r Ami:i;i(' \vs — 'I'm: .Miunh- Miii.iii:iis — Tm; |)\v mi'I'iii: .Mammhiii — i'liinii.KMs sur ^ 1:1- Smv i:i) — 'I'm: Mm nds, AM) W'li \ !■ 'I'moN Imhcv'I'io — l'niii'i:ssiiii I'ii'nam's l>i:s(iiin ms m- .Minvii-Ri ii.ii- i;i{s ni' ()mii \'ai.i.i;v — l-lviiiKNt'i; ni' a Si cciossinv ni' I; \('i:s — Kkmmvs in WisciiNsiN — I'si; 1)1' Ciii-i'KK — IIm\v Tin: .Miirsit-Mrii. 111:11 l,ivi:i) — Ills NiMiii;us — (»m: Sisiii 1, Mi I;i:m mmm; 'rKiiii-; — Sioats m- llis Mi(ii:\- TliiN — Nil 'I'l! VDIIIiiSS III' CiiMIMi III! ( 'i )Mi T i;si' — '{"111; l»i:sll\> III' Tin: Ti;iiii;s in Mudkun Timks — I'liui kssou I'l tn am's Vikws. N the ori^'iii of tlici hmI man history is siloiit. altliouj^h tiiere arc ruins in AiH('i"i<'a wliich [>fohahly date hackward t(> a tiiii(3 witliiii five hmah-cd yeai's of the foiindation of Hahyh)!!. Vari- ous theories coiicerniii^' the hirth|>laee of the IiMHari race have heeii enthusiastically ad\'ocat(Ml at dilTcrcnt times, hut only to he linally ahaiuhtned ; and i»hih)so|»lii('al iiKjuiry thi'ough the study of laujj^ua^es. anti(iuities. arts, traditions and similar methods, are our only jj:uides to-(hiy as they were to (uir fatliers four centuries a^'o. It is pi'ohahle that la^ whom we rail the Indian, the red man of North America, is not the i)riin<'va] man of tlie continent. America is a "new world" only to us. It is also a very old world. Prehistoric re- mains abound, and most of these v.e \'(>ry dimly understand the meaning of. They ^n» far behind everything wliich we call history, which, indeed, is comparatively a very i-ecent invention. There were trihes and races here lonu: before the Indian came, whatever may have been the origin of the latter. The oldest of his traditions tell nothinjj: to him or to us of the men whose place he took. Their occupancy ended a^'es a^o, beyond I'emote tradition, almost beyond iiupiiry. Hut their weajtons. mounds and tokens tell us something of their stoi-y. They made at least a record that shows that they were here — and are lon^' de])arted. It is believed that there was at l(>ast one i)aleolithic race in America i)efore the advent of the race found here by Columbus. They were alike busy in their time in makinj,^ the only tools known to human hands during r ■/..-•J (65) SITTING BULL.-SKK 1'a.,k :J1j. r\ 1 r (i I! ; !' I li '' :"l! .4 m I tl f.fi the 1 Ix'hii r\|t('i ciimc ill w The tiller the II li to us a ten Aj^MSS Yet t Anier ceede( slioet will }) for hi: were d This SI \Vl same i Whitn Pacific or the entire] depth a high brated This h of the Th( ure an His ui had a i To sue the A conten (JKNKKAI, NKI.SON A. MILKS. 67 tlio Um\x ji<^ps (if cliipiKMl Hint, and thcso, both tlioro and litM'o, they left licliind tlit'ni; tlicy ai«' alnmst or (piite alilve wluTcver fonnd. so that no «'\p(>ri«Mi('tHl archa'olof^'ist would nndrrtako to say whether an arn»\v-head eanie from Wisconsin or from some drift-hank in Knrope. Vet the times in whi<'h they n's|M'('tively lived may have heen thonsands of years apart. The Ameriean Indian was him.self of that ajj;e, and knew nothing' of snud- tin^' metals when the discoverers foniid him. So also had his predecessor, the monnd-hnildt'r. lived and worked nidvnown a^'es before him. In America there was, as also in northern Knrope. a lon^ period known to us now as the "^dacial epoch." This vast thick .sea of solid ice covered a territory whose hounds are now well known. When, in human chronol- oy^y, this jieriod was, no s(ueiiti.st preiMsely knows. I'rofe.ssor Louis .\pissiz believed that it was "' before the dawn of the present creation." Yet there are sonu* evidences that would indicate that the prehistoric American was living' then. If, in this country, the paleolithic a^e suc- ceeded th(» j^lacial eitoch. and he did not come u)itil after the ^reat ice- sln^et had melted, his residence dates back nuiny thousand years. No one will probably ever even approxi unite ly know the time of his first comiufi:, for his stone implements are said to be mixed with the j^ravel-lieaps that were carried southward in its nuiss and left in winrows when it melted. This statement, however has bt^en seriously questioned. When the celebrated •' Calaveras skull "was found in California — the same that is mentioned in one of Bret Harte's early l)allads — Professor Whitney defended its genuineness, and stated that man had existed on the Pacific Coast *' prior to the existence of the nuistodon or the elepliant or the glacial period, and at a time when animal and vegetable life were entirely different from what they are now." This skull was found at a depth of 180 feet. The skull itself gives contradictory evidence. It is of a higher type than the supposed head of the primeval man. Another cele- brated find, in Europe, was the Neanderthal skull, of a very low type. This last has stood to the world of (;ience as the skull of the most ancient of the human race. The European paleolithic man is thus descril)ed: ?Te was short of stat- ure and strong of limb. His head was long in proportion to its l)readth- His under jaw was square and heavy, his chin sloped backward, and he had a retreating forehead. His skull was small in front and large l)ehind. To such a man the Calaveras skull did not belong. The question whether the American ancient man was of a higher type than his European contemporary, can never be decided with only these two very ancient crania !if 'm'n •m m H :M;|I Jj-w <>b*,irtiUiii£*,difai;,^ 68 PERSONAL HECOLLECTIONS OF *^^^f»«*w. I'l.AN' UK .MulNDS Al' M AKIiri'l'A. Olllo. to jud^e by. The only fact that is certain beyond (juestion is that, in America as in Enrope, men lived at a time almost inconceivably ancient, ■dvA that he whom we know as the American Indian, is held to be a late comer; a comparatively modern man. There are. besides the utterly unknown men, one of whom was once the owner of the Calaveras skull, at least three kinds of ancient Ameri- cans: the cave-dwellci's, the clilT-dwellers and the mound- builders. Two of these races, the two lirst-named. had tlu'ir time in Europe also. But the last, the mouiid-builder, may be i-e^nirded as beinjjj strictly Anu'rican. All the ancient Americans are named from the I'eiuains they left indicating their mode of life. Those of the cave-dweller are rare, those of the clift'-dweller still more numerous, and those of the mound-builder are the most numerous and striking of all. This nuin is su,)i)osed to have been .he immediate predecessor of the Indian. Many clilT-dwellings are now known in the Western portioiis of the I'nited States, and have been ex- phu'ed in recent years. It is thon^dit by some that living in chambers dujjf in the soft strata of clitTs. or in caves, is much the same thing, and that the same people practi<'«Hl both at the same time. Even if this were true. tli3re was a still older I'ace who are known commonly as cave-dwellers. They were here when the mastodon was. This^itiautic beast, whose bones have frequently been found in recent years, was once a common American animal. and Muds have been made which stranjj^ely show his connection with the primeval savages, who occulted what is now the I'nited States at the same time he did. When his huge bulk became mired in the (juicksan Is of some slough, they found him there, and attacked him with stones, and shot hundreds of tlint-tii)pe(l arrows into him, and finally built huge tires around him, and all these things be^came known thousands of years after- ward as plainly as though written upon the pages of a book. A case of this kind was found by Dr. Koch, in (iasconade County in Missouri, and another similar find was made in Brinton County in the same State: others have been made in b)wa. Nebraska and Ohio. In the museums there are ancient pipes made in imitati(.n of the elephant and mastodon. ! ,\ ~ GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 69 Kii.i,iN(! rill'. M \MMnrii. Oils in the j^n-oat Mississipiti Valley. This iiicliules not niei'oly the act- ual valley of that rivei'. l)ut a lai":{. M— 5 ftr '% ■ (•' I ;|El 72 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF Si found. They are rude, but are the implements of a people who were not ^ava^es. They did not know anything about mechanical appliances such as the wheel and pulley, and could not make a windlass, yet they mined the copper and made out of it knives, spear-heads, axes, chisels, needles and ornaments. Mounds which were used exclusively as graves are widely scattered and almost innumera))le. Many of them have been excavated, and so many bones and relics have been found that we now know tolerably v>fell what variety of man the m(uind-bnilder was. He was not like the present Indian. One of his characteristics was that he was " prognathous." His front teeth came evenly together like nippers, and not as ours now do. those of the under jaw behind those of the uppei- when the mouth is closed. We also know that the mound-builder in- cluded in his activities those of the farmer, the hunter and the warrior. His mounds illustrate all these occupations. They also show in what localities he had most ene- mies. In some districts his defensive earth- works are more extensive and formidaljle than those of modern times. Wherever they were their occupation was intended to be permanent. Like ourselves, they pio- neered to the westward, and their remains west of the Missouri are of a less extensive and permanent character than those further to the east. Wherever they were they adapted themselves to the country and to their surroundings. How numy of these people there were is of course a matter of specula- tion and conjecture. Many antiquarians suppose them to have been \ery numerous ; that there wei'e as many of them as there were white Ameri- cans at the beginning of the War of the Rebellion. ]\Iany theories are held, with the prevailing opinion that they were very numerous, and that they developed the country, occupied it. a ?id did (juite us well in advancement as could have been expected of a peopf t'bo had -lo iron, and no domestic animals except the dog. It may be mentioned that there was f. iiiu hen when tho white men came, at least one tribe that were d'ji Norti'. A in- -i lean iidians in the Skuli,, Ima(5k Vases, and Cips or TriK ^[()^^"l)-Hr^,l)I;Hs, sense t mound- regions many p surroun the city that rej. The stated v Thej United years a^ The\ The} had at 1 The> farmers, Thej theory, ideas of nial cus mense si tumuli. They grew an to us CO] necessiti Ther mastodo vived th vived it between der. It vived it Whe stayed, America the ston ican In( GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 78 sense the rest were, and whom many have supposed to be the last of the mound-builders. These were the Natchez, extending through the Gulf regions. Thoy were sun-worshippers and mound-builders, differing in many prominent respects from the Indians further north, and oven fro^; surrounding tril)es. Some of the largest of their mounds are located near the city of Natchez, in Mississippi, and a remnant of tho tribe still lives in that region. The sum of general information about the mound-builders may be stated very briefly as follows : They were the first people to c/ccupy the territory which is now the United States after the glacial epoch, and were here at least ten thousand years ago. They were widely extended, and numbered at least several millions. They had almost nothing that semi-civilized peoples now possess, yet had at least taken the first step toward modern civilization. They were an industrious and laborious people, not nonuids; and were farmers, hunters, lighters. They were intensely religious, but their precise forms of faith, their theory, belief and hope are all unknown. Their methods of expressing ideas of sacred or religious thought and enacting their social and ceremo- nial customs was a complicated and toils(Hne one. which cost them an im- mense sum of labor in the building of emblenuitic mounds and burial tumuli, They cultivated corn (maize) as their chief agricultural product, and grew and smoked to])acco. Those two products, with probably potatoes, to us comparatively new, are therefore to be included among the ancient necessities of mankind. There is reason for believing that the mound-])uilder knew the American mastodon '.nd mammoth, and they were his prey. These luige beasts sur- vived the ice-age, but it is not known what human being it was that sui vived it with them. There may possibly have been a long period interveniuij between the end of the glacial epoch and the appearance of the mound-b i- der. It is, on the other hand, not unreasonable to suppose tliat they sur- vived it together. Where the mound-builder came from, when he came, how long he stayed, are facts absolutely unknown. Tn these problems the prehistoric American does not stand alone. Niuther does any man know who hewed the stones of Baal beck, and tiie origin and date of the coming of our Amc ican Indian are equally unknown. We now turn to the latter as the f!ii; II m i '<: in m ■A; ;:;h 74 PERSONAL HEC(.LLECTIONS OF supposed successoi- of the mound-builder. The course of migration of all the aboriginal tribes of the ing the Appalachians, quo is, the Dakota many others, seems to west. Prior to their sippi it had been gen- Cl I'S AM) ,l.\l United States, includ- the Cher(jkees, the Iro- g -oup of tribes and have been f'-om the crossing the Missis- erally from the south. It is within the geographical area occupied by these tribes after coming east of this rivei", that great numbers of American antiquities are found. The famous Dighton Kock inscription was at one time ascribed to the Northmen, but now it is believed to be merely the record of a battle be- tween two Indian tribes. A relic was found near Wheeling. West Vir- ginia, in 1SJ38, which is believed to be of a comparatively early period, namely 1328. It appears to corroborate the traditions respecting a white race, as che Northmen, in pre-Colum])ian times in this part of America. The Skeleton in Armor, the subject of one of Longfellow's famous bal- lads, was discoverc^d near Fall lUver and was supposed to belong to some shipwrecked adventurer, but now there can be no doubt that it must have been a North American Indian, as it had the conical formation of tiie skull peculiar to that race, and the state of preservation of the flesh and bones proved that it could not have been of very ancient date. It is an undoubted fact that the arts of the a))origines have declined since the introduction of EiTVopean skill and knowledge. It was not likely that an Indian would continue to manufacture his earthen pots, or bows and arrows when by the exchange of a few skins h*^ could obtain a brass kettle or a gun. The natives had no skill in fusion ; they melted no iron ; they made no glass ; they knew nothing of the potter's wheel or the lathe. By a kind of hand loom they wove the fibers of certain plants into coarse cloth for garments, and manufactured nets from rushes, and had twine of their own n ike. They employed fire for the purpose of felling trees, as they had only stone axes which had not the h irdness or sharpness necessary to that work. With regard to garments, dressed skii\-. were their staple reliance, while their court dresses had a nuintle of bc^t skins sometimes covered with shining plates of mica. Their canoes were of bark or of wood, and theii war clubs of heavy iron-wood or maple. The characteristics of the Indian as he was when the white men found him here will be discussed in succeeding chapters. His relations to the tribes which preceded him. and which he in his turn found when he came, can only be conjectured. All the more ancient races, mound- buildei of wil( or crow sure, by whi( territoi in the The unknot been t the Vo inal sei c'es, A down n\ Second, ])erior i the Oji the man over th( Lakes a drove t extensix of the ! lro(iuoi> pernuuK Supi by whic territor States ( unknow whom t had losi so long contest any anc Indian i ter had Our lack of GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 75 builders, cliff-dwellers and I'ueblos, seem to have been invaded by hordes of wilder tribes, who either drove them from their ancient i)()ssessions, or crowded them, and encroached upon them with a constant liostile pres- sure. The prehistoric American did not die out of himself. The process by which he was finally shut up in hisclilT-dweliin^'somiound-fortresses, his territory limited, his numbers decimated, may be studied in modern times in the Hnal result of the long contest between the Pueblo aiul the Apache. The initial point of the predatory migrations of these later tribes is unknown, but according to the latesl investigati(ms there seem to have been three centers. First, the valley of the Columbia, far to the north, the orig- inal seat of such tribes as the C'onum- e'es, Apaches, etc. These crowded down upon the clitt'-dwellersand Pueblos. Second, the peninsula between Lake Su- perior and l^ake Michigan, the home of the Ojibways and Athabascans, and of the many Algonquin tribes which spread over the entire region between theClreat Lakes and the Ohio River, and finally drove the mound-builders from their extensive seats. Third, the region north of the St. Lawrence River, where the Iro(iuois tribes seem to have had their pernument home. Supposing this theory of the process by Avhich the savage possession of the territory now eml)raced in the I'nited States changed hands to be correct, th^e process of coiupiest occupied an unknown time; perhaps ages. It Wa-< a time f*o long that the Indians whom the white men found here had amv trr.ditio«s of its beginning, and had lost the record of even its end. In (»)irlii^r wri'i;i{ Tools am' \\'i'.ai'ons .Mauk by Tiiic .MoiMi-iJi ii.1)i:ks. ! ,!' 70 I'KIJSONAI, KECOLLKCTIONS OK f\ \ no rcroi-ds tli.it woro pcniiaiiunt. lie Imilt no nioiiiiDKMits. liis hahitatioiis were opluMiiccjiI in structure. Faru)iii;: little and liuutiii;.r iiiucli, he was for a^'es a wide wimdei-er ovei- the jtrinieval American wilderness, knowiu}^ paths no others knew, strewing' the forests with the ashes of his camp-lires. ^'oin^ from phiee to place hy an instinct which he shared with the hirds. homeless, yet everywhere at home. He knew how to write the picture-writinjjj which was as [»lain to him as ours is to us ; hut thes(> wi'itinjjfs wen^ nuide ciiiefly on tla^ skins of hearts when made at all. and ixM'ished with him. lie left nature undist ui'hed hy changes. li\ in?d only by the facility with which he demrdishes all the rest. One i>roves therr oris thi island; nn the islai Ksaias. bus is America for Ana lire and excess. t( to war, ] found a letters of Here the Ath Americi that thi innocen of the ] childr^i of the same aj- gi<:nei{AL M'JLson a. milks. 77 spun \vel)s of lo^'ic hy which these fiincif ' are niiiiiitaiiKMl woiihl pi'ove ciiuiisiiig. (lid not the profouiul earnestness of their respective advocates r' like (Ji-eek letters engraved upon it ; six hundred years after the apotiieosis of Hercules, Coleo made a long voyage; Homer knew of the ocean; the Athenians waged war w ith the inhabitants of Atlantis ; hence the American Indians were (h'eeks. Lord Kingsborough proves conclusi\ely that these same American Indians were Jews; because their "symbol of innocence' was in the one case a fawn and in the other a lamb; because of the law of Moses, "considered in reference to the custom of sacrificing childr'^n, which existed in Mexico and l*eru;' because 'the fears of tumults of the people, famine, pestilence, and warlike invasions, were exactly the same as those entertained by the Jews if they failed in the performance of I r i : : ■ ^ivf- timuiumi^ht mtmimilm 4 "M' H 7'^ 78 I'EKSONAL KKroi.l.Kr'noNS OK iiiiy (rf their i-itiial (»l»sor\iiii<'('s;' Ium-iiusj' 'tli(> (>)i of cliil'lrcii ctiin- iii(Mi('(' aiiMiii;^ the Mt'xicaiis. hccaiisc Mic pricslliood of hot h nations ■ was hcrcdjiniy in a certain family:" hccaiisc hoth were indiiicd to |»ay i^rcat rcsjicct to hicky or iinhick) oiiicii;'. siicii as llic scrccchin;^' of the owl. the siicc/.iii;^- of a pcfsdii in c'»iii|)iiiiy. etc.. aial hccaiisc of a hundred other cciiially sound and reh-xant arL'unieiits. Aiudo^'oiis rcas(»nin;i to this (»f Lord Kinu^hoi-oiii^di's was that of the .Mci'ccd lii(hans of California. Shortly after the discoNci'.v of the ^'oscinitc \alley. tidings rea(dicd the settlci> (d" .Mar'i|iosa that certain (dii(d's had united with intent to (h'op (h)wn from their mountain stron^hohl and annihilate them. To ^ho'^- ■tjic 'ndians the ns(dessiicss of warriiiL^ upon white men. these (diieftains were iii\ited to \ isit the city of San l''ran- cisco. where, from the nnmhei' and snperiority of tli(> peo]ile that they would tlier(^ hehold, they should hccoiiie intimidated, and thereafter maintain peace. I hit. contrary' to the most reasonalilc expectations, no sooner had the dusky (hdcf^atcs retni-ned to their home than a council was called, and the asscmliled wai'riors were informed tliat tln'y need liaxc no feai' id' these sti'an^i'crs. 'l-'or."said the envoys. 'the people of the ^I'cat city of San l*'i'ancisco are of a dinerent t rihe from these \\hite sett Ici's ot .Mai'iposa. Their manners, t heir customs, t heir la n^nia^'c. t heir dress, are all dilTer(Mit. Tlie\ weat- hiack coats and liiuii hats, and are not ahle to walk aloii!.: the smoothest path without the aid of a sti(d\.' "There are many adxocates for an Asiatic oi'itiin. hoth amoii^ ancient and modcfii s|)eciilatoi-s. I'a\(»rahle winds and ciirreids. the shoi't distance lietwcen islands, traditions hoth Chinese and Indian refer the peoplinu' of America to that (piaiter. Similarity in cohtr. feutures. I'eliiJjion. i'e(d\onin,<; of time, ahseiice of a heavy heard, and inimniei'al)le otiiei' comparisons, are drawn )>>• enthusiastic adxocates. to siippoil a Moi u'oliiin orii)lied with (Mpial facility and [>eans when they tirst beheld the natives of America, that these were unlike the intellectual white skinned race ot Europe, the barbarous blacks of Africa, or any nation of ]>eople which they had hitherto en<'onntered, yet were strikingly like each other. Into what- soever part of the newly discovered lands they penetrated, they found a people seemingly (nie in color, physiogmuny. customs, and in mental and social traits. Their vestiges of anticiuity and their languages lu'esented a coincidence which was generally observed by early travelers. Hence physical and physiological comparisons are advanced to prove ethnological resemblances among all the peoples of America, and that they meanwhile l»ossess common peculiarities totally distinct from tlie nati(uis of the old woild. Morton and his confreres, the originators of the American homo- geneity theory, even go so far as to claim for the American man an origin as indigenous as that of the fauna and Hora. They classify all the tribes (►f America, excepting (m\\ the Eskimos who wandered over from Asia, as the American race, and divide it into the American family and the Toltecan family. Blumenbach classilies the Americans as a distinct si)ecies. The American Mcmgolidie of Dr. Latham are divided into Kskimos and American Indians. Dr. Morton perceives the same charac- teristics and llaeaments in the face of the Fuegian and the Mexican, and in tribes inhabiting the Kocky Mountains, the Mississippi Valley, and Florida. The same osteol(>gical structure, swarthy color, straight hair, meagre beard, obli([uely cornered eyes, prominent cheek bones, and thick lips are ccmimon to them all. Dr. Latham describes his American Mongolidie as exercising upon the world a material rather than a moi'al influence: giving them meanwhile a color, neither a true white nor a jet black; hair straight and black, rarely light, sometimes curly; eyes s(mietimes obli(iue; a broad. Hat face and retreating forehead. Dr. Prichard considers the American race psych<)logically, as neither superior nor inferior to other primitive races of the world. Hory de St. \ incent classifies Americans into Hve species, including the Eskimos. The ^lexicans he considers as cognate with the Malays. Humboldt charac- terizes the nations of America as one race, by their straight, glossy hair, thin beard, swarthy complexion, and cranial formation. Schoolcraft makes four groups: the first extending across the northern end of the continent: the second, tribes living east of the Mississippi; the third, those : I I ; ma NMUHHila ill i .. i;.i 82 PERSONAL HEUOLLECTIONS OK between the Mississippi and the Jlocky Mountains: and the fourth, those west of the Uocky Mountains. All tliese he subdivides into thirty-seven fannlies; ))ut as far as those on the I'acitic Coast are concerned, he niij^ht as reasonably have made of them twice or half the number. "All writers a^'ree in ^ivin^ to tin* nations of America a remote anti(iuity; all admit tiiat there exists a greater uniformity between them than is to be found in the old world; nuiny deny that ail are one race. There is un(h>ubtedly a prevailin the stoiio aRoof man"s •Icvi'liipnit'iit. Tilt" (\<- ' Is the roiinli-stnin' ptTiod. the last the period of the tiiiislied, or imlislied stone iiiiplemeiit. '^Pliorriip, a t'eoloHleal iieriod so named from Its fossils, anionn which are found the earliest evidenees of animal life on la. id. ^-m 1 ill i f i' III ' 1 li I I li t i I . ! I . ' '■ :i 84 I'KHSONAL HKCOLLKCTIONS OF i,f, 'HI Wo must roiiieiuluM'. Iiowover, that many anthropolojifists re*?ard all men as having one orij^in, and hence believe that all peoples on the Amer- ican continent are of a single different i- ated variety of man. For a working hypothesis, the theory of the several dis- tinct origins of man has many advantages. All opponents to successive immigration must necessarily admit a very early paheo- lithic immigration. or else an autochthon- ous origin for nuin in America. If an early immigration, why not later ones after the sui)iK)sed continental ccmnections had ceased to exist and man was capable M-MvKiso i.v TiiK i'Ki:-n.sTu,nr Man. „f moving from placc to place with the aid of boats? in this connection the recent paper by Professor Otis T. Mason is most suggestive. lict us ask ourselves the simple questions: Why it is that dolichocephal- isnr'= prevailed over northern, eastern and portions of western North America, while brachycephalism ^ prevailed over the southern and south- western portions? Why is it that the early j)eoples of the south and south- west — the old Mexicans, the old Pueblo peoples and cliff -dwellers, and the old earth-woi-k builders of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys — are not only brachycephalic to a greater or less extent, but also differ so markedly in their mental traits from the dolichocephalic peoples of the north? These prominent differences are probably racial, while environment has un(|uestionably caused and preserved many modifications. Still the long-heads of the north had as good opportunities to advance if they had possessed the primary characteristics for a corresponding independent de- velopment. When groups of them came in contact with the tribes farther advanced, they showed themselves capable of receiving and absorbing a certain amount of culture wdiich they added to their own: but it was only by this contact. Left to themselves their development would naturally have been on different lines, which, in fact, have in great part been lo^- lowed. In stpdying the characteristics of cich people, the archaeologist must ever be on the watch for elements showing this contact of people with peoi)le in past times. Again^ the special characteristics of a people must *l)(>lich(ici iihdlif, I.iiiiK iK'tidi'd. A term iiiiplicd to riiccs luivin^ lu'iids the (Uiiiiictcr (if wliicli from side to Side IS Riiiiill t'otninircd to tlmt from frotit to tmrk. 'iliracliiici iiliiilir. Haviii); liciids more in'iirly round, like llir (luiciisiiiri head. be dist associi their It, were ci the eai east, al)ilit3 probal come tinenti in exc( glacial since i in the Du the pe( tribe a on, pec ditions Pacific time w and so food, Atlant man o ment t pushin peculii Eskim the CO in con region appar< tured and n fertile acres, of the GENKKAL NKLSON A. MILKS. 85 be distinguished from tlie primary rlijiracteristics, arts and institutions of association, that all human beings have common to their hunumity — their generic characteristics. It, therefore, seems that the peoples of North America, known to history, were composed of the descendants of the early man of the I'aciHc slope, the early man of the Atlantic slope, the ancestors of the C'aribs of the south- east, the early brachycephalic people of the southwest, and, in all prob- ability, immigrants from Asia at a later time. The brachycephalic branch probably had its origin in Asia. The dolichocephalic branch may have come in the earliest period either from Europe or Asia or from both con- tinents. If from Europe, it must have crossed the c(>ntinent of America in exceedingly remote times with a return migration to the east, after the glacial period. There is evidence of a western culture coming to the east, since it was on the i*acitic side of the continent tliat the greatest advance in the primitive arts and culture was made in ancient times. During the early migrations over the continent it seems probable that the people of the Pacific Coast wandered northward and eastward, forming tribe after tribe, as isolation of small groups took place. As time passed on. peculiar customs, arts and languages were developed by the new con- ditions of life. Some of these groups formed settlements on the northern Pacific Coast to which were prol)ably added immigrants from Asia. As time went on. group after group became separated and pushed eastward and southward when led by geographical conditions and the supply of food, or when forced by enemies. In course of time one group reached the Atlantic Coast and probably came in contact with the small pal'tcolithic man of the east; while others were forced to the north, where by environ- ment and isolation the tribes of eastern Eskimo were formed. A similar pushing of groups to the north on the Pacific Coast, and the following of peculiar food supplies, may have resulted in the formation of the western Eskimo. In the efist, the long-headed peoples stretched southward along the coast and westward into the interior along the rivers until they came in contact with the advancing shori-heads of the southwest. In the gieat region of the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys the mixture of the two races is apparent; and there must have been a long contest between the more cul- tured and sedentary tribes who built the old earthworks, and the savage and nomadic warriors from the north who iv time took possession of the fertile valleys. During this period of contact and crossing of the two acres, the more savage learned of the arts and culture of the other. Some of these arts and customs have come down to the present time and have I I 4 ' i . , 1 » . i i •m ill! m i 86 rKIiSONAI. UKCOLLKCTIONS OK spread from their soiirco until they have hecouie the common inheritance of now widely separated tribes. In the south and southwest, brachy- ceplialism prevailed, while at the north and northeast dolichocephalism maintained its asirendency. In the central rej^ion and i»articularly in the Ohio Valley a mixture of the two types is shown by the mesaticephalic or medium skulls which prevail in the burial places of the tribes whose de- scendants the white race drove from the region." i w \\\- :.' fy ;ut! GENEllAL NELSON A. MILES. S7 ('IIA1»TK1{ VI. Indian Chakacter. LvDiAN Chakacter — Inhiax STrniios <>k (iicuiuu: I'ati.in. 1'akkman, Sciioou'haft and Othkkh — ThK OhKJINM, NoKTM AmIOKH'AN LnDIAN, (ilCSTl.K, lIoSI'I'I'AHI.K AM) KiMll.Y IJ|«- I'osKi) TowAHi) tin: Nkwcomioks — (!aisks hi- THK CiiAN(iK IN Indian (Iiiak- ACTKK — KNtil.ISH, FKKNCir, CtKKMAN ANll Si'ANIHII (JuI.uNIZ ATION StuiK.MKs — Indian Wakh — Bion.iamin Fkanki.in on tiik Lndian — Mauijikttk's liioi-m'Tiox Bkyond tiik ^Iimsim- SII'IM — HaI.LKI'K's StANZAH (»N I\K1) .lAfKKT. HE oflit'ial uoports and literature re^ardiii}^ the aborigines of thi.s country durinj^ the past four hunch'ed years have been so voluminous that the future historian will have ample nuiterial for portraying the character of that race as civilization has known it during the period. Jiut their true history cannot be written until the preju country Ity the Kiin»|M>ans. McKinncy's and Mall's works arc valnuldc and interesting'. 'I'o the civili/ed man of to-duy tlie idea of human trent trait of his na1iir<>'. and he has heen cond(>mn(>d a.s a malii^Miant liend, in<"apahle of the hetter impulses of humanity aiirinan. "The only ^^ood lncially in dress; or, (Con- versely, the more primitive and unenlightened tlH»y are, the simpler is their music, and the more compli(%ited or extravagant their coloring. It will not l)e without interest to note somewhat brietly the condition of the races found here by ('oliiiubus and the early explorers. The first and. in view of the savage character now generally attributiMl to him. most striking fact to be noted of the .Vmericau Indian before he degenerated through contact with the white man, and anterior to the nice wai" that was waged for centuries before his final overthrow, was the dignity. hosi)itality and gentleness of his demeanor toward strang(»rs and toward his fellow savages ; his cordial welcome of the lunvcomers to his shores and home. What was it that changed all this and caused that ra uikI •■ IriciMlly." Soon, houcxcr. tliry IciiriKMl to IViir iiinl disti'iist tlir sti'jiii^'crs. who took «'\('iy ii repaid the hospitality with which he was everywhere* received hy the natives hy taking' with him on his i-etnrn lifty-seven (d' tiiem. whom he had treach- cronsly enticed on hoarortion of tho Atlantic ('<»ast. Me descrihes the natives as very "courteous" and •• ^'entle." hut as mild and fe(dde. thouj^h " possess in <^^ prompt wit. with (hdicate Iind)S and handsome visages." Seeinj.!: many lires ashore, and the natives frienol. .Ia<'i|ii('s ('artier sailed Iroiii France to the re;,'ioii of the St. Law I'enee. and took |u»ssessioii of t he eoiint r> in the name of the Krencli kiii^'. The natives were very friendly and took ^'reat pains to show it "hy rnhhiii^' their hands upon the arms of the Kiirop<«an visitors, and lifting' them up toward tln^ heavens." and in other ways, ('artier carried olT some of the natives. Imt as he was to return tiie next year he treated them wcdl and trained them to act as interpreters. In a se«'o!id voya^'e. made t he following' year, ascending' t he St. Lawrem'e, he visited the iiali\e \illa|^'es of Stadacona. now (^iiehec. and Ihx'hela^a. the modern .Montreal. \ iewin^' the white men as heavenly visitors, the Indians crowded aronial them to touch them, [»ayin;4 them <>very mark of reverence and respect. They hroii^dit to ( 'artier their lame, blind, di.seased and impotent to he healed ; and he j;ratilied their desires. " prayinj; to (Jod to open the hearts of these p«»or people that they mitaiii dohn Smith, the hero of colonial Vir^'inia. •• Orii 'riiomas Hunt, tlii> iiiastiT ol" tliis isliip. wlit'ii I was iicmi' hi'trayi'd tour ami twoiilv of tlit>si' poor savai,n>s aboard liis sliip, and most dislioiit'stlv and iiiliiiiiiaidy, for tlicir kind usajjff of nil' and all our men. (•arri«'d tlicm witli liiin to Malaya iind tlicrc for a littlt< pri- \alt' nraui solil til CSC sill\' savaircs. IJut this vile act kcut liim ever after from any mo re ein|tloyinent in these jiart^ Mut what is to he cxi>ected of the average adventurer when the highest sentiment of the time in regard to the Indian as expressed hy that emi- nent divine, liev. Cotton Mather, is foinid to have heen this: '' We may guess that prohahly the devil (lecoyr tliiiii \v*>. of roiiiplrxiou niiicli lik«> a dark olivp; tln'ir cycln-ows and hair Mack, which they wear hmj^' tied up ill knots, wherein they prick h'athers of fowls in fashion of a coronet," etc. Another account, speaking' of the Ahenaki and Micinac t riltes hirt her north on the coast of Maine, says, "they had peniianeiit villaj^'es eiiclosetl hy palisades. They were a;.'iiciilt iirists. ainiahht and social. Itiave. laithfiil to en^apMiieiits and especially stroii*; in their hiniily attachinents." In May. I(>(>">, Captain (ie«»r^'e W'eyinonth landed on their coast, seized some (d' the natives and carried them to liii^daii of them. In Kn^ were olijects (d' ^'leat wonder, and crowds of people ftdlowed tl streets as they had done a century hefore. when those hroii;^d C'ahot were exhihited. When in \i\()\) llenry Hudson sailed in the " Half Moon" up the i which now hears his name, Iw found tlu^ natives a, '* verv lovin i( They invited him to visit them on shon*. where tliev made liin and a (diief "made an oration aiui showed him all the conn ahont." A few years later the |)iit(di laid the foundation (d" M now the ^reat city of New York, the traders here as (dsewhei'e (Udrauding tlie Indians. .\t lenj^th the I >iit«di governor, Kieft, to exact trihiito from them and followed this up l)y an atts Uai'itans for an allej;<'d theft at Staten Island, which hrou^ht latin^ warfare that lasted two years. This war was succeeded hy a period «d' comparative peace hetween the whit(\s and nei}^dil»orin^' Al<;oii(piin trihes. The latt involved in a war with the Mohawks, who came down upon them in great numhers into Manhattan and other Dutch sett lei it. 7\s tliey w(»re then at pea )-l PKIJSONAL HKCOLLKCTIOXS OF Upon Hio whites, killiiijj; tlic lucn. caitttirin;^' the wonit'ii aiul childi'cMi. iiiid tlcstroyiiiji: and la.viii^' waste the setthMuents. So it was all the way IVoin the St. Law reiiee to the Antilles. Within twelve years of the tliseovery ol' tiie Island of St. l)oniin«ijo, its teeming' l»o|»Mlation who hac' received the st I'anj^'ers with the most }j;enei'ons hospi- tality, were tiriven to desperation hy sncdi perlidions hetrayal as no savage nation ev(n' could sui'pass. and aftei' a heroic resistance* in which they perish(>il hy the thousantls, the niisei'alde and hroken-hearttnl remnant were reduced to ahject slavery. The frauds and injuries (d' whiidi they were the \ictiuis. W(>re not for- jjotteu hy the natives, hut. as was (|uite natural were ev«'ntually returned with interest. The wars were never discontinuiMl. except in is(dated and exceptional instam-es, until within our own tinu^ the curtain was run^ dow'.i on the tinal eudinu', it is to he hopeil. cd' th(> drama of thi- raci> wai'. Now and then an eidi^htened conciliatory and just course of ih'al- iu«i was initiated hy a l*eter Stuyvc^sant or a, Williani I'enu. and always with the lia[>piest results, hut in the main the policy ahov(> indi- cated was the on»> pursued from the discoverv dow ii to oui'own dav. is it to he woiulered at that just in proixu'tion as they wer(> brou<4;lit into ('(Uitact w ith the Kuropean their (duiracter chan<;ed. absorhinjj: the worst elements of the stranj^vrs without acepurinj; the l)(\st? Catlin. aft»M' many years ^nveu to the study of Indian character und(M' every variety of cii-cumstance. noted the followiufj: results of contact with the white race upon the Indian, the eil'ect hein^' (dassilied as m Oi-iili'ii'l. U\Ni>s<).Mi-; ,' lii.ii. M t>.)Ksr. 'kkk. SOCIAI,. Ckkiui.ois. B Si Gk Oi.i.; oi.n. itAUiirr, AC KIT I. AMY. >'< {■iiiiiliiyii. L'til.Y. ArsTKKK. ' )u'i'n)i;NT. I.IIMKINOI S. ! >ISSM'ATKI) "jNSI.AVKli. < 'iMI'lM.KD. l>i:si;i!\ i:i». 'rAcinitN. SrsiMi IOCS 1M1I>. Cii (n»Ki;i>. AKI.UvK. (ilJACKl.KSS, l''ll.lllV. Pkackaui.i-: I'ltOlD. Ili.NOKAN r. Vain. I M)i:i'i:m>i:ni'. H ai'I'v. II KAI.l II V. .(>N. Kit. HiMiti.i:. ("oNCKI I Kli. lliMiti.i:. Dki'kndi:., 1. M isKitAi'.i.i-; >I(KI,V. SlIOlM'-I.IVKI). I'ai.k-1 A< i:i». Dim NKKN. I )i:(iti:A^iNt;. SoiiKli. 1 \< KKASlNd Srori-IIKAIMKIt. BlJOKKN-IIKAKTiai. I II.I.-IU.OOI). .i\ im; Ml in. ANDIKH.DKKS .M 1) ixi;i>-iii,(>(ii«. \ I N < ; . (><>1! \\ IXJOAKS. CJKXEWAL NKLSON A. MILES. 93 Ciitliii. after his v\^^\\t yvuvn of life jinionjx i\w Indians. (lelilxMatoiy clianu'tcrizcs as "an anomaly, a white man ih'alin;^; witii Indians and met- ing- ont jnstiee to them." One t»f Washington Irvinuj's nn)st |)o[)nhii' woi'ks was that I'ehit in^- to the adventures of Captain Honnevilh^ in the fai- W Cst. The captain was an entei'pi'isin}^' army olhcer who ohtaine liannts. As a means t«) this end he a(h)|»ted the profession of a, fnr-tra4er and spent live years in the rej^'ion of the K'ocUy Monntains in the ostensible [tursnit of a foi'tnne. lie "started into the conntiT with one hnndred and ten men" whose very appearance and e(piipment exhibited a piebald mixt nro half civili/ed and half sa\a^-e."" They sojoni"n(>d anion^' the Ne/ Perci's. the Klatheads, and many othei" ti'ibes of Indians nntil then nncontaminated by ivvotic intlnences. and what wen^ their chai'acteristics^ "They w(M'e friendly in their dispositions and hon<^st to the most scrn|»nlons dej^ree in their intercoMi'se with the white men." A^ain. "Their hon- esty is immaculate ; and their purity of pnrji their ol)sei"\ance of the rit(^s of their relij^ion are most uniform and remarkabh>. They ai"e certainlv more like a nation of saints tha-ii a ,!l", !, Horde ol sa\a^'es. And how was this "simi)le. timid. inolTen sive race" i"e<[uited for the welcome <;iven these men.' The very .same account ex- pljiins. aiul it is the old. sad story of wriui^ to the Indian. "One morning' one of the tiappers. of a violent and savage charact(M', discoverinji; that his traps had been carried off in tlu' ni^ht took a lioi'rid oath that he would kill the lirst Indian he should meet, innocent or ^niilty. As he was re- turning- with his comrades to cam)), he behehl two unfortunate i{oot-l'ijj:g(n' In- dians seated on the river bank. tishineaker haviuif the most influence. The Indian women till the jifround. dress the food, nurse and briiiijf up tlie children, and preserve and hand down to posterity the nu'morv of public transactions. The em])loyments of men and women are accounted natural and honorable ; liavini^ few artilicial wants, they have abundance of leisure for imitrovenuMit by conversation. Our laborious maimer of life, comjtared with theirs, they este'MU slavish and base ; and the learninijf on which we value ourselves tliey reirard as frivolous and useless. An instance of this oc«'urred at tlie treaty of Lancaster, in Penn- sylvania, iiiiiio 1744, between the t^overinnent of Virijfinia and tlie Six Nations. After the principal business was settled, the commissionei-s from Virjfinia accpiainted the Jndians by u speech, that there was at Williamsl)uriif a coUet^e witii a fund for educatinif youth ; and that, if the Six Nations would send lialf a do/en of their youniif lads to tiiat colletre, the ifoverinuent would take care that they should be well provided for, and instructed in all the learniuiT of the white people. It is one of the Indian rules of politeiU!ss not to answer a pvdilic proposition on the same day that it is made ; they think it would be treatinir it as a liijht matter, and that they show it respect l)y takiui^ time to consider it as i>f a matter important. They therefore deferred thtMr answer till the day followin*)*. when t}i.>ir speaker bciran by expressinir their p sense of the kindness of the Vir^iniati irovernmen*: in makinir them that offer. • For wi^ know " says he. • tiiat you liiht in these colleiijes. and that the nuiintenance of (mr younjr men with you would be very expensive to you. We are convinced, tiierefore. that you mean to do us iifood 1) your proposal, and we thank you heartily. T3ut \ on. who are wise, must know, that ,liff»'rent nations have different conceptions of thinirs. and you will there- fore not take it i miss if our ideas of this kind of educition happen not to be the same with yours. W> have had some exi)erience of it; several of our younir people were formerly brouij^h up at the coUei^es of the northern ])r<.)vini'es ; they were instructed in all your science;, but when they came back to us they were bad runners, in-uorant of every means of i vinti- in the woods, unable to bear either cold or huntrer. knew neither !1 li wmmmmmmm 'il \ UK ( ■ : ; I 1 ,1 i' J?-t m m I' % l'KI{S<)N.\l< K'Kroi.LKrriONS OK liow lo huild a ciil)!!!, tiikc a iIimt. oi' Kill an cnriiiv ; s|i(iki' mir jaiii^na^^c iin|M'rf('ctlv : wt'i'f tiicri-fnn' iicilInT lit lor limiltTs. war'iiurs, nr cunMsclldi's ; tlii'\' wcii- t<>tall\- ifood i'or riulliiiii^'. W'c arc. Iiowcmm'. iiul tin' less dliliircd l)\- xoiii' kind otTcr. tlmiiyli wi- decline ac(M'|)linn- it ; and to sliuw onr diatcfnl sense ol" it. il' tlic i^'cnllenien ul' N'iririnia will send IIS a dd/eii of their sremost ranks, the warriors in the next, and the women and children in the hindei'inost. The l)nsiness of the women is to lake exact notice of what passes. im|iriiit il in their memories (for tlie\- have no writinif). Inkian (!or\('ii,. and commiinicali^ il to tiieir cliildren. 'l'l'«',y !""'' <'i'' records of the coiincil, and tlie> pre- serve traditions of the stipulations in treaties one hundred Msirs hack, which, \\lien we compan> them with our wrilino"s, we always (ind exact. He tjnit would spea!.. rises; the rest ol)ser\(> a profound silence. When hi' has linished. and sils down. tlie\ leave him live or six minutes lo recollect, so that if lie lias omitted aii\tlii!ii>' he inteii'.'led to say. or lias anytliiuo' to add. he may rise aoain iiiid deliver it. 'I\> interrupt another even in common conversation, is reckoned liiehh' itah-cent. I low dilTerent this is from the conduct of a politi' British lloiist> of Commons, where scarce a dav passes without some confusion that makes the Speaker lioarstMii caliiiio- to order ! and how diiTerent from t.ie mode of con- versation in the polite companies of J<]uro|te. where, if \()U do not deliver your sentence th threat ra|)idity. you are cut oil" in the middle of il liv the impatient 1 Hjuacity of those wi you converse w ,itli. and never siilTereil to fiiiisii it I (IKNKK'AI, NKI.SON A. .MII,ES. it> i»()lif(Mit'ss ^>\ tlit'st' saviiiii's III ('(iiivcrsiitioii is. iik I I. earned Id excess, siiu does not |ieriiiil tliem to coiilnidiel ur deny tlie tnitli of wliat is asserlefl in (lieir |>rese IJv tliis means tli»|>roi)alion ; vou wniild think tliev were conxineed. No s matter; it is mere eivility. •' AVlien any of them coi'ie into oiir towns, our |>eo|ile are apt to crowd round tl and ineoiiiinoile them where thev tlesire to lie private; this they I'steeiii ifreat rudei and the elTect of want of instruction in tiie rules of civility and ifood manners, have." sa\- the\. -as much cnriosil\ as you. and when yoii come into our towns we wisl opjxtrtunities of lookinn- jit \ou. IJiit for this purpose we hide ourselves hehiiid l)u where you are to pass, and iie\er intrude ourselves into your compan\'." "Their manner of enteriiiM- one aimther's vilhiij'es has likewise its rules. reckoned uncivil in travclini;' for sti-anycrs to cute villaye abruptly, without iriviiiveii days they shut up tlieir shops, and assemble all in the i^reat lioiist^ ; tell me. what is it for V ' 'Tliex meet there." sai truth of what they say. I will t<'ll you my reasons. \ went lately to Albany to sell my skins, and buy blankets, knives, powdtT, nun, etc. Vou know I used ireueniily to de.l with Hans Hansen, but I was a little inclined this time to try some other iiierchantH. However, I called lirst upon Hans, and asked him what he would irive for beaver. He said he would no* yive more than four sliillino's a pound: •l)iil." said he. •! cannot talk on biisi- w » mm '^^M, ilH I'KliSONAL KKCOM-ECTIONS OF IMS. SilK iit'HH now ; this is the dav wlicii we iiicot loifftlitT to Icurii jrooU tiiiiii^'s, and I am ^oin^ to the iiH'i'tiiiif.' So I tlioiiolit to iiivscll". siiu'c \vt> caiiiiot do iinv l)usiiit'ss to-ilav. 1 may as well ifo to tli(« iiii't'tiiiif too; and I went with him. 'riicro stood ii|> a man in hhick. and Ix'H'aii to talk to the |i('o|(h' very an,«,Tilv. I did not understand wliat he said; bnt, pi'i- ci'ivinir that he h)olwn near the house, struck lire, and lit my |>i|>e. waitini^ till the meetiuif broke u|t. I thoiioht too. that the num had mentioned somethiii man in traveliuje" throuoh oui' i-ountry, enters one of our cal)!ns. v.e all treat him as I treat you ; we dry him if he is wet. we warm him if he is cold, we i^ivt* him nu'at and drink, that he nuiy allay his thirst and hune-er. and sjiread soft furs '^or him to costed my merchant : • Well, J! ♦ Man four shillinos a |i(iund ?' • No." said rest and sleep on. \V e demand notlnnif in return iJut. if I no into a wliite man's house at Albany, and ask for victua's and drink, they say. •Where is your money V" and if I have none, they say. "Ciet out. you Indian dojn" I \<>u see they have not yet learnt those little ijood things that we need no meetinos to be instructed in, because our mothers tautfht them to us when we were cluldren and, tlu'refore, it is imi)ossible their meetinirs should he, as they say. for any sui-h purpose or have any such eflect. 'I'hey are oidy t< contrive tin r/n utimj iif I ikHhiix In tin y^/vVv of beaver." n ' r' Parkmaii, tlir historian, states that -loliet and Marquette, deseenclinjjf the nevvly-tlisc'overed upper Mississippi, and finding foot-prints of men in the mud of tlie western ])ank and a well-trodden path that led to the ad- jacent prairie, "resolved to follow it, and, leavinjjf the canoes in charge of their men, they s(^t out on their hazardous adventure. The day was fair, and they Avalked two leagues in silence, following the path through the forest and acro.ss the sunny prairie till they discovered an Indian village on the hanks of a river, and two others on a hill half a league distant. Now with beating hearts they invoked the aid of Heaven, and again ad- vancing, came so near without being seen that they could hear the voices of the Indians among the wigwams. Then they stood forth in full view, and shouted to attract attention. There was great commotion in the vil- lage. The inmates swarmed out of their huts, and four of their chief men presently came toward to meet the strangers, advancing very deliberately and holding up toward the sun two calumets, or peace-pipes, dc-corated with feathers. They stopped abruptly l)efore the two Frenchmen, and i 99 "If 1 ! ; ' \ t ■ ( t * ■\^ I in;:,' I m il I llni i jfmiiuMJt i lij ii . ii l i g I. ii ,i l 'ul„ i , , .r filtmmmllaimlm 1(H) I'KIJSONAL WKCOIJ-KITIONS OK stood {j;si/iii^' at tlicin with jittciitioii. wiliiont spoakin^' a word. Maniucttc was imudi reliovcd on seeing' that they wore Froiich rioth. whciici^ lie jiid^nxl they must he Iriciids and allies. Me hrokc^ tho silciico. and asked tiuMn who they were; wh('r<'U|ton they answered that they were Illinois, and olTei-ed the pipe, which having' Iteen duly smoked, tliey all went toj,'etlier to tile village. Mere the cliiel' i(M*eived th(> tiiiveleis aitei' a sinj^ular fashion, meant to do them honor. Il(^ sto<»d stark naked at the door of a larjjfe wig- wam, holding' np hoth his hands as if to shield his eyes. 'Frenchmen, liow hri^dit tiici snn shines wiien yon come to visit us ! All our villa^'e awaits yon : and yon shall enter our wi^'wams in peace.' So say in ^^ he led them into his own, which was crowded to snfl'ocation with sava^^es staring' at their ^Miests in silence." 'I'he poet llalleck has ^iven ns a ^ood analysis of the character of the native Indian, in his desciii)tion of the noted chief. Ihd .huLrt. (To tin* line (pialities of this ^n'eat chief, not only as a brilliant warrior hut also a?- a tiery and im|)ressive oratoi", no less distin^niished an authority than i^a Fayette has home emi)hatic testimony.) llalleck says : ■• Koi! tlioii wiist iiioiiiircli l)()rii. 'rnulitioii's |iiii4'('H 'I'cll not tlif |iliiii(iiiy' of tliv piirciit trt'c. lint tliat tilt' foi'cst tril)('s liiiNc liciit For ayes To tlu'f. iiiid to tli\' sii'i's. till' siihjt'ct Uiit't' 'V\\\ name is prim . Iv it" no pot't's mao-ii- Conld make i{i:i> .lAtKKT irracc an Kni^lisli rlivnie, Tlionyli Honic one witli a oviiins for tlic tnioic llatli intnxlnccd it in a pantominit'. V»'t it is music in the lanifiiai^t' spoken (.)f tliint' own land ; and on her lu'rald roll ; As bravely f'ou J^ions of a warrior's soul. Thy tjarb tliouifli Austria's bosom-star would friyliton Tliat medal ])ale. as diamonds the dark mine. And Cieoro-e the Fourth wore, at his eourt at IJriifhton, A more beeomin|i!irti>ii't. the art Na])ole( on. Of winniiii,', fettering', mouldiiii^". wieldino', haiidiiitr The hearts of millions till they iiioye as one : Thou hast it. At thy biddiiii'- men luue erowth'd The road to death as to a f"stiyal ; And minstrels, at their sepulehies. luue shrouded With hanner-folds of j^lory the dark pall. Who will belieyo V Not 1 for in deeeiyiiiif Lies the dear eliarm of life's deliijlitful dream; 1 cannot spare the luxury of helieyiiiiif That all thino's lieautiful are \yliat they seem; Who will helieye that, with a smile whose blessing Would like the Patriarch's, soothe a dyiuf^ hour, With voice as low, as irentle. and caressiiii^, As e'er won maiden's lip in moonlit bower ; With look, like patient .lob's. escliewinrs in a cajitive's hair! That in thy breast there s[)rin<;s a poison fountain, Deadlier tlian that where bathes the ITpas-tree ; And in thy wrath, a nursinii;' cat-o'-mountain Is calm as her babe's sleep comi)aretl with thee ! ! } if i; :. . i I ^:!ii ! t ! \A i : 1 ' ■ r-'i 1 ■ .■ 1 1 0-2 I'KliSnNAl, KK(n|.|,K("n(»Ns OK And iiiKltTiH'iilh tliat fiii-t'. liUi- siiiiiiii*>r ncciiiiV. lis li|i jis iiioM-li'SM. and Its tl k ns clear. Sliiinhcr a wliirlwind of tlit> heart's enintinn«<. !.<>\i'. hatred, pride. lM>|(e. sorrow all save feai'. i,()\i' fur tliv land, as if she were tliv i:i.ii:is wii OiisKKv \s(i:s — Suv Okkiin M.i.v .\i>\mis — Ti:ii Msi:ii — Is Cut sen. Wnii (ii'sriivi, llMiiiisoN — Thu'I-.mwku' ClIAUACTlOU AM) DllATI Tin: IW.M'K ll\\M< \V M! — Si uuiAii i:it I 'I' Hawk — His Ki.nnii;\(i: — Taki:\ io WAsiiiNiiidN — riii:si:\Ti:i> It!. riiK \inion and jud<;nient of the majority after the matters have been fully consider<'d. thoronj^hly discussed, and understood, and anyone who acts contrary tosiich conclusion of the whole, renders him- self so nni)opular as to nnike his life almost a burden without any [trescribed punishment bein well as tlii>\ lia. nixl f<»llo\\ the \\ar\ ;^miii(' until ii was oNcrtakni. uliicli r<'(|iiin'(| ;iii riidlcss fund of cinT^^y and an ainonnl of rlTorl l».\ no inraiis lrilliii;j:. Their rontcst^ aj^aiiist I lie white race for liiindreds of yeiirs lia\e hceii a;i:aiiist a cisili/ed power, at ^ireiit disadvantage. dis|Mit iiiu' ever) mile of lenil(ir> which has hceii aeqiiiicd from them. None lait a l)ra\eaiid heroic jieople could contend for •.gene- ra t ions, as t lie\ lia\e (lone, airaiiist all the know led^^e and skill and sii|ierior a|i|diaiices at t he dis|>()sal of the white man. hnriii^' all that time they could not make a knife, a rille. or a roiiml of animnnit ion. The modern weapons of war they lia\e hei'ii aide to ohtaiii only in limited i|iiaiitities, and at the most exorhitant rates, c.\ce|tt sindi as they lia\<' taken from their enemy in hat t le. 'I'lieir reli^'ion is one of reverence for the mysterious (dements «d* natiii-e. To anyt liiii;;' t hat t hey «*aiiiiot nnderstand. to whatever they cannot c<»in- pridiend they ^^ive a spirit and attach a name. They worship the sun. the source of li;.iht and life and motion, as their father, and the earth as their mot her. Their sacrilices ar(^ to some spirit in a(d\iiow led^^cment of (»ldi;.'a- tioii for favors receivcflor heiielits they hope to I'eceivc. For instance, when a lifdoved (diild is si(d\ unto death his father |)rays to the spirit (d" the sun to ^dve him sti-eii^4h and life and health, and rejjfisters a vow that lie liims(df will make the sacrilice of ;^'oin,u' throiij^di the sun-dance as an a(dy j^'oin^' throii^di the sun-dance and making' tin* sacrilice of pain and snITerinjj: to [)rov( 'o liinis(df and his ivlatives that li(> is worthy of tlioir resijcct and iioma^'c'. 'IMie head wai-rior of the Ojj^alallas. Mump, came to me on the Yellowstone to t(dl mo of the illness of his little son. then hut a year old. and just as he was leavinif lie made the reipiest that if his (diild lived in answei' to his [)rayers. he ini^dit l»e allovv(Ml to ^^o throii^di the siin- dancfs w hi(di was to occur as they hoped a few months later in the spring'. 'IMiey believed in the (dd patriandial law of an "eye for an eye," and '"a tooth for a tooth." Hence what W(^ call revenge is a part of their religion. If they or theii- rcdatives sulTer a wrong or receive an injury, especially if V CiKNKltAI, NKI>()N A. Mll.i^S. lo; ! M-7 Indian Dani'ios and .Si;i.i' Tuimhuk. W l lili>i j l Jl i miU.^. a.. . yxl..L.]LJ. i . | ii Mn ii ■^— ■WB>^ n F iu»m ii i«-^ '•^-'. JT. ::„..:_. xjj 106 rKKSOXAL KKCOl.LKCTIONS OF (■ -':'■ Olio of ^roat sovority. it is tiie duty of all the ivhitives to seek out those who have done tlic injury and inflict ono of cHiual severity, or to inflict a like injury upon some inenil>er of flu* tribe or race of the aiif^nvssors. They believe that the si)irits of the departetl when thus avenjjfed. will be soothed and ])acilied. They picture Heaven as the kind of i)la('e tluvt is most desirable t<> them, a ptM'fect nature with abundance of everythinj,' that they enjoy here, a blissful existence, a reunicui of cherished spirits. Their reli^nous beliefs vary with locality, surroundings and conditions, and ar<> |iiite interesting. We can only state in brief that some of them beli(>vc in a system of worlds. Some tribes have their worlds ari'anj;ed tojtojjfrapliically. Amon<^' other tribes the worlds are arranjjjed architecturally a world or worlds below and others above. The sun and moon are personaujes. They have been enslaved, and are cf)m- pelled to travel in appointed ways. The aurora is the dancinfjj of ,diosts. '!Mie I'ainbow is made of the tears of the eagle-god. The thunder is tlii^ sci'eaming of a great bird. The lightning is the arrow of Taowity. Among the IMu^blos the rain-god dips his brush, made from the feath- ers of the l)irds of heaven, into the lakes of the skies, and sju'inkles the waters therefrom over the face of this world. Hence the rain. In winter he breaks the ice of the lakes and scatters ice dust over the earth. H(Mice snow. Their gods are animals. Some of these animals are mythical beasts -monsters with many heads and many horns. Some of them are luvsuling spirits of i)laces. as the spirit of a C(M'tain mountain, or river, or i; ke Some of them are tutelar deities. Kvery family, clan and tribe has its tutelar god. Indian theology is not a degeneracy either frcmi monotheism or fnmi the polytheism of classical nations, or from that earlier polytheism where the forces of nature and its phenomena were deified. It is rather a development from fetichism. In some tribes there are three classes of priests. The first are prophets. The next are '■medicine men," who take charge of the religious ceremonies, practice sorcery and drive out evil spirits. The third and lower class con- sists of witches. Old women are oftc ntiines thought to have been trans- formed into witches. The Indians offer sacrifices of parts of animals killed in the chase. They are slaves to religious observances, to times and methods and absurd [)roliibitions. In every tribe there is a great fund of story-lore, or tales purporting to be the sayings and doings of the ancients, whom they now worship as deities. Every tribe has one or more persons skilknl in the relation of these stories. These are the preachers. ago i t ~-- (iKNKliAI. NKI-SON A. MII.KS. 107 From all the iiulicatious we have, the Indians were not ori that some tribes cultivated the jj^ronnd more a hundred years ayo than th(\v al industries, and in the early cainpai»i;ns a|,'ainst them, this product was the object of destruction aiul devastation by the whites as a means of reducing them to poverty and subjection. This was so especially in the campai^Mis a^^aiust the Six Nations, the Miainis. the Cherokees, the Choctaws and the Chickasaws. Intellectually they have often disi)layed nuirked ability in their di- plonuicy. and in the combinations in which they made common cause afjjaiiist the whites, or against other bodices of their own race. Combinations ott'ensive and defensive show etween them have subjugated all the millions of natives of all the Americas south of a line extending in a gen- eral way westward from Fernandina to the Tia J nana on the Pacific, and even some of the races living far north of that line. The natives of the south temperate zone far south of the eciuator appear to have been a war- like people, similar to the North Americans and were not entirely sul)- jugated until within a recent period. France has pushed her conquests in Africa, Madagascar, Asia and Oceanica. All these nations with one exce})- tion have one after another, or several at the same time, tried the metal of the North American Indian, less than three hundred thousand strong, who finally succumbed to the overwhelming odds only within the present decade. Not the least not;ible characteristic of the Indian, wdien we reflect that he was withont a wi'itten language or alphabet, was the wonderful imagery with which he embellishetl his oral speech. In this kind of eloquence he has been a motlel for our own orators, and has thus contributed to enrich the literature of civilization. The illustrations are abundant in the records of our dealings with the Indians during the past two centuries and a half, but I will instance only a few. In ISKI Tecumseh descended the Wabash, accompanied by four hun- dred warriors, to keep an appointment for a council with (Jeneral Harri- son, whose headcpuirters were at V'incennes. Appreciating the character and influence of his visitor, Harrison arranged to hold the conference on the portico of his own house, and there, attended by the judges of the sui)reme court of the Territory, several army oftic(>rs, and several soldiers and citizens, he awaited the coming of the chief and his delegation. On the morning of August 15, at the hour fixed, Tecumseh came supported by forty of his warriors, the rest being encamped a short distance away. When about a hundred feet away, Tecumseh stopped and looked inquir- ingly at the throng on the portico. Harrison, through an interpreter in(iuired what was the matter, and invited the chief and his party to join him. Tecumseh replied that the porch of a house was not a suitalde place to hold the conference, which he said should l)e in a grove of trees, point- ing at the same time to one near the house. The general assented, and there the conference was opened by Tecumseh. who stated the irritating question l)etween the whites and his race. Keferring to the treaty made by Hil was d| assent the cli i GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. lot) by Harrison at Fort Wayne the previous year, he l)ohl]y declared that he was determined to tight against the cession of hinds hy tlie Indians unless assented to by all the tribes. He admitted that he had threatened to kill the chiefs who signed the Fort Wayne treaty, and launched out into an im- passioned summary of the wrongs his people had suffered from the close of the Hevolution to day, declaring that the Americans had driven tl Indians from the sea coast and would soon dri\ them into the lakes. It was plain that this appci ''struck tire" in the hearts of his own people, who would have followed his commands to the death. Having tin- ished his speech and turned to seat himself, he was by direction of (ieneral Harrison offered a chair liy the inter- preter who said, " Your father requests you to take a chair." "My father?" said Tecumseh with great dignity, '' The sun is my father and the earth is my mother, and 1 will rest on her bosom." General Harrison's reply to his speech w'as intended to have a pacific effect, but the result was quite the reverse of that. Tecumseh in a towering passion sprang to his feet, and spoke with great vehemence. In brief, the whole forty warriors grasped their tomahawks, leaped to their feet, and in a moment the spectacle was presented of the whites and Indians confronting each other, arms drawn, and ready to spring forward into a death grapple. Fortunately, forbearance on one side and a returning of self-restraint on the other, averted the threatened catastrophe and the council broke up for the time. The following morning Tecumseh sent an apology for his hasty action. The following remarkable coincidence is related in connection with Tecumseh's tour among the tribes prior to the war during which there seemed no resisting his persuasive eloquence. At a Creek town he called upon Big Warrior, a famous chief, made his war speech, and presented a bundle of wampum and a hatchet. Big Warrior ac- cepted them, but Tecumseh readthetimidity of the chief in his face and man- ner. Fixing his blazing eyes upon him Tecumseh, pointing his finger, said : TKCfMSKII. Il'll 'ill I.: I)! !' i'! HH i ■ m I -I M I i '4 ';- ■ ■ 1 110 I'KKSON.M, KK('()|,I,K('TI()NS OK •■ \'(>ii- l)l()(i(l is wliitc ; voii liiivr t;ikcri my talk, and I'li" \vaiii|)iim ami llic liatclict. l)ii( Mill (1(1 not iiicaii to tiylit. I l\ii(i\v till' reason; \()ii do not lit'licvc tlic (ircat Siiirit lias sent iiit' ; you sliall know. From licrc i sliall ipo straight to l)ctroit. Wlicn I arr II: i\ I' tlicrc I shall stam|) tin- i,''i'oiiii(l witli mv loot, and shake down ('\('"\ house in this \illairi This \v;is II wild tlu'cat. hut IJi;^' NVaiTior and his [XMipIc \v«m-(> su|i(M'sti- tioiis and hc^aii to (h'cad 'rcciimsch's ai'fi\al at Detroit. Thc.N ot'tcn mrt. talked oxci' the straujjje alTaif and carel'idly estimated the time it woidd take 'recimiseh to reach the town. .\t hMi;i:th the time arrived, and suit enough, thei-e came an awt'id fiimhliiio- of the ^I'oinid. the eai'th shook, and the IVantic IncHans ran to and IVo, shouting: ■' Tec.umseh has or^t to i)<>ti-oit." ^IMie threat had heen I'liilined and the wai'rioi's no h»ngei" hesi- tated to go to war wit h the great leader. .\ll this was produced by the great (>arth(inake which d«'stroyed X(>w .Madrid on the Mississippi. The coincideiK'e lies in the fact that it occnrred on the vei'v day that Teciimseh reached Detroit and in exact fidlillmeni ol' his threat; l»nt j)ei'hai)s the story was coiH'octed just after the earth((iiake. to meet a " felt want "' of the sittiatitm. The Hritish historian. James, in closing liis description of the death of this famous tdiief and the hattle in which he lost his life, observes : " 'i'lius fell the Indian warrior, 'i'ecumseh. in the fort y-roiirth year of his age. lie was of the Sliawiiee trilie. ii\t^ feet ten inches high, and with more than the usual stout- ness ; possessed of all the agilit\ and perseverance of tli(> Indian character. His carriai;t' was dignided. his e\i' jienetrating. his countenance, which cNcii in death hetraxcd the indications of a lofl\ spirit, rather of the sterner cast. Had he not possessed a certain austerit\' of manners he iie\('r could lia\-e controlled the wa\ ward passions of those who followed him to liattle. He was of a silent liai)it : hut when his elo(piencc liecaiiie aroused into action l>\' the repeated cncroacliments of the .\merieans. Iiisslroiii'' inttdlect could siijiplv him with a How of oratory that enaiiled him. as he governed in the Held, so t(» preside in the council. C'onsider tliat in all the territorial (piestions the ablest di|)|omatists of the I'nited States are sent to neo-otiate with the Indians, and one will readih appreciate the loss sustained l>y the latter in the death of 'recuiiiseh. Such a man was this unlettered sava^'c. and such a man have the Indians lost foreN'er."' The Hlack Hawk War is famous as that in which .Vhrahani Lincoln won such military distinction as has heen accorded to him in early life. It was a losing war to the Indians, their jtowcr being completely broken in the linal batth^ on the east baid< of the .Mis.sissip[)i ubout forty miles above the site of i'rairie du ("hien. lilack Hawk managed to make his esca|»e. but a few days later voluntarily gave himself up to the wliites with tlie characteristic announctMnent that tlie\ were welcome to kill bin) if thev chose to do so. On the "JTtli of .\iigiist. iS:}:). short Iv befor(> noon, he Nf' Hi' ''I' f N i;; r , '. I '■'112 I, '■ iiil ! i f'i .1 : i i 1 t ' ! ^li I 1 ' /' 1 ■ ; i 1 ( I' and •• whom I GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 113 and " Tlie Prophet" wore taken into the presence of (ieneral Street, whom he addressed as foHows : " Vou liiivc' taki'ii iiH' |iriM)iit'r wifli all my warriors. I am iiuu'li yrit'Vt'd. for I t>x|>eftf(l. if I did not defeat you, to liold out miicli loiiijfr and to i^iM* you more troiil)le before I surrendered. 1 tried hard to briiii^' \t)U into uinbiisli. but \our last ni.|i(>ial understands Indian ii^rlitiniif. Tlie lirst one was not so wise. When I saw that I eould not beat you by liulian fitriitini'- I determined to rush on you and (itflit you face to face. I fouirht hard; but your jruns ,yero wA\ aimed. The bullets tiew like birds in the air. and whi/,/.ed by our ears like tlit^ wind through the trees in winter. My warriors fell around nu' ; it be- f^an to look dismal. J saw my evil day at hand. The sun rose dim on us in the morniui; and at nijrlit it sunk in u dark eloud, and looked like a ball of lire. That was the last sun that shone on Uluck Hawk. His heart is dead, and no Ioniser beats (juiek in his bosom. Ho is now u prisoner to the white man ; they will do with him as they wish. liut he can stand torture and is not afraid of death. He is no eoward. Blaek Hawk is an Indian. "He has done nothinif for \viiich an Indian oui^ht to be ashamed. He has fought for liis countrymen, the scjuaws and papooses, aiiainst white men who eanu- year after year to cheat him and take away their lands. You know the cause of our makini^ war. It is known to all white men. They ouiflit to be ashamed of it. The white men despise the Indians and driye them from their homes, liut the Indians are not deceitful. The white men speak bad of the Indian and look at him spitefully. But the Indian does not toll lies; Indians do not steal. "An Indian who isas bad as the white men could not live in our nation; he would bo ])ut to death and eaten by the wolves. The white men are bad schoolmasters; they carry false looks and deal in false actions; they smile in the face of the poor Indian to cheat him; they shake them by the hand to tjain their eonlidence. to make them drunk, to deceive them, and ruin our \vives. We told them to let us alone and keep away from us ; but they followed on, and beset our path as they coiled themselves amonif us like a snake. They ])oisoned us by their touch. We were not safe. We lived in dani^er. We were beconiin<^ like them, hypocrites and liars, adulterers, lazy drones, all talkers and no workers. "Wo looked up to the Great Spirit. Wo went to our ijfreat father. We were encour- a I i ) ; i 1 : J ;l 'I i:ii ^ k 1 ;. Mi iMl?l i' ; i|' j, ' il 1! 114 I'EliSONAl. IJKCOM. ACTIONS OF lit'iul ; l)iil tlit'V (111 worsi" llicv |Miis()n tin- liciirt. It is not juirc with tlit'iii. Ills coiiiitry- iiifii will not !)(' M'iil|MMl. Iiiit lli('\ will, ill il ffw vi'urs. licconir like llic white men, so that yuii c'iiii't trust tliciii. iiiiil there iiiiist lie, lis in the white settlements, nearly uh many otli- ftTH as men. tn take care uF them ami keep them in nnler. ''Farewell, iiiv nation I IMaek Hawk trie. I to >a\e yon and avenije your wrongs. Ho drank tht* Mood of some of the whites. ili- has hecn taken prisoner and his plans are stoiiped. I le can do no more, I le is ni'ar his end. His sun is settinj^ and he will rise no more. i''arewell to Black lla\^k.'" niiick Ihiwk at tliis tiiiM> was about lit'ty ycai's of a,<,'(». six \'o.ot in lioi^'lit and liiicly l'oiiiie«l. lie, tla^ rroi»la't iNao|)o|»(\ and livo otluM' distin<^nished cliiel's anion^' tho in'isoncrs were sent to \Vashiii^4on tliti I'ollovving year. On tho day alter tinMr arrival. April li-l, lilack Hawk iiad a lon^ in- terview witii President Jackson, during' wliieli lie ^ave his version of the canse of the war in wliieli (x-eiirs tlu* followiii}^': "We did not expect to eoiKpier the whites: no. 'I'liev had too many houses, too many men. I took up the hati-het. for my part, to revenot> injuries which my people could no Ioniser endure. Had I home them Ioniser without strikiiii,'. my people would Imvo said. Black Hawk is a woman ; he is too old to he a chief; he is no Sac' 'i'liese rellections caused me to raise the war-whoop. 1 say no more of it : it is known to you. Keokuk once was he: i' ; voii took him l)\' the hann the words of a |(roo(l and wist> man. We are strauifers to eaeh other, thoui^h we liave tlie same eolor. and the same CJreat Spirit mach' us all. and nave us this eountrv toifether. lirothers. we havo seen how ^reat a people the whites are. They are very rich and very strontf. It is folly for us to hifht with them. We shall go home with mueh knowledire. For myself. I shall advise my pi'oplt> to be (piiet. and live like i;i)o(l men. The adviee which you i^ave us, brother, is very lace. From (ireen Hay they had to pass through the country of the Menom- onees and VVinnehagos, who were their l)ittei' enemies. To jjjuard a«?ainst molestation, a detachment of troops accompanied them to Chicago. I'assing up Fox Kiver and down the Ouisconsin. lilack Hawk, with much de[)ression of spirits, pointed out the favt)rite spots where once stood the tlourishing villages of his people. The captives arrived at Fort Armstrong, on the upper Mississippi, ahout the first of August. They were gloomy and taciturn on entering th'^ir own forests, the reminder of so many sad occurrences to them, hut soon rallied, and showed considerahle vivacity in recalling some of their amusing experiences among the whites. Fort Armstrong. Hock Island, had heen selected as the most approprijite place for the dismissal of the Indians. The latter were disapi)ointed at not meeting friends to tell them of their families. While waiting for some of them to come in, they undid their hundles and examined their presents. !i' llC) PKKSONAL KKCOM.KCTIONS OK :.i i Hawk retuniecl the pressure. Then Keokuk saluted the rest of the party and sat down. His eompanions did the same and all remained silent, waiting for the fallen chieftain to si)eak. Fifteen minutes of ojjpressive silence followed. durin<^ which strange emotions must have stirred the breasts of the red men. Seeing that lilack Hawk was waiting to he addressed. Keokuk turned to him and inciuired how long he had been on the road, lie answered, and then i)i[)es wlt' amon^' s«>v(M'al of his cliicl's. dirootiu;^' \\\o rest to place tlu'inschcs licliiiid iiiiii. This was done, and |»i'oroim«l sti pi'evaiied until thearri\al of Ithiek Hawk and his ronipanions. came in. Keoknk and his hi'othei- chiel's ai'ose and shook hands witi and his companions. They nio\ed aronnd and seated theniseUcs op Keoknk. Illack llauk and his son showed in their lo(d\s their dej and humiliation, for they felt that aftei- years of rivalry between hi the yonn^'er chief, the houi' of triumph for the latter had conu'. Major (iarland was the lirst to l)n»ak the silence. Me said that lu jjlad to tind so miK'h ^ood feeling' in the tribe toward hlaidv Hawk a paj'ty. He was cojilident from what he had seen and leai'ued tha would have no more troubl(« anion;; themselve II e had but little t as the President's sikmm'Ii to HIack Hawk said all, and it would be ri them. This spe(M'h was int(>rprete(l to the Indians, who responded end of each sentence. Ke(dvuk then said impressiv(dy: " I liavf lisli'iH'd to llic tiilU of our ^rrcat fatliiT. It is tnic; we iilt'dytMl our luiii those of our yoiiiio- l)ravcs. for tlicir lilxTatioii. We tliouylit uiucli of it; our c wtTc loiiir; tlu'ii' wivt's and cliildnMi witc in our tliouylits. Wln'ii we talked of tli lu'arts were full. 'Plicir wives and eliildren eaiue to us. wliieli mad e us feel IlKe bnt we were men. 'I'lie words wliicli we sent to our ^^reat fatiier was one word, tl of all. The heart of our ijreHt father wasjjfood; he spoke like the father of children Great Spirit mad" his heart hi;; in eouneil. We receive our l)rothers in frieiidsl hearts are ;;ood toward them. They once listened to bad counsel; now their ears art 1 ;;ive my hand to them; when they shake it. they shako the hands of all. J wil hands with them, and then 1 am (hMU'."' Major (jurhind tlien delivered the most humiliating; insult that had ever been i)ut ui)oii IJlack Hawk. He said he wished all present clearly to understand that the I'resident considenMJ Keokidc the principal chief of the nation, and that in the future he shoidd be acknowled<;ed as the only one entitled to that distinction. He wished lilack Hawk to listen, and conform to these counsels. The two bands that had heretofore existed in tlu must be broken up. This cuttin<; s})ee(di. when translated to Hlack Hawk, was made throu<;h the mistake of the interi)reter. who represented Major (Jarh declaring that lihudv Hawk must nuifoyni to the counsels of Keokuk chief was infuriated, and, rising to his feet in a towering rage, replied "1 am an old man; 1 will not conform to the counsel of anyone: I will act for no one shall govern me. 1 am old; my hair is gray. 1 oiu-e ^•ave counsels to my ill -Jt ^1 ■. \ ■ 'i lis rKI{S()NAL ItKCOLLKCTlONS OK iiifii: am I to ('(iiifurm to ollicixy I >*\\i\\\ snoii j,f<( to ilii> (irciit Spirit. wIuti- I ^litill rcsi. What 1 said to «nir i^'rcat lalliiT in \Vasliiiij;ton. I sayiitfaiii: 1 will al\vav>* lislrMi to liim. I airi doiii'." It was flu* lust fiicktM'ol' {.jn'iitm'ss. Ilis cxciffMiuMit ciiiistMl u stiramon;; tlio listtMicrs. Tlic iiihTpn'tcr (\\|)liiiii('«l tliiit ho was only nM|iu\st(>(l to //.s/f// to t he coimscls «»l' Keokuk. Mlack Hawk made no reply. I»ut sat al»- surbed in his own gloomy tlioiiokiik said in an iindeitone to him: " \VI;v do vou speak thus Ix'forc thi> whiti' iin'ii? I will sjieak for voii; you trcinljh'd and did not mean what you said," niaek Hawk nodtied assent and Keoknk said: ••( )ui' l)rothiT who has atfiiin coiiic anionic us. has spoUcii. !)ut he spoko in wratli; his touifui' was forkt'(l; lie spoki> not like a rnan. a Sae. lie knew his words were bed; he treinMed like the ouk whose roots liavt< l)een washed i)y many rains, lie is old; wh:il he said let us forijet. lie says he did not mean it; he wislies it were forgotten, ! hue spoken for him. What I lia\e said is his own words, not mine. Let us say he spoke in council to-ilay; that his words were y'ood. I liaye spoken."' Tliat evenin<^. .Major (iarland invited the i)rincii)al eiiiefs. inclndin^' niack Hawk, to meet him at his (jnarters. .Mter a niimher of six'eclwvs had been made by the ehieis, HIack Hawk said in a calm, but depre.ssed, manner: " 1 feel that I am an oM man. Once I eoidd speak, hut now I have little to say. To- day we nu'et many of our brothers. We are i,dad to see them. 1 have listencl to what mv hrothers said; their hearts are i^ood; they have i)een like Sacs since 1 left them; they have taken care of mv wife and t-hildren, who had no wiii'wum. 1 thank them for it; the (Jreat S|)irit knows I thank them. 1 want to see them. When 1 left them 1 e.\j)Octed to return. I told our ifreat father when in Washini^'ton. I would listen to his counsels. 1 .say so to you. I will listen to the counsel of Keokuk. 1 shall soon be far away. I shall have no vilhiije, n«) band; I shall live alone. W^hat I said in eouncil to-day, I wish forgotten. If it has been jiut upon paper 1 wish a mark to be drawn over it. I did not mean it. Now we are alone; let us say we will forirt't it. Say to ouroreat father and Ciovernor Cass that I will listen to them. Many years ai^o, I met Ciovernor Cass in council, far across the prairies to the risiuic sun. J lis counsels were jjfood. My ears were closed. I listened to the ifreat father across tht^ waters. My father listent'd to him whose band was lariro. My banil was once lari^e, but now 1 have no banil. I and my son and all our party thank our ^reat father for what he has done, lie is old; J am old; we shall soon i^o to the Great Spirit, \vhero we shall rest, lie sent us throuifh his j^reat villa to my wi^^wam. I have none now. Onyourroail home, you pass where my village once was. No one lives there now; all are gone. I give you my hand; we ma\| 4 (;kni;i!AI, nki.son a. milks. liu we iiinv rii'MT iiicct an'aiii. I >liiill loiii,' ifiiifiiiltcr \(>ii. Tlic (ir»'tit Spirit will lie \sltli xoii and your \\iv»'saii»l i-liildrt'ii. Ili'i'irf tlicMiii riwcM I >liiill i^o tn iiiv fniiiilv. Mv m>ii will Im' here to si-i- von Ix-fdiv- \o\\ un. I will sluikc liaiKh willi mv iimtliriN imw. iiiid llii'ri I ant d>in<'." doscribe their torn-. s(» similar in niaiiy respects to tin* former one. and wliicii was without speeial inciih'iit. No (h»iiht the Sacs did. I .,, ' was oiici' a warrior l)iit now I am |i(uir, Ki'ukwk lias l)i»tMi tlio causo of wliat I am. l>iil I oii llu' Mississipiii. I have looked upon it froiii a child. I lo\c that iicaiitil'iil river. M' l>aiik I thank von for- \ V Home lias always hccii upon its olll f riciK Ish will sa\' no more m.s. Ill IC lilacU Hawk died Octolicr 'A. |S;IS. Many whites as well as Iiidii as,s(Mnhl(Ml at liis lo(|o;(' to |iay tlitMf last respects to the (h'parted chiefta aiul warrior, lie had retiiiested that he iiii^^dit ho buried as were the* Si chieitaiiis in the oldtMi tiiiies. His wishes were followed. Instead of iiiak- iiijj; a ^rave, his hody was placed upon the ^n-oiiiid in a sittinjj; postnre, with his cane between his knees and ^nasped in his hands. Slabs and rails were then piled about him. Such was the end and biii-ial of Mlack Hawk, The following' winter his bones \\i\v stoltMi. and a year later were lonnd in the possession of a siii-o;eoii at (,)iiincy. Illinois, (lovenior Lucas, of Iowa, li(>arin^' of tli(» outrage, coni| elled tluMii to be restored to his fri course, this is deferred to a fiitiin^ chai)ter. iif (JKNKKAI, NKI.SON A. MILKS. I'Jl ('ii\i»'ri":i»* viii. Gamk in TiiK (Ikkat W'kst. 'I'liK W'n.K lli'Ksi: — .Mi:i'iioi>s uk TxKiMi i'iik W'ii.m IIokm: — I'm; I'l ii' m.h — 'rm: CiiAsic — Cai'I'vin Um.kwin's Akvknim iii:s — 'riii: Siuukim) — Tim: An ri:i.cin: — Tin: W'oi.i' — Smm.i. (lAMi'; — Hiii'M.i) I5ii.i, — |)i:i;i{ — lUc llnuN — \\ni.|.' lllNi'iNd IN I'm: l\i>i \\ 'riiKiii muv — l?i: mi 1 1 i n r- iN(i — (Jami-: ()|.' i'iiI': Noirniw i:si'. 01\ ceiitiirios Imliaii tribes wow (•«»iitiiiii!ill> jit war with eacli otIuM' bd'oiv the while man caiiie to AiiieiMca. Al'tei' tliat event tiieir territory beeaine more limited, and the ('(MKlilioiis uikUm- winch we lind them in imKh'rii times was forced upon them. They ^naxhially came under the direction and control of the white race. Thon^di the fends between the tribes did not en- --: .- tir(dy cease they ^rew less freipuMit, because attiMition was called in another direction ; to continual encroachments by the common enemy of all. When the tribes liviu}^- east of the Mississippi wer(^ driven out. upon the plains counti-y they gradually obtaiiuMJ horses and adopted a pm-ely nonuulic life. It istru<'that in some instan- ces they had utilized do^j^s for transportation |>urposes. especially in the noi'th. but only to a. limited extiMit. Tntil they obtained hoi'ses, tiio canoe was theii" nuiin dependence foi' artilicial iranspoi'tat ion. This of coui'se coulined them to the lakes and water courses. II was when they accjuired horses from the Mexicans that they became a roving, oi' nomadic, people. The hors(» ena.bh>(l them to ^o on extensive expedit ions and ac- »piire a knowledj^c of the country and skill as landsmen. Theii' exp(>rtness linally canu' to be mo.st extraordinary. They could travel hundreds, even thousands of miles with ^^reat I'apidity. sonu'times bein,n- ^one for six months or a yeaf. and returning' to their own district of toun(r\ lini their »)wn ti'ibe, thou^^h it nuiy have been moving- from place to place dni-in^' the «Mitire timecd' tluMr abs(>nce. There ai'e nuiny Indians now living- wlu> have lieen on excursions co\(M'in^ teiritory a hnndriMl miles north of the liritish- .\m(M'icaii bonndai'y. and thi'e(> hundicd miles south of the Mexican bordei*. The horse also facilitated t heir chase and taking' of j.'anK' for food. The wild horse, which descench'd from those imported by Corte/ and others, ^riilii f ! fii '¥iii 'I ;• ( 1 ^aJ PEKSOXAI. UEC{H.LE("ri()NS OF was fomifl in considoml)le iinni))ers in noi-tluMii Mf^xij'o juulTexas. bnt the dillicjilty of taking them was very great. There was no other animal on the plains so wild and sagacions. So adi'oit were they that they would always run on sight of man, and once in motion would rarely stop until they had placed a long and safe interval between themselves and their pursuers. In a band of wild horse;^ may be seen all colors: nearly milk-white, jet- black, cream color, iron-gray, pinto, sorrel, bay. etc. Their manes were profuse, hanging in wild profusion t)ver their necks and faces, and theii long tails swept the ground. It was rare that a hunum ))eing could by stealth approach, or by patient waiting find himself near a band of horses at their ease ; but when he did he witnessed an ideal scene of freedom and beauty in the graceful gambols of the proud and playful descendants of the faithful slaves of Cortes and Alvarado. an aninuii new to America, but thriving here even better than at home. There were various methods of taking the wild horse. One was for the rifleman to steal u[) under the cover of some rock or Inish or deep ravine, or lie in wait concealed near some i)lace where they were accustomed to go for water, and watch his opportunity to "crease" them. This is dt)ne by tiring a bullet through the upper part of the neck, striking a certain nerve or cord in such a way as to temporarily pai-alyze the animal, lie- fore his recovery the hunter would run up andconline him with stout cords or lariats. It was a, ditlicult perforuumce, and very rarely successful, A surer way to take him was for the huntsmen to separate into bands in the time of the full moon, and take stations (m the plains at points where the band of wild horses was accustomed to roam. Then one or two nuui would pursue the band, the pursuit to be taken up by their i)rearranged relays as the circumstances would enable them to come in with their fresh horses; until in the course of time the pursued animals became exhausted. Jiut it was easier for the Indians to steal the domesticated horse from his ownei, (U* raise the animals in their safe camps, huudi-eds of miles away from any settlemerit. With the horse they could easily take the bison, connnonly called buf- falo, which had always been the plains Indian's main stay and support. It furnished him with splendid robes to i)rote('t him from the cold of win- ter. Its hide, with that of the elk, furnished him wari.i shelter and cloth- ing, while the venison and bulTalo meat supplied him with an abundance of wholesome and toothsome food. The vast region exteiuling from the Kio (irande through Texas, eastern Nmv Mexico and ("oloi'ado. the Indian Territ plains| think have tl or tifti m ^ 4 ih GENKRAI, NKLSON A. MILES. 123 f " N o M a 1) ' s Lund." Jn the Southwest they were pnu'tieally exteriiiiiKiteti between the years 1S72 and 1S77, while the same occurred in the Northwest h e t w e e n the years 1S78 ai:d 1SS5. It may not })e nninterestmg to \ii\e somewhat in detail the Indian's mode of hunting the buffalo before the Avhite man came and destroyed the game. The chase of the buffalo was the Indian's chief amusement as well as his chief means of live- lihood, and after his acciuisition of the horse, was done ahnost invariably on horseback ; formerly with bow and lance, latterly with ritle also. In this exercise he became wonderfully expert, and was able to kill these huge beasts with great ease. Mounted on his .strong, fleet " Indian pony." well trained for the chase, he dashed off at full speed amongst the herd and M— 8 .Illllllllililll' ChKASINO TIIK Wli.I) IIoKSi:. .,> I ', m )»- ■ ' ■inl-fLi. jV. r* ij 124 rKKSONAl, KEC'OJ.LECTIONS OF discliarged his deadly arrow to tlioir hearts from liis horse's liack. This horse was the Heetest animal of the prairie, and easily bnmght his rider alongside of his «j:ame. Hoth the liorse and his rider had been stripped l)eforehand of sliield. dress and sa(hlle. everythinjjr whieli might in the least eni-nmher ov ha!i(Mcap the horse for speed, the Indian carrying (Uily bow an(i ([ui\ er with half a dozen arrows drawn from it and held lightly and loosely in his left hand ready for instant nse. With a trained horse the Indian rider had little nse for the line which was fastened with a noose aronnd the under jaw, passing loosely over the horse's neck and trailing behind, passing to the left side of the rider. The word lariat is from the Spanish, lariata. The following derivation, probably fanciful, is also given. The early French traders in the country named the line or i'l Indians Killing Bii-K.\ini;s in Simmkk. haltei- "Tarret" or stop; it being as they seem to have thought, used to stop rather than guide the horse. The Englishmen coming subsequently upon the scene accepted the name with anglicized spelling, "lariat." Further south, toward the Rio (Jrande. the Spaniards gave it the name of '"lazo" meaning a net. or entanglement, which was afterw ards anglicized to lasso, and this name as well as lariat is now in common use. It is used for a "reat variety of purposes ; to stop, to guide, to secure the aninuil. to throw him and to Innd him when down. All this the Indians do with great skill. I have seen Rary's method of sn1)jugating vicious horses excelled by the skill of the In- dian in the use of the lariat as he tangles the horse, throw^s and confines him, and finally does whatever he likes with him without seriously injuring him. Il the the -to suchl M until throl twee tod( n its ri In tl bow oppo huge est the the i the r ally cauti T sas. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 125 Returninjjj to the chase, the approsich was made upon the riyht side of the game, the arrow being thrown to the left at the instant the horse passed the animal's heart, or some vital organ, which received the deadly weapon "to the feather." In fact. Indians have been known to send them with such force as to drive them completely through the buffalo. When pursuing a large herd the Indian generally rode close in the rear until he had selected the animal he wished to kill. He separjited it from the throng by watching for a favorable opportunity and dashing his horse be- tween, forcing it off by itself and killing it without being himself trampled to death, as he was liable to be by operating too far within the massed herd. The training of the horse was such that it quickly knew the object of its rider's selection, and exerted every energy to come to close quarters. In the chase the rider leaned well forward and off from its side, with his bow tirmly drawn ready for the shot which was given the instant he was opposite the animal's body. The horse being instinctively afraid of the huge animal, kept his eye upon him, and the moment he reached the near- est proximity required, and heard the twang of the l)ow or the crack of the rifle, sheered instantly though gradually off, to escape the horns of tlie infuriated beast, which were often instantly turned and presented for the reception of the pursuer. These frightful collisions would occasion- ally occur, notwithstanding the wonderful sagacity of the horse and the caution of the rider. The buffalo on ])eing pursued will sometimes turn very quickly at his pur- suer with savage ferocity, and numy an Indian as well as an occasional white man has been thrown high in the air over the back of the butt'alo, or gored to death. Occasionally the animal will turn l)efore being wounded. This has occurred in my own expeiience in a hot chase upon the Kansas plains. Sometimes also the cow will turn in defense of her young. Captain Frank D. Baldwin of the Fifth Infantry once had a powerful bull turn upon him quickly, catching his horse fairly, and throwing both horse and rider over his back. In fact this otiicer had a numl)er of most remarkal)le escapes both from butt'aloes and from wolves within my knowledge, and as illustrat- ing the characteristics of both these species of large game. I nuiy instance in some detail two or three of his daiigerous adventures. The one now referred to occurred in IS70. when he was stationed at Fort Hays, Kan- sas. One day in September he received a note from a friend in Chicago saying that he with two others would come out to take a butt'alo hunt. Baldwin was quartermaster of the post at that time. There was a large amount of transportation, and a great many extra saddle animals. Among i< ; I i i 1 . i w w \ ';■ i 12f) PERSONAL KECOr. LECTIONS OF iir the liorsps which he used liiinsclf was an extra tine "hnttalo hoise." Sncli a one is an animal that will i-ide into a herd without fear and seem to he as keen as his rider to overtake a particular hnlTalo. As soon as he com- prelh lids which particular animal his rider desires to secure he will fol- low him and run close to his side, and the moment the shot is tired, he will instantly turn from the hulTalo to avoid the invariahle charge which the wounded animal makes in order to j^ore and punish his pursuer. This horse was one of the nu)st })erfect of its kind, and it was no poor horse- man that (MMild remain on his hack after tiring the shot, unless he thor- oughly understood his hahits. Of course when the friend and his party came it was incnnd»ent upon Baldwin to give him the hest huft'alo horse, while he. himself, was ohliged to ride an untrained one h'om the corral. They rode out with great expectations of having a fine time, and after traveling twelve or fifteen miles from the jiost, discovered their first herd of buffaloes. Baldwin had warned the gentleman who was riding his horse of the necessity of watching him after tiring, l)ut feeling confident that in u! excitement of his first chase he would forget all ahout it. kept along cio ') beside him ; and sure enough, the first shot he tired when about hfty yards from the buffalo, the animal made his sharp turn, and off went the rider. After getting him up and on the horse again. Baldwin tlK)ught he would show what he could do himself: so with the green horse on which he was mounted, he started for a fine bull and soon overtook him. By a little urging he was able to get the horse close beside him, and then fired, mor- tally wounding the animal: but the horse instead of trying to escape the brute, kept along by his side. Almost instantly after the shot was tired, the buffalo turiunl and caught the lr,»rse just behind the Hanks, and imbedded his horns, tearing the horse to pieces and throwing Baldwin over the buffalo, where he alighted on his head and shoulders and remained uncon- scious for several minutes. When he came to his senses the buit'alo was standing there, bleeding at the mouth and nose, with his four legs spread out and in the last agonies of death, but looking fiercely at Baldwin, watching for the least indication of life; and had the latter nuide the least movement as he no doui)t would have done if he had had the strength, he would have been gored to death. The })arts of the horse were still hang- ing to the horns of the buffalo. Fortunately this condition of affairs re- mained for a minute only, when the buffalo fell dead with his head within a few feet of Baldwin's person. Taking the satldle off his lh»rse. and getting his i)istol, in a few minutes a fresh horse was brought. By this time nearly all the party had most the headl ChicJ \^ the perf(l herd dred grouj the r they the GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 127 had withered at the phice, and as this was the Hrst l)iitt'alo that most of tlieni had ever seen killed, tiiey insisted that they must have the head and other parts of tlie animal as trophies of the hunt. The head now decorates one of the otiices of a prominent railroad ofiicial in Chicago. What was regarded by the Indians as royal sport has been denominated the "surround." It required a Ijody of three or four hundred warriors to perform it satisfactorily. First a few runners were sent out to discover a herd of buffaloes, frequently selecting one containing as many as two hun- dred. Then dividing the force of warriors, and selecting some four or five groups of from fifteen to twenty each, these would take positic . outside the moving body that was to encircle the herd, at prominent points where they could give chase to and destroy any buffalo that might break through the closing-in-line and escai)e. The nuiin body then proceeded to sur- round the herd. They went in groups to different sides of the herd and then gradually apjn-oached from all directions, closing the aninuils in and setting them to running in a circle within that formed by the converging and contracting line of warriors. So skillfully was this managed that they would keep the herd in motion, alternating in the chase and tiring, until they had destroyed the entire number. This must have approached more nearly than any other sjiort to the excitement of a battle, exhibiting the same skillful horsenuinship and nuirksmanship without the attendant danger to themselves. In the dead of winter, when the snow lay deep in the extreme North and lu)rses could not be brought into the chase to advantage, the Indian would run upon the surface of the snow by the aid of snowshoes, while the great weight of the buffaloes, sinking them deep even when the snow was heavily encrusted, rendered them easy victims to the bow or lance of their pursuers. The snow being blown from the tops and sides of the hills, leaving the bare grass for the buffaloes to feed ui)on. would drift in the low- lands and ravines to a great depth. When closely pursued the buffalo would endeavor t(^ lunge through this snow l)ut would soon be hopelessly wedged in and become an easy prey to the Indian hunter. TIk^ snowshoes were made in many forms, two or three feet in length and a foot or more in width, of hoops bent around for the frame with a netting of strings of rawhide woven across, on which their feet rested and to which they were fastened with straps or thongs. With them the Indians would glide over the snow with great ease and astonishing rapidity. Another method of the Indian was to disguise himself under the skin of a wolf, and crawl up '1 :^)l l! m I ! ' <\ % 12S TEHSONAL KECOLLKCTroXS OF !* /I 1 MImi hit i '' • ■. •/■ . '''m '%m: ir number to the extetit that the blooti ran from him, and ho bej^^an to howl, whereupon the whole pack poum-ed upon him and tore him to pieces. This j^avo mo a little start of one or two hundred yards before they conmienced following a" mv horse at the start, I rode very carefully. The number of the wolves increased usitil there were not less than from lifty to seventy-fi'o of them, and they Cai'taix Baldwin Ciiaskd by Woi.vks. followoil me for at least twenty miles, t'uttinif my horse in the rear, often ^ettinji^ almost in his front, aiid ena- blin;ot within live miles of the post, at which ])oint I only had four rounds of ammunition left, and felt that it was necessary to make a sujireme effort to escape from them. My horse was nearly used up, and was bleediiiir from the wounds of the wolves, l)ut I put spurs to him, urnino- him to his utmost speed, and reached the bank of the Smoky Hill Kiver, on the side of which the jiost was U)cated, completely exhausted from fatijjfue and excitement, and my horse dropped dead before T could «(et the saddle off of him. 1 then waded the river thoui^h it was filled with floatinjj' ice." Ill all that country ranged by the buffalo, was. and is still to some extent, found the prairie chicken. This bird is also found in great num- bers east of that belt, in the States of Iowa, Illinois and }.linnesota. This regnl of til varit T' GKNKHAL NKLSON A. MILKS. 131 rcj^'lon during' tlio spring siiid suitmnii is also a stoppiiif; phicp in the liannts of tho water fowl, siiipo. curk'W. wild ducks and wild ^M'esu of every variety. There is an old saying on the i»laiiis that "when an Indian wants meat, he hunts ^'anie ; wlien he wants sport, he hunts the whitf man." My personal ex[>erilenty of cover in the wild ^'rass, which yet was not so hi^h but that we could see the intelligent and well-trained setters and ixtinters work to perfection. I preferred the prairie chi railnuul contnictors aiiep. I re^'ardthe nionntain she(>p or hij^'- horn. as the finest of all lar/^'e ^nmie to hnnt. To snccessfnlly hnnt this aninuil recpiires ^'reater skill, harder work, and more dan^'erons clinihing. 'I'hey I'recpient the little mesas and ledp's at the loot of i»recipitous clift's. They are very keen-sighted and dillicidt of a[>proach. When in repose they lire nsnally fonnd on little ledgeswhere they cansnrvey theconntry holow. For this reason the hnnter aims to g(»t above them.aial is pre[»ared to.sjioot at first sight, 'i'he skin on the knee and hrisket of the monntain sheep is nearly an inch thick, made so hy kneeling on the sharp rcx'ks. In the Itroken conntry of the Kockies the hiack-tailed deer are nearly as snrefooted as the mountain sheep, and freipiently use the trails of the latter. After the Indians had been thoroughly cleared out of that country, and before it became settled by the white people, game wa.s found in great abundance. In October, 1S7'.), 1 left Fort Keogh. Montana, with a party of eight oflicers. twelve .soldiers, and five Indians, for a hunt along the valley of the Hosebud. \Ve were gcuie six days and had great success. During that time we killed sixty large deer, three antelopes, one mountain sheep, five elks, .seventeen butfaloes. .seventy prairie chickens and six ducks. Ai that .sea.son of the year the nights were cold, and the game, if properly dres.sed and hung up, would freeze solid during the night. In this way we were able to save nuKst of it. and on our return to the i)ost we had ten six- mule wagon teams heavily loaded with the tr<>phies of our riHes. There was a feast for the whole garrison of four hundred men, I doubt whether a party of hunters could find that amount of large game in .six days any- where in North America at the present time. All the buffaloes have dis- appeared, and neai'ly all the deer, antelope and elk. The black-tailed deer was the l^est of all the large game except the mountain sheep, which was considered the choicest, richest, rarest meat the hunter could obtain. There is still very good hunting in the right season along the lakes of Minnesota, North Dakota and ManitoI)a; prairie chickens along the plains of Dakota and Nebraska: quail and prairie diickens in western Kansas and Indian Territory, and wild duck is found in Indian Territory, Texas, Nebraska, the Dakotas and Montana, large (;. .>K|{.\I, NKI.SON A. MII.KS. i:{:{ Alxmt tlie most int(»restin^' sport I luivo over cii^'ii^'od in was tlic lumt- iiij^ of ljir}/e wolves in tiie Indian Territory in 1S7'), where they were foniul in j^neat nninhers. A party of hunters, very often nninlterin^' from ten to twenty, ami well mounted, would move out to a *"«livid«»" or hi^di v'uh^o of the rollin;^' praiiie. eacdi with a j^'reyhoiind or sta^diound held hy a leash, while other men would he sent alon^' throu^di the timher in the ra- vines with deerhounds and hloodhounds to start the wolves out (»f the tim- her and onto the hi;^di ;^M'ouneared and undertook to cross the prairie, a si^Muil would he j;iven and the do^'s let loose; the r"sult would he a },'rand chase of from three to live miles, windinjx up with i tierce H^ht. Tlu' lar;ie }^'ray wolves were very [(owerful ; you could hear their jaws snap a lon^' distan<'e away, and fre(|uently they cut tluMlo^'s very hadly. When any one do<,' had couraj;e enough to attack, all the others would rush in, aiul 1 have freciuently seen the whole pack upon one larj^e wolf. There is, however, rarer sport to me in huntinj^' the l>earwith a well- trained i)ack of do^'s. Mr. Monta{.;ue S. Stevens of New Mexico had, with a few of my own. a tine pack of do^s. < omposed of hloodhounds, fox ter- riers, stajjhounds, hoarhounds and Russian wolfhounds. The first were used as trailers, and taken alto^'ether they w(>uld tree or ))rin^' to hay any hear found in that country. In fact they fonyht the hear so furiously that he would pay little attention to the hunters, and permit them to api»r(>acli with ct'uparative safety. It is interesting; si)ort, though very ditticult and somewhat dan<;er()us. The hunters are usually mounted on sti'on^'. haidy, sure-footed horses, as tliey are ohli^ed to ride rapidly up and down the sides of precipitous mountains. The mountains in that part of the country ran}j;e from seven to ten thousand feet al)ove the sea-level, and are covered with scattering pine and cedar trees, with many rocks and ledges. Bear hunting is the most dangerous of all kinds of sport, and is uninteresting unless one is ecjuipped with a well-trained pack of dogs; a pack used for no other purpose. Such dogs are never allowed to hunt any other game, such as deer or elk. Along the lowlands, through which course the trihutaries of the great Missouri, the Arkansas and the Ked Rivers, was to he found an al)undant stock of fish, not of the finest quality it is true; while along the base of the mountains, the streams were alive with the finest mountain trout. In the Southwest — Kansas, the Indian Territory, Texas, and New Mexico, — the wild turkey and quail were found in the greatest abundance. IMs a singular fact that the Indians rarely utilized tish and snudl game; l^H ■V:U ^' ■* fl'l ' -l-l-i LBgWBtt i;,iiiiiLj.i uu. i f I iA I >< I 'r f m r f 134 PERSONAL HECOIJ.ECTIONS OF the larj?e ^ame was their eliief dependence. Along the whole extent of the Kocky mountains were to he found game and fish in endless variety, bear, mountain lion or cougar, deer, elk and mountain sheep, while the streams abounded with delicious trout. On the Pacific Slope very much the same conditions prevail as to animal life, except that no trace of the buffalo is found on the west slope of the l{(jcky mountains. 'J'he streams v,f the far Northwest were found alive with trout and salmon of the finest finality, and there the Indians, unlike their brothers eastward of the i{(K'ky mountains, used the salmon as their principal food. They took them in such ((uantities at certain seasons as to sui)ply their needs for the entire year, the fish being dried and cured for that purjKKse. The}' also used meat, wild vegetables and berries for food. Still further north, in British C'olumbia and Alaska, we find the Indians living almost entirely upon fish, and their habits and character are conse- (piently quite different from those of their caridvorous brethren of the plains. The game of the West has rapidly disappeared before the huntsman's rifle. It is a fair estimate that four million l)uffaloes were killed within t 'in five years between 1S74 and 1S7*J, from what was known as the South- 1*11 herd, which roamed through northern Texas, the Indian Territory. Kansas and Nebiaska. J let ween 1S7.S and 1SS3 the great Northern herd — (juite as numerous — roaming through the Dakotas. Wyoming and j\Ion- tana. was destroyed in ike manner. The hunters received on an average from $2.50 to $o.5() per hide, to be ship]ie(l out of the countrv and sold for leather-making, belting, harness-making and for kindred p;irposes. Thou- sands of men were engaged in the enterprise. The most successful hunt- ing parties cojisisted of a hunter and about six men known as strippers. The time usually selected for taking the buffaloes was just after they had been grazing m the morning, had gone to the water and then returned to the high ground, lying down to rest in bunches of from twenty to a hundred. The hunter, with the longest range rifle of the heaviest caliber he could obtain, would hre from the leewai'd side, y-o far away that the crack of the rifle could not be heard by the bufTalo€\><. and being behind a bush or a bunch of grass, could not be seen. In that way he would kill from a dozen to a hundred a day. without disturbing the herd to any great extent. The buffalo receiving a mortal wound would bleed to death, while his neighbors, r^melling the bloou. would sometimes come near him and paw" the ground, and so stand until they, too, would receive their death-wounds. The strip- pers] the theyl TopI one manl mor] aroui dest] only! extri tion GENERAL NELSON 'A. MILES. 135 pei'S would then come up with ox teams, take off the hides, put them in the wagons, and transport them to the nearest raih-oad station, whence they were shipped to marlvet. At one station alone on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Kailroad as many as 750,000 hides were shipped in one year. After taking the hide off the l)utt'alo. the carcass would he poisoned in many cases, some yearling l)iitt'al() heing generally selected, and next morning there might be found forty or lifty dead wolves lying scattered around, victims of the strychnine. In this way the large game was rai)idly destroyed, together with countless numbers of wolves that had thrived only by preying upon them. This might seem like cruelty and wasteful extravagance, but the butt'alo. like the Indian, stood in the way of civiliza- tion and in the path of progress, and the decree had gone forth that they must both give way. It was impossil)le to herd domestic stock in a coun- try where they were constantly liable to l)e stampeded by the moving herds of wild animals. The same territory which a quarter of a century ago was supporting those vast herds of wild game, is now covered with domestic aninuils which afford the food supply for hundreds of millions of people in civilized countries. II i! ! !? i; f '::i ^.~"'M u rl iii 136 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF CHAPTER IX. The Indian During the Civil War. Indian Uprisino in Mixnksota — Caisks LKAi)iN(i Tiihkkto — CrovKKNoK Kamsey's Indian Coun- cii. — Hici) Iron — Lkan Bkar — Tiik Ciiivinuton Massacre — Uenekai, Dodge's Indian Campaigns — The Bent Boys — Major North — Discovery of Gold in the Black Hills — The Peace Commission — CfENEKAL Connor — Battle ok the Tongie River — The Fetterman Massacre. GENT need of practically withdrawing the troops from t\e fr(/ntier, forced uiion the government by the exigencies of the Civil War and the continuance of that contest for four years, gave the Indians encouragement as well as opportunity to ac- ([uire firearms and munitions of war which they would not otherwise have l)een able to obtain. The disastrous results were soon felt all along the frontier, especially in the Northwest, wiiere occurred what is known as the "^linnescta Massacre of 1862," and in the Southwest, particularly in Arizona and New Mex- ico ; and it l^ecame speedily apparent that whatever the pressure at the front, large bodies of volunteer troops must be located and maintained in the Indian country, sufficient to overawe the hostile tribes and keep them in subjection. The Indian uprising in Minnesotr in the year 1862, like many others, was that of a people quiet and semi-civilized, to avenge real or imaginary wrongs. They suddenly rose and fell upon the unprotected settlements and destroyed upward of a thousand people — men. women and children. As speedily as p()ssi1)le a large force of trocps was thrown against the hos- tiles, under the command of General Sil)ley, who conducted an energetic and successful campaign, resulting in the sul)jugati<)n of such portions of the Sioux Indians as did not escape across the border into Canadian territory. The following extract from " Heard's History of the Sioux AVar" will ex- hibit some of the causes leading finally to that outbreak. The council re- ferred to in the extract was held in Noveml)er, 1852, and was of great importance, as bearing upon subsecinent events. '• The room was crowded with liidiaiis and wliite men when Red Iron was brought in guarded by soldiers. He was al)()ut forty years ohl. tall and athletic ; about six feet in his moccasins, with a large, well-develoiied head, a(|niline nose, thin compressenl lips, and physic haif-Ii greetiJ in the when should! with hi firm v(| have GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 137 physiofjnomv beaniinfj with intelliijeiice and resolution. He was dad in the iialf-military, half-Indian costume of the Dakota chiefs. He was seated in the council-room without frreetin^f or salutation from any one. In a few minutes the governor, turniniif to the chief in the midst of a breathless silence, by the aid of an interpreter opened the council. "GovKHNOU Hamsky asked : 'What excuse have vou for not cominif to the council when I sent for you V "The chief rose to his feet with native ijrace and difjnity. his blanket falling from his shoulders, and purposelv droppint; the pijit? of peace he stood erect before the i^overnor with his aviiiS folded, and his right hand pressed on the sheath of his scalping knife With firm voice he replied : • I started to come, but your braves drove me back.' ■•GovKKXOK Ramsey: "What excuse have you for not coming the second time I sent for you ?' •• Red Irox : ' Nt) other excuse than I have given you.' •• Gt)VEi{XOK Ramsey : 'At the treaty I thought you a good man, but since you have acted badly, I am disposed to break you. I do break you.' ••Red Iiu>n' : 'You break me I Mv ])eople made me a chief. My ]»eople love me. I will still be their chief. I have done nothing wrong.' •• GovEKXOu Ramsey : ' Why did you get your braves together and march around here for the jmrpose of intimidating other chiefs, and prevent their coming to the council ?' " Red Iron : ' I did not get my braves together, they got together themselves to y)re- »'ent boys going to council to be made chiefs to sign ])apers, and to ]>revent single chiefs going to council at night, to be bribed tc sign papers for money we iiave never got. We have heard how the Medewakantons were served at Mendota ; that by secret councils you got their names on paper, and took away their money. We don't want to be served so. My braves wanted to come to council in the daytime, when the sun shines, and we want no councils in the dark. We want all our people to go to council together, so that we can all know what is done.' "Governor Ramsey : • Why did you attempt to come to council with your braves, when I had forbidden your braves coinijig to council V "Red Iron: 'You invited the chiefs only, and would not let the braves come too. This is not tlie way we have been treated before, and t'lis is not according to our customs; for among Dakotas. chiefs and braves go to council together. When you first sent for us there were two or tiiree chiefs here, and we wanted to wait till the rest would come, that we might all be in council together and know what was done, and so that we might all understand the pa{)ers. and know what we were signing. When we signed the treaty the traders threw a blanket t)ver .)ur faces and darkened our eyes, and made us sign pa{)ers which we did not understand, and which were not explained or read to us. We want our Great Father at Washington to know what has been done." "Governor Rajisey : "Your Great Father has sent me to represent him, and what I say is what lie says. He wants you to pay your old debts in accord'uu-e with the paper you signed when the treaty was made, and to leave that money in my hands to pay these dobts. If you refuse to do this 1 will take the money back." " Red Iron : 'You can take the money back. We sold our land to you. and you promised to pay us. If you don't give us the money I will be glad, and all our people will be glad, for we \\'ll have our land back if you don't give us the money. That paper was not interpreted or explained to us. We are told it gives about 300 boxes (§30(),000) of our mon^ lo some of the traders. We don't think we owe them so much. We want to pay all our debts. We want our Great Father to send three good men here to tell us . ;.. i '■{ • S i I ; I i ' Ei! ■ I:; ' [j :| w J'i f-i m i« 138 PEKSOXAL IJKCOLLECTIONS OF how iiiiu'li we do owe. and wliatever tliev sav we will iiav; and that's what all these braves say. Our chiefs and all our people say this. All the Indians present res|>onded, 'llo I ho!' "GovKKNoK Ka.mskv : "That can't he done. Von owe more than your money will iiay, and I am ready now to p.iy v"ur annuity, and no more ; and when you are ready to receive it the a^ent will pay you ' "Ki:ii IiiON : • \Vt' wii! receive our annuity, but we will sinn no papers for anything else. The snow is on tin- ifround. and we have been waitintr a lono- time to tjet our money. We are poor; you have? plent\. Vour fires are warm. Your tejiees kee[) out the cold. We have nothin<; to eat. >N'e have been waitinu- a loiiij^ time for our moneys. Our huntin<( season is past. A tjcreat many of our people are sick for beiny luuiifry. We may die because you won't pay us. We may die. but if we do we will leave our bones on tne^'round, that our Great Father may see where his Dakota children died. We are very poor. We have sold our huntintr-urounds and the orjivcs of our fathers. We have sold our own i^raves. We havo no place to bury our dead, and you will not pay us the money for our lands." "The council was broken up, an ^ lied Iron was sent to the guardhouse, wiiere he was kept till the next day. Jietween thirty and forty of the braves of lied Iron's band were present during this arraignment before the governor. When he was led away they de- parted in sullen silence, headeil by Lean Bear, to a spot a cpiarter of a mile from the coun- cil-house, where they uttered a succession of yells; the gathering signal of the Dakotas. Ere the echoes died away Jndians were hurrying from their tepees toward them, prepared for battle. They proceeded to the eminence near the camp, v.here mouldered the bcmes ol many warriors. It was the memorable battle-ground where their ancestors had fought, in a conflict like Waterloo, the warlike Sacs and Foxes, thereby preserving their lands and nationality. Upon this field stood two hundred resolute warriors ready to do battle for their liereditary chief. Lean Bear, the ])rincipal brave of Red Iron's band, was a large, resolute man. about tiiirty-tive yeai-s of age, and hud great influence in his nation. "Here, on their old battle-ground, Lean Bear recounted the brave deeds of Ked Iron, the long list of wrongs inflicted on the Indians by the white men, and proposed to the braves that they should make a general attack on the whites. By the influence of some of the half-breeds, and of white men who were known to be friendly to them. Lean Bear was indut'ed to ubandon his scheme, and finally the tribe, being starving, consented to give up their lands and accept the sum of money offered to them. "Over !5r)r).0()() of this treaty money, ])aid for del)ts of the Indians, went to one Hugh Tyler, a stranger in the country, 'for getting the treatv through the Senate, and for neces- sary disbursements in securing the assent of the chiefs." "Five years later another trader, under the iirefeiice that he was n'ointr to tret back for them some of this stolen imney, obtained their signature to vouchers, bv means of which he cheated them out of Si*Hi,(K)(> more. At this same time he obtained a jiaymentof $4,5UU f )r goods he said they had stolen from him. x\nother man was allowed a claim of $5,000 for horses he said they had stolen from him. "In 1858 the chiefs were taken to 'sVashington, and agreed to the treaties for the cession of all their reservation north of the Minnesota Kiver, under which, as ratifiecl by the Senate, tliey were to have SU)<).0()0; but of this amount they never received one penny till four years afterward, when 815.000 in goods \vere sent to the Lower Sioux, and these were de- ducted out of what was due them under former treaties." T| hiqjht ofbitj T criint the p| airy, niiled thosel Huntl sent there print* horr WH GENEKAL NELSON A. MILES. 189 The lied Iron mentioned above was a man of great sagacity and of the liif^hest personal character. He opposed with all his influence, and at the risk of his life, the oiithreiik of l.S()2. hut the current against him was too strong. The Sand (.'reek massacre is perhaps the foulest and most unjustitiahle crime in the annah of America, it was planned by and executed under the personal direction of -T. M. I'hivington. Colonel of the First (Vdorado Cav- alry, on the 27tli of November, 1S()4, at a point in Colorado about forty miles from Fort Lyon. The details of the mas.sacre are too revolting to be enumerated and 1 dismiss the nuitter with the statement, for the benefit of those who would care to look into the details, that three letters from Helen Hunt Jackson appeared in the New York Tril)une. January 31. February 'J2, and February 28, 18S0, reviewing the otiicial testimony and pre- senting such facts therefrom as could be .,.-." '■; .... printed. But for that horrible butchery it is a fair pre- sumption that all the subse- quent wars with the Chey- enne s and A r a p a h o e s and their kin- dred tribes might possi- bly have been averted. In the official re- port of the Lkan Bkar K(>isix(t Tin: Indians. Indian Peace Couimissionof ISfiS. alluding to the Sand Creek massacre, or the Chivington massacre as it is more generally known, the statement is deliberately made that: " It scarcely has its parallel in the records of Indian barbarity. Fleeing women, holding up their hands and praying for mercy, were shot down : infants were killed and scalped in derision ; men were tortured and mutilated in a manner that would put to shame the savages of interior Africa. No one will be astonished that a war ensued, which cost the government $30.(100.000, and carried conllagration and death into the border settlements. During the spring and summer of 18(5') uo less :m— 9 : 1 '^ 'i t M lJl-UJ..JJiUI!l"« Ji. 'rl -.'■■A n J 'i I , i 140 PKUSOXAL UliCOLLKCTIONS OF than S,000 troops wore witlitlravvii from the effective forces engaged a{;ainst the liehel lion to meet tliis inilian war." A line of military posts from the I'lalte Ki'er northwest to the Upper Big Horn and Yellowstone became necessary, and this in its turn aggravateil the Indian disaffection, since it pierced their hunting-grounds and disarranged their hunting plans. The following letter received from Major-! ieneral Dodge, in reply to my inquiry, gives so clear an exposition of the situation of alTairs at the timt referred to when the writer was in comnumd of tiie Department of Kansas and the Territories, that [ i)resent it entire. No. 1 JJwoAKw AY. Nkw Vokk, .July lUtli. 181)'). GkN. XkI.SON. a. .Mll.KS. tioVKKNOli's lsl,A.\l). NkW V(»KK. ])kai; Sii! : .My n'l'oUt'i-tions of the Iiulian Campaign of ISJio-O, without having the rci'ords bi-tori' iiu-. arc as follows : 'I'lio oHMU'ial jilaii was to move four eoluiniis so as to strike all the Indians at once, and to follow them winter and summer until we eaught tliem or they surrendered. 1 had had a good deal of experienee in the Indian country and had set forth my views to General Grant, and in an answer to a despatch from him had stated that I coidd make an Indian Campaign in the winter; and in the winter of 18(54-5, 1 made a short Indian Cauipaign. opening' all the routes tiiat hail been closed up between the Missouri Kiver, Denver, New Mexico. Fort Laramie, etc.. and this brought on a general movement in 18()r). Till' colunni that moved against the i>outhern Cheyennes and Arapahoes was under the connnand oi .Maj.-Gen. .lohn B. Sanborn. One of his detachments overtook a body of Indians somewhere near the Arkansas. They were under Georire Bent. He defeated them and brought al)out a temporary j)eace with those tribes. I suppose his success and his views in this matter were the reasons for his beinij" ]>laced upon the Peace Conunission afterward. The interference by the Southern (\)nnnission virtually defeated all my plans against the Comanches and Apaches and we sutfered for it later on. In this battle George Bent was killed. The two Bent boys, Charles and George, I had captured in the South, in Northern Arkansas. I knew their father, Col. Bent, well, and when they surrendered to me ] jiaroled them and sent them to their home in Colorado. They did not stav there loni>' before one of them went at the head of the Southern Chey- ennes, and of the Indians organized on the Arkansas and South ; and Charles was at the liead of the Northern Chevennes. Arapahoes and Sioux. Both of these bovs had been educated in some Catholic Institution in St. Louis; 1 tiiink it was called "The Brothers College.*' Column No. 2 was commanded by Colonel Nelson Colo. He moved from Omaha up the Loup Fork t-.. its head ,ind crossed to the Niobrara River, and there divided his colunni, one division passinif up the South Fork of the Cheyenne River under Lt.-Col. Walker, with 500 ])ack mules and .)o train. This column was to follow the divide of the Black Hills and the western base, while Cole himself moved up the eastern base with his com- mand, both joining at the Belle Fourche fork of the Cheyenne ; after which thev were to proceed and join me at Powder River, and so on. Col. Coles columns fought several times and did yood work. the Chei of tlj witll and! ing the forti man relit iiers thro mad of t Mou road the prise 1lll GKNEIJAI. XEI.SOX A. MILKS. lU tl Column Xo. 8 stiiiti'd From Sioux C'itv and was tly an csi-ort of out' rt>ifiniiMit to It' Suwvt^rK -Military lioad >t'rvK't'. 1 Ins ('011111111 movod to and up the .Niobrara to tlu> Clu'veuno. tluMi up tlii' C'lu'VtMuio to tlio vicinity of I'uiiipkin Huttcs; wliicli is almost I'list of tliL' old Fort KiMio crossiiiLC of l'o\V(lt»r IJivcr. wlicri' C'liarlt's licnt, with till' Xortlicrn ('lit'vcmu's and a part of the Sioiix. i-orralli'd tlu'iii ; and Sawver. wlio Iiaute we hail i made to the Yellowstone Kiver. namely: betterman. Keno Crossiiiir of the Powder Kiver. tlienee aeross to the foot of the Bi^ Horn Mountains by what was afterwards Fort MeKinstrv. and so on by the (iKNintAi, (r. yi. Doixi road now well known and traveled, that we established to Montana. Column No. 4 started from Salt Lake, under Gen. 1'. E. Coiiin'r. marehed by way of the South I'ass and Wind Kiver. I'rossiiin- the spurs of the Bio- Horn Mountains, and sur- prised and captured the Xorthern Cheyennes and Sioux on Toiii^ue Kiver. In this battle they captureil all the eamp eipiipaire. some S(M) ponies, ete. I sent to C/onner, before the battle, a battalion of l'awiit>es who eiii^aifed in the lii^iit. They killed and sealped some sipiaws ami I'hildren and caused considerable unfriendly comment. 1 myself moved by way of the Smoky Hill fork of the Kepublican aeross to Jules- herij. to Fort Laramie, to where Fort Fetterman now is. and tlienct> across to the Powder Kiver and Biif II(!rn. All the Indians in that country kept ahead of me until nearly all the X^orthern bands were concentrated between the Powder Kiver and the Yellowstone. We captureil and wijied out one band of Sioux who had been down on the Lanimio Plains and had captured a portion of a company of Michii^^an volunteers who were escortinir a supply train, and had burnt and butchered them. I ^ot word of it. and knowintj their trails, sent some cavalry, with two companies of Pawnees under Major Xortli, to where they crossed Salt Creek; and those troops took this band in as they came north to join Bei'it. The chief of the Indian party, an old Sioux, when he saw he was cauirlit. walked out and haran<^u"d Major Xortli. of the Pawnees, who spoke their lanj^uai^e. and told him he was ready to die as he had been down on the Plains, and was full up to here of white men. piittiiii>' his hand to his mouth. These troops wiped out this whole band. From them they captured the property taken from the Micliii;an Company, amonir which was one blank book in which the Indians described in their own picture- laiiijuao'e the whole trip and what they had done, showiiiir the bnrninu- of tlu> Michiifan soldiers tied to the wheels of the wau'ons. The book was a curiosity and 1 sent it fiirward to the War Dejiurtment. After the battle of Tonirue Kiver. as I was followiiiir up the Sioux and t)tlier bands who were over in front of Cole and who were not in the flight with Connor. 1 received or- ders from Gen. Pojie and Gen. (Jraiit to return immediately to Fort Laramie, to send out runners to the Indians and brinjr tlicm in there and conclude a peace with them. I pro- K. i ■ ! I i.], Kiv.-r. Hut tlic Indians insist. 'd upon tli." North IMattcas tlie liiu'. They iinally proposi'd to ai-i't'|it the South t .rU of th.' ("h.-y.-nui', luit I would not ai'ct'itt tills, so 1 havt«d tluunsidvcs they would not 1)0 liioh'sti'd aud if they did not, 1 woidd make a wint.-r canipaiirii a^niiii. They proin- isi'dto comply with my dtmiands. and I ri'po'-tcd th.- fai-ts an Shi'rinan-ilarm'y IVaec (.'ommission was formed, who made the treaty that allowed tiiem to eome to the South fork of the Cheyi'inie. But as soon as my ,>,.,i:=i. - -., ,j3=*:"--^ — •• soldiers wen* disl)an(led they earried home the news of theirdiscoy- ... v eries in (.lie IJlaek Hills, and ~^' espeeially to California, and prospei't' rs from that eountry and Irom (.'olorado and other points went to all the streams north of the I'latte and yiolated the treaty. Our (loyi-rument seeme(l unable to induee them to eomply \yith the terms of the treaty. This hrouo'ht first comjilaints. then j)rotests. »:,k\ finally the Sittino- r,ull war. and we who were buildino' the U. I'. Railway suffered from their depredations. stealinuo"li I had opened rio-ht tlirouyh that territory a military wai^on road, a short and exeelient route from the Missouri to all jioints in Montana, and my troops were loaded with stories of mines of silyer. o'old and eoal existinof all oyer that eountry. In one snowstorm on the r,)wder Iviyer we lost nearly or cpiite one thousand head of cayalry horses ^yhieh had been \yeakened by lonir marches and poor fei'd. We also aban- doned on Powd( r Hiyer about one hundred empty army wao-ons. remonutinir the eayalry on mules and on the !S0() ponies Connor had captured: thus puttinir the cayalry s 8nT.i)ii;i{s Discnyioit CJoi.n in rni-: Bi,.\i'K lln.i.s. l:]:. vl?.. 144 I'KHSONAI, I{K( ()I.LK(^TM)N'S OF I j in tlic full (if ISn.") ritrht un llic ' fll(i\vst Vt'lloWMtoiie, wo woidd liavi- cauiflit tlic last hand that stiicU totrctlit-r. After tilt' l)attli' of 'roii^-iif iJivcr tlif Arapaliocs that were ••>{ caiitiiri'il. scatlcr.'d and iiiuth' tht'ir way lionus so did many of the Sioux. l)ut the ('hcvfiuu's and jiarl of the Sioux stuck to^rt'tluT and I'ann" in at Fort Laniniif. Ju this i-ani|iaiyn I sidcrti'd tht> liciicral positions for the followino' rniiitary posts, not tln> I'xai't sites : Near the lii^ Horn IJiver at the foot of the liiu- Horn Mountains, after- wards called McKinstry; at the crossing- of the Powder IJiver; the location at Fort Sanders on tlit> Laramie Plains; also at the l'. W crossinir of the North I'hitte, after- wards called Fort Steeli'; Fort Doils^^e on the Arkansas; also a post on the Smoky Hill fork of tho liepublican; 1 think it was afterwards called Shoritlan. ami others. J sent troops to occupy them in tlit^ spring of \S(\i\. I write you thus fully, in general, so as to enable yon, if you aro followinifthose matters up, to form a tlioroui,di idea of the campaiirn and the tfeneral details as I understand thein. Of course I have written this without yointr into the records full\. hut vou will iind that they carry out those views ]>retty i' .Ma.ihk Ki.i.ioiT — Tin; I'i.ains — FniiT Hays — III nti .(i — Kcput HaKKKK — FnllT LkAVKXWOIJTII — Till; MiiJuiC Wak — J)i:atii <>k (Ikvkhai, Camiv — (fKNKUAi, S^l:KMA^■'sTKlIl- l Ti: TO C'aMIV. Indian affairs ^rcw stoadily worse expedition, commanded Uv (ieneral sent against the Indian.^- This expedi- conntry of Kansas and the northern itory. without, however, being able to neral engagement. The campaign of (Joneral C'arr in the same year, 1 SOS 1). res. ted in his liringing his command into contact with the hostile IndiaJis in no less than nine different atfairs. His most brilliant achievement was a forced march across the plains against a combination of hostiles known as the ''Dog Soldiers," made up of different tribes, principally Sioux and Cheyennes, who were devastating the .settle- ments along the western frontier. He surprised their Camp at Summit Springs, Coloriido, on the south fork of the Platte, o- Snnday, July 12. iSOy, killing sixty-eight warriors, taking seventee- , .isoners. and recap- turing a white wonum, Mrs. Weigel, whose husband luid been killed a few^ \N eeks before at the time she was carried into capti\ity. During this year occurred one of the most renuirkable affairs with In- dians in American history. Its scene was a small stream, the Arickaree.in northern Kansas. Brevet Lieutenant-C!olonel George A. F'orsyth ^vas in command of a small body of fifty citizens enlisted as scouts, and had camped beside the stream, which contained very little \vater, on Septemljer 17. There was a small island in the middle of the stream, and on this Forsyth took position when he was attacked. The men were placed h/ i !;; f,. W s^^mtHHggggff'.wmimmm 146 I'KUSONAI- 1{K('()I,I,K(TI()NS OK k V ;i.i' in a cintio and lyin^; down, and each instantly Ix'^'un dij/^'inj,' a rilh^- pit f; ' liiinsrlt". Alunit nine (('rlock a cliaip' wus made on Mm* littlr hand by aliont three hnndied warriors. They were repulsed, and re- trtuitod. Konian Nose, the leader of the hostiles, was kill.'d in this char^'o, and th<» plain was strewn witl. dead Indians, .\hout two o'clociv another <'har^'e was made, and was a^^ain repnlsed. \ leehler, and tinal oiu^ was made ahoiit four o'clock. Then it hepin to rain. Kvery horse and mule was killed hy tho tMieniy's Ure, liieutenaiit iieecher. stM-ond in command, and livo men were kilhni or mor- tally vvoundei (dndiii^ (olo military imsl and his men hy ahout ni Northern ( (pieor con<^do as \)o\i Soldi were cut int was stren^'tl (l(>ad animals meat could eaten, and in^ hecame But on this the Indians disai)pear. ninth day of they had The fro 11- this time w e a k t o were thus found when succor came. Why so siiuill a body of civilians should have ])een i)erniitted to go into a country known to be occupied by a large body of hostile Indians, instead of sending out a large body of regular troops to engage them, is not clear. In fact. Colonel Forsyth, in his very interesting and graphic account of that engagement, recently published, in summing up the results of the first day's fiercely-contested tight, and the seri(uis loss to his command in oliicers and men, and also referring to the terrible wounds from which he was himself suiiering, ('("T.dXKL (iKolUiK A. FiHiSYTII. wounded, in- 'v, the neai'est way. Korsyth id surrounded i n c 1 u ding )U\. and that s then known d dead horses le lu'eastwork saddles and Hfth day tla^ iKjlongerbe the sulTer- intense, day l)y noon began to and by the the siege all gone, tiersmen by were too move, and sayi out is 11 nia^ of tl audi (iKXKK'AL NKI.SON A. MII-KS. 147 Hiiy.s: *' ft was all I could do to |>iill myself to^/rthcr ami s«'t aitoiit j^'cttiiig out of tlio dan^'croiis position into wliicli I had led my command." This oni<'ci' has now hccn live years on the retired list of the army, and is livinj; in VVashinj^'tou. I have no donht that his disaltility was pri- nnirily the result of the serions wounds he received in this (Mi;/a<,'ement. It was a most heroic; and desperate defense', showinj;: the cool coui-a^e of tlu^ frontieismen. their skill and accuracy in the use of their weapons, and tlK'ir steady fortitude when face to fa<*e with an enemy in overwludm- ing numhers — more than twelve to one. Nothing' could he tiiu'r than the fortitud(M)f the comnumdin^' oflicer. Colomd Korsyth. who, thou;^di twice wouiuletl and with a hndxen le^'. continued to direct and c«unnuind duriiij^ the nine days that the sie},M» lasted. Anotlu'r illustration of heroic cour- ai^'e was that of tlu^ men creei»in^' out of the entremdiimMits, takinj? the risk of beinjj; captured and tortured, yet successfully f^ettin;^' throu^di the lar^e body of Indians that surrounded the little command. Tlu^ old frontiersmen " I'et " Trudeau and "Jack" Stilwell. the latter not much more than a boy, were the first to nuike the attempt, and their su(;cess was complete. It was one of the nH)st notable feats in the records of border warfare. At midnight of September the 1 7th they left (leneral Forsyth's com- nuind in company, started south, and after crawling through the lines immediately surrounding the island, with their blankets on and wearinj.? moccasins they had nuide from their l)0()t tops, they i)assed out over a bald hill, thinkinj^ it better to make the attempt in that direction than to try to crawl out bv some of the ravines, which they had every reason to 1)6- lieve were full of Indians. It afterward transpired in conversation be- tween Stilwell and some of these same Indians.that they niad<» a lucky stroke in not attemi)ting to make their escape either by the water-course or the ravines adjacent. They were headed off and interrupted so often by seeing Indians that they only succeeded that night in nuiking three miles, which brought them almost to the top of the divide between the Ari(dvaree and South Republican. They crawled into a washout, or head of a hollow, the banks of which were overgrown with tall grass and sunflowers, where they were satisfied they would not be found that day, as they had been careful to leave no trail behind them. They could hear the tiring all day long and at night they knew that their party was still holding out. As soon as it be'^-une dark they started south again, meeting two par- ties of Indians during the night, which delayed them considerably ; and just at daylight on the second morning tliey reached the South Republican, I I , ';!? 'wi'nw Hwn H ^g imtiiiai^ i ,. j i j ^ . wji jft w 14S PEKSONAL HECOLLECTIOXS OF fvi- to find that they had gotten within about half a mile of the Sioux and Cheyenne village, something they did n(»t expect. It was learned after- ward that the trail turned south about one mile west of where the battle was going on. They crawled under the river bank and got l^etween the river and a kind of bayou, in the tall grass, and lay there the renuiinder of that day. The Indians crossed very near them during the day ; in fact they lay not over thirty feet away from where the latter stopped and watered their horses and talked for some time. They could hear the Indians mourning in the village for their dead, and also saw them taking out several bodies for sepulture on scaffolds. That night as soon as it was dark they crossed the south fork of the Kepublican and started south again. The morning of the third day found them on the high rolling prairie between the head of Goose Creek and the stream they had just left. They had decided now to travel in day time ; but by eight o'clock in the morning they saw the advance of what they afterward learned was the Dog Soldiers, separated and moving south from the Sioux, the latter going north. It was therefore necessary to change their i)lans for the day. In looking for a place to hide they accidentally discovered some yellow weeds growing up around a Initt'alo carcass. They crawled to the carcass with the intention of l)reaking the weeds off to cover themselves with, so as to more effectually hide. The buffalo had evidently been killed the winter before, as the frame was almost intact, with a small piece of hide still ad- hering to the upper ribs. They crawled in as near as possil^le to this dried carcass and lay there. One of the mounted Indian scouts approached very near during the morning, scanning the country in all directions for over half an hour, and not over one hundred yards from where they lay. It was then that the " rattlesnake business." so widely published, took place. There was a snake in the carcass, and he crawled around and made it very uncomfortable for his new neighbors. Stilwell finally spit tobacco juice on his head which caused him to vacate the premises. That night Trudeau broke down completely, and seemed for a while to lose his mind; but after they had reached some water and he had drunk freely of it, and after he had vomited two or three times, Stilwell persuaded him to eat a piece of the horse meat he had in his pocket. This revived him. and they traveled on. The fourth morning l^eiiig foggy they had no trouble in traveling ))y day time. They struck the Denver wagon road ul)out eleven o'clock, about k' / GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 149 twenty miles west of Fort Wallace and mot two mounted ronriers ^oin^ to Colonel Carpenter's command, then lying at Lake Station, some sixty miles from where (ieneral Forsyth was l)esieged. They gave the couriers a full account of what had happened, and told them as nearly as possible (Jeneral Forsyth's position. Colonel Carpenter, as soon as these men ar- rived, responded promptly and marched with his entire force to (Jeneral Forsyth's relief, meeting a second party of two that had alsocome through the Indian lines; which accounts for this last two getting hack to Forsyth before Stilwell and Trudeau did. The latter reached Fort Wallace just at sundown and reported to Major Bankhead. who was in command. Bankhead had l)ut twelve mounted men in the post. He took the in- r I ' •' / / / 7 TlIK SCOITS AM) TlIK IvATTI.KSXAKK. fantry in wagons, together with two small cannon — his command consisted of about 180 men — and with Trudeau and Stilwell started I tack at mid- night, traveling night and day with the exception of one night, when they camped on what was called Thick Tim))er. a snuiU stream lunning into the Republican, where they had a little brush with the Indians, and ar- rived at the island the next day after Colonel Carpenter had got thei-e. Trudeau never recovered, but died the next spi-ing. He lies buried at Fort Sill. Oklahoma Territory. Judge S. E. Stilwell is now a United States Commissioner at Anadarko, Oklahoma Territory. I I'D I - ■ i.l.LX.l l ULl.lLA 'l i. ' J ,!!. 150 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF It was afterwards admitted by the Indians themselves that not less than seventy-Hve of their own number hiid l)een killed. After this affair troops were sent to the field of actit)n from other departments. The services of volunteers from Kansas were accepted, and operations ajjjainst the hostiles were pressed, (reneral Custer was sent south with eleven companies, and struck the trail of a band of Cheyennes under Black Kettle. On the 27th of November he came upon the Cheyenne camp, consisting of Hfty-one lodges, and with his usual impetuosity charged upon the village. The weather was cold and snow lay deep on the ground. Black Kettle and a number of his warriors were killed, all the arms and ammunition captured, hfty-three women and chiklren were taken pris- oners and the village was destroyed. On Christmas day, bSliS, a Comanche village was l)urned, and (Jeneral Sheridan regarded his winter campaign as having proved a success. At midnight on the last day of the year, to quote his own words, "a delegation of the chief fighting men of the Arapahoes and Cheyennes, twenty-one in all, arrived at this i)lace on foot, their animals not being able to carry them. They had ruled the village. They begged for peace, and permission for their people to come in. asking no terms, but for a paper to protect them from the operations of our troops while <')i rcxfr. They report the tril)es in moui'ning for their losses, their people starving, their dogs all eaten up, and no buffalo." " This." he reports, "gives the final blow to the backbone of the Indian rebellion;" which, however, proved to be only a teinporary check. The troops were at no time able to close with the main body of the Indians, and while Custer's pursuit and attack was a success so far as one particular l)and was concerned, yet even that success was not achieved without serious loss. Major Joel H. Elliott, while in pursuit of a portion of Black Kettle's ))and which had escaped, overtook them on the Washita, where they turned, and l)eing reinforced by warriors from the main camp, destroyed his entire command. Through the earnest solicitation and coaxing by those in charge of the administration of Indian affairs, the Indians were at last induced to come in and make a display of surrender and peaceful dis})osition. and it was again otticially announced that the end of the Indian wars had been reached. The prophecy was made that no more would occur in the south- west, yet as these same troops returned north, moving back toward their various stations in the early s[)ring of 1S(U), the Indians followed, and re- opened hostilities by depredations upon the settlements along the Saline, the affai The J! For tile way can whs reg Hi GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 151 the Solomon, and the Repul)lican Kivers. in Kansas, and a condition of att'airs very siniihir to war was inaugurated, and continued for live years. The Indians practically remained masters of the plains country up to 1874. My first impression of the plains country was obtained after leaving Fort Leavenworth, in the Spring of 1S()1), as we passed out through the fer- tile valleys of Kansas to what was then the terminus of the western rail- way system, Ellsworth. There we took a construction train, which was carrying rails and material, a short distance further to the westward to what was then known as Fort Hays, wh'^re 1 found the headquarters of my regiment, the Fifth United States Infantry. The p.iins were then a wild, weird waste of rolling prairie and valley. Along the lowlands and rver courses were occasionally trees and tall grass, with here and there a grove or small forest, l)ut generally speaking, the face of the upland country was covered with a close mat or carpet of buttalo grass not more than one or two inches in height, while on the hillsides sage brush and bunch grass were found. General Custer had a ccmimand near Fort Hays at that time, and w'hile 1 had known this gallant young general during the war, I liad never had opportunity to see mnch of him and his gentle and refined wife, who, wdienever possil)le. accompanied him in camp and Held. Mrs. Miles being with me, we frequently met them socially, and enjoyed many hunts and pleasure parties together. Little did we think at that time that the one who had won such high distinction as a cavalry leader and able general in the great civil war. should within lie next few years win a special renown as one of the prominent frontier officers, and meet so tragic a death — "In a biirren land and lone Where the Big Horn and the Yellowstone' unite, or that his wife in becoming the faithful historian of his life and stirring deeds would herself attain marked distinction in the held of literature, as well as popularity on the rostrum. My first experience upon the plains was romantic and filled with novel and exciting incidents. Here we found abundance of game, including buffalo, deer and antelope, and here, with Custer and a party of officers and soldiers, I enjoyed my first buffalo chase. I came to look on my horses and dogs as friends and companions. The former were used in the chase and the latter in the pursuit of small game. Here I watched the tremendous strides that were making in the construction of railroads and the extension of channels of communication and commerce, and the steady f1' .1 ; ' hi M' 1 1 152 PEIJSONAL IJKCOr.LKCTIONS OF westward march of settloinents as the lonj,' trains of cars came laden with immijjfnnts. not only from the Kast. hut from all parts of Kuroite. and estahlished hamlet after hamlet, and village after village, farther and still farther toward the western luu'izon. Later I took station at Fort llarker, which was found more agreeable and more within the confines of civilization, and still later at Fort Ijcaven- Avortli. one of the most delightful of posts, of which 1 have iilready given some account. After the estahiishment of the Council of Indian Delegates at Ocmulgee, Indian Territory, in December, 1S70. an elTort was made on the part of the )vernment to place all the Indians in the United ites on sei)arate tracts of land or reservations, there to be guarded against all molestation from the whites. That the Indians might take kindly to this plan it was projiosed that the reservations should l)e largo enough to provide ample room for their reasonable neeils. say six hundred acres to each, it was not ex- pected that all the tribes would readily assent to the proposition, as it contemplated their removal from familiar haunts to remote parts of the country, and in fact the opi)osition to such ef- forts at removal brought about many difficulties with them. The "' Modoc War " was a case in point. 'J'his tribe numbered only a few hun- dred, and were removinl by the government from their tine lands near tlie boundary lin*^ between Oregon and California to a reserv tion where the soil was so poor that they would not accept it, and went back in wrath to their okl homes, in defiance of the United States authorities. Finding that a determined attempt was al)out to be made to bring them into subjection, a fe\v of the Modocs, undo- tlie leadtn-shii) of Captain Jack and Scarfaced Charley, Avithdrew to tiie lava beds to make the best resist- ance in their power. 1 lere they were surrounded, but they held out stoutly, and it seemed imi>ossible to dislodge them, in their inaccessible fastnesses they could defy a hundred times their number, and it was plain that many lives would have to be sacrificed before they were whipi)ed into submission. April 11. bS73, four members of the Peace Commission, headed by ]\la- jor-(ieneral Edward K. S. Canby. met the leaders of the disaffected V)and Caitain .Tack. 11 i u (JKNKKAL NELSON .a. .NIM.KS. i:)3 under a flji<; of trure. While the conferenre \v:is in proiiin<;t<)N. A|>ril 14. 1S73. \ (wi iH rill Oi'ihr)^, Xo li. It acially chosen and appointed for this delicate and daiiirerous trust bv reason of his well-known patience ami forbearance, his entire self-abnej^ation. and fidelity to the expressed wishes of his jLCovernment, and his larj^e experience in J^ndinir with the savaire Indians of America. He had already completed the necessary military preparations to enforce obedience to the conclusion of the Peace Conunissioneis, after which he seems to have accompanied them to a last conference with the savai^e chiefs in supposed friendly council, and there met his death by treachery, outside of his military lines, but within view of the signal station. At the same time one ('an his military career as a cadet at West Point in the summer of 1835, ^raduatinfr in 1881), since which time he has continually served thirty-eiii'lit years. ])assiniy through all the gradi to maior-ii't'iieral of volunteers and brigadier-i^eneral of the reiij'ular army. lie served his early life with nuirked distinction in the Florida and Mexican Wars, and the t)utbreak of the (^ivil War found him on iluty in New Mexico, where, after the defection of his seniors, he remained in conmiand and defended the country successfully ai^ainst a formidable inroad from the direction oi Texas. Afterward transferred east to a more active and imjtortant sphere, he exercised various iiiirli commands, and, at the close of the (yivil War was in command of tlse Military Division (>f the West Mississippi, in which he had received a painful wound, but had the honor to capture Mobile, and compel the surrender of the rebel forces in the Southwest. Since the dose t)f tiie Civil Vwir he has repeatedly been chosen for special command by reason of his superior Unowledife of law and civil government, his knowti fidelity to the wishes of the Executive, and his chivalrous devotion to his profession, in all which his success was jierfect. When fatii^ued by a loni:;" and laborious career, in KSIJU. he voluntarily consented to take command of the Department of the Columbia, where he expected to enjoy the repose he so much coveted. This Modoc difficulty arisinsf last winter, and it beini^ extremely desirous to end it by peaceful means, it seemed almost providential that it should have occurred in the sphere of General Canby's connuand. He responded to the call of his government with alacrity, and has labored with a pa- tience that deserved better success — but alas! the end is different from that which he and his best friends had hoj)ed for and he now lies a corpse in the wild mountains of Califor- nia, while the lightning Hashes his recjuiem to the furthermost corners of the civilized world. na| th^ \vl ^-^..-^ GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 155 Thouirh dead, the record of his fume is resph'ndent with noble deeds well done, and no name on our Army Kejjister stands fairer or hiifher for the personal (|ualities that command the universal respect, honor, affection and love of his countrymen. General Canby leaves to his country a heart-broken widow, but no children. Every honor consistent with law and usa^e shull be paid to his remains, full notice of which will be given ns soon as his family can be consulted and arran<^ements concluded. By command of General Sherman, William \). Wiiipple, Assistant Adjutant-General. >*i,t< M— 10 ';•' M^^W?9»;«'> II I' HFii i-\] ,■! 156 PEliSONAL KECULI.ECTIONS OF CHAPTER XI. Campak;;:s in 'I exas. Cai'sks of Indian I)i;i'Kioi)A'riii\s — (Ions'I'imci'idn ok ■ k Ti; > ' — DiosTurcTioN oi' I'lii': Be \i,o — Disastiih ik p'ik ■ >i > Anoiti; \\'ai,i,s — Oitdwi i\(i an K\im:i>itii>.\ \ ,v Koia vt, \i^^ IJNi'oiri'iNAi'K ('(iNDcrioN or \Vi:sri;i(N Kansas — • ••■ ;!■ ()■ TINKXTAI, IxAlhWA S .\M, Y — Attack on TIIK iloSTII.KM — LocrsTs — Maiu'm Undici! a liiuNiNd Sin Into tiiic CIointky i- iiii-: II ' i:s — DioscHii'TioN or I'm: (^ointky — (Jyi'sim Bki.t — On I'm: Inoivn TiiAii. — Tin-: Indians at H\y — An lv\('iriN(i ION(iA(ii;MK: wow permitted and enrourajjed to provide themselves witii the most modeiii and imi)roved weapons, and the use ■ '" these vveai)(>ns intiaiied tlieir savage natures and gave tliem un- due con lence in tlieir own strength. One (>f the strohjrest causes of unrei among them, and one that will have tlu same influence npon any })eoi»le, was the fsicf that the promises made t!, m to indiu'o them to go on reservations were not always carried out by the goNcrniien^ iUithoriticw. They had heen removed fi'om their natural s()urc<» of supply, the direct range of the hutTalo, hut under di.stinct treaty stipuhition that they were to he provided with shelter, clothing and sustenance suiticient in cpiantity and ([uality to satisfy their wants. Part of these treaty stii)ulati(>i' were not fultilled. They werc^ som«'t^imes for weeks without their hre..'1-rations. Their annual allowan. ; o' food was usually exhausted in six or seven months. Thus the> ''vei ither overfed or half-starved : a condition which very luiturally ten >e. to <'ieate great dissjitisfaction among them and arouse their turhulen. .{ 'n s. They would usually renuiin peaceahle during the winter, but an outbiL'ak in the spring or summer was the usual result. Another cause for • 'ss^'iisfacti(m w'as the ra}tid consti'uction of railways west, or southwest through their territory, and the steady advance of the settlement toward the setting sun. The construction of the railways, and the building of towns and villages ahmg the valleys that they had occupied for generations, resulted in the destruction of their places of sepulture, or the receptacles their customs l)rovided for the repose of their dead, which were regarded by them as most sacred. One instance of this kind occurred near Wallace. Kansas, where a wood-contractor had set a large body of men to work cutting wood in the beautiful grove among the branches of which the Indians had for numy years been accustomed to deposit the remains of their dead. This they did by jdacing the corpse, attired in the richest garments they owned, bedecked with all the most beautiful ornaments and parai)hernalia of which they were possessed, and wrapped in shrouds, blankets or i-obes, upon a platform built among the branches of the trees. This forest held the remains of hundreds of the departed, who according to the Indian be- lief had gone to the spirit land. Annually, or whenever the camp moved into that vicinity, the relatives of the departed were accustomed to come and. making offerings to their spirits, depositing some article valuable to them at the b.tse of the tree or scaffold in token of remembrance and af- fection, to chiMit their requiems and make their accustomed demonstra- tions of mouniing, frequently cutting their fiesh as a mark of deep grief i ?■ 4V. t'ii 158 PKUSONAI. UKCOiJ.KCTlONS OF wa?* ' and dovotion for tlio IovjmI ones who had passod boyond this life. When it was seen l)y the Indians that the woo(hnen were ahont to cnt down the trees of this jjjrove, they sent a depntation to the cojitractor to beg him to spare thoir eenietiu-y. as it was to them a sacred spot. IJnt thv'w i>ray(U'S were ruthlessly disregarded. So intensely did this ontrage move the tribe, that they set ont to obtain levenge by the mnrderof every white inhabitant they could Hnd in that vicinity. Another cause of dis- satisfaction, of which I have already spoken, was the d(»st ruction of the vast herds of bulfa- loes, their main depend- ence for subsistence in their wild state. The buffalo furnished t b e m food, raiment and shelter. It gave them about all that p^ they desired. Hut the enteri>ris- ing frontiersman had found in the buffalo a source of revenue, and move than a thousantl men were engaged in their destruction simply for the hides which were shipped in immense quantities to the East to be used in the manufactnre of belting, harness- leather, and for other i)Ui'i)oses. Colonel Hichard Irving Dodge in his book on '' The Plains of the West," published in 1S77. has gone into this sub- ject with great care, and his figures are undoubt- edly entitled to the utmost credit. From him we, learn that 754,32U hides, exclusive of robes, were shipped east in the year 1873 alone, over the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, the Kansas Pacific and the Union Pacific railways, and that during the three years 1872, 1873, and ... ^^^ IxniAX ^loDi: (IK BlKIAT, bi \\\ tl CiKNKUAL NELSON A. MILKS. 159 lii('(' ol' siilcly the ik'xI dii.\, wlirii siiddrnl.N ii liiiiid id' Wiii'i'iors ii|>|M'iii'i>d, killing; t lir iiiiiii iind his wile, iiIm) t he son w ho wiis ii shoi't distiiiicr iiuiiy just itI iiniiii;;: Ironi a hunt for ^^'anii'. iind takinir thr ji'irls captiM's. At'tiM' ti"i\idiii;^' a >hort distaiirr they drridiMl for >oini' reason not to krr|i thr iddest daii;_ditri'. a Wdiiian ::ro\vii. and killrd hrf in t hr |ifi'sriici' ol' hri' lour sisters. The>e were aifed respectively lil'teen, I hirleeii. nine, and se\en. We shall ha\e occasion later to rel'ei' to t hese md'ortiinate captives, as tlieii' histor,\ is interwoven with some of the sfir- rinj.' events of the cainpai;^ii that followed. One of the lirst attacks in force was ii|ioii those vvhoiii they hated most the liiilTalo hunters. A la r;,'e camp of these hiinters located at what was known as .\ili/l»e Walls, a tradiiij^' post on the ('aiiailian lliver in the I'an Handle of Texas, and this the Indians attempted to capture hy sur- prise It was tlieii- intention to annihilate the whole hand of JiiintiM's at the lirst dash. In the lattei- part of .June, two hundred warriors made a descent upon t he camp, hut unl'ortimately foi- them the day hap|iened to he Sunday, when the liiilTalo hiiidej's wi're all ^'athei'ed in for a day of rest and recreation and were thei'id'oi-e together in full stren^'th. The Indians made the atta(d\ siiddenlv and in the most determined manner. The hunters heiii^^ most expei-t in the use of the ritle and accustomed to accu- rate shooting', and. Ii«,ddini*e wounded. It was a sei-ioiis Mow to the Indians. They had shown remarkahle coura^^e. friMpiently pushiu},' ri^dit up to tlie stoidvade and li^htin^f almost hand to hand trying' to break down the doors. The lij.,dit was kept up for sevei'al hours, and then for three days they maintained a sie<;e. It was an old-fashioned li^dit of frontiersmen against rude warriors, in w liicli the latter were no match for the skilU'd I'itleinen. The Indian's niai'ksniansliip is very accurate within the ranj^e to which he is accustomed in killin*; ^'ame -say within two humh-ed yards; but in the use of the lon^'-ran^^e rifle, where he must take account of the (devated sights, the distance and tlu* elTect of the wind upon the Hij^dit of the bullet, he is inex])erienceil and in no way a niatidi for his moi'<' intellij^'ent enemy. Troo})s arrived there some days aftei- the sie^^e had been raised, and the scene which met their j^aze told a story of the deprav- ity of these men, pliysicaily brave and {generous where Indians are not ■L': i /. I d UJ I- D O IT 111 < z < a z ■«< I :{'» y m •i 4 j i f wmm V i \%\ nm III GKXKIfAr. XKLSOX A. .MILP:S. 163 coMcernod, wiiirli iioods no ('(HiiiiKMit from mo. Aft(M- statiii^jr tiio nuiiilxn- ot tlic (lead hiiiMctl by tli(> Indians, the account as ti-ansniitt(Hl to the iast(M-n \)jpss, gravely adds. '•Twelve ino!-<' were l<4*t where tlu\v fell, and the heads of these twelve men were found adorning the gateposts of the hunters' corral." At this time I was ord(n-ed to organize an expedition and movc^ down from the north against these Indians. At th(> sain(^ tim<' thi-ee other col- umns were ordered to move into the southwest from as many dilTerent dii-ections. One under Colonel IJ moved west from Fort Sill, ind ritory ; one under Colonel j\la('kenzie moved north from Fort Concho, Texas; andone under j\Iajor Price, with a battalion of the Eighth Cav- alry, moved east from New M exico. These c o 1 u m n s were all moving toward the the same locality and for the same general purpose, but | without any definite concert , of action. ]\ly own command was to j be organized at Fort Dodge, Kansas. Fart of the forces which were to compose it ^ were taken by me from F(n't -- Leavenworth. On the way to Fort Dodge we passed throngh that State at a time Al'TKK 'I'lM'. SiMIti:. when it was suffering from one of the most terrible disasters that had befallen it in all its history. Not only was its frontier infested with hostile Indians, but the season was talso one of intense heat, the whole western portion ])eing i>arched. blistered -ind burnt up in a universal drouth. Added to these visitations, the country had become the scene of such a scourge as has seldom been seen anywhere ; such a one as 1 have never seen since and hope never to see again. The previous year the lu^avens had been dark- ened by a cloud of locusts coming from the mountain regions of the West. These pests had deposited their eggs in the plains of Kansas, and now ^■• JfK^i !;■ 'M JM li ;;ir m /t i ]()4 PERSONAL HECOLLECTIONS OF when these e^'gs were hatched the whole face of the country was covered with a mass of creeping' yoiui^ locusts that destroyed all the vejjfetation that had escaped the heat and the drouth. The ^reen cornfields were strii)ped of every leaf, and the few stalks remaining were made to appear as if a fire had s\vei)t over them. The grass and leaves, the flowers and shrubs, were all consumed by these myriads of destroying insects. Not a vestige of vegetation was to be seen in the line of their pestiferous march. My command when fully organized at Fort Dodge consisted of eight troops of cavalry in two battalions, under Majors C. K, C'ompton and James liiddle. four com- panies of infantry under Captain H. B. Bristol, a detachment of artil- lery under Lieutenant James W. I'ope, and a body of trailers, guides and scouts under Lieu- tenant Frank I), Bald- win. This force was composed of friendly Delaware Indians and a body of twenty-five frontiersmen nuide up of expert riflemen, pio- neers and plainsmen; men of known courage and intelligence, and possessing the best attainable knowledge of that remote and unsettled country. On the 14th of August my command moved south from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Hailroad at Fort Dodge in thi-ee columns, my ol).iect being to cover as wide an area of country as possible in order to fon-e a concentration of the Indians on my front, and also to prevent if possible any of their number being left behind us. During the flrst Ave day's march, the heat, even for the month of Augu.t. beiiig unusually intense, great suffering was experienced on the part of both the troops and the animals. So intense, indeed, was this heat that of the large number of favor- ite dogs that had accomjianied the train when we moved from Fort Dodge, only two remained with the connnand w hen we reached Camp Supply, about a hundred miles south. At that point the command renewed its supplies and then commenced its movement to the South Canadian Kiverand I.OITSI' St'OIIU'.B. lU] as I'll kij re col rit ic(| thi ettj art 1^1 GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 105 into the country of the Indians, in the western portion of which they were lis usual seeking refuge. The command in moving south from Camp ISup- ply had one of the best plainsmen for a guide, Ben I'lark, that 1 have ever known. His knowledge of the country was renuirkable. Intelligent and reliable, his services were of great value. This country, comprised within the western portion of the Indian Ter- ritory, western Texas, and eastern and southern New Mex- ico, has features common to all the elevated regions of the interior, especially in respect to those that are the effect of clinuite, and these constitute nearly all that are of interest from a military point of view. Being subject to long periods of excessive heat and drouth, when its surface becomes impernu'- able to water, and then to sudden and most vio- lent storms, every considerable declivity is seamed and gashed by the Hoods which the hardened soil cannot receive into itself, and whicii rush to the nearest outlet. That i)ortion which has main- tained one general level, or has but slight eleva- tions, forms what is known as the Staked Plains, or "El Llano Estacado" of the Spaniards. East< of this vast plain lies a l)elt of country, princi- pally between iH) "M)' and 101", which by its geological fornuition and surface, and the elevation of Mounts l^u'hester, Eyman, Lewis, the Antelope Hills, and many buttes and mounds farther south, shows the great washing away of the Staked Plains, whicli has evidently consumed ages of time. This regi(m is broken into rolling prairie by a series of water-courses heading in the Staked IMains and t' wing an easterly direc- tion, their breaks and ravines forming a rough and, in places, impassable surface. The Canadian Biver passes through the Llano Estacado. its almost innumerable ti'ibutaries afl'oi'ding most pleasant and well-sheltered valleys, with abundant timber, excellent water and grazini;. The Bed Biver, on the contrary, api)ears to have cut its course tliroi.gh the dead level plains, making deep and precijutous canons, and it has only four tributaries of any importance. 'IMie soil of the high i)laius is in places rich and well covered with good grazing, while at others it is very light or sandy, and almost destitute of grass, Water is found only in lagunas or ponds, and then only at favoral)le seasons of the year. In the section of country to the east, timber, rich soil and abundant grass are Hv.S Cl,AKK. ' ,' ! ■. ;i ( I • Lis I 111; 1()0 I'EHSONAI, liEC^OLLKCTIONS OF fi' i lilHi Ml ''i found aloviji: the vvator-coiirsos. ^^•llil(> on the liijjrh divides fair ^raz- uVff is fonnd. ))nt no timber. The al)ove section, so favorable for i)as- tnrai^c. is bounded and limited by a broad belt of yyi'snm country extending; northeast and southwest and lyin^j^ west of the Wichita mountains, and a deei) stratum of the same mineral ai)parent]y underlies tlie east(U'n portion of the Staked I'lains. Near this stratum vegetation is (►f very little or no value, and the water where it descends from the hij^h- lands, thout,di (excellent at its source, liecomes so thorou>ihly imitregnated with minei'ai substances as to nuik(> it in [daces utterly useless. At other places, although agn^'nible to the taste, it produces weakness and sic' ness in both men and aninuils. The nomadic Indians, when not hostile and not disturbed, naturally occupied the country which lies west of the bitter waters of this gypsum region and east of tiie timberless. dry and uni>i'otected iilains, and watered i)y the tributaries of the Canadian and l\ed liivers. These aflorded them many advantages for their famili(>s and herds, and were their best hunting grounds. When pursued they placed almost insurmountable natural ob- stacles behind them in their retreat, passing over the rugged bluffs and through the deep and preci})itous canons l)y cii'cuitous trails, impassable for wagons and ditlicult for a mounted foi'ce to follow, and sought refuge on the extensive i)lains, where an ap})r()aching force could be seen for a long distance. In pushing south, the scouts under l.ieutenant Baldwin, supported by a troop of cavalry, w^re thrown well to the west and moved toward Adobe Walls, where it arrived just in time to repel a second attack on that place by a considerable band of Indians. 1'liese Indians ret?'eated south before him. burning what there was of the prairie grass behind them. A few days later, as IJaldwin continued his mar(di down the Canadian, he surprised a small party of Indians near the mouth of Chicken Creek and put them to rout. Soon'thereafter he rejoined the main command on its march south from Camp Supply, ritt Wolf and Commission Creeks, at a point twelve miles west of Antelope Hills, the junction being effected Au- gust 24. The chase now began in earnest, the trail of the Indians running south- west. Camp was bi-oken daily at five o'clock in the morning, the command with its train marching abou^ twenty-tive miles each day, and exi)eri- encing hardshii)s and privatiiu.-. vrhic'i il is seldom the misfortune of man to be called ui)on to endui'e. In maDN i:'ace^ no water was to be discovered in the beds of the streams, and onJv '^t lorg intervals vvere there found sta ruj slai dnl 11(1 th-.j WMI sh([ orti it J tail cat the lin ere anc *ttli.' GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. ir.7 fpll stafriiiint holos containing' somo. ofton imi)ro'- tained with the column. The trail grew fresher and fresiier. and iudi- cated the presence of large l)odies of Indians. The troops were elated at the prospect of meeting the foe; new life was infnsed into their weary limbs; and dnring the ensning two days tlu\v marched sixty-Hve miles, in- credible as such an accomplishme-nt may seem in snch a conntry; inhmtry and cavalry marching together. On the morning of the iJOtli the column was in motion at four o'clock, the scouts as usual about two miles in advance. At an early hour it emerged from the broken country and struidv a level plain bordered on the south side l)y the steep blulTs whi(di skirt the Staked Plains or "Ijlano Ks- tacado." The trail led to an opening through the bluffs, and at eight o'clock Lieutenant Baldwin's detachment of scouts entered the hills, wIkmi almost instantly a band of al)out two hundred and fifty Indians cliarg(Ml upon them from the ])luffs on both sides. The hght opened at once. With that cool, deliberate judgment and courage which had distinguished him during the war. and which characterized him on all subsequent occasions of critica' nportt'nce and danger, Baldwin handled his men with consummatf kill, v.liile the whole Indian force sprang from their places of coi alment lin- ing the bluffs. Baldwin's frontiersmen quickly took pos ' 'on, dropped on the ground, and used their effective rifles to the !>• - advantage. His friendly Delawares went quickly into action I't their vet- eran chief, old Fall Leaf, over whose head the storms of more than seventy winters had l)lown. his gray hair streaming in the wind, expo.sed himself conspicuously as he rode up and down his line encouraging and leading his men. The little force held its ground until reinforced by the rapid advance of the cavalry, which deployed at a gallop as they moved forward. >i ."'I iiii tM i ffl 5q 1().S PERSONAL KECOIJ.ECTIONS OF Hill 141 Compton's and Biddle's battalions were quickly thrown in line, the former on the ripfht, the latter on the left, and it was a ftne sight to wit- ress the rapidity and enthusiasm with which officers and men flew to their designated places in the line. The Gatling guns under Lieutenant Pope were l)r()ught into action with the same spec 1 and enthusiasm that charac- terized the other arms of the service, and an nJvar.ce of the whole line was immediately ordered. Captain T, C. Tupper was as conspicuous as he always is when the fight is on, and Captain A. R. Chaffee made one of his bright, telling ])attlefield speeches; he gave the command to his men, "ForAvard !" and added, "If any man is killed I will make him a corporal." Major Compton rode in front of his command, waving his hat, and led the charge to the hills, and as the sudden onset from all parts of the line created dismay and panic in the lines of the Indians, they retreated pre- cipitously, and were followed for twenty miles over the roughest ground that I had until that time ever seen men tight ui)on. Over the rugged hills and buttes, and the jagged ravines and covers, and across the dry l)ed of the Red River which was n»)W covered with white, drifting sand where at times a great river flows, tli'>n up the right bank into the canon of the Tule, a brauch of the Red niver, through the burning camps full of aban- doned utensils, went the flying Indians. The retreat and pursuit were kept up with the utmost energy, descending into deep canons and scaling l)lutfs almost impassable, some portion of the Indir, us now and then attempting to stem the tide at some favorable point, upon which the troops would in- stantly charge and carry their stronghold, until at last the Indians were so closely pressed that they could not even make a show of re-forming, but sped away demoralized and in full flight. The shhx'p engagement and the long and rapid pursuit during the in- tolerable heat of sun and earth, and the absence of water, caused intense suffering among men and beasts. In fact they were almcst famished for want of water. On rcuching the bed of the Red River, which at that point was nearly half a nile wide, there was only found a small pool of saturated gypsum and alkali, the stagnant water bein^ rendered utterly unfit for use. During the chase the men tried every means < i finding water, but without avail, and suffered so greatly thai soine ol them re sorted to the extreme of opening the veins of their arms and moistening their parched and s\ ollen lips with their own blood. This expedient to relieve extreme suffering has occurred on two dilferent occasions in my commands ; at this time on the Red River of Texas, and again on the arid plains of Arizona. GENERAL NELSON A. MIF.ES. 109 A gallant young officer, who had been a colonel of volunteers during the great war, Adjutant-General of the expedition, G. W. Baird, Lieutenant of the Fifth Infantry, was moved by the sufl'erings of himself and comrades to wreak a fearful vengeance on the chief source of disai)pointment, by issuing a few days later the following apostrophic and paralyzing effusion, addressed to the Red River: To Rki> U'. <;.:k, Texas, Car. UrZ' Wkst, Aidisr 30. 1874. L O! Namo that art a lio. Thou tiU'st of purliiifT spring's, Whore suii-browiit-d fanners dip The (Irauifht. or surface kiss With thirstiiiiT. thankful lip. Thou t<'//\st of bahhliuiT brooks, Where artless ehildrtMi play, Alonli(\s. and to ourselves remain in the country an indef- inite time, and until they were tinally suhju^'ated. The i)eriod of lieat and sunshine was linally followii liy sncii an over- shadowing- of the heavens as created an impression (tf ^'i-anchuir and awe. The threatening,' elements were not lon^' in showing tlie foi'ce and fury of the storm that had heen pitherinj^j. First there came a few scatterinj,' drops like shots as one a])proaches a hattlelicdd, fjfivin^' warninj,'. and at the same time impressiujj: one with their force. These were accompanied by tlie distant roll of thunder and occasional flashes of li^ditiiin sr \\' Hi:MAINIMi (iDUMAINi: Slsli;i{H AND Si' IIM ISSK iN i)I' THK LasI'oK TDi; llnsrii.i:s — Oititiis ok tmi: (' vki.isi.io Indian Si ihmh, — IkKsn.i > 111' 'I'm: Siii.ii d \ tion nr rnic SmriiKKN TifllllOS — OlMNKtN l>h' (li:Ni:iiAI. SlIKIil- DAX ox TIIK ('A.Ml'AUiN. T'R trains were sent hack, as stated, to Fort Supply to replenish om stores. While this was hein<^ done a lar;j;e hody of Kiowas and I'onianches l(»ft their reservation and eoninienced hostilities, crossinjj; our trail near where we had crossed the Washita in D'oin^f south. Here they attacked our su|)ply train, then return- ing under the connuand of Captain Wyllys Lyman from Camp Supply, who witli his escort was surrounded and held for several days, though he made a very spirited and determined defense, (^ne officer. Lieutenant iiewis, was permanently disabled, and sevei-al of his men wen-e killed or wounded, yet he made a very good defense against some two hundred and fifty or three hundred warriors. Dur- ing the night a daring young scout named Schmalsle dashed out on horseback through the line of beleaguers, who quickly followed him, but l)eing well mounted and a very light rider he was too speedy for his pur- suers. They chased him into a large herd of buffaloes, which enabled him to escape in the tumult and under the cover of the darkness. He came near being thrown, however, by his horse stepping into a hole ; an acci- dent by which he lost his ritle. He rode on as rapidly as his horse could carry him during the night until at last the animal was utterly exhausted and he was obliged to leave him in a small bit of timber. After this he traveled by night, on foot, concealing himself during the day in the brush or timber, and finally reached Camp Supply, Indian Territory, giving infor- mation of the situation of the beleaguered train to the commanding officer. Colonel Iiewis, who at once sent out a detachment to its relief. On the m : (IKNKlv'AL NKI.SON A. MII.KS. 17:{ Hlt[>r()ii('li of tliis relief tlic liidiiiiis witlidrcu . iiiid iillowcd (';ii)tiiiii liymaii to i>i(»('('e(»(l oil liis route. lijiter, a detacliiiieiit of six iiio" *" currying' a dis[>a,t(di from the coiu- niaii(1 |{iver to ( ai..[» Siijiply \ver<' .siin'(»iiiuled l»y one hundred and lifteeii warriors. 'I'akiii;,' refii^'e in a l»ulTal<» wallow, a sli^dit depression on the oi»eu plain, they there held their ^•roiiiid until the aj*- proach of a eoniniand under Major I'rice, when the Indians withdrew. The soldierly (pialities ii(>re displayed were such thai I thou^dit the ineideiit worthy of a special report, which 1 made as follows: llKAIMirAKTKKS I MM AN 'I' l.i; i: I 1 < >i; V Ex I'DKri l( iN. ) Ca.MT »»N AN'asIIITA lilVIM!. 'I'kXAS. SKI'TIIMltKIt 'J 4, IS71 \ Aiui'Iani-Gknkkai,. I'. S. Amn : (Tliro' OlIiccH of Asst. Ao. '"II," and (ieorire W. Smith Co. " M." (Sth Cavalry, and Scouts Anu)s Chapman and William Dixon, were sent as hearers of Despatches from the Camp of this command on MuClcllan Crock, 'I'exas. to Camp Supply, 1. T. At t) A. M. of the 12tli, wlioii ajiproachino' thc! Washita River, they were met and surrounded by a band of about 12') Riowas and Coiiuiiu'hes, who iiad recently It'ft their ai^ency, and at the first attack four of the six were struck. Pvt. Smith, mortally, and three others severely wounded. Althouirh enclosed on all sides and by over\vhelmin<^ luunbers, one of them suc- ceeded, while they were under a severe (ire at ■ihort raiiiji'e, au( 1 wh ule the others with their ritli>s AVm. V. SCMMAI.SI i:, Scol'T. were keepinijthe Indians at bay, in disjcifiniif with his knife and hands a sliolit cover. After this had lieen secured they ])Iaced tlienistdves within it. the wounded walkino- with brave and painful efforts, and Private Smith- thouM-li he had received a mortal wound- sittintf upriirlit in the trench, to conceal the crippled condition o." their party from the Indians. l^'rom early morninijf till dark, outnumbered 2") to 1. under an almost constant fire and at such short rauije that they sonu'times used their pistols, retaininif the last char^'e to jire- vent capture and torture, this little party of five defended their lives and the person of M— 11 ^, Jt.^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ■^|2j8 125 |jo ^^ W^M m m :^ us IS2.0 |2£ 11.25 i 1.4 7 HiotQgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WK~ AAAIN STREiT wnsTER,.M.Y. usao (716) S73-4S03 A .V \ \ '#. \ ■ If 174 TKUSONAI. KKCOLLhICTlOXS OF tlu'ir (iviiii; I'omnuli', without foixl, and tlirir only driiik the rain water that collect*'!! in the liollow tlicv liad made. niiuLflcd with their own blood. There is no douht tl.at they killed more tlian doiil)h> their nuniher, besides those they wounded. The Indians al)andoii*>d the iittack at dark on the I'JtIi. The exposure and distance from tlu' connnand, which were necessary incidents of their duty, were su»'h that for thirtv-six hours from the first attack their con medical attendance or food, and they were exposed durini,'' all this time to an incessant cold storm. Serjeant Woodhall. IVivate JIarrintrtoii and Scout Chapman were seriously wounded : Private Smith died of his woiuid on the morniu!^ of the 13th; I'vt. iiath and Scout Dixon were struck hut not disabled. The simple recital of their deeds and the mention of the <»dds a<;ainst which they fouifht ; how tlu* wounded defended the dyini»", and the dyin<; aided the wotmded by ex- posure to fresh wounds after the power of action was ifone ; these alone jiresent a scene of cool courai,'e. heroism and self-sacrilice which duty, as well as incliiuition, prompts us to reco^'ui/.e, but whici: we ciiiniot fitly honor. Very respct'ly, Vour obedient serv't, (Siirned): Nki-son A. Mil.Ks, Colonel and IJrevet Major-General, U. S. Army, Commandinc^, About this tiiiiP excel iont work was done by (Jeneral Mackenzie's com- mand from tlie south. They had moved up, crossing the lieadof Tulecafion and surprised acamp of Indians at Canon lihmco. a tributary of the lied Hiver, capturing a herd of Indian ponies, numbering some twelve hundred, and destroying the camp. This enter])risingof1icer's operations were much crippled by the difliculty of getting his transpcu'tation from the south, and his comnnind was very much br()ken down by the terrible rains that fol- lowed the dry season, and made that i)orti(m of the country in which he was oi)erating almost impassable for wagons. Of course we also had these floods to contend with, but by establishing small supply camps on the Canadian, the Washita, and the tributaries of the Hed Hiver, I was enabled to keep my command in very fair order and use it .against the Indians whenever they could be found in that remote country. Our operations lasted during the autumn, and even into the winter. They resulted in nine different engagements and affairs with the Indians by dif- ferent detachments and under different officers; chiefly under Major C()mi>ton, Captain Chaffee, Lieutenant Baldwin and Major Lyman. When- ever the Indians could be found they were followed as long as their trails could bt traced. Lieutenant lialdwin with his detachment, and Troop 1) of Sixth Cavalry. and Company Dof Fifth lnfantry,attackedacampof thechief, (iray Beard. Cheyenne Indians on the north branch of McClellan Creek on November 8, and in a spirited engagement drove the Indians out of their camp to the Staked Plains again. P: , -f. •!! il GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 175 In this engagement he rescued two white girls that were held in cap- tivity !)>■ these Indians, named Julia and Adelaide (Jermaine, whose parents had been killed in western Kansas, as mentioned in a previous chapter. Here we first learned that besides these two, the two elder sisters were still in the hands of the Indians. It was surprising to see the sympathy and emo- tion of the soldiers and trainmen as they listened to the story from the lips of these two little half-starved girls. One teamster, as the tears ol sympathy rolled down his cheeks, remarked: "I have driven my mules over these i)lains for three months, but I will stay forever or until we get (.■^tycr^' .> ■ TlIK ViCTilKY OK Tin; I'kivatks them other girls." These little children were sent back in charge, of Dr. Powell to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where they were well cared for. On his return Dr. Powell brought with him a jdiotograph which he had had taken of them in their improved condition, and which was used in an im- portant event that occurred two months later. The campaign continued during the autumn, the purpose being to make that remote country, which the Indians had formerly used as their retreat- ing ground, untenable for them until they should be brought under subjec- tion. As they had been defeated in so many engagements, the weakest of the Indians began to retreat back to the agency in snuill numbers, and the approach of cold weather was having its effect on all the tribes that re- mained out in hostility. Their ponies had been so much worn down by their ! Mi J 76 I'EliSONAI. IJKCOM.KCTIONS OK being kept constantly on tlio move that when winter struck them in their weakened condition they die(l l»y iiinidreds on tlie cold, Ideak plains. Finally, in January, helieviu},' that those still reniaiiiinj^ out were in a disposition to surrender, I sent a niessa;ie to them deiuaudiug their surren* der; and the frierlly Indian who carried this tles[)atch also took with him the photo^naph of the twr little (lennaine ^Mrls. with the injunction to place it. unknown to the Indians, in the hand of one of the captives, if he could lind them. The nuvssa^c was carried l»y a small detachment of I'riendly Iiulians, They found the hostile <'amp on the Staked IMains, on a tributary of the Pecos Kiver. on the border of New Mexico, The Indian carrying the i)iiotograph of the little girls when unobserved (piietly i)laced it in the hands of the eldest; giving her the first knowledge she had that her sisters were living and that they had been recaptured. On the back of the photograph was a message reading as follows: IlKAixirAiM'Kits Indian 'l'i:i!i:iroi;v Kxtkihtion. In iiii-; Fii;i.i>. .liiiiiiary ?i0tli, 1875. To the Misses Gcnmiiiit': Voiir littlt* sisters arc well. iiii H Z UJ li^ SS2 r : u V i«;i , iri r\ ry : > jjl^^Hfy' ' n iji m :1 I «' '^ GENEHAK NELSON A. MILKS. \1\) ing to the troops, it was one of the best allies we eoiild possibly have had in subjugating the Indians. As the troops were out constantly from midsummer until midwinter, the cold came on them verv grad- ually and they did not feel it so much as if they had been housed and then gone out suddenly into the cold. IJy supplying them with an abundance of good warm clothing, and keeping both men and aninuils sui>plied with i>leuty of food, we were enabled to move about the country and endure the severity of the winter without serious loss to either men or aninuils. This was before a pernument military post had been established in that country. When this was done it was named "Elliot" for the gal- lant ollicer who lost his life in the engagement on the Washita. The result of the campaign and the expedition as above described was the complete subjugation of four powerful tribes of hostile Indians. The tril)es that had gone out in the summer splendidly equipped with all the grand parai)hernalia for an Indian campaign, with beautiful lodges and thousands of ponies, came back in the winter, many of them on foot, in abject poverty, leaving most of their horses dead upon the plains as well as many of their people. In fact some bands that had never before sur- rendered, l)ut had always remained out in a hostile attitude, esi)ecially that known as the Quahada C'omanches or "Antelope Eaters," who lived out on the high Staked Plains of western Texas, and from time im- memorial had raided western Texas and old Mexico, this time were obliged to yield. As a result of this cami)aign they have remained peace- able from that time to the present, with the exception of part of the Cheyenne tribe that broke out and went north under Little Wolf in 1S77, where they were captured by part of my command on the Yellowstone in Montana. After the surrender of the Indians the warriors were formed in line in the presence of the troops, and the two elder (Jermaine girls went along down the line pointing out to the officers the different men who had been engaged in the murder of their family, and in other atrocities; and to the number of seventy-tive thesi^ men were taken out of the camp and placed under guard and taken under the charge of Captain Pratt to St. Augustine, Florida. As these Indians passed through Fort Leavenworth, Minimic, one of the principal chiefs, asked me to take his son, young Minimic. — who was I think one of the handsomest Indians I have ever seen, a stalwart young man of about twenty-two years- and teach him the ways of the white men. I appreciated the sentiment, but at the same time I realized the futility of trying to accomplish any good results with but one Indian, I m ! i suni beds that were such annoying and distressing afflictions to us only twenty years ago have been utilized in various ways by the industry of the whites. A vast amount of this gypsum was shipi)ed very recently to the Queen City of the West to be used in the construction of the great "White City" of the Columbian Exposition. The territory in which this campaign was conducted against the Chey- ennes, Arapahoes. Kiowas and Comanches, included a large portion of the Indian Territory, the I'an Handle of Texas, southern Kansas and portions of Colorado and New Mexico, and embraced an area larger than the States of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and all New England combined. It had long been nuirked on the maps as a part of the Creat American Desert, but a large portion of it has proved to be a si»lendid agricultural country, while the remainder makes a tine grazing ground and supports vast herds of sheep, cattle and horses. In the eastern and northern sections partic- ularly, corn and grain are raised in great abundance, and in the southern part the raising of cotton is very successful. Altogether the country is capable of supporting several milli(ms of civilized people. At the close of the campaign the rescued (iermaine girls were sent to Fort Leavenworth, and I was appointed their guardian. I secured a provi- sion in an appropriatian by Congress diverting ten thousand dollars from the annuities of the offending Indians, to be given to them. This sum was set apart for the benefit of these girls, the interest to go for their support during their minority, and the principal to be divided and given to them on reaching their majority. They have since giown up, and have each received $2500. They are now married, and are occupying happy, though widely-separted homes in Kansas. Colorado and California. I conclude this chapter with a paragraph selected from the ensuing annual report of Lieutenant-General P. H. Sheridan, commanding Military Division of the Missouri : " li» tlie cle|»artinent of the Missouri, tlie campaign ajjainst the Cheyeiuies. Kiowas and Coniant'hes was finished earlv in the s]irin<^. and the rinij^leaders and worst c-riininals separated from the tribes and sent to Fort Marion. FU)rida. Tliis campaign ',.as not oidy very conipr.^hensive, but was tlie most successful of any Indian campaiirn in the country since its settlement by the whites; and much credit is due to the officers and men engaged in it."" I ■i:i ■ 1 ! t t ( i •ri? i: 1 i ':; '. i Mfi'i ^ [I 1 I iM I il 1S2 I'KKSONAL WKCOLhhXTK )NS OK CIIAITKK XIII. Indian DiKFuri/riKs in Nkw Mkxico. InHIAV OlTllllKVK AT Tin: ClM MtHKN .\<1|;MY — (K TIII: W mi I'aTII — 'rilonl's OltltKKKI) A(»AISf(T TiiKM — I'l: \»i:ri I. Hviiiti iikm 1{i:si it in a Cui vcii. — ('\rsi:s >>\- tiii: (M tiiukak — ('iiNiHTiiiN u|.Tiii; Ivnivvs — I\ {'ui \ni. — Tiik Tiiiii:ati;\i;i> Wak Avki> — Sir- «'i:ssii I, Kri'iiui's lu |{i;tti:u {'k Tin: Cui NTiiv — lNTi;i(i:HTi\(i l!i iss — Swta Vf: — I'ikk'm I'ioak — IIi:i.i:n Hint .Iackshs am> licit Last I!i:stin(! I'i.aci;. N Dcccinbor. is?'), an oiithn^ak by tho Musiclio I'tes smd Jicarilla Apiiciu's (M'ciiiTcd at the Indian ajxt'in'V at Cimarron, New Mexico. 'J'lie Indians coininenced hostilities by tirinj; into the agency and driviiifj; the white people away. The ajjjent Hed for his life. The Indums then left their reservations and wont into the mountains to the west. This (hunonstration occasioned great consternation in the vicinity and throughout all that territory, especially among the scattered settlements. Troops were ordered to move into the territory from the south and north and concentrate at Cimarron, and I was ordered to proceed im- mediately by rail and stage from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to that point, to take command of the troops and proceed to (pudl the rebellion. I went by rail as far as the terminus of the road at I'lieblo, Colorado, thence by stage over the Raton Mountains to Cimarron, New Mexico. Before commencing an active canijjaign. especially at that season of the year. I desired to obtain the fullest information concerning the causes of the disturbance. To that end I sent out by a runner, a half-breed Mexican Indian, a message to the principal chief of the hostiles informing him that I was there with troops to maintain order and suppress actual violence, and. if necessary, to make a campaign against the tri})es that h.nd begun the hostilities, but that before taking any action I desired to hear his side of the case. He replied that if I would give him protection under a tiag of truce to come in and state his case and then return again to the mountains, he would come in t^nd meet me. I sent back word to him to assure him of protection both coming and going, and a guarantee of his safe return. (iKNKKAl- NKI.SON A. MILKS. 1.S3 In tlio coiirso of ai few days ho arrived. In tlio romu'il tliat followed I iiifoniH'^l liiiii of the condition of affairs; of the re|K»rts wiiich had heeu received l»y the j^overninent, and of tiie instrnctions which tlH» ^'overnnient iiad given to the military anthorities. lie in tnrn informed me that he did not desire war. neither did his people, hut that they were compelled to re- sort to li<»stilities or die hy slow starvation ; that under the terms of the treaty they were granted certain provisions and a certain amount of cloth- ing and annuities, which agreement had not heen ciunplied with, lie said that the heef furnished hy the contractor was such that it was impossihle for his i)eople to use it for food ; that old, worn-out oxen, that had heen used in hauling freight over the i)lains and mountains until they were Indians on tiii: LutiKni t utterly useless for such purposes, were issued to his people for heef. when in fact, they were simply skin, bones, hides, hoofs and horns and could not be utilized for food, the life-giving properties having been all exhausted. In place of Hour, which was granted by the terms of the treaty, his people had been furnished with what is known as "shorts," which is simply the husk obtained from the wheat when it passes through the flouring mill, and which is of very little or no value as food ; in fact it was impossible to make bread of it. Later on, when I visited their camp, I was given specimens of this so- called " beef" and *' flour" and the facts conflrmed the statements of the chief. I assured him that as far as I was concerned it was not my desire to make war upon him or his people, but that he must bring his tribe back to ! l: Si |i 1S4 I'KKSONAI, l.'KCniJ.KCIloNS ( >K tlM> place \vIhm'<> tliry liiid t'onnrrly <'uiii|mmI, itmi |>iit tliciii niis; and in turn, as I sissiirrd liini. I \v t<>rnis of tli(> treaty wero ri^'idly roinplietl Nvitli : I would jdai'c an oIIhmt in cliur^jfe of the agency, and would see tluit the contraetois I'uniished heel' aiitl flour in ucconlancc^ with the terms of the treaty and their eontnn'ts. lie assured it)(> that under thos(> circumstances he woidd lirin^' his peojde in within iiv(> da>s. and passed out, up the \alley and the monntain-sid(>. under th(> fla^' of truce. I waited those five days patiently, yet conli the j,M>vennnent. I also directed that all the terms of the treaty should he carried out. as well as all other ohli^ations of the ^'overnment to tiiese people. This peaceful endin},' of what threatened to he a serious Indian war was most <;ratifyin^' to me, and 1 returned to Fort ii(>avenworth after an ahsence of twenty-tive days. It is much hetter, if po.ssihie, to avoid an Indian war, and much easier than to end one after hostilities iiave once heen fully entered upon. Durinjy: the <*ouncil 1 had with the principal <*hief he stated to me as a reason why his [x^ople did not sui>port themselves, especially as they had done so formerly when ^ame was ahundant and they could fi'eely roam over the country, that since they had Ix'en reipiired to remain in one place they found it imi)ossil>le. ** Von see," he said, "that even these .Mexicans have to work haid to sujtport themselves, althonjjh they have for <;eiiera- tions heen accustomed to livinj^ in that way. They know how to build houses, canals and ditches and irripite their lands. They know what time to pl(uij;h. what seeds to plant in the ^n'ound, how to cultivate and harvest their crops, and what nse to make of them. All this we. heinj; Indians, do not know, and it takes time to learn." He .said to me further. " I wish you would take my .son and educate him in the ways of the white men," This was the second request I had received within a few months from a chief to take his son and educate him in the wavs of the white men. and it uKNKI!AI. NK1><»N A, MII.KS. 185 Aimchi' l'ii|i.<>rniiinciiti>(l with 'ruiki\v K.'iitlnT.- iimi HiKtiiiis. Aimi-lii- ('»|>, Miuli- uf Ucii I'll! lint witli U\itti>iis mill Kciitlii'i's. Sioux War Shirt. iiiul OriiiiiiK'iitcil A I'.iir "if Sioux Muccn^ins. TiiliMccc. I'oiifli. U.'.Miiiliully Ih'iiilcd. Ti-.'.ciii, Miiili' «if Mijivii' Sliiii. 'hiliiicco I'liwch. l'.l\li'>r:'ii ly Bi'iiilt'ii. Tiiti'iii. Minlci.r Tin-t! ■ .-l.fll. >■ % i f 1S6 i'KHSONAI. KKCOlJ.ia TiONS OF inii»ressetl upon my niiiul the advisahility, justice cTiuI humanity of the establi.sliment by tlie ^'overnment of industrial scliooLs to ^ive an opportu- nity to these people to send their children where they could be taught habits of industry, and could be given such other information as would enable them to su[)port themselves when they become of suitable age; and accordingly, in making my report of this ailair, I said: •• I \v«»iil(l oiinic'stlv n'foiimu'iul tliat. us far as possihl*'. all rliildren 1k' <;atlierecl into srluuils, and as tlic work of rcforiiiatioii will I'oiisuiiu' yt'ai"s of tiiin*. several of the aban- doned ii'ilitarv jiosts on the frontier shouKl he used as Normal ISehools. and tlie thousands of hriiilit aetive ehildren (espeeially boys) be jilaeed there under suitable teaehers, and edueated and tauirlit habits of industry and skilled labor. They would then be wholly under jiroper inlluenees, anrado has been wonderful. The coal fields of Trinidad, along the Purgatoire and other atHuents of the Arkan- sas, rival those of Pennsylvania. The pleasant valleys and the health-giving properties of the climate have become known the world over. Large cities have grown up. such as l*ueblo. Trinidad and Denver. 'J'lie last named is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and is e(pially consi)icuous tor its wealth and enterprise. When I first visited the lilacein ISO*,), before the railroads had reached there, it was but a village of . catfrired houses, with onl\ a few hundred peoi)le. Now^ its population exceeds one hundred and ten thousand, its streets are wide and regularly V.iid out, and its houses are of modern and beautiful construction. Its stieets, puMl' buildings, water supply, hotel accommodations, local transit, etc.. a:-: ; robably unsurpassed by those of any city of its size in tlie \\<;i']d. Nrt r.ia ;;. ' pr^-s ago that country was the favorite ground of the hun- ters r.vvl (nippers who belonged to the American Fur Company. They used to hunt through the valleys and canons and over the mountains, where they found vai^ quantities of game. The streams are abundantly supplied with tish for their w'ants. and in winter they gathered into some sheltered hamlet like Trinidad or Pueblo, or a spot like that where Denver now stands, to remain during the cold weather. Tn this rendezvous they amused themselves by comparing notes of the results of their CiENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 187 observations, and l)ytellinfj; stories of their explorations and adventures. Sucli men as Kit Carson. Walker, IJaker. Jim Bridjj;er. and otliers of like stami) were of that number. The story is told that on .sonu? such occasion, one nijjht after supper, a comrade who in his travels and explorations had ^one as far south as the Zuni village, New Mexico, and had dis- covered the famous })etriiied forests of Arizona, intpiired of Biid^er : "Jim, were you ever down to Zuni?" "No.tharaint any beaverdown thar." '*13ut Jim, there are sonu> things in this world besides beaver. 1 was down there last winter and saw great trees with limbs and bark and all turned into stone." "0," returned Jim, •'that's peetrifac- tion. Come with me to the Yellow- stone next summer, and I'll show you peetritied trees a-growing. with peetri- tied birds on 'em a-singing peetriHed songs. Now it so happened that he had been to the Yellowstone, and had seen the "peetriHed trees" standing, but not the '•peetritied birds "or the "peetritied songs." stone at intervals eject hot water, supersaturated with carbonate of lime and geyserite. to a height of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet. This water is carried laterally by the wind, sometinu^s two or three hundred feet, saturating the trees, and gi-adually covering the neai'est side with a crystal fornuition. while on the other side are living branches. ;So Jim Bridger's story was in part true. Our American jewelers for some years have been cutting up the petrified trees from the famous forests of Arizona and fashioning them into exqui- site ornaments. In the northwestern part of New^ Mexico, in Na\iajo County, are some extremely interesting stone ruins. They are oval-shai)ed and very symmet- rical, from three to seven stories in height, and the largest must have originally contained over a thousand rooms. It is very apparent that they were constructed by a people well advanced in civilization. It is extremely That's 1'i:i'.ti{11''\( tii>\. The geysers of the Yellow 11 ! . I ; ;■) II * i l.ss PKIJSONAL KKCOIJ.ECTJONS OK I' < )l ii !M Ji: 'ITr •k'siniblo tliut tlicsc niiiis slumld ho luoro tlioronj^hly exi>l<)red, in order tliat \\v may obtain iiioio satisfactory information regarding the people who once inhahited them, and wlioso entrance into and disappearance from this country are hoth eipially mysterious. The so-called "Aztec ruins." near the Animas liiver. in Colorado, are not so well preserved and are much smaller tlian those in New Mexico. Sante Fe. at present the capital of the Territory is an interestinfj^ city situated seven thousand feet ahove the sea level, amid heautiful scenery. The houses ai-e built of adobe, and are mostly one story in height. There are many interesting historical associations connected with this place as it is one of the oldest settlements of Ameiica. There is also a school for Indian girls hei'e. There are many old buildings and among others the oldest cathedral on the continent. The population is chiefly Mex- ican. Albuipu'rque is a more modern American town aiul a railroad center. Fifty miles to the south of Denver, is Pike's iVak. This lofty mountain towers up to a height of nearly fifteen thousand feet, and can l)e seen a hundred and fifty miles away. From its top can be seen a large part of Colorado. From Colorado Si»iings. its great white shoulder rising up above the blue and i)urple of the hills, it seems so near that it is difficult to believe that it would take more than a short walk to reach its base. 'I'lie clearness of the atnios[)liere has much to do with this optical il- lusion. There are three ways of reaching the summit. The hardy little burro so commonly found in this region will take you there, but he must have his own time, which will })robably l)e two or three days. There is also a cog railroad which will take one to the top very conifortal)ly. J'ossibly, after all. the most delightful way is by carriage over a mountain road of seventeen miles, alTording views of the most nuignificent scenery all the way, and making the ascent into the regions of thin air sufficiently gradual. At Coloi-ado Springs, just at the foot of Pike's I*eak, for many years Helen Hunt -lackson, who has written so much in favor of the Indians, made her home; and hrr enthusiastic pen-])ictures have made the scenery of this part of the country famous all over the world. Although she after- ward removed to California, where she died, her body w^as. according to her own directions, brought back and buried on the top of Cheyenne Mountain, where she had spent so many delightful days during her life. .'•III! ^i'^-ttff/ ' itly line ■in^ 1 r. I. Z < 0. o UJ < (0 UJ I I- z o to UJ I- i «5 o ui I O > O > z UJ CO UJ < UI z Ui o i 1 i I '-Vu! mKNKUAL nki.son a. mii.ks. 191 i ! Thron rnilfs f dmi CoIohkIo Spriii^n, lies Ww farrifnis (ranlon of tho (lods, aiifl its ^'i^antic gateway. coDsistiiig of two ciioriMoiis stoiifs nc^arly three hiiriflred feet high, nuiy easily he seen from the town. (Jreat masses of red and yellow sandstone lie seatt.ered ahont in the wildest confusion, many of which nature ha.s carved into shapes both strange and ijrotesciuo. 'l.i : 'Ul M I i lt)2 I'KKSONAI. IJK'IOLLKCTIONS OF W H: i ill i i m CIIAITKIf XIV. Tjik Skmx Wak. Tk'IIKH fJoMI'OHtVfJ Ttli; DvK'iTN N\IIiiV-i — ('vi-tK.S l,r,M>IV(■• ]k't',-~7 — SiTTiNO Ml r,f. — IIk (I'x^i i:rri:s »nir \ l''>-\ or (»i;sr,i! m. ('hook- — ('kook'm |)k.kk\i — (iKSKit \r, (iiMiios's I'AiT.rffrfos — (ii:M;i!M, 'I'khkv's ivvi-r.Kir rov — .li st - TloV Ol TciMiV \M) (rllil'.ov — IHJT.AT \M> '\'H\(iU' ]H:\\I[ OK ('i sTi:ii, AMI A \Mini.\Tios or MM iMNir.ni \i i: (,'oMM KS!i. lOrX Indiiiiis liavf? ill ready hecii n-fcrrod to in coiinpctioti with tlitiil)li>lie«l from the iiji[)er l'latt,<) KivertotiK' IJij,' Horn tliey iniide tlieir |in»t«st.> iij^'jiinst tlieni in Ji very vi<|»eeijilly on the occ}i.>ion of rhe l'or1 I'l'tferninn massaeie, in which they killed ei;_'hty-fwo olliceis iind men. In accordjiricf; with tlieir (lem}in«l. tliiit route wiis evcntniilly j.'i\en up. iind the Forts j'liil Kejirney and ('. K. Smith were aha ndoned iit tlieir dictation. Tin; sendin;:^ out, of c«»mmissioiieis representiri}/ the j/overnment to nuike peace with them resulted in the treaty of ISOU, in which the j/overnment f^rarited to flu; Indians various reservations known as the |{ed (loud. Spottfid Tail and otiieis in the country we>t of the Missouri Kiver. in addition to these I'eservations they were also allowed a lar^'e rari^'e of coiint.ry as Imntinj; j^Mounds, wliore tlioy were to he permitted to rovo at will in pursuit of game. This treaty was partially oh.served hy the ^'overnment fr)r several years but it cannot he claimed that it was very ri^fidly adhered to. This re- sulted from tlie fact that during thf; years iSTi}, '74 and '7') j^reat (excite- ment prevailed throii^dioiit the country owinj,' to the discovery of ^'oNI in the mineral fields of what i.s now known as South Dakota, and there vva.s ^eat clamor on tlu; ])art of prospectin;^' jtai-ties to Ix; allowed to enter that re;.?ion. In fact surveys were hein^ pushed throii^di that territory for the dilVerent lines of railroad, the principal on(! heini^ tlif^ Northern l'a(tilic, and people were eaf^'erly seeking' opportunities to estahlish colonies, take up lands, opcm min(es and estahlish other interests in that country. As a mattfTof fact some military (ixjx'ditions were sent into the territory to explore and reconnoitre with a vi(!W of discoverin<( its natural resources. This was especially the case in '74 and '7i>. TIk! country was at that time practically overrun hy prosj»ectors and mine-hunters throiij^h the rej^ion of what is now South Dakota, and particularly in that district known as the Black Hills. While the Indians claimed that the treaty of 'OH was not adhered to hy the government, neither was it ohserved hy all the trihes of Indians. Whil(5 the ^reat chiefs. Spotted Tail, IJed Cloud and others, kept most of their people on the reservations and carried out the terms of the treaty, yet many of their yf)unf; men would cpjietly steal away on raidinj^ parties and ^o on lon^' expeditions apiinst the Crr)W Indians and the MamJans, or against the white settlers wherever they could find them. These were animated and encoura^'ed hy the example and influence of an Indian called Crazy Horse, who was the personification of .savage ferocity. M— 12 I !l ' 'lii If ll i w^ {■i t:t<: i Bi 104 rFK'SONAI. HKCOLLKCTIONS OF Thon«;h comparatively a youn^' man ho was of a most restless and adventur- ous disposition, and had arrived at ;^'reat renown anionj; the warriors even before he was twenty-six years of a^^e. In fact he had heeome the war-chief of the southern Sioux and the recognized leader of the hostile ()j liiial result wjis tlisit ciicli Indian received a much larger ainouiit fur his pelts and furs than he was in the hahit of doin^ when the [)ro|»rietor was occnpyin*,' the same [losition. This niiinicry was carried on to the extrciue delectation of his followers and amid their jokes and Ki'iiids. hut the trader was in such lerror anowder, from which he was accustomed to supply the wants of his customers, lie coolly and (juietly tilled a larj;e pipe with tohacco and lighted it, and stepped over and took his position hy this ke^ of powder. Then he told the interpreter to inform the Indians that if any whootin^ was he^un or any violence commenced, he would empty the lif^hted pi[»e of tohacco into the powder, and hlow the store, and all the people in it. into the air. The determination depicted on liis face and the seriousness of what mij^ht result to them was a sut!i(Ment vvarninjir to the Indians to continue their re elry in a cautious manner, tliouj^h it did not immediately end the humorous phase of the situation. Many of the raids and maraudinj^ expeditions were not of such a hu- morous character as this, hut were attended with the terrihie atrocities that have marked the history of tliat frontier. Trav- elers, settlers, wood-choppers and others along the JMissouri River were killed in consideral)le numhers and frequently without warninj^. Men were often tortured while women and children were cari'ied into captivity. In the summer of 1875 General Custer conducted an explorinjjj expedition into the Black Hills. It w^as followed hy an expe. dition under General Crook against the hostile element of the Sioux Nation in the winter of 1S75, Starting from Fort Laramie and going north from Fort Fetterman, his command encountered the hostile Indians under Crazy Horse near the head waters of the Tongue River. A portion of his com- mand under the gallant General Reynolds surprised Crazy Horse and captured a herd of horses, but, in taking them south they were over- taken by a territic snowstorm, during which the Indians followed them Si'DTTKi) Tail, Skux ("iiikf. (;knki{.\i, nklson a. mii.ks. \\)1 and succeeded in stainpediiij; tlie licnl dminj; tln» iii^'ht. and so recaptured them, tims rendering iiielTective all the elTorts of the campai^'U. ill tlie spring of ISTU three expeditions were ordered into that country. One. organized at Fort Lincoln, Dakota, was to he coniinanded hy Lieuten- ant-(.'olonel and Brevet Major-deneral (Jeor^'e A. Custer, hut was after- ward placed under the connnand of (Jeneral Terry. Another was or- ^'anized to move from Fort 1). A. Kussell; and a tiiird, under Colonel and lirevet Major-deneral (Jihhon. moved down the Yellowstone from Fort FUis, afterward forminj^ a junction with the column under Cieneral Terry and that under (leiuM-al Crook. The command un(U»r (ieneral Crook first encountered the Indians under Crazy Horse near the l{osel)ud. and after a sharp en^'aj;ement it moved hack to its supply camp on (Joose Creek, a southern trihutary of Tongue Kiver. The commands of (ienerals Terry and (Jihhon formed a junction near the mouth of Hu.^f • ..d and Yellowstone. As the connnand of (Jeneral Terry niovenl from Fort Ahrahani liincohi. Da- kota, crossing? the Little Missouri, Powder and Tonj;ue Hivers, thence to the mouth of the Hosehud Hiver. scouting; the country to the south and west, the main trail of the Indians was discovered hetween the Tongue Hiverand the Kosehud. (Jeneral Terry, thereupon, divided his force, sending (Jeneral Custer wdth the Seventh Cavalry up the Hosehud : and with the renniinderof his force he himself moved up the Yellowstone and Hi^ Horn to the junc- tion of the Little Big Horn. I will not at this time descrihe the various phases of General Custer's march, hattle and tragic death, hut will return to it one year later in my narrative ; Jit which time we camped on the ground and made a thorough examination of the Held. accomi)anie(l hy twenty-five of the principal men who were engaged in the tight on the side of the Indians. f ; " I l| 1- ^1 H jM 1!).S TKUSONAI, |{fc:(.'()|J,K( TIONS OK ^1- LMi \' ' fa win i ! • mn 1 1 CIIAITMIJ XV. TlIK CrsTKK Massacuk. A Si ii.iKcr Mn II Misci hsi:i> — A l'iti;v mi.i\TiMAriNisAsii:it — Tin: Facts Si:t Kuutii — IJkmi anm IIi:\ti;i:n, AMI Tiii:iii CiiMMwns is Cimkii's L^sr Hai'ti.i:. T is prultalilc tlic l»attlo (m tlio Little Hi}^' Mom in uiiirli si part of (iciicra! ('iist"r*s conmiaiul. inchuliii}^' hiiiist'lf, was dcstroytMl. 5111(1 known as the "Cnstor Massacre." has lu»oii more disciisstMl. written aliont and coninientod npoii, than jiiiy other sinjjfle en- j;a},'enient hetween white troops and Indians has ever been, it was a terrible alTair, almost a national disaster: and there were some most remarkable t'eatnres connected with it. The loss of two hundred and sixty-two men under snch circumstances would have caused a very searching investigation in almost any country, and it is strange that there has never been any judicious and im- partial investigation of all the causes that led to that disaster. True, there was a court of iiuiuiry held at Chicago some months after the affair occurred. It was called at the request of one of the participants, and the cohclusion was reached that no further action was required. A general impression hjis gone abroad, and to some extent prevails throughout the country to-day, prejudicial to (Jeneral Custer. He has been accused of * disobeying orders," and it has been said that "he had made a forced niarch." that " he was too impatient." that '* he was rash," and various other charges have been made, equally groundless and equally unjust, and all started and promoted by his enemies. It is known that there were two sets of otticers in his regiment, one friendly to General Custer, and the other, few in number, bitterly hostile to him. His brothers and several of his best friends died with him. In fact, all that could have been known of the purposes and influences that governed his action were thus lost, as none of his immediate command lived to explain the circumstances. We can only judge of what prompted GKNKItAL NKLSON A. MII.KS. VM) his course of luococlmv l»y what In* diil jutn ionsly. and l»y tlu' tj'stimoiiy of tho Indians who wen* o|>|H»s('d to him. i liavc no paticnco witii those who would ki<'l\ a dead lion. It is nio^t rcMnarkahio tiiat .s(» little was known of the nuinlicr and character of the Indians then opp(»sed to the I nited States fitiees. Sixteen years after the aflair occnrred. Captain K. S. (Jodfrey. Seventh United States Cavalry, an e.xperienced and },Mllant ollieer. wrote an inter- esting^ and <'andid aiM'ount of tiie alTair. in whirh he was «hm' of the par- ticipants, which was pnhlished in the '"Centnry Ma^'a/ine" foi- .lannary, iStl'J. Aci'oinpanyinj; that article was a three-pap', hne-print article over the si^'natnre of .lames H. Fry. (ieneral I' ry, since deceasj'd. was at th<» time of this pnhlication an (»nicer of the army of \u^\\ standing' and repu- tation, and reco^Mii/ed as a j;ood anthority npon all military matters. Stndents of that (ampai^n will he well repaid for reading; and stndying these two articles. In the (►ne by (Ieneral Fry, on paj^e IIS"), he .says: '■Ca|itiiiii (i(Klfrt>\ '»< artici*' is a valual)lt' cnntrilxit ion to tin- jititlit-iitir liistorv of the uuiiipaiirii wliicli culiiiinatt'd in 'CuHttT's I-ast IJattic." .lime 17). |S7'V. **Tlm Sioux war of IN7(^orii,'iiiaft'(l in a rt'(|Ut>st by tin- Indian liiircau tlial cortain wild and rocak'itraiit bands of Indians sliould l)i' conipt'ili'd to settle down upon tlieir reserva- tions under control of tlie Indian ai^ent. Sitting' Jiuli. on the Little Missouri in Dakota, und Crazy Horse, on I'owcier IJiver. Wyoniiny, were [iractieallv the leaders of the hostih' Indians who roamed over what (jJeneral Sheridan called "an almost totally unknown re- gion, comprisiufj^ an area of almost 5M).(MM> sipuire miles.* The hostile camps uontuiiu'd ei^ht or ten separate bands, each liaviui^ a chief of its own. "Authority was exercised by a council of chiefs. No chief was endowed with supreme authority, but Sitting Bull was accepted as the leader of all his bands. From five hini- dred to cij^ht hundred warriors was the most the military authorities thoui^ht the liostiles could muster. Sittiiifr Hull's camp, as Custer found it, contained sonu* eijfht or ti'u thous- and men, women, and children, and about twenty-five hundreplv of anununition. "War upon this savaire f»)rce was authorized by the War ])e]»artnu'nt, and was eon- ducted under the direction of I.ieuteiuint-(Jeneral Sheridan in Chicajro. "The cumpaitrn o])ened in the winter, (ieneral Sheridan thiidciiiif that was the season in which the Indians could b»' 'causrht.' He directed (Jeiieral Terry to send a mounted column under Custer ai^ainst Sittinij Bull, and (ieneral Crook to move ai^ainst Crazy Horse. Bad weather ])revented (\ister*s movement, but Oook advancecl March 1. On March 17, he struck Crazy Horse's band, was partially defeated, and the weather beinij very severe, returned to his base. The rei)ulse of Crook's column, and the inability of Custer to move, ijave the Indians confidence, and warriors by the hundred slipped away from the ai;encies and joined the liostiles. "In the spriuiT Sheridan's forces resunied the offensive in three isolated columns. The first column, under Crook — consisting of fifteen companies of cavalry and five companies of 1 I I ! ;!; ill Ul 200 PKIfSON \l, I.'KCOI.LKCTIOXS OK ''■■ Hi' iiil'iiiitrv (l"l;il KUll) iiiiircliiMl rmrl liuiinl \'r\' iiir;iiil r\'iMrii. iiimI I'ort v I iidiiin scouts iiioscd wcsl- \v;ir Missouri, Miiy 17. "It liii|>|iriii'(| tliiit wliili' till' i-\ iii'ililiori w:is lii-iiio' lilti'd out, ( 'iistiT UM\vittiuo'l\' iu- I'lirri'il till* (lis|ili-iisui'i- III' rn-siili'iil (iriinl, svlio iliii'i'ti-iltliiit ( 'usli-r slioiilii not iircouniiiiiv till' roliimti. 'riii-oiio|| liis ii|i|ii>iil to till- I'l'i'siili'rit iiml tin- iiitiTi'i'ssion ol 'I'iti-v :imiI Slirfiihiii. ( 'iisti't s\;is |ii'ruiitti'i| io no in rouiuuiuil of llir ri'oiuii'iit. liiit 'I'lTrN' Wiis ii'iiuiri-d to ;i ''oiu|ij|fiv iiud roMllUiilld tlir i'oIiimiii. 'i'ri'l'V Wils our of till' lii-st of lui'U iiud illilrst of soldiiTs. Iiiit liiid no I'X |ii'fii'uri' in ludiiiu wjicfiiri'. •'A lliird roluuiu uiidiT ( ii'iHTid ( iililion (( 'oloui-l of I ufiiul I'v ) I'unsist ino' of four coni- |iiiuii'S of ('ii\;ilr\ iiud six roui|iiinii's of iuf:iulr\ (ITiO uii-ii iill told), lUiirclii-d riisl uiiid in A|iril.iiiid uiiiti'd with 'I'l'iTV on tin' \ I'llowsloui', .liinr 'jl. Wlnui tlirsr i-oluuins stiirti-d tlii'\ wrri' idl soini- two or tlin-i- liuudri'd uiili's from tin- ci-iitrid itositioii ocrniiii'd Ity tin* i'iii'iu\. (iilil)on w;is uiidi'i' 'I'l'i r\ "s foiMrol, liul ( 'i-oo|\ iind 'I'l'iTy W'r'i' indi'iii'udiuit of i';ii'li otliiT. "'I'lir iiutlioiit ii's l(i'lii'\i'il lliiit I'illii'i' oiic of till' tlii'iT i-oliiiiius i-oidd di'fi'iit tlii'i'ni'niy if it •r;iuo|it " liiiii; ol liiTwisr isoliitrd forri's would uol liiivi- iii'i-u srut to ' oiii-i'iiti' liliiidiv,' willioiit ini'iiiis of iiintiiid su|i|ioi-t. iioiiinst iin i'iii'Ui\ in tin- inti'i'ior of ;in tduiost totiilly nnluiown i'i'i.''i'>ii- lud I tii'iinid Slu'ruuiu s;iid in liis olliciid ri'|ioi-| of |S7 till' iiioini'iit of ( 'iistrrs di'li'iit tlirir \\;is nolliiun'. olliriiil or |iri\iili', to justif\ iin odiccr to i'X|M'i'l tiiiit ;iu\ i|i'l;irliiui'nt wmdd rm'oiiiiti'i' inori' tliiiii (i\i' liiindi'i'il oi- I'iolii liuudri'd wjiriiors." Till' :i|i|ii'iii'iinri' of twriilv li\r liuudri'd Io tliiTr tlioiisand in tin- ( 'iislri' lliiit, (ii'liiTld Slirriiiii i| ildds : •Jllliouutrd Io ;i di'UloiisI rill loll lli:i| tlir Ifoops Wrlr di'idino not. onl\ witli tl; Imstili's rsliuiiitrd ill from li\i' liuudri'd to rinlit Imndri'd. Init witli tin- ii\iiil- iil)li' iiiirt of llii' iini'nc\- jiidiiins, wlio liiul oour mil to lii'lji llii'ir fi-inids in ii lio'lit." *•'! Ill' ullrr I'.iiliii, i>f our riim|iiM'jii wiis dni- to iiudrri'st iiiiiil ino' tin- niiiiiiii'is iind iirow- fss ol till' riii'im. 'i'lii' slri'untli In- wiis found to |iossi'ss |ii-o\i'd. iis (imi'iiil Slii'rmnn siiid in li.s I'l'iiort, tlmt tlir i'iim|iiii!_'u Imd lii-i'ii |iliiuni'd on u lonn- |iri'misi'S. I imu tliis |toi?it (iil)lion siiid: • \\ lini lln'sr \iirious liiinds surri-i-di'd in lindino' ii li-iidrr who possrss- I'd liict. roiiriior, iind iil>ilil\ to I'onci'iil mil- iind Ui'i-ii lonrthcr so hirnr ii forri-. it wiis oril\ ii ijiii'stiou of timr wlii'ii oni' or ihr olhrr of till' rxti'iior roliinins would mri't willi ii rhi'ck fi'oui till' o\ i'i-wlii'luiiiio- niimlii-rs of ihi- iiili-rioi' l)od\." "Tlir liisl ri'sult Wiis thill ( 'rooli's roluuin I'nronuti'ri'd ll iii'iny, .1 uiif 17, iiiid wuh so l)iidl\ di'fi'iiti'd thiuf it Wiis nriirt irii 1 1 \ out of ihr riiui|iii i^' u." Ill I lie iiltoNc cxlrjud (iciiCi'iil l''ry shows l»\ shiit'iiiciils iiiii(l«' l»y lliciii- s('l\('s I hill iicil lirr < ic lie rill Sliciiiinii, roiiiiiiiiii lliiin one I lioiis;iiid, or iit llic iiiii xiiniiin, lirtccn hiiiidrcd lioslilcs. These shileiiieiils slntw lliiil our troops were, •uikI fol il'S (illiollt I iiii'ii) ; ii K'd wcst- iiij^lv iii- 'ri>iii|iaii V 'cITV 1111(1 i i'r(|inrf(| ill.lrsi ul" Iniii' I'OIll - sivsiird ill IIH sliirti'd I'd \,\ die CMllcllI of III- cm'iiiv • iiiiiMiiv'; >st lolidiv : • I |. lo 1 ollircr (() It liiiiidr*'y t Ih'Iii- iiiiidiililf^ K'lll SilVS I Ills oHi- ;iiii IIm'V iixiiiiiiiii. I»|IS wcic. ii GENERAL GEGKGE A. CUSTER. ^->%. KI{1«.' !' '^'^ GENEliAL NELSON A. MILES. 2m entirely without knowlecljj^e of the stren<;th of the enemy, and. as General Sheridan states, operating in an almost totally unknown region. A fact still more remarkable is that they were oiterating on exterior lines without any positive concert of action or direct communication. In the Hrst affair with the Sioux, previously alluded to. General Crook met with so serious a repnlse that on the following day he commenced his retreat back to his base of supplies, eighty miles distant, and remained there until several weeks later, when he was reinforced by (ieneral Merritt. If the two commands of Crook and TeiTy had been acting in concert they could have nnited. as they were not more than forty or Hfty miles ai)art at the time. So apparent was this want of knowledge of the strength of the enemy that even when General Terry's force came together at the mouth of the Kosebnd. he felt it safe to divide it again, and send General Custer up the Rosebud, and with the remainder, including the column under (Jeneral (Ubbon and a battery of Gatling guns, he himself moved up the Yellowstone and Big Horn to the mouth of the Little Big Horn. As to what the understanding was when the two commands separated, the best evidence is the written order of battl \ and it cannot be disputed, or gainsaid, or misconstrued. The nature of such an order must be regarded as absolute. It is like the constitution of a State or the fundamental law of a community. The order in question was given in very plain language, as follows : Cami' at Morrn of Roskiud Kivkk, ) -Montana Tkiikitouv. .luiic ti"-*nd, 1876. \ LlKlTKXANT-Col.OXKL Cl'STEK, Seveiltll CilVillrV. Ci>i.()N'Ki, :- The lirigadier Gi'iieiiil (•oiiinuuKliiig directs that, as soon as your regiment can be made ready for tlie march, you will j)roceed u|> the Kosebud in pursuit of the Indians \yhose trail was discovered by Major Heuo a few days since. It is, of course, im- possible to give you any definite instructions in regard to this movement, and were it not impossible to do so the Department Connuander j)laces too much conddence in your zeal, energy and ability to wi'-li to impose upon \■^n\ pret'ise orders whii'h miu( il is li<)|i('(l tliiit tlit- Imliiiiis, ii' ii|i)iii (In- hilllt- llorti, iiiav Ix- so iirarlv ciicIhsimI liy til)' twn i-oliiiiiris that tlit-ir <'Sca|M' will lit> iiii|iossil)li>. 'riic I )c|iartiiii'nt ( !iniiMiaii(ltT ilcsircs that on vmr way ii|> th:' KoscNikI you should thoroujrhly i-xauiini' the U|)|MT |iart of 'rullorh's ( 'icrk, aud that \ou should t-ndfavdr to sriid a scout tlirouirh to ( !oioMf-l (^1)1x^1^ <-o|uimu. with iiil'orinatioii of tli<- result, of vour cxairiiuatioii. 'I'hf lower part of this creek will l)e exauiined l)\ a detaehiMeiit from ( 'oloiiel ( iihlxiMs coininaiid. TIm- su|i|ily strauier will l)e pushed u|) the liiir llorti as far as the forks if the river' is found to lie uasio'aMe for that s('r\«'s<-l»ii(l ill /tiirsid/ (A' tlic liidijiiis. The iicxi sciitciicc, it will Ik^ noticed, l(^;ives no (|iie,stion tliiit it w;is expectcMl tli;i,t liis (•oniniiiiid would come iti nnifiicl with the Indiiins; iiiid surely wImmi this coinniiiiid Wiis directed to move Ity 51 <'pos(^ tliiii eitluM' ii small or a. la.r^e hand of Indians would i'(MnaJii stationary, a.nd allow on(( hody of troops to come: up on oik^ sid(? of it while another body ca.me up on the otluM' siel"o»e their commands si^paratcMJ, and it is conclu- sive on th(^ point at issue. This evidence is thai (Jenera.l Terry returned to (i(Mieral ('lister's te;nt after ^ivin^ him the final ord(M', to say to him that on coming' up to the Indians \\{\ would liav(^ to iis(^ his own disc^retion and do whai he tlioii;.,dit hest. This conversation occnrrfMj al tln^ month of the Uosehiid. and the exact words of (ieneral Terry, as tpioted l»y th(^ witness ar<' : "Custer. I do not know what t(» say for the last." Custer r(»[)lied: "Say what yon want to say." i' : (;i<:nki:ai, nki.son a. .miij':s. L'O") TfU'ry Hiciisiii*!: " I sc your own jiMl^'iiiciit, jiimI «lo wliiit yon think Ix'st if yonstrikr tlu' t mil : ;mi<1 u liiiti'vcr yoiidftjiistcr. Intli:m-.I! M, 'l'i;nuv's liVsr Onru;i( th (Jihtkk. I ; ;'l ', '.ll r., n ll 1:1 ;'1 ' mi I-: 206 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF in four days. During these four thiys, he freciuently called his ofticers to- gether and counseled with them; in fact his directions amounted almost to an appeal. They were pathetic. Captain (iodfrey says that (leneral Custer stated that with the regi- ment acting alone there would he harmony, hut acting with another or- ganization there might he j<'al()usy ; that the marches would he from twenty-five to thirty miles per day ; and that officers were cautioned to hushand the su])plies and strength of their commands ; on another occa- sion, that tliey must act together and not hecome sejiarated ; again, he in- formed them that the trail led over the divide, and that he was anxious to get as near the divide as possihle hefore daylight, where the command could he concealed during the day. and give ami)le time for the country to he studied ■ that he expected to tight on the 2(>th. With a large cavalry c(/mmand like that moving over a dry and dusty country, it was next to impossihle to conceal it. Any movement of the scouts or of the conmumd was liahle to he (piickly discovered by the enter- prising enemy. Not only did (General Custer receive reports of the exact locality of the Indian camp, but he also discovered through more than one source that the Indians were aware of the presence of the trooi)s. This undoul)tedly caused him to nu)ve against them on the 25th to jjrevent if possible their escape, as he evidently expected that they would make such an attempt, and had they succeeded he would have l)een severely censured. iJut whatever impression of this nature Custer may have been under, he decided to make the attack during the forenoon of the "ioth. He formed his conunand in three columns, moving parallel to each other and practically in line. He took position himself on the right, with five troops of cavalry. Reno was directed to follow the trail with three troops and attack the village. Benteen with three troops was to move on the extreme left. Custer's object undoubtedly being to attack in this form, which allowed sufficient space between the columns for the deployment of the three comnuinds. and yet w^ould not prevent their acting in concert. In moving out from the valley of the Kosebud. over the divide to the valley of the Little Hig Horn, it Avas fair to presume that the presence of the command would have been discovered by the Indians, and he may have thought that if he did not attack them, they would make their escape without waiting to hud themselves placed between two forces, or, very naturally, with their entire force would attack him. On a])pi-oacliing the Little Big Horn. Custer followed the trail down a small tributary of that stream. It was long afterward learned that a tiENEliAL NELSON A. MILES. 207 lar^e liody of Sioux wairiois liad returned from their encounter with General Crook's foniniaiid on the Kosehnd, .lune 17, over this trail, thus making it a fresh one and possibly givin<; Custer the impression that the Indian camp was movin<^. The Indians state as a reason for their failure to discover the ai»i>roach of Custer's command until it was upon their camp, that they had been all tlu* ni<^dit lu-evious to the battle celebrating what they claimed was a successful encountei" with the troops on the l{osel)ud.' and were conse(|uently sleeping late in the forenoiui. Custer un- doubtedly expected to iind their camp at the junction of the Little liig Horn with the small creek down which he was following the trail, and made hisdispositicm accordingly by moving the three l)attalions of his reg- iment in parallel columns. Custer's order to ]\'ajor Reno to move forwai-d on the trail and attack the village, and that he would be supported by the othei" battalions, was a proper command, and did not imply that the supports would follow im- mediately in his footsteps. An attack by the battalion on his right or on his left or by both simultaneously, would be the most effective support he could have had. As these battalions were moving forward into action Custer rode forward, well in advance with the scouts, and ascending a high butte where he could overlook the valley, discovered that the Indians, instead of being encamped at the junction of the Little Big Morn and the creek down which Reno was moving, had moved down the left bank of the Little Big Horn and camped two miles below the junction. Here it was that he changed the order in the disposivion of his troops l)y sending a courier to his left column, commanded hy Captain Benteen, with a despatch contain- ing these words. "Come on. Big village. Be qui^'k. Bring packs. " The last referring to the pack-train that was following a short distance behind the command escorted by one troop and having the reserve ammunition. As he sent no despatch to Reno to change his movements, he evidently expected that officer to follow the trail and attack as he did in accordance with the then existing orders. The intervals between the columns had by this time become somewhat increased, although not to the extent of placing them beyond supporting distance, wdiich is shown by the fact that Benteen's command was easily reached by the courier, and that Reno's command could be seen from the crest where Custer's column was moving. Reno followed the trail down the tributary of the Little Big Horn, crossi' g that stream, and then, moving down on ihe left bank on the wide, -^ III i I iH 'I ill 4^ '4 208 I»EliS()\AJ. HECOLLKCTIONS OF flat prairie, he deployed liis coniniand in line of skirniisiiers with supports, and moving' furtlier down to within a short distance of the vilhi^e, ho coninieni'ed firing into it from a strong position that iiad formerly been the l)ed of a river, or behind what is kuo,»n as a 'cut bank," where he dis- mounted his coninuind; his horses being thereby furnished a safe shelter in the brush and timber in the rear of his line of troops. His men occupied an excellent position, where they were completely covered behind what was to all intents and purposes a natural ri tie-pit. and from which they could tire and easily euHlade the Indian village. If he had held this posi- tion it would have been of the greatest advantage and might have had a decisive effect upon the Hnal result. The Indians were camped in the following order: The Uncpapas, Ogalallas, ^linneconjoux, Sans Arcs and Cheyennes. The camp was thrown intf) great consternation. As the firing connuenced at the upper end of the village the Indians tied froiu it. first trying to strike their tents and escape, but in many instances abandoning them. The women and children fled out onto the prairie, and the warriors gathered out to the left on a ''mesa.'' (jr high gi'ound. some four or five hundr€>d yards from the village. There they commenced skirmishing with Ueno's troops, but their tire had little effect until Major Heno (yrdered his comnumd to mount. Then he ordered them to dismount, and again to mount; and finally directing them to follow him. he dashed out of the timber, leaving the strong posi- tion, and galloped back across the plain toward the hills on the right l)ank of the Little Big Horn. The Indians seeing this movement of the troops, and interpreting it as a retreat, as it was, rushed after them in hot pur- suit. As was quite natural they took every advantage of the disorder in the ranks where officers and men were running such a wild rac^e. rushing and climbing as ])est they could up the steep banks of tlie stream and did all the injury possi])le before the troops reached the high bluffs on the right bank of the Little Big Horn. Here they came in contact with Cap- tain lienteen's command as he was moving down on the high ground (-n the right bank of the river in accordance with Custer's last order to "Come on," and "Be quick," and in a way that if he had not been inter- rupted by the retreat :)f Beno. would in a few minutes more have brought his comnumd into action between those of Custer and Reno. Cai)tain Ben- teen halted his men and heli)ed to rally the battalion of Major Reno. In that vicinity the two commands renuiined the entire day and night. One connnanderhad received positive and repeated orders from Custer to attack the enemy ; the other had received Custer's last and equally positive order ii I ;i.' i GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 'im to "Come on," "Be quick," and "Bring packs" containing the reserve am- munition. The courier who brougiit Custer's hist oider was the best pos- sible guide to be had to lead the way to Custer's position if any direction was needed; but the sound of the ri tie sh(>ts and the volleys down the river indicated exactly where the troops and the ammunition were re- quired and should have gone. Under rules governing all military forces, whenever two comnninds come together the senior oHicer is responsible for the whole. And the senior officer should give the necessary orders. Major Reno was therefore the responsible commander at that point. Captain Godfrey says that from where Ueno's command remained they could hear the firing going on farther down in the valley between Custer's men and the Indians, for a long time. The Indians disapi)eared from that ing chased Major Ke- of the valley and up Captain Weir with a short distance along direction of the tiring, smoke and dust and tion in the valley, re- could go no further. front after hav- no's troops out on the b 1 u ff s . his troops moved the crest in the and seeing a great commo- ported that he That may have been a time when one troop under a gallant officer might not have been able to go where seven troops could and ought to have gone. One of the scouts, Herendeen, and thirteen men who were with Reno, and who were left in the timber from which Reno retreated, after the Indians had gone down the valley, walked across the plain, forded the river, and rojoined their command on the hill. These two movements indicate that there were no Indians in this vicinity during the time that the tiring was going on that is mentioned by Godfrey, TiiK Gr.>r to Captain Hen- teen, hore on down toward the Indian \illa;j:e neafin<; the ci'eek at one point of low j^M'onnd. and then moving' to the I'i^^ht where it took position alon^' a crest parallel with the Little lii;^' Horn and the Indian villa^'e. Here the (h'ad bodies showed that the en;^M^'enient had occurred alon^' this crest. Tlie bcxlies cd' the men wei'e fonnd, some on the slope towai'd the Indian camp, many on the crest, anpro.\imately all that is known of the fate of Custer and his command from what infjre ation could be obtained from the ai)pearance of the ground and the bodies of the men and horses after the tight. This tragic ending of our republic's first centennial gave a theme to the poet liongfellow. who wrote the following lines: Ttll-: ICF.rEMlE Of' UMS-IS-rilK-FMh:. Ill that (It'solate land and lone. WluMV tlu' lii IS\ wodilliiiul and ri\ iTsidc Till' liiitiiiii villau'c stuixl ; All was silfiit as a drcaiii, Savi' tilt' rusliiiiy of tin' stream And tli(> l)liif-jav in tlic wood. In liis war jmint ami liis licads, Like a liisim aiinmLT •'"' '" !**• In aiiilmsli tlic Sittiiiti' Mull Lay witli tlircf tlidiisand l)ra\fs Croiu'licd in tlie clcFts and cavi's Saviiiif. uiiiiu»rciful ! lill Into tilt* fatal snari' Tin' White Cliiff with vcllow hair And his tliri'i' hiindrctl iiirn Dashed hcadloiid', sword in hand; Hut of that irallant banaignin)^r a coninnind in wliicli I placrd a contidciKM' wliicli was n'ciprocatfMl by olli- ctM's and soldiers — I di expressed for us hy the friends of the regi- ment was. however, fully appKM'iated. Within a few^ d.iys the cduimand was etpiipped for the Meld, and tho announcement that the re^'iment was to leave l»y train on si certain day at a specitied iuair, hrou^dit a lar<,'(» concours(M>f people from the surrounding country. numl>ei'ing hundreds, if not thousands, to see us move away. Many were pres;o bolts, with the cart rid^'os carefully polished for iiuuu'diate aud seri- ous action. For ten days the ^n'eat steanu'r })louj^'hed its way up the Missouri, fro- ipiently coniin^Mipou a sand hank, owiu^- to the constant chan^^vs in the channel of that turhuhMit riv»>r. W Ikmi an accident of this kind occurred the «;reat shafts in the how oi" the boat were h»wei(Ml. aud with the engines the bow was partially lifted olT. whil(> the st(>ru wheel was revers(Hl and then ant)ther etTort made to lind the main curnMit of tlu* watiM's. Atone time near the close of day the bow sti-uck a sand bank. The weary roust- abouts on board the vessel, impatient and tired as they wiMV with the day's work were still iucliu(Hl to be humcuous. oui'of th«Mu remarking' that "it had been said that the world was created in six days. I)ut he did not believe that the Creator had yet made up his mind where he wanted the Missouri b*iv(M\" Durin*; tiuMlay tlu> nuui occupied themstdxcs in polishing' tluur cart- rid^'es or lookinj;- over their e(pii|>uuMits to see that everythinjj: was in order, or in clt>aning tluMr ritles. W'Ihmi at leisure they were enre fortunate enough to hav(> tine voices and were good solo or ipuirtette singers. We reached Fort Ihiford. at tiu» mouth of the Yellowstone, just after dark, and a large numlxM' of the otlicers and men canu> down to the wharf to see our troops. Sucii terror had the disaster to Custer occasioiuul in the hearts of these uumi that th(\v seenunl ovei'conu^ with sadness; not a cheer greeteil our comnuind as the steamer moved up to the wharf; and they were surprised to hear fi'om the deck a (|uartett(» of our uumi singing the nu»st jolly and rollicking songs that they knew, with a chorus of laughtiu" joined in by their comrades. We then moved on up the Yellowstone, and during our Hrst evening on that river I noticed sonu» ti-c^pidation on the part of one of \bv black ser*- auts as the nuMi were about to put down their blauki^ts ft)r t;*' night, lie appeared a shade lighter than usual as he said to the steward of tlu^ steanuM". "TTyar nuissa. kin you inform nu^ which is (h* Sioux side of dis yere Yellowstone^.'" I pon being askinl why he wanted to know, he said. ''So 1 kin lay my blanket down on de udder side of de boat." We continued oui- jiun'uey uptotlu* b'os(d)ud and I reported my com- mand to Hrigadier-tieneral Terry. We fornuHl i)art of his forces during the m MP I ! : m 216 PERSONAL RECOLLECTJOXS OF Cakiwix Anson ]\In,T.s. two months following, and moved up the Rosebud, where General Terry's troops joined those under Brigadier-General Crook. This brought the two department commanders together with one of the largest bodies of troops ever marshalled in that country. The combined forces then moved east across the Tongue River to the mouth of the Powder River. There the commands separated again. General Crook crossing the tri))utaries of the Yellowstone and Little Missouri, then going southeast, crossing the Belle Fourche. and going into camp near the Black Hills. His command suffered very much for want of food and many of his animals perished on this march. He sent some troops on in advance, under the command of Captain Anson Mills, now colonel of the Third Cavalry, to obtain supplies. This gallant and skillful officer surprised a band of Indians near Slim Buttes and captured their camp, con- taining a large amount of supplies which proved of great benefit tc his detachment and also to the troops of General Crook when they came up. This command ."een designated to remain in that country not to occupy it peaceably in conjunction with the hirge bodies of Indians that were then in the field, and which practically included the entire liostile force of the five Indian tribes, namely: the Uncpapas under Sitting Bull, the Ogalallas under ('razy Horse, the North- ern Cheyennes under Two Moons, and the Minneconjoux and Sans Arcs under their trusted leaders. Judging from our experience of winter cam- paigning in the southwest, I was satisfied that the winter was the best time for subjugating these Indians. At that period it was regarded as utterly impossible foi white men to live in that country and endure the extreme cold outs:.de the protection of well-prepared shelter. But I was satisfied that if the Indians c 'uld live there the wlHe men could also, if properly equipped with all the advantages we could give them, which were certainly superior to those obtainable by the Indians. I remarked to General Terry tliat if given proper supplies and a reasonable force, I would clear the Indians out of that country before spring. He remarked that it was impossible to campaign in the winter, and that I could not contend against the elements. About this time fortune th)"ew in my way a man who was destined to prove very valuable to me, and who was known in that country l)y the soubriquet of "Yellowstone Kelley." Mr. Kelley had gone into that region as early as 18G8. and had lived there as a hunter and bearer of dispatches ever since. He was an educated man, came of a good family, and was young and strong; but he had become so infatu- ated with that wild liie and with the ))eauties of nature as he found them there, that he had remained, mak- ing that country his permanent home. He had trav- ersed almost every part of it. In coming down the ifellowstone he had killed a large liear, and cutting off one of its paws he sent it in to me as his card, and with his compliments. This led to an acquuintance and an inquiry on my part into his career and capabilities. I felt convinced that he was a person who could ])e put to a very useful purpose at that juncture of affairs, and on expressing myself to that effect I found that he was ready to place himself at my service. I supplied him with two of the l)est horses I had, one being a thoroughbred, and with these he made several ,.■,. ' ^ Ykli.owstom-; " Kki.i.kv. r 1 u if ii r 1 • Silllf ' ' 'M * I • V h " ' fi 21 S I'KliSONAL l!l';('()IJ.K( riONS OK loMj/ joiirrif^ys by liimsclf. I shall liavc occjisioii to mention fiis naino from tinu^ to tinic as tliis iiarrati\(' proceeds. My (command nio\ed jroni (ilendi\e to tli(> junction of the Ton^i-iie Uiver with 1 he V'elloustonc. ulier*- ^M'oiind had alreaccupied. My opinion was that the only way to make the couidry ti'iiable for us was to nnider it untenabh' for the Indians; and with that, view I madf; all tlu; prefia. rat ions necessary l'<)r tim |)r'ot((ction of our stores, and f^very possibh; provision for the c(»nifort, of the troops when they should Ix; abb; to rest,. 1 also ma,d(^ tlu! most, ca,r(d'ul |)i'e|)arations for a, vijxorous, a,ctive, and S(!ver«! winter cam pa i;_Mi. I appr-eciated all the ter'rors of that, ri;.(orous (diniate, and detei"min(!d not to expos(! tlu^ troops t,o any unnecessa,r\ hardships, or to iuiderta,l(» bfdow zero; wliicdi wasecpial to the cold (»f tli(^ Arctic re;;ions. That temiM!rature is sim[)ly ap[)allin}^'. Even when the; air was perfectly still ki (iKNKI.'AL XKI.SON A. MII.KS. 2 It) and all tJic riioistiirc of tlic iit mo.oplicn' wjis froz«'ii. tlic ;iir Wiis fillcfl with froz(!n jots, or little shiiiiii)/ ci-ystiiis. Wo were Jihiiiidiiiit ly siipidied with food iiiid clot hiii;/. iiiid (^very |'|-('- caution wjis t;il<(!H to |»rot('ct hoth iik-ii iiiid jiiiiiiiiils ii|/jiiiist. the severity (»f this int(;ii.s(! cold. I'iver-y elTort vvjts jiiso niiide to l'':i:TiN(i — C()NFioiii:>c'i-: KxDs Aiikii'ti.y — Tin: Matti.i; Oimons — I'liAiiui: nx F1..1: — In- dians I)i:fi:ati:d and IIotiy I'i hsikd — A(iAiN a Fi,A(i or Tmci: — .Main Body of Indians AdKioK to Sihhkndkk at AdioxcY and (iivi-; llosTA<;i:s — KscAi'F of Sittinc. Bii.t. and I'ohtion ok Ln- DIANS — ScolT JioYD — AdAIN AlTIOK SiTTINd Hll L — Cai'ta'n Baldwin Sikthisks and Koits lIiM — Kktikn to Till-; Cantonmfnt. IIILE the work of constructing tlie cantonment was going on, and preparations were being made for an active winter cam- paign, 1 went with a small escort over the country from the mouth of the Tongue liiver to Fort liuford at the junction of the Missouri and Yellowstone, in order to reconnoitre and find the best route by which to bring trains from that supply depot. In the meantime I made every effort to obtain the best infor- mation in regard to the position and disposition of the hostile forces, as from the latest news 1 had received 1 knew that their nuiin body must be something more than a hundred miles to the south of the Yel- lowstone. 1 had spies at the different agencies who olitained infor- mation from the runners who were constantly going from tlie agency Indians to those in the hostile camp, and by that means found out much that was useful to me. In fact, in all campaigns against the hostile Indians I have found a few good s})ies that would give me reliable and accurate information of inestimable value as early as jio.ssible. On my return from Fort Buford T stopped at Camp (ilendive on the Yellowstone. About five hours after leaving this camp, a message i^'as re- ceived there for me, sent from one of the lower agencies frf)m a leliaide source, giving me the most important information. Instead of send- ing this message to my camp, it was sent through the ordinary means (by courier) over a distance of nearlv a hundred miles, to the canton- ment at the mouth of the Tongue Kiver. 1. therefore, did not get it I'll ! '1 iiii Mi I \ .).).) I'KIISONAI, iJKCOl.IJOCnONS OF ', . lit ■1. '':; n: !m , .' until s('\('i'!il (liiys hitcf. wlicii I sliould have I'cct'ivcd it within live hours, Tliis iiiloniiiit i(»ii iijipfiscd me of the fact tluit the hir^c <'iiiii|)s of Sittiiij^' Hull iiiid Crazy Morse had scjtai'atcd some distance south of the Vfdlow- stone ; that Cra/y Horse with the Cheyennes and O-.Mlallas was ^oin^' west to tiie Iiosehnd : and that a lar^e number of I'licpapas. Sans Arcs, and Minneconjoux would in tlii'ee days he on the Yellowstone, and in live (lays on the lii;^' |)ry north of the Yellowstone, where they intended to make a camp and hunt l»ulTalo(\s. This hi'ou^ht them into the \ery country 1 was passinj^' tlwonj^h on the I'oute fi'om (ilendive to the Tcm^iue |{i\('r. and 1 had a vei'y narrow escape from meeting' a lar^-e cam[» with juy small escort of about thicty men. Still, thou^^'h not awai'e that the Indians were in that \ icinity. I had taken the same lU'ecautions fi'oni habit that I woidd ha\»' taken lia surround- in<; country, with (uii- outi)osts on the lookout, and always fastened the aninuils secni'el.v at nijiht. In fact the ad\am'e uiiai'd of Sittiii;^' Hull had e\ideiitly discoxcrecl our party, and that ni^ht about eleven or t \.elve o"(dock a body of twenty or thirty younjj: Indians passed our cam[). shootin;^' and yellin<^' and lirin*^ their jJTuns in an emieavor to stampede our horses and mules, 'j'his they did not succeed in doiu;^'. but they did succeed in i>erforatin<; the tent, in wiiicli I was sleei»in- o -1 uJ UJ < T H < Z UJ 1- o UJ $ o 7 1- < UJ z' < z Q UJ UJ z < < X s Q o o .t ,", My i(Si ' ''.iP II 'li (JKNKlfAl, NKI.SON A. MILKS. I'lT) (Jiill niiikin;,' tin* attack on the train cuiilirmcd llic rt>|>(>rts I liad received tiii'oii^ii otiiei" soiii'ces. and on Octolter 17. ISHi. I iii(>\ed aci'oss the ^Cllow- .slone at 1 lie month (»!' the Toiii)roachin^ their camp, althonj^di at time we did not know its exact locality, U}j;reed to meet Sitting' Hull between the lines with six men — one ollicer men- while he was to have the same nnmber of warriors with him. His force consisted of about a thousand warriors, and I had thiee hundred and ninety-four riHemen with one piece of artillery. We met. and after some conversation he desired to know what the troops were remaining; in that country for. and why they did not yo back to their posts or into winter quarters. He was informed that we were out to luinjj him and his Indians in, and that we did not wish to continue the war against them, but that if they forced the war it would end. as all Indian wars had ended and must end, by their putting themselves under the authorities at Washington. He was told that he could not l)e allowed to roam over the country, sending out war parties to devastate the settlements. He claimed that the country be- longed to the Indians and not to the white men, and declared that he had nothing to do with the white men and wanted them to leave that country entirely to the Indians. He said that the white nnin never lived who loved an Indian, and that no true Indian evei' lived that did not hate CiriKK (i.M.I,. t \: lu \ :V LI i ' i iJi 1 ; '■ i M \ '' 'Am. 2lM> l'KI{S()N AI, KKrOI.LKCTlONS OK the wliito iiiJin. lie dcchirod that (Jod Aliui^rlity niade luin sin Indian and did not nuike him an a^^MU'v Indian eitiuM'. and ho did no', intend to ho one. After much talk, and after nsiiij^' all the powers of [tersnasion of whieh I was master, I was convinced that something' more than talk would he ret(iiiied. On tii'st meeting Sitting' hull I naturally studied Ins appearance and character. Me was a strong', hardy, sturdy looking' man of ahout live feet eleveaking. Me was very de- liherate in his movements and somewhat reserved in his manner. At first he was courte«)iis, hut evidently void of any genuine respect for the w hite nice. Although the feeling was disguised, his manner indi<'ated his ani- mosity toward those whom he had to meet. During the conversation his manner was civil and to some extent one of calm r«»pose. He might have been mistaken for a mild, plain-spoken, inoffensive man until I devel- oped the other side of his nature. In the course of the conversation he asked me what I came into that country for with that large Itody of sol- diers. I informed him that 1 came out after him and his [)eople. Then he wanted to know how 1 knew he was there. Without giving him the sonrce of my information I told him that I not only knew where he was, uut wdiere he was from and where he was going. He said. " VVHiere am I going?" I said. *• You intend to remain here three days, and then move to the Big Dry and hunt hnft'aloes." This statement excited tlie wild, savage ferocity of his Uiature. He evi- dently sus])ected treachery on the part of some of his people, and that I had gaiiietl information of his movements and his purposes from them, as indeed. 1 had, although I did not inform him either of the sonrce or the metJKKls by which I obtained knowledge of his movements. This fact en- raged him so that he tinally gave an exhibition of wild frenzy. His ^vhole manner ai)peared more like that of a wild beast than a human being; his face assnmed a furious expression ; his jaws were closed tightly ; his lips were comi)ressed, and you co dd see his eyes glistening with the hre of savage hatred. He reminded me of Halleck's description of Red .lacket. He seemed to think that the Sioux camp was more powerful than anything he had seen in that country, and assumed an air of lofty GKNKIJAL NKI-SON A. MILKS. 227 indopeiulenct*. Lieiiteiuiiit Hailry smkI myself had no iirnis oxcopt \\w revol- vers in our belts. During the conversation ii young warrior cuine up hehind Sitting Mull and ((uietly slipped a carhine under the hitter's huttalo roho, and tho six men that he had originally hrought with him were increased by ton or a dozen others that ((uietiy joined the p.irty, one at a time. Anticii>ating trea<'hery (5ind I afterward learned that this wa.s his purpose), I informed him that all but the original six men must return to the main body of Indians in the distance or our conversation would immediately cease. I i'ound that it was useless to endeavor to [jersuade him to acc(>pt peaceable terms, and nuide an excuse for discontinuing the talk, i then moved with my men back in the direction from which we had come. The next morning 1 moved soon after daylight in the direction in which I believed their main cam[)to be located, and discovered it after a march of ten miles. Sitting Hull again came forward with a Hag of truce and desired another talk, which was granted, but it resulted as fruitlessly as the first. The only condition of i)eace which he would consent to was the abandonment of the entire country, including military posts, lines of travel, settlements; in fact everything but a few trading posts which might be left to furnish them with ammunition and supplies in exchange for their buffalo robes and whatever they had to s(41. Finding his disposition to be one of positive hostility, ho was linally informed that unless he ac- copted the terms of the governnuMit and i»laced his peoi)le under our gov- ernment and laws, as all other Indians had done, he W(>uld be pursued until he was driven out of the country or until he succeeded in driving the troops out. tie was told that no advantage of his being under the Hag of truce would be taken, and he would be allowed to return to his camp, but that in fifteen minutes, if he did not accept the terms offered, we would open Hre and hostilities would commence. He and the men who accompanied him then returned with all speed toward their lines, calling out to the Indians to prepare for battle, and the scene was, for the next few minutes, one of the wildest excitement. The prairies were covered with savage warriors dashing hither and thither mak- ing ready for battle. At the end of the time mentioned. I ordered an ad- vance of the entire body of troops, and immediately the Indians com- menced setting tire to the dry pi'airie grass around the command, together with other acts of hostility. An engagement immediately followed in which the Indians were driven out of their camp for several miles, and in the two days following were hotly pursued for a distance of more than forty miles. j m 228 rEHSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF F'lKi The Tmlians lost a few of tlieir wari'ioi-s and a lar^je amount of property both in their i-anip and on their retreat, inehulin*,' their horses, mules and ponies, whieh fell into our liands. Althonjj^h the tro(>[)s were outnumbered fully three to one. yet the fortitude displayed by them was most^n'atifyinjj:. The enjj^a^'enient ^^a\e them the utmost contidenee in themselves and at the same time they impressed the IndiauN most profoundly with their per- sistent, offensive mode of li^litin<>f and pursuit. At one time the command was entirely surrounded by Indians, and the troops wore formed in a larjjje hollow scpuire in open order and deployed at five paces, with all the reserves brou;j;lit into action, yet not a sintjle num left his place v, we followed it for sonie distance, and until it was obliterated by a se\ere snowstorm. The command continned north to the Missouri, and thence west, reconnoitering the coantry for nearly a bundled miles toward the mouth of the Musselshell River where it empties into the Missouri. We encountered very severe winter weather in the month of November, the ground being covered Avith snow and the nights intensely cold. Three days we marched along the high divide l)etween the Yellowstone and Mi, souri, without wood in our camps, and using melted snow in place of water. GKNKKAL NELSON A. MILES. 229 Moving along over the country, frequently two or three miles in ad- vance of the coninuind, I would ascend an elevation or prominent butte and look over the counti-y to discover any indication of hostile camps that might be in the vicinity. 1 was usually accompanied by a few' officers and soldiers, with a few scouts. At one time when we stoi)ped on the square top of a butte, one of the scouts, tieorge Boyd, dismounted to get a better view with his field glass of the surrounding country. He was a man very much deformed, club-footed in both feet, and as they turned in and were covered with short round moccasins, he made a very singular track or trail in the snow. I good-naturedly ren^arked that he left the most re- markable trail behind him that 1 had ever seen, hi like spirit he replied that this was true and added: '•Several years ugo when I was earrying (lis(tatcli',>s iiiv horse gave out, and I went tlie balanee of tlie way to my destination t)n foot. Tne Indi.ms st-uek my trail in the snow, and following it t«) tlie 'nilitary post to whieli it led. came in and i snorted to the oHicer in connnand that they had found this singidar trail and wanted to know wlmt kind of an animal it was. and whieh way he was i^oing." During this march in order to more fully reconnoitre the country, the command was divided into three columns. Retaining one myself, the sec- ond was placed under Captain Snyder and the third under Lieutenant Baldwin. The last named command succeeded in striking Sitting Bull's camp at the head of the Red Water, where it captured a large part of his camp equipage and some horses. As illustrative of the extraordinary difficulties under which the troops prosecuted the campaigns that destroyed the power of the Sioux nation. I present the story of the affair above referred to, in Captain Baldwin's own language as he subsequently described it. in writing to a friend, and not writing with a view of its ever being published. Having explained the movements leading up to the discovery of Sitting Bull's probable location, his account proceeds as follows: My Dkak Fkiknp :()ne ean seareelv realize my feelings of resjtonsihility when I had deeided to move from the Assiniboiii Agency southward to the Yellowstone, via the Red Water River, in the face of the most positive oppositimi of every oflicer with me. The morninjr I left the am>ncy anti crossed to the south of the Missouri River, 1 had less than two days rations for my men and liit three sacks of oats for my animals, numbering eighty mules and four horses. It was the most severe season of the year (Decendier). The country was absoluti'ly unknown by any white man. the snow was two feet deep, and T could not. under the most favorable circumstances, expect to tiiid sup])lies in less than five days. All night preceding this march, the undertakiiiir, the ()t)stacles to be nu>t and over- come, the horribli' fate that might result to that bravt' and ct)nlitling comnumd, were con- INI— 14 iJ ' 1 W \ 41 7 230 PERSONAL KECOI. LECTIONS OF sidered and too vividly liauiited me every liour uiid inoineiit both dav and nijj^lit until we reached tlie f^oal of our undertaking^. When 1 was j^iven command of tliis battalion op- posite the moutli of S(|uaw Ureek, and tlie treneral took command of a less iuiml)er of men, it was a (juestion us to which would find the hostile Lidians. and with the only order or suiTirestion ^'iven by him in that earnest manner characteristic of him, he said, •• Now Baldwin do the best you can. 1 am responsible for disaster, success will be to your credit ; you know what my plans are and what we are here for." Still fully realizini^ that 1 alone could be held individrally responsible for disaster, and havinij located beyond a doubt Sittinif Bull's camp, 1 was bound to make the effort to strike him, trustinij^ to the indomita- ble will and intellii>'ent iiiijcenuity of the American soldier for success. Not once on that march (ever memorable to Pie) did I hear a soldier complain. On the niorninijcof the 18tli, when we had discovered SittinjM^ Bull's camp at the head of the Red Water, there was not a man who di'i not join his company, altiiouirh many of them were sick and about .orn out. The rcjults of this eiii^aifement are known, not the least of which was a securinjr of sutlicient suj>plies to satisfy the huiii^er of every man of the command that nii^ht, as well as an assured ration for the followiiiijc day or two. I have often been asked how 1 used my men in an encounter with the Indians. .My answer has been, '• Always ready; never send a few men in at a time ; i* the enemy show flight, i^et all of my men and material into position, sound the forward, never the retreat so lon^ as the vnemv is in si^jht." In this enirajfement, as at McClellan Creek on the Mth of November, 1874, my wairon-train charired in just in rear of the front line, a small i^uard protectinjiif its rear. Vou know the result of all my eni^ajrements with Indians. Now my dear Geori^e, 1 consider this tri]) under the circumstances, the most hazardous and res])onsi- ble undertakini^ of my life. Not only was I sure of encounterinij^ an enemy (who was the least cause of anxiety), but in a most treacherous season, across an unknown country. with a command illy clothed even for a caiupaiirn under the most favorable auspices, you can well imaii^ine that my time — either (hn, or nii^ht was not spent in sleep. There was not a nii^ht tluit I did not visit .iiy pickets and ' u n in their tents at least once evjry two hours, fearing; that they miirlit freeze to ileath. Duty and loyalty to my eoui.tr' and my com- manding' ofiicer were my incentives. From the day 1 left the Missouri River about the only subsistence my aninuds had consisted of cottonwood limbs, which were gathered and placed before them after arriving in camj). The niirht precediriif the day the general left nie at the mouth of S«piaw Creek we did not sleep for a moment all nii^ht loni^, but lay awake c«)n^iderin^ the new movement. Vou know how it was ! Such werp the soldierly instincts of Baldwin. His qualities wore of the highest and noblest character. He was one of those men who did not come in with a plausil)le excuse for failure. He always accomplished good results. Snyder was ahso a good battalion commander. In fact all of the oflficers and soldiers under my command during that remarkable winter campaign were nol)le and true men. No one can realize the condition and circumstances, or the responsibility attendant upon moving a command in that country in midwinter. The condition of a ship in northern latitudes in a dense fog in the track of ice- bergs, would be in a somewhat similar situation with that of our GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 231 m (1 lie le- ir command in that severe climate in a country, which, as Cfeneral Sheridan descrihed it in his reports, was practically "unknown." Indeed it was un- known. So tenaciously had those hands of warriors held it that it had been impossible for white men to explore it. Steamers were accustomed to go up and down the Yellowstone and Missouri, but the interior of the country had never been explored, and nothing of its geography or toi)og- raphy wa^' known. We were provided uith the best ofticial maps on this march between the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers, a distance of approx- imately a hundred miles, but at that time no rivers were laid down on the map, and that part of it w^as a blank. The great valley of the Ked Water and its numerous tri))utaries were utterly unknown. In following this trail of Sitting Bull in that march, the command was enveloped in what was known in that country as a "blizzard." it lias been described as the "snow blowing in every direction at the same moment of time," which is a very good description of a Montaiia blizzard. People in the East are accustomed to .storms of rain, thun- der, hail and snow, but these might be regarded as mere atmospheric caresses compared with the Mon- tana blizzard on a high divide, upon an open prai- rie, under what the Indi- an s called the "cold moon," or December, of that latitude. The condi- tion of the command when enveloped by the blizzard on that march w as start- ling. It was impo.-=sibIe % to see any ol)ject more than twenty or thirty feet away at midday, yet we marched one whole day under those circumstances, not on a trail, but simply in the dirtction in \vhich we believed the Indians to have moved. Our only guide was the needle of the compass. In fact our movements w^ere governed by the compass all the way to the Missouri, for a hundred miles west after crossing the Missouri, and f'> • ? hundred and fifty miles southeast after recrossing that stream. Six days is a short time to remain in cantonment for rest, recuperation and the replenishing of supplies, but one would sui)pose that the command IVIoNTANA Rt.IZZARH. l',l| ,! j , i t^Bt . 1. ; ' 1' ■■\\ .>'{.) u')^ I'l'iKSONAI, IJI'iCOI.LKCriONS OK mi mj would Ix' Miiirli Iw'iM'litrd l>y cvpiithiil hrijd" rcsl. Yet vv(! foimd in t liis litllc! sciiildiiiicc of ci V ili/iit ion ;i mocc sicjillliy, (l;iM;^«'roiis iiiid dciidly (Miciiiy (liiiii ('\«'ii 1 lie swviij^H! Iiidi;i.ii on IIm' pljiin. And j,li(! n;iin«! of Huit, (MMsniy <"iin Ik; ('.\|M<'-,si'd in uno iM-icf word of 1 luce snnill hitlcMs, r"-n-ni. At, \]\i' ('Jintonnirnl tlicr*^ wcrn tv\() oc tlir^'c Ifinlcr's lliiil IkmI <'onM! up IIm; i'iv(!r in ( lie ;iut unin with ii st trouhle. 'I'he elTereji- econd Infantry, and i-"{\ Mieces of artillery. These held guns were concealed by I bows and spreading canvas over them as is usual for jon covers, and by moving them with the wagon-train in such a way as to prevent them from being noted as lipid guns by the In- dians. The snow was then a foot deep on a level, and in numy places it proved to be much deeper. The wagon-trains and troops marched over the ice in the valley of the Tongue River, and after considerable delay reached the vicinity i)f the Indian camp, having a few skirmishes on the way, and being somewhat annoyed l)y the presence of parties of the enemy. We lost t\vo of our men who were surprised and killed by a small band of In- dians. The camp was found to be located on the Tongue River, extending along that stream a distance of three miles above Otter Creek, and as the command approached them, the Indians moved farther up the stream toward the Big Horn Mountains to what they supposed to be a safe dis- tance. On January 7. following, the advance guard captured a small party of Indians, including one young warrior, four women and three children. This evoit afterward proved of consideral)le importance, as they wore relatives of some of the most prominent men in the hostile camp. That evening an attempt was made by a band of about three hundred warrioi-s (JKNKltAI. NKLSON A. MILKS. 237 m lii- oi-s to recapture them, which resulted in a sharp skirniish and tlie repulse of the Indians. On the morning of the Sth the command dephned to meet and iittack the main body of warriors, led by Crazy Horse, Little Big Man, White Ihdl, Big Crow, Two Moons, Hump and other itrominent chiefs of the Cheyeinu^s and Ogalallas. The country was very rough — mountainous in fact ; jind as the Indians moved down the valley to encounter the troops they evi, and must have had at ^ W^^^ least a thousand warriors o u t h e IBs. m^i^ held. From the heights overlook- Ynr IIavk Had Yoi it I.ast Breakfast.' ing the valley where they ^* had stationed themselves they called out to the troops, '" You have had your last breakfast," and similar expressions of aerision for the troops and of c oniidence ii' themselves. Some (>i ou' scouts, particularly Yellowstone Kelley, who understood the Sioux and c(»uld reply to them in their own language, re- sponded with equal defiance, challenging them to the encounter, and shouting back to tlieni that they were all " women." As the fight opened the canvas covers were stripped off from the pieces of artillery, and the two Napoleon guns exploded shells within their lines, creating great consternation and the reechoing of the guns through the .i*l' )■>■ 'I 1 •I .m m i ] '^1 288 PKHSONAL llblCOLLKCTIOXS (W § m j ' '! ! hi IE: i t m vjilloy. while it pave the troops much eonhdeii('(\ mulov.j.truly mniti[)Iied the miiuher of our puns in the estimation of tiie Indians themselves. At one time they had completely sunounded thecomm- nd. hut the key of the position was a hiph hliitt' to the left of tiie line of troops, and the sharpest tiphtinp was for the l)ossession of this piouiid. The Indians who held it were led by Bip Crow a "medicine num." who had woik(»d himself up to such a frenzy that he had made th<' Indians believe tluit his medicine was so strong that the white men could not harm him. lie rushed out in front of the warriors, attired in the most porpc'oiis Indian battle costume of the brightest colors, and with a headdress made of the waving [)luinesof the eaple falling down his back, jumped ui)and down, ran in a circle and whooped and yelled. Our men turned their puns ui)on him. but for several minutes he was unharmed, uotwithstaiulinp their efforts to reach him with their riHes. 'V\w\\ a charpe was uuide by tr()()i)s under Majors C*asey iv charpe that had been nuide and the important pround pained, seemed to cause a panic anionp the Indians, and they im- mediately Hed in utter rout up the valley down which they had come a few hours before with such confidence. The latter part of the enpapement occurred durinp a snowstorm, which added an inexpressible weirdness to the scene. 1 think every officer and soldier realized the desperate nature of this encounter, the command beiup then between three and four hundred miles from any raih'OJid or settlement. If they had met with disaster it would have been many weeks before any reli^vinp command could have reached the pround from the nearest possi- ble source of aid. Every officer and soldier knew that a mistakv? meant disaster, and disaster or defeat neant annihilation, and were therefore in- spired to deeds of heroism and fortitude and a correspondinp confidence. The fiphtinp that occurred on the left of the line, as already described, was for a time very close and desperate. The backs of those retreating war- riors presented the most delightful picture, as it then seemed to us, that it was ever our fortune to see on the opening of a new year. While the enpapement was not of such a serious character as to cause great loss of life on either side, yet it demonstmted the fact that we could jUi i GKXEHAI, NKI-SON A. MII.KS. 239 ) niovo in any part of the roiintry in tlio mi«lst of \vint(M'. and liiiiit tlm enemy down in their camps \vln»nn(M' they mi;^'lit take refuj^'c. In this way. constantly pursuing' them. \\v had made tiieni realize that there was no peace or safety for them wliih^ they remained in a hostile attitnde. After aceomplishin;^' what we had set out for, we returned to the cantonment on the Yellowstone. l»rin of soldiers with whom they had heen in hostile relations was something not counted on, and was a surprise to the savages, making a very favorahle impressi(>n i;pon tluMU. Tliey were dis- posed to consider kindly the demand for their surrender. The captives themselves acted as messengers of peace, and were very active in assuring their liostile hrethren that the Indians, who were still in our hands, luul been e(|ually well treated, and urged their people to accept the terms of the government and put themselves under its control. The result was that Hrughier's mission was so successfully accomi)lished that on February It), he returned with nineteen Indians, nuiinly chiefs and leading warriors, who desired to know the exa«'t conditions upon which they could surrender. The terms as above given were repeated; and in various councils and frank and free comniuiiications a feeling of confidence and good faith was engendered, which has never been dis- turbed so far as relates to the Indians who sul)se4uently surrendered there. The Indians in council were treated with Hrnmess, but also with kind- ness, and given to understand that if they would surrender they would re- ceive just treatment, but if they would not. the harshest measures of war would be resumed against them. They returned to their camp with ap- parently good impressions and good intentions. Almost immediately after their departure a singular tragedy occurred in the little band of Indian pris(mers held in our hands. One morning soon after sunrise a sharp pistol shot was heard in one of their tents, and the officer of the day and one of the guard went to ascertain the cause. He found that a young and handsome Indian woman of about twenty-two years of age had committed suicide. Much to his astonishment he found that all that time she had kept secreted about her person the little pocket pistol with which she had Knally taken her life. On making incpiiries through the interpreter it was found that she had a lover in the Indian camp to whom she was most devotedly attached, and the fact that he had not ac- companied the delegation for the purpose of seeing her. if for no other, so preyed upon her mind that she became heart-l)roken at the thought that he had cared so little for her. She had made inquiries concerning him of the w^arriors w'lio had come in. and they had told her that he was indiffer- ent to her. so believing that her love was not reciprocated she had taken her own life. GENKRAI. NELSON A. MILKS. 241 Tli(» fact. jiH we aftenvtrd asrortaiiiod, was that tins young man was out hunting buffaloes at the tinio the party was inthuiod t« start for our camp, and did not know of their coming until it was too late. She was buried near the cantonnHMit, and. when lu»r relatives finally canu^ in and surrendered, a strange and tragic scene was enacted. Her neai'(\st relatives gathered about the grave moaning and bewailing her loss, and several of them took their knives and slashed their tsu'es and pu and your forcos ; w(> aro out of ammuiiitioii ; we uunnot iiiuko a rillis a round of amiiiuiiition,<)r a knife ; in fat-t wfarc at tlic uuTcy of those who aro taking possession of our countrv ; yonr tt'rnis are harsh and cruel, but we are go- ing to accept tiieni and phico ourselves at your mercy." Of all the elo(iuent words 1 have ever listened to, these were the most delightful to me, and they sent a thrill of joy through my heart as I real- ized that our work had been acct)mplished, and our toils and sacrifices were at an end. Little Chief concluded by saying that some of their number would go down and surrendei- at the agencies where their relatives were, while others desired to surrender to the military and renuiin on th^ YoUowstone. They were told that if they so desired a few of their number could be sent to Washington. This offer was declined, one prominent chief saying that he had been to Washington once, and had been shown a map and been told that a large part of the country must ])e occupied by white men and that the Indians must keep off from it; but over in one little corner of the map a place was reserved as huPan land, where the Indians were to live and the white people were to keej) off from it; but the men that told him that lied, for the white men did not keep off of it. "You have )iot lied yet," he continued, "and I am going to try you and am coming in here. I am going to surrender to you." Little Hawk, the uncle of Crazy Horse, and others, guaranteed to take him and the entire camp to the lower agiMU'ies and surrendei' there, oi' else bring them in and make them surrender at our cantonmeuL As a pledge of their good faith they agreed to leave promincMit men as hostages in the hands of the military, and to this end. White Ihill, or The Ice. as he was sometimes called, the head chief of the Northern Cheyennes. rose in his place and said he would renuiin as hostage for the good faith of the Northern Cheyennes. Hump, head warrior of the Ogalallas. to which band Crazy Horse belonged, rose and said he would renuiin as hostage for the tribe of Ogalallas. T!;;\-.e were foliowcMl l)y sev(Mi ])romineut men and warriors, until they were checked by my saying that wo required no nu)re; II 244 TKKSOXAI. KKCOLI-KCnOXS Ol' III '! • ;-lu that 1 ])elievecl tliey were acting in good taitli and intended to do as tliey jironiised. These prominent hostages rennii ned in camp nnder close military snr- veillance. and the large (ielegation left immediately for their camp, then Ite- tween the Tongne and Powder liivers. The resnlt was that more than three hnndred followers of Two ]\loons. White IhiU, Hump, Horse iioad and others, surrendered on April '2'2. and the larger part of the remain- ing camp, numbering more than two thousand persons, led ))y Crazy Horse. Little liig Man. The Rock and others, moved south and surrendered at Ked Cloud, Spotted Tail and other agen- cies. In the meantime Sitting Bull had gathered his cam[) south of the Yel- lowstone and when Crazy Horse's fol- lowing decided to i)lace themselves under subjection to the government, he. in older to avoid surrendering and to esca[»e further pursuit, retreated to the northei'n ))oundary and sought i'(>fuge on Canadian soil. His follow- ing was then in a very destitute con- (htion. almost entirely out of ammu- nition, having lost nearly everything except their guns and ponies. 'J'liey remained on liritish territory for two years, when they hually all I'eturned WiuTi: I'.i 1,1, AM) HoKsi: Kcah. ^ud surrendered. There was one camp, however, with nearly sixty lodges, chiefly ]\Iinne- conjoux under Lame Deei'. who declared that they would never surrender, antl would roam where they pleased, and that they were going over to the Rosebud to hunt bufl'aioes. and they actually did start westward for that pur- pose. Lame Deer had been told througli an interpreter that unless he sur- rendered, the trooi)s w^ould come out after him and bring him in. He de- clared that he had good scouts and that no white man could get near his camp or capture his people. When the Indians came in they were recjuired to give up their war poni<»s and arms, and these ponies were sold and the proceeds used in purchasing a herd of cattle which was divided and given to the difi'erent i war 'd in nent UJ < Q. LU X z z < a z I': , il ^ w in, I r I k I 1 GENEUAL NELSON A. MILES. 247 -^> Indian families. The Indians were fed on the soldier's rations nntil spring, when they were told that it was the custom of the white people to plant fields of grain and raise food for their own sustenance. Many of the Indians had never ))ef()re been to an Indian agency, and knew abso- lutely nothing of the . rt of agriculture. When told that the white men made gardens, and that it was a good example for them, they cheerfully acquiesced, and one man. White Bull, said he wanted to plant a garden of raisins. On inquiring the reason for this desire he replied that the best food that the white man had, so far as he had been able to find out, was raisins, so he wanted to plant his garden "ith them. The army teams were used in breaking the turf and cultivating I:he ground, and the Indians all went to work 'v\ good spirits. During the sev- eral years that they remained there they were largely self-supporting, in- dustrious and happy. When they first came in they were perfectly wild, some of them never having seen white people before, yet in their wild con- dition they were strong and healthy, and the surgeon in charge of the camp reported that there was not i'o case of contagious disease among them. ■\hmio' \% l 248 PKltSONAL HECOLLECTIONS OF CHAPTER XTX. The Lame Deer '"xpedition. M n B| If. '-^f^^ Composition ok tiik Command — Hkoinnincj tiik Makcii — Wioathiok — Sharp Indian Eyk — Ai'PKOACiiiNd TiiH Camp — Tiik Ativu-k — A Ci.ohic Cam. — Lussios — Tiiic Kktihn — MoiNTiN(i Tin: Iniantky — A Ciiuts with Indian IIuhsis — Fui.i.nwiNti thi: Hk- TKKATiNo Indians — ^^ intku in tiik Xoktiiwkst — surrounded on all sides except the entrance by high bluffs or ridges. As soon as daylight appeared a few soldiers and scouts were sent out to carefully reconnoitre the (jountry. They found that the camp of Lame Deer had passed only a few days before. Both the white scouts and the Indians displayed great skill and caution in discovering the traces of the hostile camp and conceal- ing their own niovements, and from the top of a high peak they discovered the Indian village some fifteen miles away in an air line. Hera we had j;n exhibition of the sharpness of the eyes of the Indians, accustomed to hunting game. When hrst seen the camp was not recognized by the white men, but the Indians declared tint they could see the smoke over the village. To me it looked like mist (»r a white cloud against the side of the mountain until T examined it more carefully with a glass. The Indians also announced that they could see ponies grazing on the hills. This was discovered to be correct by their companions, but not without using their field glasses. How to get to this camp was the next (luestion. It was impossible to approach it during the daytime, so the command was concealed until night and then moved a short distance up one ravine and down another, all the time keeping under cover of the hills so as not to be discovered. In that way we approached p, point within eight miles of the village, where we re- mained until one o'clock the next morning. Then we started again and moved slowly to the valley of the Kosebnd, then up that valley for two or three miles, and at four o'clock. May 7, just at the dawn of day, we found ourselves in close proximity to the Indian village. In striking contrast to toi-mer campaigns, at this time the prairies were covered with green grass, the trees were in full foliage, the air was tilled with the odor of flowers, and the birds were singing. If we had been go- ing to some peaceful festival, the scene could not have been more propitious. The dismounted troops were una-»le to follow at the ra))id i)ace that the mounted connnand found necessary in order to enable them to reach the inimediate vicinity of the Indians just at dawn, or as near that time as possible. The canij) was on a tributary of the Host'bud known to the white .M--i5 1 I m 250 PKHSONAL HKCOLLKCTIONS OF 1 i. I' i! : men as the Bi^ Mvuldy, Imt called by the linliaiis "Fat Horse Creek." They had ^ivtn it tliis name hecanse in si)rin^ the ^rass there was so abundant and rich that tiieir horses feeding upon it always j^'rew stronjij and fat. The mounted infantry and scouts under Lieutenants Casey and Jerome were ordered to charge directly up tlie valley and stampede the Indian horses, while the battalion of cavalry followed at a gallop and attacked the camp. This attack V\as gallantly uuide. The comnuiud under Lieutenants Casey and Jerome stampeded the entire herd of vuiies ho ses and mules, four hundred and Hfty in \ inbev, and di" <> th m \<\.. [wAc. up the valley, where they rounded them up and by a long civct if !)r;ii ;rht them around to the rear of tlie command which was engaging the uiian* , When attacked, the Indians tied from tlieir camp, taiviii{. only what they carried in their hands, up among the high bluffs and rugged hills in that vicinity. Our loss was four soldiers killed, one officer and six soldiers wounded. There were fourteen hulian warriors killed and many wounded. In the surprise and excitement of the wild onset of the charge, a group of warriors was I'orced away from the others and became separated from the rest of the tribe. Before making the attack I had ordered our Sioux and Che.yenne Indians to call out to the Lame Deer Indians that if they threw down their arms and surremlered we would s[)are their lives. I was anxious to capture some of them alive, as we hoped thereby to secure the surrender of all the Indians in the camp. As we galloped up to this group of warriors they apparently recognized the purport of the demand and dropped their arms upon the ground. In order to assure them of our goodwill, I called out "How-how-kola" (meaning tViend) and extended my hand to the Chief, Lame Deer, which he grasped, and in a few seconds more I would have secured him and the others, as, although he was wild and trembling with excitement, my adjutant, George W. Baird, was doing the same with the head warrior. Iron Star. Unfortunately just at that time one of our white scouts rode up and joined the group of officers and sol- diers with me. He had more enthusiasm than discretion, and I presume desired to insure my safety, as he drew up his ritle and covered the Indian with it. Lame Deer saw this and evidently thought the young scout was going to shoot him. I know of no other motive for his subsequent act than the belief that he was to be killed w'hether he surrendered or not. As quick as thought, with one desperate, powerful effort, he wrenched his hand from mine, although I tried to hold it, and grasped his rifle from the ground, ran backward a few steps, raised his riiie to his eye and fired. iH lil \ (iENKKAl, NKLSON A. .MILKS. 251 SeMii^' liis(l('t(M-mino(l fa, e. Ins sot jaw. wild eye. and tli(M)i)en muzzle of liis n"'" . I I'oalizo'l my uaii;^'or and insiaiitly whirled my liorse from liim, and in Iii^ (inicK mov ment the horse s!ifj:htly settled hack upon his liaunches ; at hat momc it the ritie flashed v.ihin ten feet of me. the hullet whizzed pii t my '»reast. leaMU*,' me unharmed hut unf(>rtuiuitely killin*; a brave sol- dier near my side. Iron Star hi'oke away from Atljutant liaird at the same time, T'lis intiamtiy ended all efforts to seeure their peaceful surrender and opened a hot tiyht that lasted hut a few seconds. \ dozen rifles and re- iiXi.iiiri ,AHHi i/m; *■ ^^ is^^^ Lamk I)i:i:i{ FiKi.sd at (iknkkai, Mii,i;s. volvers were opened on the scattered warriors who were ti^ditin^ us, and all went down quickly beneath the accurate, close Jind deadly Hre. The whole incident was over in a much less time than it takes to describe it. The main object of our expedition being now accomplished, and not desiring to risk more lives in an encounter than the circumstances abso- lutely demanded, we turned back and bivouacked at Lame Deer's camp, ^vhich Wi s one of the richest I had ever seen. It was composed of hfty- one beautiful lodges, richly stored with robes, horse-e(iuipments. and every other species of Indian property. Whatever was desired by the troops was h\k^. I'M I I . 252 PKFtSONAL RKCOLI-ECTIONS OF taken possession of and the remainder l)urned. Tlie lierd of horses were round, fat, sleei< and in excellent condition. During the enjjfaj^enient. Majors Dickey and I'oole. Twenty-second United States Infantry, came up with their command, having moved to the sound of the ^ams in a forced march. On the morning' following commenced the greatest circus 1 have ever witnessed. 'I'wo hundred of the war and buffalo poni<\s were selected with vvhicdi to mount our foot-troops. The Fifth Infantry was afterward completely e(iuii)pe(l in this way, and on the frontier was sometimes known as the Eleventh Cavalry, there being then ten cavalry regiments in the army organization. Among the herd were some of the Seventh Cavalry horses that had been captured at the IJig Horn massacre; and those having the brand ''7th U. S." were (piickly secured by the infantry soldiers who were not regarded as altogether expert horsemen. Then came the problem of selecting the gentle and trained ponies from the vicious brutes. The soldiers who were fortunate enough to select well- trained buifalo or war ponies congratulated themselves in being al)le to put Indian bridles and saddles upon them, but even then they \v(>re not safe in mounting. Freciueiitly it re(iuired the aid of two men to get one into the saddle. The ponies seemed as suspicious of the white man as the American horse is of the wild Indian. Still, many of the men succeeded in mounting, and in place of spurs used the Indian "quirt," a stick about a foot long with a rawhide lash. These men were highly elated and their derisive remarks to their more unfortunate comrades were ecjual to the best witticisms I have ever heard on the stump or undei" canvas. Some of the ponies would not allow a white man to go near them; others as fast as the scouts or Indians ccmld rope them would submit to being bridled and saddled, in fact would look meek and calm, waiting for a good opportunity. With the help of one or two men the infantryman would mount, or at least reach his place above the saddle and beast for the time being, whereupon the pony would double up like a ball, make a bound into the air, coming down stiff-legged, jump about over the prairie, and repeat this exercise with lightening rapidity, in almost every direction at the same time; then the soldier's hat would fall, and before many minutes he would follow suit, and frequently the pony w'ould not stop until he had freed himself from the saddle ; or, sometimes he would gallop around over the prairie and come back to the herd with the saddle underneath. Two hundred soldiers on the same field endeavoring to subdue the same number of wild horses created a scene of excitement which was not only )r, le le ly GENKUAI. NELSON A. MILKS. hiimoroiis but also soniowliat daii^'crous. Kortiinatoly thoy did not have far to fall and the ^Toiind was covonMl with a heavy crop of j^rt'on {^rass. This sciMio continncd until thoconiniand was coniplctcly inonntcd. and the ponies and infantry had IxM'onio bettor a('([uainted. and l>y that time we were ready to take up our return niarcli hack to th(M'a!itoninent. As soon as the herd was l)ron^dit hack and s(»cu# believe that that re^icm of country was cicai'ed for all time of the hostile presenc<' aiul depredatiijns of the Sioux Indians. While winter in this part of the country is sev(>re. and the snowfall is occasioiuilly very deep, yet the extreme cold is usually of slun-t (lurati(m, and as a general thiu}^' spring o[)ens early. In fact, in western Montana snow remains upon the ground but a very short time. The western winds, "chinook winds" as they are called, coming from the coast of Oregon and Washington, sweeping through the passes of the mountains and over the territory of Montana,, temper the climate to a remarkable degree. These warm western winds sometimes a))sorb nearly a foot of siu)w in a single twenty-fouv hours or at most within the s])ace of two days. The grasses are so strong that as soon as tlie snow disapi)eais t!i(\\- begin to spring up. In some of the warm vsilleys green life seems to remain near the roots of the grass that is protected by snow. When we went up Tongue River the snow was a foot deep and the river frozen over. It is a rennirkable fact that the savage can accustom himself to going on the ice with his bare feet. In that country the Indian foot, as I know from personal observation, is covered with a skin very similar to that which covers a duck's foot. In following the trail of an Indian at one time, we noticed that he was without moccasins though he had gone into the water and out on the ice. The foot of one of the little children in the camp at the cantonment, which I had occasion to examine, was just like the bottom of a duck's foot. I actually saw that child sliding on the ice w ith bare feet before its mother's door. Lieutenant Baird, my M'; I 1 254 I'KUSONAI^ IJECOlJ.hXTlONS OK ' I I r n ■}. M ■!i''l , ■ adjutant at that tiiiir, called my attciitioii to it. I am told that in Wash- in^'toM T(Mi"it()rv tlu^ hidianN in (>arly times never woi'e moccasins because only with their hare feet could they nu)ve over the fallen tind)er easily, that country hein^' ^'reatly en iiulians in Alaska. Th(^ clinuite and country of Moutaiui and the Dakotas produced as fine physical specimens of the human rac(^ as have ever been found on this continent. Tlu'y were tall, line specituens of the Indian type, and were hrave. dignilied and stalwart, possessing many nuinly (lualities. In diplo- macy they were saga<'ious, in oratory earnest, graceful and logical, and in tlieir wild condition they were industrious. When they could nH)ve from one valley to anothe'/, or camp beside some spring with plenty of fresh grass and green foliage, their habits were much better than they have been since they have l)eencomi)elled to live at one place or in some agency. 'I'he wonu>n were strong and healthy, many of them good-looking and very industrious, and the most cheerful, jolly lot of people that 1 have ever known. They were always chatting, laughing, joking and singing among tliem- .selves, and playing games with their children, ami often having banquets and festivals for the entertainment of their friends and themselves. The clinuite of that country is invigorating, and the atmosphere gives a feeling of strength, courage and energy. Men there seem willing to undertake any enterprise, having a feeling of conKdence and resolution within theni- solves that one does not have in a more languid clinuite. It is fair to say that the same vigorous clinuite and all of nature's iuHnences will produce a white race, as it has produced an Indian race, that will be equal to any in the same zone in strength, character and fortitude. In fact it has already been demonstrated that some of the strongest and most heroic regiments produced during the great war came from Michigan, Wisconsin and Min- nesota, the First Minnesota standing at the very head. AVliile the Indians were being driven south to their agencies, a detach- ment of the Twenty-second Infantry which was engaged in this work suddenly received orders by telegraph to proceed by forced marches to Bisnuirck, Dakota, and from there by railroad as rapidly as possible to the city of Chicago, wliere they arrived in time to help restore order and sup- press the riots that at that time were threatening life and property in that city. In the midsummer of 1S77. General W. T. Sherman, commanding the United States army, passed through that (;()untry. He went by steamer up the Yellowstone to the mouth of the Big Horn, thence by wagon across !■ GKNKKAL NKKSON A. MILKS. or, >0 at ss tin* momitains and down tho Coliimhia. Wliilo at the cantonment of Toii^Mic KivtT. July 17. \w addn'sscd a letter to the Hon. lieorjxe W. McC'rary, Secretary of War, at VVa.shinj^'ton, 1). ('.,in which he used the fol- lowing hinguage: " I now rt'jriird tlii* Sioux Indian prohlfin. iim a war (jiH>>*tion, nf* solved by tlu' operations of (nMicral .NIIIch last winter, and hy tlii* estahlishnient of the twt> new posts on tlu' Yellow- stone, now assured this summer. IJoats conu" and ^'o now, where a year ajro none would ventun^ exeejtt with Htronjr jruards. Wootl-yards are heini,' established to fai-ilitate miv- ijjation, atid the irreat mass of thi> hostiles havi> been foreed to p) to tlu> ai,'encies for food und protection, or have lied across the border into Hritish Territory." The following appeared in the annual report of Lieutenant-lJeneral V. H. Sheridan: llKAlHil AKTKRS Mll.lTAItV DiVISIO.V «»l" TIIK MlHSOt'UI, ) ('iiHAort of events occurring within the Military Division of the Missouri since the 125th of Novend)er, 1870, the date of my lust annual re])ort. ■X- * ** * * * * * During- the months of December and .binuary the hostile Indians were constantly har- assed by the troops under Col. N. A. Miles, Fifth Infantry, whose head(puirters were at the mouth of the Tonnrut* |{iver, and who had two sharp eniratfements with thom, one at Hedwater and the other near Ilanirinir Woman's Fork, intlicting heavy losses in men, supplies and animals. This constant pounding and ceaseless activity upon the part of our troops (Colonel Miles in particular), in midwinter, beiran to tell, and early in February, IS77, information was communicated whidi led me to believt* that the Indians in tTcneral were tired of the war. and that tlu> lar<;e bodies heretofore in the field were beifinnino' to l)reak up. On the tiotii of that month 2'.IU Iodides of Minneconjoux and Sans Arcs came and surrendered to tlie troops at Cheyenne agency. Dak. They were completely disarmed, their horses taken from them, and they were put under iruard, and this system was carried out with all who afterward came in to surrender witliin the Departments of Dakota and the Platte. From the 1st of March to the '21st of the same month over '2.'.H)() Indians, in detachments of from 30 to DOO, came in and surri'ndered at Camps Sheridan and Kobinson, in the Department of the Platte, and on the 2'2\k\ (>f April. 803 Cneyennes came and surrendered to Colonnl Miles at the cantonnieni >n Toni^ue Kiver in the Department of Dakota, and more were re|)orted on the way in to (fWe themselves up. Finally on the 0th of May, Crazy Horse, with iSSW of his people and '2,(X)0 ponies, came in to Camp Kobinson and surrendered to General Crook in ])erson. In the meantime. Colonel Miles havin<; had information of the whereabout?, of Puuie Deer's band of hostile Sioux surprised his camjt, killinif 14 warriors, includint;- Lame Deer andiron Star, the two princij»al chiefs, capturiiii^ 47*0 ])oi!ies and destroy! i.j.^' 51 lodjjjes and their contents. I may mention here that this band commenced to surrender, in small sipiads from two to twenty, immediately thereafter, until at leiii^tii. on tho IDth of S'.^p- tember, the last of the band, numbering 224, constantly followed und pressed by troops ■■■.'i i I 2'A\ PKKSONAI, KKCOLLECTIONS OF from the coniniand of Colonel Miles, surrendered at Caiii|) Slieridan. The Sioux war was now over. * * •X- -X- * * I'. II Siii;i;ii).\N. l.ieul.-(Jeneral. (.'oniiiiandino-. After l)ein^' separated from my family for nearly one year, as the country became safe, one of the iirst steamboats to come np the river, in .lune, 1S77, brou^'ht my wife and her sister. Miss Klizabeth Sherman, now j\lrs. fl. 1). Cameron, aiid our little daughter, Cecilia. They were the first white women to come and make their permanent abode in that wild western country. We could only affoi'd them a soldiei''s welcome, as we were liv- ing' in teuts and in the cantonment bivouac. They accepted the sitiuition v(M'y cheei'fnlly. however. The outdooi- exercises which they were able to enjoy, such as hoi'seback-ridin^. hunting and sailin^j: on the Yellowstone, together with tlu^ novelty of their new life, nuide it a pleasure and a ro- mance. As oth.M- steand)oats came u}) tlie river they brou^dit the families and relatives of the officers and some of the soldiers, and this was the be- ginning of civilized and domestic life in that vicinity. The presence of women added a charm and a ray of sunshine to the life of the soldier. ux war was l>AN. iiiaiidiiiir. coiuitry uiio. 1S77, ills. J. 1). rst white 1 western were liv- situation 're altle to llowstoiie. and a ro- le families as the l»e- resenee of •Idier. K 73 I H ■ I I O I ^ ' . UJ ! CO cc O I > N < CC o M III w^ ; I I M: [ u It,' ,1 '' I \ 'i] \- I ll " GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 2b\} CHAPTER XX. The Nez Peuck C'ami'aign ClIARAOTRR OK TIIIO \i:Z I'lOHCKS — Till: W.M.I.nWA VaM.IOY — <'llli;i' JoSKI'Il — IIoWTIIlO WaK WaS HlXllN — lldWAKl) AM) (illtliiiN's ( ' A M I'A I( i NS — riilOl' A KA I'll "NS IciH Till-: M< IVIO.MKNT — Till-; Tudors 1)i;i'aii.i:i) — 'I'm; Indian Ai.i.iios — Hkincinc. a Si'i:a.mi;i{ — Tin; Ki:('Ai,i, — ("ai'I'ain IVm.dwin — A Knucioi) Mahcii — -Mais and tiik Hicak — A CiiANciio oi- Cdsimmi:. HILE these operations were hein^ earrie'l on, iiifornuition was received tiirou^di uDollieial reports and newspaper aceonnts of thi'eatened hostilities on the part of the Ne/ Peree Indians in Idaho. Thi'se Indians had lived from time immemorial in Idaho; and up to that time it had been their boast that no Nez Perce had ever taken the life of a white man, thouj^h it could not be said that no white man had ever killed a Nez Perce. From our first acHpiain!^^- anoe with them through the expedition of Jjewis and Clark, they had been exceedingly friendly to white explorers and settlers, yet the old story of a desire on the part of the white peo[)le to occupy Indian land caused the serious trouble that occurred during that year, followed by the usual result. They were occupants of t^o Wallowa Valley. By treaty this land luid been given to them as a })art of their reservation, and they were opposed to the surrender of it. They were in comfortable circumstances, having herds of cattle and plenty of horses. A det(M'- mined etTort was made by interested whites to make them surrender the contested ground, and the prominent chiefs, including Looking (ilass and Chief Joseph, opposed it. Chief Joseph told me afterward that his fatliei. before his death, called him to his bedside and counseled him never to sign a treaty giving up the Wallowa Valley. Faithful to the dying injunction of his father he never did consent to part with that bit of territory, but the whites were deter- mined to occupy it and they had enough iuHuence at Washington to have a commission sent to demand the surrender of this territory, and, when that w^as not complied with, to have a body of troops sent to remove the : J ' ■! i il' 260 PPJHSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF OlIIKK Jo.SKI'll Indians from tho dispiitod territory. Tliis incensed tho owners of the soil to a very hij^li decree, and yet many were so o[)[)osed to war that they decided to relin([uisii their cherislied lands under the i)ressnre of force. Chief .losepli and others liad ^one into th(^ hills and mountains to ^'ather up their stock with a view to removinj^ it, at the very time that a disaiTected element took advantage of these conditions to l)reci]»iti»te liostilities. A yonn^^ man wliosc^ brother had been killed tlu^ year before by a white man, went out and found tliis man, killed him, and brou^dit his horse intr the camp. As he stood beside the stolen horse, stroking his mane, he said: "You will now have to go to war, as I have com- menced itby killing tiie man uho killed my brother. Troops will be sent against all of you." This act did, in fact, start hostilities, as it created intense excitement and feeling against the Indians on the i)art of the whites, and troops were sent to arrest alleged de[)redations and hostilities. Then oc- curi'ed some sharp lighting by troops under (leneral II (►ward, the Indians retreating east over the moun- tains, up what is known as the Lolo trail and ("lark's Fork of the Columbia, thence east through what is known as Big Hole Basin, where they wer(3 overtaken by the command of (ieneral (iibbon. Then a sharp and desperate tight occurred in which General (Jibbon was wounded and his attack rei)elled. The Indians retreating were followed l)y (Jeneral Howard's comnnmd through Yellowstone I'ark and out over Clark's Fork Pass, a tributary of the Yellowstone. In fact they came near intercepting General Sherman in his tour through the Yellowstone Park. From the unollicial reports and newspaper accounts 1 have already mentioned, I judged that the Indians would, should they evade the troops in western Montana, endeavor to ''each the Judith Basin, and, if pursued, would nK)ve noi-th of the Missouri Kiver. I ordei'ed (August J}) r'irst Lieu- tenant (f. C. Doane. Second Cavalry, with Com[)any F, Sev(M)th Cavalry, and tlie Crow allies, to the Missouri at and west of the Musselshell, with in- structions to •• intercept, capture or destroy the Nez Perces." On the lOthof August, tothe same end, I sent' >'cneral Sturgis, colonel Seventh Cavalry, witli six comi)anies of his regiment, ^o Judtti (;rip — a point they subsequently passed — at the same time ordering Li 'iitenant Doane, then ^v/ roitfr under in- structions above cited, to re|.oiv ^» Mini. Snrh general nstructions as the facts at hand rendered pi'ac. M^.ble vse'(" tiuii.'slied (ioi.eral Sturgis, and he \ J I GKNEKAL NKI.SOxN A. MIl.ES. 261 was directed to arrt upon any new information he nii^ht obtain. His move- ments were timely and well made; nnfoi'tnnately he was deceived as to the movements of the Indians on Clark's Fork, hnt snl»se(|uently pnrsued them vij^oronsly to near Jndith (lap. As this disposition .)r troop.: antic- ipated the orders snl)se(piently received from division and dei)artment headqnarters, and as there were at that time apparently trnstvvorthy re|»orts of a southward movement of Sitting Hull and his follovim;, no further dispositions to meet the Ne/ Per(M''s were made. (Jeneral Stur;^ns was directed to keep me informed of the movenuMits of the Indians, which he did by suhsecpient rei)orts. After (leneral 0. 0. Howard's command joined that of Ueneral -Sturgis, General Howard assumed command of both. The information that I had received, both ofllcial and unofllcial. of the movements of the troops and also of the Nez Perce Indians, j^ave me ^reat anxiety, and on the evening' of the 17th of Sep- tember, standing' on the rij,dit bank of the Yellowstone Kivei' and lookiiij^ towai'd the west, ' , I noticed a dark object moving along .^ii brakes of , which as it dto beasintrle the the western horiz gradually came nearer pro horseman. He turned down the trail nearly (>pi)osit(» to when I was standing, and as he wound his wa> along down the steep bluffs I observed tlnr he was a cav- alryman, and possibly a bearer of d(>s])atches. lie came to the ferry on the opposit(^ side, the boatnuni ferried him ovei', and he rode up to me, dismounted and salutcMl. and then 1 recognized him as one (^ the ca,valry- nien from General Sturgis' comnumd. So anxious was I to iviiow the results Yor Wii.i, Now Havk to (\n T.) War." m ' Jl ■ .!■ ]'V i^i i 262 PERSONAL IIEOOLLECTIONS OF of the operations taking plaee some two hundred and fifty miles to th') west, that tlie Hrst (juestion I asked him was, "Have you had a Hght?" "No," he replied, '" but we have had a good chance," alluding to an adroit mancpuvre that Looking (1 lass and Chief Joseph had nuide when they effected the escape of the Nez Perces. On opening the envelope which he handed me 1 found a report from Colonel Sturgis and a letter from (ieneral Howard, stating that the Nez Perces had left them hopelessly in the rear, and wishing that i would take some action to intercept them. My command was then one hundred and fifty miles east of where the Indians had crossed the Yellowstone, and this report was five days old. 1 determined to make the hest effort i)()ssihle to find them,, however, and at once gave orders for what available troojjs I had to l)e made ready, sup- plied and ferried over the river to the north side. vVll night this work was carried on, and ])efore sunrise the next morning the troops were on the left l)ank of Lhe Yellowstone, equipped with thirty days sui)plies, abundance of ammunition, wagon-trains, pack-trains, artil- lery, scouts, guides and everything that could l)e made available for a long and diflicult forced march, and, if necessar\, a desperate encounter. Anticipating that the Indians would move toward the upper Missouri, and that the commands of ( General Howard and Colonel Sturgis would niM'd supplies, I «tarted couriers for Fort Buford and Fort Peck, on the Missouri, over a hundved miles away, with requisitions for a steamer load of supplies for ))()th men and aniuials, to be sent up the Missouri. These messages reached their destination all right, and the steamer that was loaded at F ;/rt Huford reached a place called Cow island, between two and three hundred miles to the west, just in time to supply Ceneral Howard's command when it arrived on the Missouri, out of supplies, with thirty days' supplies for men and animals. The following morni ig at daylight my command slowly wound its way up the trail from the Yellowstone to the high mesa on the north side of that river. Then commenced a most la))orious and tediou^: forced march of approximately two hundred miles. My command co:; isted of a small detachment of white guides and scouts and thirty Cheyenne Indian allies under the con'mand of Lieutenant M. P. Maus, First United States Infantry; a battalion of the Fifth Infantry mounted on the captured Sioux ponies; Snyder's, Bennett's, Carter's and Komeyn's companies. Captain Simon Snyder commanding; a battalion of the Second Fnited States Cav- alry, Tyler's, Jerome's and McClernand's companies. Captain Ceorge L. » 1: I ^ I at GENEUAL NELSON A. MILES. 263 Tyler comniJindinf?; a battalion of the Seventh Cavalry. Hale's. Godfrey's and Moylan's companies. Captain Owen Halo coinnnindin^'; one hreech- loading Hotchkiss j^un, Sergeant Mcllnj^di, Fifth Infantry, conunanding; the train escort, commanded by Captain 1). H. Brotherton. Fifth Infantry, consistinj^ of Company K and a detachment of Company D. Fifth Infantry, with one twelve-pounder Napoleon gun. From information received as to the direction taken by the Indians, the indications were that they intended to join the hostile Sioux north of the Canadian line. In order to intercept them if possible, or if not, to take up their trail and pursue them. I moved to the northwest, toward the month of the Musselshell, reaching a camping ground within six miles of that point on the evening of the 21st, after a hard march of fifty-two miles within twenty-four hours. During this march across the country from the Yellowstone to the Mis- souri, I had sent scouts out to the front and left with directions to go on until they found some sign of the Indians, and then to come in on my line of march and make reports, thus covering our command by a cloud of scouts and videttes for a long distance in advance .ii<^ to our left. Some of these men rode a distance of more than two hun 'led miles before nuik- irg any report. Still, though in a circle of scouts, keeping from five to twenty miles in advance, and taking advantage of the high buttes to sur- vey the country carefully with held glasses or telescopes, we discovered no sign of the hostile Nez Perces. I did not hear from one of my guides. (Jeorge Johnson, a brave, intel- ligent man, and afterward learned that he had met with misfortune. Going down a stream known as Squaw Creek, and coming to the bank of the Missouri, he supposed it was the Musselshell, a river which he had crossed many times by fording. Being desirous of reaching what he sup- posed was the other sid^^ of the Musselshell, ho started across. xVs he was a heavy num. and his lnorse was undoubtetily weak, he got out into the whirlpools of the deep ^tt4«J turbuilent Missouri, and was carried down the river and drowned in tli- ■ -wrlM ms waters beforo he could reach either shore. His body and thar of his ia«»rse were found many miles l)olow some weeks afterwai'd. Our band of Indian allies tliat w^re not out as scouts, moved along be- side the column ap[)urontly indiUV^ront and lislloss. yet taking the greatest care of their band of war [)onios. which they w(l in serious cMirnest for the desperate race and possible encounter. TIm^ Liftle Hocky Mountains is a ran^'e some tifty miles in extent, running' northwest and soutlusist. IJeyond the northern pcunt about ten miles is a ran^e known as the Hear's Paw Mountains, with ;• l('\',- (lnid<> connecting the two. My information was tliat the Nez Perces luul taken the course that would brin^^ them throufjfh this pass between tlu' two ranj^es. Instead of j^oing to the west of the Little Kocky Mountains, thou^di I knew the Nez Perces to be in that di- rection, T nuirched alon^ the base of the nu)untains on the east side, there- by <'oncealin ^ /?"* 1.0 I.I Ui|2j8 |25 ut IM 122 L£ 12.0 lU lit lll< 11.25 % ^ f rV^^.:^ '>IV-** Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STtECT WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO (716)872-4503 ^ I I \ 268 PERSONAL HKCOLLECTIONS OF the loins, which was his only clothin*? f xrept a pair of buckskin nioccaHins. Springinj^ upon their war ponies, with rifle in hand, they looked like game champions prepared for the fray, or ideal picturesque warriors arrayed for the fight. They appeared to be perfectly wild with delight, and a.s unlike what they had seemed twenty minutes before as two scenes of a drama. Similar spirit was manifested along the entire body of troops. "The Nez Perces over the divide," was the word that was passed (juickly in low tones from mouth to mouth along thf; entire column. The command im- mediately took a trot, with an occasional (tauter, where the ground would admit of it, over the rolling prairie and tliegrass-(;overed valleys. As they moved rapidly forward on their spirited horses they all realized the des- perate nature of the encounter to which thr-y were moving, and yet a more light-hfsirted, resolute; body of men never moved over any field. An occa- sional laugh, a liap|)y witticism, and rauiant smiles were heard and seen along the lines, and one officer romphicently rodf; into action humming tlu! air ■• \V liJit Shall the Harvest be ?"— the melody of the song timed to the footl'jills of his galloping steed. Ifouudiug the nortlu^ast bas(! of the IJeai's I'aw Mountains, the distaucte that was supj»o>ed to be a few niih'S. |)i(»V('(l to he eight, iind the disp(».sition of the troops was made while tlicy wer(; }i,t a trr)f or inpid walk, and the pace (|iii('ken(,'d as they neared the camp to a gallo|» jind charge. Orders were sent by .Assistant .\d jutaiit-(Jeneral Baird of my staff to ('}i|»t;iiii Tyler's command (tlicScc(»nd Ciivalryj, tr) sweep around to the left and then down the valley, and cut off. if possilde. tlu; heni of stock from the camp, in order, to use a familiar term, "to set the Indians afoot." The Seventh Cnvalry was thrown in line of battle while moving at a gallop, ^he commanding officer, Captjiin Hale riding in adviuice. He juesented an ideal [)icture of the cnvalry officer. He whs splendidly moinited (ui a spirited gniy horse, and wore a jaunty hat and u light cavalry short cojit, wliih; his whole uniform aiitl e(|uipment were in perfect order. Inspiring his followers to courage by his own example, with a smile upon his handMuue face, hed;ished forward to the cruel death awaiting him. The battalion of the Fifth Infiintry. under Taptain Snyder, was deployed in the same nuinner, a little in the rear of the Seventh Cavalry at first, and finally extending the line to the left, charging directly upon the camp; while the battalion of the Second Cavalry was sweeping the valley of the vast herd of fuglit hundred horses, mules and ponies there grazing. This gallop forward, preceding the charge, was one of the most brilliant and inspiring sights T ever witnessed on any field. It was the crowning glory of our twelve day.s' forced marching. r i ff to ' loft from The . ^he idoal itod hilo his f [nine III () HUT, t)io tho (1 the Issc'd ing. In ' /, I CO z < o z o '7) 4 GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 271 CHAPTER XXI. The Siege and The Surrender. The Attack — Hurprisb of the Nez Percys — Death of Hale and Biddle — Escape of White Bird — Laying Sieqe to the Indian Gamp — Preoaiitionh Against a Counter Siege — A Capture and an Exchange — A False Alarm — The Surrender — Back to the Missouri — Meeting Sturoih' Command — Carrying the Wounded and Burying the Dead — Appearance of the Command on the March — Conduct of the Indian Allies and Their Reward — Their Endurance — Return to the Cantonment — Final Disposition of the Indians. HE Nez Perces were quietly slumbering in their tents, evidently without a thought of danger, as they had sent out scouts the day before to see if there were any troops in the vicinity, and the scouts had reported "none discovered," but that they had seen vast herds of buffaloes, deer, elk and antelopes quietly graz- ing on the prairie undisturbed, and no enemy in sight. When the charge was made, the spirited horses of the Seventh Cavalry carried that battalion a little more rapidly over the plains than the Indian ponies- of the mounted infantry, and it was expected to first strike the enemy with the Seventh Cavalry. The tramp of at least six hundred horses over the prairie fairly shook the ground, and, although a complete surprise to the Indians in the main, it must have given them a few minutes' notice, for as the troops charged against the village the In- dians opened a hot lire upon them. This momentarily checked the ad- vance of the Seventh Cavalry, which fell back, but only for a short distance and quickly rallied again and charged forward at a gallop, driving that portion of the camp of the Indians before it. At the same time the battalion of the Fifth Infantry under Captain Snyder charged forward up to the very edge of the valley in which the Indian camp was located, threw themselves upon the ground, holding the lariats of their ponies in their left hands, and opened a deadly fir with their long range rifles upon the enemy with telling effect. The tactics were somewhat in Indian fashion, and most effective, as they '^resented a small target when lying or kneeling upon the ground, and their ponies were so accustomed to the din and noise of the Indian camp, 272 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF the buffalo chase and the Indian habits generally, that they stood quietly behind their riders, many of them putting their heads down to nibble the green grass upon which they were standing. During the desperate light the horses and ponies were of course exposed, and the infantrymen had become so attached to their strong and handsome ponies that when one was shot, it was a real bereavement to his owner; and in more than one case it was noticed that tears filled the eyes of the soldier as his favorite pony fell dead. Sergeant McHugh had galloped forward with his Hotchkiss breech- loading gun, keeping in line with the mounted infantry, and had gone into action, throwing shells into the camp with decided effect. The infantry swept around to the left to enclose that portion of the camp and force the Indians into a deep ravine. The battalion of the Second Cavalry had stampeded nearly every animal in the valley, and portions of that com- mand were used immediately in circling the camp, in order to enclose it. As I passed completely around the Indians over the ground occupied by the mounted infantry and the Second Cavalry, to the line occupied by the Seventh Cavalry, I was shocked to see the lifeless body of that accomplished officer and thorough gen- tleman. Hale, lying upon the crest of a little knoll, with his white charger dead beside him. A little further on was the body of the young and spirited Biddle. Captains Moylan and Godfrey were badly wounded; and in fact a great part of the line encircling the camp was dotted with dead and wounded soldiers and horses. The loss of the Nez Perces was even more severe. The fight had been sudden, rapid, and most desperate on both sides. From what was at fii'st a wide circle the troops gradually closed their lines, forcing the Indians into a narrow ravine, and charging them on all sides until the grip of iron had been com- pleted. In this way the losses on both sides had been serious considering the number engaged. Captain Carter in one charge had thirty-five per cent, of his men placed hors lie combat, but I felt positive we had secured the beleaguered Indians in their camp beyond the possibility of escape. I did not, therefore, order a gen- eral assault, as I knew it must result in the loss of many valuable lives and possibly might end in a massacre. So I directed the men to hold their C \PTAix Hale. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 273 ground, and then, from a high point, watched the fight going on farther down the valley. As the cavalry charged the camp, a few of the warriors, including White Bird, ran out and secured their horses and fled to the hills. As the bat- talion of the Second Cavalry swept down the valley they became somewhat separated; Captain Tyler captured some three hundred of the ponies; Lieutenant Jerome, another large bunch; and Lieutenant McClernand, who had swept on still further, finally secured upward of three hundred more some three or four miles down the valley. In moving them back, the small number of Indians who had escaped undertook to rescue the animals, and made several counter attacks, which were all successfully repelled by the brave and judicious acts of McClernand and his men. The ponies were, finally, all gathered up in a secluded valley in the rear of the command, and proved to be eight hundred in number. That afternoon our train came up under the escort of Captain Brother- ton, and this escort, together with the Napoleon gun, was used in strength- ening the line then encircling the Indian camp, making escape doubly dif- ficult. As a result of this desperate encounter I found that the two officers be- fore mentioned and twenty soldiers had been killed. My acting Assistant Adjutant-General George W. Baird. while carrying orders and inspiring the command with his own bravery, was severely wounded, his right arm being broken and part of one ear shot away. Lieutenant Romeyn was injured while leading a charge. Besides, Captains Moylan and Godfrey together with thii-ty-eight soldiers were wounded. The Indians occupied a crescent-shaped ravine, and it was apparent that their position could only be forced by a charge or a siege. The first could not be accomplished without too great a sacrifice, while the latter in my judgment would be almost sure to result satisfactorily. My one concern then was whether the Sioux Indians whom I knew to be encamped under Sitting Bull norti' of the Canadian boundary line, some fifty miles distant, and to whom the few Indians who had been able to escape from the village had fled, might not come to the assistance of the Nez Percys. During the last eight months numbers of disaffected Indians that had been driven out of the valley of the Yellowstone and its tributaries had sought refuge on Canadian soil and joined the large camp of Sitting Bull, thus greatly in- creasing his force. I afterward learned, however, that when the Nez Perces messengers reached the Camp of Sitting Bull, instead of coming to the assistance of the besieged, the whole camp, numbering between one and ^ ii I. ' I- I ' li 274 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF two thousand Indians, who evidently had not forgotten their experiences during the autumn and winter, immediately moved forty miles farther back into the interior of the Canadian territory. Still, as I did not know this fact until several weeks later, I was bound to make provision to meet this large body of Indians should they advance to the assistance of the Nez Percys. I, therefore, desired that the military authorities should have some in- timation of my position, and to that end sent word to General Terry, com- manding the department, who was then at Fort Benton, nearly a hundred miles to the west, apprising him of our movements and success. I also sent orders to Colonel Sturgis to move up and join us without delay. He was then a hundred miles to the south and separated from us by the Mis- souri River. I likewise informed General Howard of our position. As we were besieging this camp of Indians and holding their large herd of stock in the valley, with our large number of wounded to be cared for, I did not relish the idea of being besieged in our turn by the hostile Sioux, and therefore took every possible precaution to meet such an emergency. We had no interpreters w iio could talk the Nez Perce language well enough to be of any use, but some of the scouts could speak Chinook, and they called out to the Indians to surrender. Joseph came up under a flag of truce, and from him we learned that the principal chief, Looking Glass, and four other chiefs, had been killed, besides a large number of others killed and wounded. Joseph was informed that they must surrender by bringing up their arms and laying them on the ground. They pretended to do so and brought up a few, which amounted to nothing ; but hesitated greatly about surrendering the remainder. While this was going on I directed Lieutenant Jerome to ascertain what the Indians were doing in the village, supposing that he would go to the edge of the bluff and look down into the camp. Misunderstanding ray instructions, he went down into the ravine, whereupon he was seized and held until he was exchanged for Chief Joseph. It continued to snow during the day, yet the siege was kept up con- tinuously, with a sharp lookout for any force that might come to the assistance of the Nez Perces. On the morning of the third day of the siege the ground was well covered with snow, and the scouts reported a large body of black objects on the distant hills, moving in our direction. This occa- sioned much excitement among the troops, and every eye was turned to the north, from whence it was feared that Sitting Bull's hostile Sioux and pos- sibly the Assinneboins and Gros Ventres, both of whom were known to be ,:lt GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 275 cou- Do the siege ebody occa- tothe pos- to be to the north of us, might be coming to the assistance of the Nez Percys. In fact at one time it was reported that the moving column was a large body of Indians. Every officer's field glass was turned in that direction, and as the long, dark column moved through the mist of the light snow, slowly developing its strength of numbers but not revealing its charac- ter, making its way toward us over the distant hills and rolling prairie, I am sure that I watched it with very great anxiety. Considering our condition, with the large herd of captured stock we were holding, and the hostile camp we were besieging, such a formidable reinforcement would of course be a very serious matter, and the thought ran quickly through my mind as to what would be the best disposition to make of the troops in order to hold what we had gained and repel any effort, no mat- ter how strong, to rescue the besieged or overcome our small but very efficient force. I concluded that we could use our artillery and quite a large portion of our troops against any additional enemy and still hold the fruits of the victory already gained. As the mysterious and apparently for- midable force drew nearer and nearer, some of the scouts on the extreme outpost shouted " buffalo ! " and it was a most gratifying cry. The relief occasioned by this announcement was like that afforded to the mariner by the appearance of a beacon light, or like sunlight bursting through the dark and angry clouds of a storm. The snow and cold caused great suffering to our wounded, although they were made as comfortable as possible, and while the siege continued, detachments were sent some five miles distant up into the Bear's Paw mountains to get poles with which to make travois and stretchers, know- ing that the wounded must soon be transported to the nearest hospital. On the evening of the 4th of January, General Howard came up with an escort of twelve men, and, remaining in our camp over night, was present next morning at the surrender of Chief Joseph and the entire Indian camp. As Chief Joseph was about to hand his rifle to me he raised his eyes to- ward the sun which then stood at about ten o'clock, and said, ''From where the sun now stands, I fight no more against the white man." From that time to this he has kept his word. Those who surrendered with Chief Joseph and tliose taken outside the camp numbered more than four hun- dred. There were killed twenty-six in all, and forty-six were wounded. The work of securing the arms of the Indians, burying the dead, and preparing the wounded for their long journey occupied the entire remain- der of the da3% and on the following morning we commenced our slow and dif- ficult march back to the ]\Tissouri River, a distance of al)out sixty-five miles. ! I '• i 276 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OP During the siege Lieutenant Maus had been sent north with a detach- ment to, if possible, overtake White Bird and any other Indian that had been able to escape. In this he was to some extent successful, and brought back several. He also brought back the information that when the Indians who had escaped reached the Assinneboin camp, the friendly Assinneboins, instead of coming to the assistance of their beleaguered brethren, killed the two Nez Perces and left their bodies on the prairie. On our return march, we met Colonel Sturgis' command coming in our < ,. ■ Aftkr the Battle. direction. Their services were not required and they were turned back toward the Missouri River. Several of our wounded died on the way before reaching the Missouri and had to be buried beside the trail. We did the same for the Indian wounded who expired along the way. The exquisite satisfaction that is the result of a complete and valuable victory, thrills the heart of the sol- dier and fills him with the most delightful sensations that man can enjoy but is changed to the deepest gloom as he witnesses the terrible sacrifices GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 277 detach- lad been brought Indians leboins, \, killed g in our id back lissouri Indian that is the sol- Q enjoy orifices of his comrades, far away in a weird and lonely land, skirting along the base of cold and cheerless mountains. Far from his loved ones, far from home, the wounded soldier, enduring while he lives intense pain, finally offers up his precious life as a sacrifice to duty and to his country. Equally melancholy were the scenes around the burial place of some Indian war- rior who had been considered a pillar of his tribe and his race, the entire Indian camp enumerating his virtues, praising his prowess, chanting his requiem and bewailing his loss. On reaching the Missouri River as many of the wounded as possible were sent down on the steamer that had brought up an abundance of sup- plies for all the commands in response to my despatches sent on the night of September 17. Crossing the Missouri the march was continued for several days over the trail we had made in coming up, until we reached the Yellowstone. As the force moved across the rolling prairie it appeared like a great caravan. There were three battalions of well-equipped, hardy, resolute soldiers, with artillery, besides upward of four hundred prisoners; and on the opposite flank, some distance away, were driven over six hun- dred of the captured stock, while in the rear were the travois and ambu- lances, bearing the wounded, followed by the pack-trains and wagon trains, and all covered by advance guards, flankers, and rear guards. At the cantonment, now Fort Keogh, on the south bank of the Yellow- stone, the news of our movements and successes had preceded us by several days. As soon as the Nez Perces had surrendered, I called up the chiefs of our friendly Cheyennes and Sioux and complimented them on their loyalty and courage. They were thirty in number, under the command of Hump, White Bull and Brave Wolf. I have previously mentioned their transfor- mation from listless flankers to a spirited and brave advance guard as we approached the enemy, and they had throughout the engagement rendered the most valuable services. On their swift ponies they had dashed down the valley and aided the soldiers in stampeding the Nez Perc6 herd, chas- ing them and rounding them up at convenient points, and had then re- turned to the left of the line encircling the camp where the most des- perate fighting was going on. Hump killed two Nez Perces with his own hands, and was severely wounded himself. They maintained their posi- tion with remarkable fortitude and discharged all the duties required of them during the five days siege. At its close I directed the officer in charge of the Nez Perc6 herd to give each of them five ponies as a reward for their gallant service. In selecting these one hundred and fifty animals it is fair to presume that they did not choose any of the second class. 278 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF l! As an illuHtration of their endurance when in full strength and good condition for the field or the chase, it may be said that these Indians with their wounded (Hump being shot through the body and another Indian, White Wolf, having part of his skull carried away so that the surgeon look- ing into the wound could see a portion of his brain) and their captured herd of horses, made a rapid march of nearly two hundred miles, swimming both the Missouri and the Yellowstone, and arrived at the cantonment some four days in advance of the command. The arrival of this body of Indians at the cantonment under the cir- cumstances created the greatest consternation in the families of the oflicers and soldiers and among the other people who had remained at the garrison. They came in shouting and crying the results of their prowess and their victory. They were painted in gorgeous colors to indicate their rejoicing. And yet, as they were several hours in advance of the interpre- ter, it was impossible for them to make known to the anxious assembly that gathered about them, the results of the battle. It was only known by their having the Nez Perc6 stock that they had been in an engage- ment. They made signs that two of the officers w^ere dead and several wounded, and they also made signs that the big chief was all right, to the great delight of my wife and little daughter, yet for several hours the other officers' families were in great distress and full of anxiety to learn what two officers had been killed, and it was not until three or four hours later when the interpreter, John Brughier, arrived, that they could be in- formed. Although a good rider, Brughier had not been able to keep up with the pace of the Indians. When he did arrive he announced that the two officers were the two bachelors. Hale and Biddle, and also gave the names of the others who had been killed and wounded. There were then three days of anxious waiting for the returning command. On the fourth day it made its appearance on the high bluffs to the west, slowly approaching the edge of the mesa and descending along the wind- ing trail down to the ferry which crossed the Yellowstone at the point where twenty-seven days before it had climbed the steep in the darkness of the night and the gray of the morning of September 18. The families of the officers and soldiers and all the other people at the garrison, includ- ing the band of the Fifth Infantry, citizens and Indians, lined the bank of the Yellowstone; and as some of the principal officers, including myself together with Chief Joseph and one or two of the principal Indians, stepped into the boat, and it moved from the northern shore, the band struck up " Hail to the Chief," and then as we neared the other shore, it OENEHAL NKL80N A. MILES. 279 id good iH with Indian, )n look- ed herd ng both ne four :he cir- of the at the prowess be their iterpre- isembly known engage- several , to the urs the learn hours be in- eep up lat the ,ve the e then |e west, wind- point irkness ^milies includ- bank lyself idians, band lore, it suddenly changed to " 0, no! no! not for Joseph," which it played for a short time, and then went back to the former stmin. The Nez Perco Indians were given a comfortable camp on the right bank of the Yellowstone, and it was my purpose to keep them there dur- ing the winter and send them back ♦o Idaho in the spring. They were a very bright and energetic body of Indians; indeed the most intelligent that I have ever seen. Exceedingly self-reliant, each individual man seemed to be able to do his own thinking, and to be purely democratic and inde- pendent in his ideas and purposes. It was my opinion that if they were justly treated they could be made a loyal and useful people. They remained in that place for ten days or two weeks, when I received an order from the higher au- thorities to send them down the river to Bis- marck, Dakota. They were therefore placed in boats and sent down the Yellowstone to its junction with the Missouri, thence down the Missouri to Bismarck. In passing the Mandan agency on this journey, a sin- "TiioHK iNDiASH Ahk Bao." galnY Incidcut occurred. The officer in charge stopped at that agency for two hours to get some supplies he required, and during that time the Nez Perces had great curiosity to see the Mandans; and the Mandans in their turn, had heard much about the Nez Perces, and were equally anxious to see these people of a different tnl)e, from a distant part of the country, and yet of the same race. Among the Nez Perces was an old Indian nearly seventy years of age, who had been named "George Washington." possibly on the presumption that he and the Father of his Country possessed at 5 iV Mr ! n i| 11 ''&;il< J ; i 280 PEKSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF least one characteristic in common, and if so, in this instance he certainly maintained that reputation. After leaving the Mandan agency and con- tinuing down the river, this old man said to the ofKcer in charge, "Those Mandans back there are bad Indians." The officer asked him why, and he replied, "Because they stole two Nez Perce blankets." Now, in their tre- mendous march of nearly a thousand miles, together with the severe engagements in which they had taken part, the Nez Perces had lost nearly everything. Therefore the officer could not help thinking how much they needed tiie blankets in the appr^>aching cold winter, and accordingly ex- pressed much sympathy, though of course it was impossible to turn back up the stream to recover them. Finally, after giving his strong condem- nation of the theft it occurred to him to ask George Washington if the Nez Perces had taken anything belonging to the Mandans. "0, yes," he responded, "we got away with four buffalo robes." So it seems the Man- dans were not the only l)ad Indians, according to his own standard. From Bisnuirck they were ordered to be sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where they remained during the winter, and in the spring they were sent to the Indian Territory. They remained there for a few years, and the low malarial district and climate in which they lived caused sad havoc in their ranks. In a short time they had lost nearly fifty per cent, of their number by death. I frequently and persistently for seven long years urged that they ])e sent home to their own country, but not until 1SS4, when I was in command of the Department of the Columbia, did 1 succeed in having them returned west of the mountains to near their own country, where they have remained at peace ever since. >> he \ GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 283 CHAPTER XXII. A Viair TO Custer's Last Battlbpibld. A Season OF Quiet — The Crow Inoian Camp — An Indian Field Day — Colors and DisomsRs OF THK Indian Warrior and Hunter — An Indian Sham Battle — Journey to the CiHTER Battleground — Indian Explanation of the Fight — Nature of the Ground and the Disposition and Movements of Custer's Command — Why the Battle Was Lost. ^%, , S the Sioux Indians had now, during the spring of 1878, been cleared out of that vast country in which they had so long been accustomed to roam, I took advantage of the period of peace and quiet and organized a small expedition to move up the Yellowstone from the cantonment, or Fort Keogh (as it will hereafter be called), to the mouth of the Big Horn. I had with me several officers and one troop of cavalry as an escort. At the junction of the Big Horn and Yellowstone we found a very large camp of Crow Indians. In fact the whole Crow tribe had gathered there, some seven hundred lodges, numbering thirty-five hundred people. The Crows were very rich in horses; it was estimated that at that time they had some fifteen thousand. They had been from time immemorial bitter enemies of the Dakota Indians. These ancient antag- onists had constantly raided each other's territory, had stolen horses, and had committed depredations upon each other whenever possible. The Dakotas, however, had always had the greater advantage in superior num- bers and fighting qualities, and in the course of years they had driven the Crows back into the recesses of the Rocky mountains as their only safe re- treat. Having heard of the successes of our troops during the winter and spring campaigns, the Crows were overjoyed that their hereditary enemy had been driven out of the country or forced to surrender to the United States authorities. They looked upon a^iy one who could conquer the Sioux with a feeling of awe and profound reverence, and learning that we were about to pass near their camp, they desired to celebrate with bar- baric splendor our victory over the Sioux and our presence with them. Having solicited our permission for the display, they informed me that it would be necessary that at least three days should be given to preparing t "« 284 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF I their camp to properly receive us and pay the homage they desired to render. As we were moving leisurely up the Yellowstone, going by easy marches and enjoying the beautiful scenery, it was quite practicable to comply with their wishes. The country was covered with an abundance of rich green verdure, the trees were in full foliage and the wild flowers and birds were numerous; we, therefore, decided to camp on the banks of the Yellowstone where we could enjoy excellent fishing and bathing, and at the same time accept the hospitality of the Crows and witness a/e^e given according to their ideas of magnificence. During these three days they sent out into the hills and adjacent country for their best - war horses, and much of the time was .. . - r-^.;^ spent in decorating themselves and their horses with all the splendor that savage -'- ■ ingenuity could sug- ^"'"'^^' ^''''' ^'^• gest. Tn the afternoon of the third day the officers were invited to take position near the center of the camp and witness the imposing ceremony, which commenced by the assembling of all the principal warriors on a great plain between the camp and the distant bluffs. They were fully up to expectations in the most gorgeous equipments that it was possible for them to display, and being a rich tribe their blankets, feather, shell, porcupine and bead-work, were of the most extravagant order. At a signal given by firing a rifle, the whole body of warriors shouted and moved forward, following their leader in columns of twos with fair military precision toward the end of the camp, thence toward the center and passing out at the opposite end. As they passed through the camp GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 286 the horses were careering and prancing, and the men were shouting, sing- ing war songs and firing their rifles in the air. It was a wild and pictur- esque scene, and as they passed in review before the head chief, Blac'j Foot and myself, we were saluted with every mark of respect. In all my experience with Indians I have never seen such a display of decorations. The men were painted, and ornamented with the most bril- liant feather-work. Their eagle headdresses were waving in the air. Bear-claw necklaces hung about their necks and scalp locks adorned their spears. Their war jackets were bespangler' with glittering pieces of flash- ing silver, elk teeth and mother-of-pearl, and one of the singular features of the display consisted in the fact that in the whole number there were no two Indians decked alike. They did not copy or duplicate, and all their work was of original design. The colors were of the strongest and most durable character. Many of the war jackets could hardly have been pur- chased at any price, each one being the result of almost the work of a life- time. The eagle feathers, the porcupine work, the bear-claw necklaces and the scalp locks of their enemies, were evidences of their wealth as well as their prowess in war and the chase. Their ponies were painted with ingenious and curious characters, and bedecked with hawk's feathers and horsehair ornaments even to the very tips of their ears. There was also a display of their ingenuity in disguises, which was most remarkable. I noticed a man passing along not more than two hun- dred yards away, distinctly outlined against a background of blue-green sage brush. As he came nearer, to my surprise there came into view, rid- ing by his side, a companion with scarcely a particle of clothing, his entire person, face, body, arms and hair, as well as the whole body of his horse, being painted exactly the color of the sage brush. This was done evi- dently to show his skill as a hunter in disguising himself and his horse, and his artistic talent in the use of their native colors and paints. Many similar disguises of hofse and rider were exhibited and there was no hyp- notism, but genuine, ingenious and artistic deception. As the procession moved on it evidently excited the admiration and pride of the entire Indian camp, as well as gratified the curiosity of the oflBcers and soldiers who beheld it. I thought at the time how unfortunate it was that there was not present some photographer or artist who could have given us an exact photograph of the scene or have placed it upon enduring canvas. Going on to the end of their camp, they turned and again moved out on the prairie, where they separated into two large bodies, which took position 286 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF I ' I about a thousand yards apart and facing each other. Then, at a given signal from the chief, th*?y both dashed forward in sham battle, giving one of the most perfect portrayals of a real combat I have ever witnessed. Discharging their rifles in the air with great rapidity and skill, they went through various evolutions of an Indian battle with wonderful rapidity and spirit. Some pretended to be thrown from their horses and were picked up from the ground by their comrades and carried away; othei*s personated the wounded and dead. The sham combat lasted for probably half an hour and was of absorbing interest to the lookers on. Later we talked with Curley, a young Crow warrior, who had been with Custer's command up to the opening of his last battle, and was the only one who escaped. All that could be learned from him was that he left very early in the fight, and he evidently knew nothing of the details of the engagement. From this camp we moved on up the Big Horn to th°> junction of that stream with the Little Big Horn, where the military post of Fort Custer is now located; thence up the valley of the Little Big Horn to the scene of the Custer massacre. Here we camped for several days and made a full examination of the ground. To assist in this we had arranged to be joined here by twenty-five of the most prominent of the Sioux and Cheyenne warriors who had surrendered to us in the month of February, 1877, accompanied by an oflRcer in charge. They had become thoroughly recon- ciled to their new mode of life, and were evidently quite determined to remain loyal to the government and entirely peaceable. Some of them had rendered good service in the capture of Lame Deer's camp, and they were all animated by a feeling of strong confidence, so that they talked freely as to their past history, and were willing to give us all the information they could about that most important event of their lives, the battle that had occurred on this ground just two years before. The engagement and massacre had occurred in June, 1876, and we were now encamped there in June, 1878, for the purpose of going carefully over the entire field. The Indians who went over the ground with me explained the fight in this way. They stated that when the alarm was given it was understood that the troops were attacking the upper end of the village. This was the attack by Reno's command. Then the warriors rushed for their arms and ran out on the plains to secure their war horses. After mounting they assembled out on the mesa, some five hundred yards from the Little Big Horn. The Indians in the upper end of the village, and the first in engaging Reno's troops, were chiefly Uncpapas and Ogalallas, and they GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 287 state that when the troops left their position and ran out of the shelter of the timber, they pursued them as they would a herd of buffaloes. They pointed out the place a short distance from the timber where they killed the first soldier, who had, as they said, a "large yellow stripe down the side of his trousers." This meant that the fii-st man they killed was a sergeant of the Seventh Cavalry. They then pointed out the places where they had killed others as they were crossing the plain, fording the river, or ascending the bluffs. Just as they had followed Reno's command up the bluffs and into Benteen's command, the alarm was raised that other troops were attacking the center of the village. This was Custer's command, and it was engaging the Minneconjoux and the Sans Arcs. As the Indians tell the story, this was a stand-off fight — give and take. The Uncpapas andOgalallas had mostly crossed the Little Big Horn, and had gone up on the hill, following Reno's com- mand when this alarm was given. Then they left Reno and went to the protection of their camp, moving down on the right bank of the Little Big Horn to do so. The Cheyennes were encamped at the extreme lower end of the village, and did not get up in time to take part in the pursuit of Reno's troops before the report of this attack on the center of the village was received. These did not, therefore, cross the Little Big Horn with the others, but when they returned, moved down on the same side up which they had previously gone, passing through the village to the extreme lower end, and then crossing the stream, they took position on the left of the Minne- conjoux and San Arcs, and attacked the right flank of Custer's command. The Ogalallas and Uncpapas that had moved down on the right bank, as stated, took position on the right of the Minneconjoux. and massed in the low ground near the left of Custer's line, held by Lieutenants Calhoun and Crittenden. Here for some time it was an even contest. It must have lasted at least two hours according to the report of firing heard by the men of Reno's command, and the statements of the Indians. As they say, it was M— 17 ClRLEY. Sol.K SlRVIVOK OF CtsTEB's Last Batti-e. % PERSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF nil even fight until they had massed on the left of Custer's command and made a charge which turned the left of his line. They then swept down from the left to the right, rolling his command up in confusion and de- struction. As the right of the line was reached, those who had not been Ci'stkk's Last Stand. killed let go their horses, and the Cheyennes report that they captured most of these. Many of the horses on the right of the line, including the gray troop, had been killed by the soldiers and their bodies used as a pro- tection from behind which to continue the fight. The Indians say that GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 289 the fight was kept up until all the troops were killed or disabled except about forty men on the extreme right of the line. These, as a last resort, suddenly rose and made a rush toward the timber, skirting the bank of the Little Big Horn, a distance of two hundred yards, approximately. This was evidently a forlorn hope, as the fire was then so hot from all direc- tions that they realized that it was only a question of a short time when they must all be killed if they remainea where they were. The Indians state that as these men rushed toward the timber they ni*st stai*ted in the direction of a small ravine, but as the fire was so hot from the position that the Cheyennes had taken up, they swerved toward the head of a neighboring ravine. But the Indians killed the last one before he reached the timber. The graves of these men to-day confirm this account of that part of the tragedy, and the fact that there were no horses found along this line of bodies indicates that their version of it is correct, and that Custer and his command never went down that ravine. The distance across the valley from the position first occupied by Reno, where Custer undoubtedly expected him to remain, and the position where Custer's command fought, is not more than two miles. In fact one is in plain sight from the other. Rifle shots from one would cross the line of file of the other. In other woi-ds, any enemy between the two commands would have been under the fire of both. Had Reno remained in that posi- tion, it would have enabled Benteen to "come on" and ** be quick" as he had been ordered and as he was doing. It would have brought him into position and into action between the two commands of Custer and Reno. The only difference in the original formation would have been that Reno's and Benteen's commands would have exchanged places, and Benteen's com- mand would have been in the center instead of oil the left. When asked what would have been the result if Reno had not retreated, the Indians frankly said that if he had not run, they would have fled. They were also asked what the consequences would have been if Reno with the seven troops had followed the llncpapas and Ogalallas when they turned and went down to the assistance of the Indians in the village, and they candidly admitted that they would have been between two fires. In other words the battle was lost twice, not by the action of Custer, however, for his command fought gallantly as long as it lasted, and he had given proper and judicious orders to the other commands. It is not expected that five troops could have whipped that body of In- dians, neither is it believed that that body of Indians could have whipped twelve troops of the Seventh Cavalry under Custer's command, or if his ' m i I/: i'l i u m ':}'■ i 1 : 1 1 llf,': ; ■ (' wLtf i '' iaH ; 1 ■ ' 1 290 PKIiSONAI, UKCOfJ.KCTIONS OF orders lisul Immmi properly executed. The luet that after Custer's five tn»ops had heeu aunihilated, the Indians who came hack and enga^Hnl the Heveii troops were repulsed, and that they faih'd to dish)d}^'e these troops, is i)root' that the force was amply stron{jj, if it had (»nly acted in full con- cert. No commanding oflicer can win victories with seven-twelfths of his command remaining out of the engagement when within sound of hisriHe- shois. (Jrouchy did not come up to the "sound of the guns," but Hlucher did; and the historic Waterloo was the result. The distance from where the running Keno halted and ke[)t the seven trooi)s and the reserve ammunition, to the extreme right of Custer's com- nuind was about four miles. A cavalry horse walked tlitit distance in lifty- eight minutes. Ata smart trot or gallop, as a cavalryman goes into action. Hfteen minutes would have brimght the whole comnumd into the engage- ment and the result might have been entirely ditterent. This we proved on that same ground by the actual test of moving our horses over it, and timing them by the watch. As the lips of Custer and those who died with him are forever sealed, and since tlieie w..s no oHicial investigation of a/l f/ir ciirniHsfdnccs that resulted in such a tenible disaster, it is but charity to withhold any severe criticism upon so gallant and distinguished an ollicer with such a brilliant record as he had made in su<*cessfully handling large bodies of troops dur ing the great war. It is one of the saddest and greatest sacrilices that was ever made by lieroic men on any battlefield No man of military knowl- edge in riding over this Held now, and examining the position that Custer quickly took ui)on that crest cominanding the valley, could fail to recog- nize the military ability of that commander; and those graves remain as monuments to the fortitude of mer who stoftd their ground. Custer's body was not mutilated, but he had received a rifle shot through the body and one through the head. The Indians further explained that after the tight was over the I'nc- papas, who. previous to the engagement, had been encamped at the upper end of the village, struck their camp at the advance of Keno's command, and afterward went into camp at the other end of the village, and pitched their tents near the Cheyennes, where they remained for two days. Thus, the impression was given to the troops that afterward went over the field and examined the camp ground, that a larger body of Indians had camped there than was actually the case, or, in other words, there seemed to have been a larger camp than there really was. From such information as [ could obtain from the Indians themselves, the number of their warriors h H Hve I'd the 11 con- of liis is liHe- luclier seven s CCIIU- n lifty- action. pioved it, and sealed, r.s that ■ severe rilliant ps dur- lat AViis kiiowl- C lister » recojjf- nain as le shot Inc- iil)l)er iiuind. )itehed Thus. 18 field amped ned to tion as arriors w •/) I ui z o Q. H a. < o z o > oc H Z < u. z UJ I I- o z H Z O GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 208 did not exceed thirty-Hve hundred. Captain I'hilo Clark, who subHe- quently had charge of the surrendered Indiana, and <;ouid readily talk the Hign language, inveHtigati^d thin matter with great care, inquiring of tho moat intelligent Indians in each band of Sioux and also among the Chey- ennes, Anipahoes, etc., and he considered twenty-six hundred as the maximum number of warriors in that affair. At all events, they greatly outnumbered Custer's command. Yet this has been the case in many Indian engagements. 294 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF CHAPTER XXm. The Bannock Campaign. ClIAXOES WhOI'OUT by PCArK — KaILKOAI) SrnVKYS and TkIvKORAIMI LiXES — ISTERRl'l'TEI) JoL'UNEY TO YkM.OWSToXE PaKK — NeWS OP THE BaS.VOOKS — RlOCil X.VINCI OP THE CAM- PAIGN — The C'kows as Am.ies — The Stealthy Ai'I'uoacii — Attack and ViCTt)HY — Losses — The Keti'kx — An Indian Bukial — Joikxey TO Yem.owstone Pakk Kesi'mki) — The Moixtaix B'>'KALO — SCENKUY OP THE UolTE — A WON- DERLAND — Fourteen Years Later. URTNG the autumn and winter of this year 1H78, active op- ^y orations were still suspended, as the entire country had been cleared for the second time of hostile Indians. The spring had opened early and delightfully. Fort Keogh had now taken the place of the temporary cantonment, and Fort Custer had been built at the junction of the Little Big Horn and the Big Horn Rivers. The valleys of the Yellowstone, the Tongue, the Rosebud, and the Powder Rivers were being rapidly occup' 'd by settlers, and mail routes were being estal)lished. The mails arrived and departed at first once a week and afterward tri- w^Cikly. Kaiir^ad surveys were made for the construction of the North- ern Pacific Railway. Military telegraph lines were established fi'om Fort KetJgh eastward three hundred miles to Bismarck, Dakota, south- east two hundred miles to Deadwood, Dakota, in the Black Hills, and west two hundred and fifty miles to Fort Ellis in Montana, where the line com- municated with others running to the Pacific Coast. In constructing these military lines it was somewhat singular to see soldiers mounted on captured Indian ponies, riding rapidly from point to point, raising telegraph poles, stretching telegraph wires, and thereby opening communication with the outer world. In this progressive work they used the same means of transit the Indians had used in obstructing the onward march of civilization. In the summer of 1878, taking advantage of the period of rest and quiet, I organized an expedition to establish a wagon route and telegraph line west of Fort Keogh, to reconnoitre the country, and also to visit the Yellowstone Park. I selected a command from among the most experienced GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 295 veterans of the Indian Territory and the Northwest campaigns, and then with a strong wagon-train, a well-equipped pack-train, and all the appli- ances, camp equipage and field equii)ment necessary, we leisurely moved up the Yellowstone Valley. The party consisted of ten oflicei's, four civil- ians, five ladies, three children, including my family, and one hundred soldiers. We moved up the Yellowstone to the mouth of the liosebud, and thence up that beautiful valley to its head, practically going over the same route that had been followed by Custer's command; thence over the high divide to the Little Big Horn, camping near the ground where the massacre oc- curred, and making a second examination of this, and of the topography of the country and the distance between the dilTerent forces as they were on that day. In this second examination we were also accompanied by some of ti. prominent actors in that tragedy on the side of the hostile Indians. Moving up the Yellowstone was a continuous delight. The country was covered with rich verdure and the trees were in full foliage Game was abundant, and the waters of the upper Yellowstone were filled with delicious trout. The ofiicers rode on horseback, and the ladies and children, occasionally in wagons, but more frequently in the saddle. After ten or twelve days march, as we neared the Yellowstone Park, I received information that the Bannocks, who had gone on the warpath in Idaho, were committing depredations, and were coming through the Yel- lowstone Park, threatening to invade our own territory. Of course this meant devastation to the settlements of our district of country and serious action for ourselves, and I at once prepared to check any such invasion. Sending the non-combatants of our party to the nearest military post, Fort Ellis, a short distance from where Bozeman now stands and im- mediately adjoining the National Park, I started with seventy-five men to make a forced march and occupy the passes of the mountains through which it was natural to suppose the Bannocks would attempt to go on their way east. It had been their hal)it to come through the mountains during the summer season to trade with the Crow Indians or to hunt buf- faloes. There were two passes through which they could travel, one of which was known as the Boulder Pass, a very rough and difficult trail, and the other was Clark's Fork Pass, situated a distance of approximately one hundred and fifteen miles from our starting point. In order to anticipate every possible contingency, it became necessary for me to divide my small force. Believing that they would be less likely to come out through 296 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF I ' '!! the Boulder than through Clark's Fork Pass, I sent Lieutenant Bailey with forty men to occupy the former position, while with the remainder of the men I proceeded to make a forced march to Clark's Fork Pass. J had already sent forward scouts to the Crow agency, urging the Crow Indians to join us in the expedition against the Bannocks. The Crows had always been loyal to the government and friendly to the whites, but as at the same time they had also been friendly with the Bannock Indians, they hesitated about going against them. The importance of arresting any hostile body of Indians liable to commit depredations on other reserva- tions and neighboring settlements was explained to them. They were also offered rations and ammunition and all the stock that they could capture from the Bannocks. In consideration of these inducements, they agreed with the scout that I had sent forward, to go on the arrival of the com- mand. When we did arrive, seeing the small body of thirty-five men march past, they inquired how soon the command would arrive. They were assured that although this was the only command we had, it was composed entirely of experienced Indian fighters, that every man in it was a " medicine " man, and that we needed no greater force than tiiis against the Bannocks. But in spite of all we could say, they decided that they would not go with such a small force, and we told them to remain where they were. The command moved on, and in the course of an hour, two strong and hardy, but desperate -looking Crow warriors rode up and joined us, saying that they were not afraid of anything (their appearance, words and actions seemed to confirm their professions), and that they were going with the command. Their example was followed by others, the bravest first and the most prudent and timid last, until we had been joined by seventy-five Crow warriors. It then appeared more like an Indian expedition than a march of white soldiers. As rapidly as possible we crossed the country, taking the least possible rest, and by forced marches reached the vicinity of Clark's Fork Pass just one day in advance of the Bannocks, Discovering that up to that time there had been no sign of their presence or approach, the command was concealed in a pocket in the mountains, a name given by hunters and trap- pers to a very small park surrounded by high buttes and steep cliffs. The soldiers, Indians, horses, pack-mules, all were kept concealed, and a few scouts only were sent out to occupy the crests of the high buttes, and to use their field glasses or telescopes under the cover of some cedar or pine bush, to discover the first sign of the approach of the hostile Indians. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 297 Occasionally an officer would be detailed to crawl up the heights and examine the country, especially Clark's Fork Pass, with his glass. But he was in- structed never to reveal as much as the top of his head over the crest unless it was covered by some bush or tall grass. On the following morning about eleven o'clock the hostile Bannocks were seen on the top of a mountain, slowly winding their way down the circuitous rocky trail, a distance of ten or twelve miles from us, moving along down Clark's Fork, and going into camp in the valley within six miles of the command. They unsaddled and turned out their horses — quite a large herd — posted their videttes or lookouts on the bluffs immediately adjacent to the camp, built their camp fires, and settled down apparently conHdent of their safety, and utterly unconscious of the strong command concealed in their vicinity. To approach their camp it would be necessary to pass over a level plain two or three miles in extent, and the lookouts or videttes would have discovered the command the moment it debouched from its place of concealment. Having once discovered us, it would be but the work of a moment for the Indians to jumi) upon their horses and escape over the foot-hills and rugged passes of that mountainous region. I, therefore, decided to remain in our place of concealment, from which we watched their camp all that day, and that night we moved slowly down to within two miles of it. At nine o'clock that evening I called the two Indians who had first fol- lowed us from the Crow agency, and told them that I wanted them to crawl up and discover the condition of the Bannock camp. An Indian wrapped in his blanket could crawl up under cover of the darkness and wa^k near a hostile Indian camp without being discovered, whereas a white man would have been immediately recognized. This was especially so as the night was dark and rainy, and the Bannocks were curled up sheltering themselves from the rain and cold, and if the Crow scouts had been seen, wrapped as they were in their blankets, they would very likely have been mistaken for members of the Bannock camp walking about looking out for their horses. The Crow scouts returned between twelve and one o'clock and reported that the Bannock camp was in a very strong position, difficult to approach, with the sage brush as high as a horse's back about it, and that if we at- tempted to take it we would get whipped. The rain had then been pour- ing down in torrents for several hours and the conditions wereanvthingbut cheerful. 298 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF 1 : 1 . i; For this dangerous, hazardous and valuable service, these tw^o men were afterward well rewarded, but they were told at the time that the attack would be made at daybreak and the Crows were expected to assist — at least they were expected to capture the herd of horses — and they were then directed to guide us to the hostile camp. Slowly and noiselessly the command moved in the direction in which the camp was sup- posed to be, stopping to listen in the dark, and occa- sionally making long waits for some ray of light or ;y other sign to direct them. AVhen we had moved to a distance that we believed would place us very near the camp, we halted and waited until about four o'clock, as we were not sure of its exact location or di- rection. Fortunately a dim light suddenly ap- peared on our left, about five hundred yards dis- tant, indicating the exact locality of tne camp, and that we had almost passed it. The troops were formed in skirmish line and the center directed to guide on this light, which was evidently caused by some one just starting a fire for the morning, and as good a line as could be arranged in the dark was made. The Crows were told to take position on the right of the line. The troops moved slowly and cautiously in the direction of the light, pass- ing through the grazing herd of horses and ponies. A halt was occasion- ally made in order to wait until the troops could see a short distance, and it was noticed that as we passed through the herd, the Crow warriors began to quietly move off some of the Bannock horses, and instead of remaining on the right of the troops where they had been placed, they gradually worked to the left, and as they did so drove the herd to the rear. As day broke the troops were able to see, and moved forward until they got within a hundred yards of the camp before opening fire. \^ 'ii.=:-^v Indians Watching the Enemy's Camp. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 299 men were le attack .ssist — at hey were Ale camp, id moved was sup- pping to and occa- mg waits i light or direct 1 we had ance that >uld place he camjj, d waited ir o'clock, >t sure of ion or di- Linately a ienly ap- eft, about ards dis- \ almost rected to starting the dark the line. :ht, pass- 3Ccasion- bnce, and )rs began maining radually As day )t within The Indians were taken completely by surprise. Some of them jumped into the river and swam to the other side. Eleven of the warriors were killed and the remainder surrendered. The tight lasted but a short time and was ended by six o'clock in the morning. Before the affair was over there was scarcely a Crow Indian, and not a single Bannock horse, to be seen in the valley. While the Crows had been useful on account of their formidable numl)ers,the principal objectof their attention wds the herd of captured horses. Some of them did not stop until they had reached the agency, a distance of seventy-hve miles, where they arrived about one o'clock in the afternoon. Others left their cap- tured stock in the hands of their friends four or five miles back in the foot-hills, and returned to the assistance of the troops. They did good service, especially in calling out to the Bannocks to surrender, and also in capturing a small party that came into the valley later and were evidently following the main camp with a band of stolen horses one day behind. I had sent the interpreter, named Rock, on in advance of the comir: J from the Crow agency as we marched out to go up to Clark's Fork to see what he could find out about the enemy. He could speak both Crow and Bannock. When he had gone over the pass and into the park, he met the Bannocks m the other < ' ' side of Clark's Fork Pass coming out. After leaving them he passed on as if journeying in the same direction from whence they had come until he had gone a safe distance away, and then circled around, returned, and re- ported to me the night before the attack. He was a good man, and, I am sorry to say, was killed in the fight. The affair was a very disastrous one to the Indians, eleven of their number being killed and many wounded, while their entire camp was captured with two hundred and fifty horses. Our loss was small in number, but among the killed was Captain Andrew S. Bennett of the Fifth Infantry, a most accomplished, meritorious and valuable officer. It was a sad sight as his friends gazed upon his dead body which Surgeon Redd had placed against a tree, with the shoulders bare, in order to examine the wound. The bullet Captain BrxxETT. '^•i-l : 300 PEHSONAI RECOLLECTIONS OB' hole was Id the center of his breast, and had evidently caused rnstant death. It seemed hard and strange that this good soldier, who had risked his life on many a hard-fought battleheld, both during the war and on the frontier, must meet his death at last in that wild and rugged region amid the eternal silence of these snow-capped mountains. His body was ten- derly cared for and sent to his relatives in Wisconsin. The command remained l)eside the rapid, clear, trout stream that came down from the mountains, during that day, and in the evening witnessed the burial of one of the Crow warriors who had been killed in the fight and had been a very popular man in the tribe. After his body had been arranged for its final rest and bedecked wdth all the valuables that he had possessed, as well as some belonging to his friends, and his final resting place had been prepared on a high butte standing alone in the valley near the camp, his body was lifted on the shoulders of four of his comrades, who slowly moved up the side of the butte chanting their sorrow in low, mournful tones, while the other Indians bewailed his loss according, to the custom of their people. Sending back the captive Bannocks by a command under Lieutenant from Fort Custer, Mon- ments necessary for my journey tow^ard the Colonel Buell, that had moved up tana, and making all arrange- our dead and wounded, 1 renewed Yellowstone upon an en- tirely different route from that which I had formerly planned. I sent couriers to Lieutenant Bailey's command, and also to the detachment with our wagon-train at Fort Ellis, directing them to move on to the Mammoth Hot Springs in the Nfitional A Park, and there await my arrival. I then took up my line of march, following the back trail of the Bannocks over a high mountain pass most difficult of ascent, yet with surrounding scenery far more ma- jestic and grand than that of the ordinary trail up the Yellowstone Canon which is now the principal route of travel. We followed the circuitous The ^lorNTAiN Biffai-o. I GKNEHAL NKLSON A. MIf.ES. 301 / trail by which the Bannocks had moved out, which was also the same one that Looking (ilass and Chief Joseph had followed with the tribe of Nez Perces the year l)e- fore. It was familiar to a few of the Indians, but originally had been nothing more than a large trail made by the deer, elk and mountain buffalo in going into and out of the park. This latter animal is found in various por- tions of the Rocky ^lountains, especially in the region of the parks. It has been, and more properly, called the ''American bison." The animal bears about the same relation to bis relative, the plains buffalo, as the sturdy mountain pony does to the well- built American horse. His body is lighter, though his legs are shorter and much thicker and stronger than those of the plains animal ; this structure enabling him to perform feats of climbing which would seem alaiost impos- sible to such a huge and appar- ently unwieldy beast. They also differ from the plains species in being excessively shy, inhabiting the darkest, deepest defiles, and high, craggy, almost precipitous sides of the mountains, inaccess- ible to any but the most prac- ticed mountaineers. We ascended the high divide, going close under Pilot and In- dex Peaks, which are covered Ykiiow, stone Fali.s. with perpetual snow, and then descended to the headwaters of what is Hi 1 i 302 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF known as Soda Butte Creek, which enters into the Yellowstone in the National Park near the Mammoth Hot Springs. The scenery along this route was grand in the highest degree. Passing through cedar and pine forests, occasionally coming to an opening or a small, beautiful, natural park with little lakes of crystal water; passing cold springs fed from the perpetual snow on the mountains, thence along up be- side the rapid mountain torrents and beautiful cascades and waterfalls, we gradually descended to what is the park proper or great basin. In fact the Yellowstone Park is merely a great basin of the Rocky mountains, sixty miles square, and containing groups of natural wonders. In six days we had passed over the high divide. One day's march was "Old FAiTHFri, " Geyser in Winter, Yellowstone Park. made on the snow, although it was then only September, and then we de- scended to the valley of the Yellowstone Park, joining the rest of the party and command near what is known as Barrett's Bridge, twelve miles above the Mammoth Hot Springs, and where of necessity our wagons were parked to remain. Hereafter for twelve days we moved with only saddle- horses and pack-mules. During these twelve daj'^s we visited all the natural features of this wonderland. On the second day we ascended Mount Washburn, which stands near the center of the National Park. From the top of this moun- tain there is a splendid view of the great panorama of natural wonders. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 303 You see encircling this enormous basin a great range of snow-capped mountains, two hundred miles in extent, with some of its highest peaks ten thousand feet above the level of the sea. Yonder, far in the distance to the southwest, is the great Yellowstone Lake, twenty-six miles in extent, and believed to be the largest body of water of its altitude on the face of the globe. To the right, but far away, you occasionally seethe geysers in action, but need to be in closer proximity to appreciate their grandeur and beauty. From the lake you see the Yellowstone River winding its way along through forest and park to the great Yellowstone Falls, where it plunges to thecaiion below, not so large a volume of water as, but nearly two hundred feet higher than, the Falls of Niagara. From there it has cut its course down through the Great Canon of the Yellowstone a distance of twenty miles, past the Mammoth Springs, until it finally disappears through the main entrance to the park. As you descend Mount Washburn and go on past these falls of the Yellowstone, thence across the course of the Yellowstone Kiver and Yel- lowstone Lake, and then on to the geyser basin, you have an opportunity to get a better view of these especial wonders. It was the opinion of the best judges in our party, and has been the opinion of many who have visited the geysers in different parts of the world, that all others are in- significant compared with those in the Yellowstone Park. The character and variety of these geysers is most remarkable. For instance Old Faithful, as it is called, is in action with as much regularity as a chronometer once every fifty-eight minutes or, as it is called ** once an hour." This geyser, when not in action, appears like a deep pool of clear boiling water about four feet in diameter, and almost "Bee Hive" Crystallized Geyser, Yellowstone Park. I i\i. I ^1 t I 804 PEHSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF circular. As the acticn commences there will be a burst of water boiling up in the center, followed by another similar action throwing the water a few feet higher, and then another and another, each time reaching a greater elevation, soon rising to twenty or thirty feet, and then con- tinuing gradually to rise until it bursts forth with terrific power, standing a solid body of boiling water one hundred and fifty feet in height, and continuing in this volume and force for twelve or fifteen minutes. Then gradually itdies down until it lesumes its former condition of absolute calm. "Giant" Geyser, Yellowstone Park. The other geysers are each of a different character. For example, the Bee Hive is a large, solid body of carbonate of lime and geyserite that has been thrown out and become crystallized in the form of a beehive. Another of a beautiful, ragged form is named the Grotto, and is one of the most interesting of all, and the Castle is one of the most beautiful. Some are in action every twenty-four hours with reasonable regularity; others once only in six or seven days. There are still others that are as yet undefined as to their action. A^ the time we were there, there Lad r.KNKUAI- NKI.SON A. MII.ES. 305 boiling le water ching a en con- tanding ^ht, and . Then te calm. )le, the ;e that eehive. one of Eiutiful. ilarity; are as re had been no precise record made to determine whether they were in action once a year or whetherthey had any system of regular action. The (Jiant geyser and theiJiante.ss are not far apart, and the former appears to be the grandest of all. throwing a volume of water two hundred feet in height. These groups of g(»ysers and boiling springs of enormous nmgnitude are close by other springs where the water is as cold as ice. The '"paint," '* mud," and " ink " geysers are seen in close proximity. These geysers, with the falls, cailon and snow-capped mountains, form a group of wonders that, taken altogether, excel in beauty and grandeur anything else of the kind on this continent, and perhaps in any part of the world, though entirely different from the glacier regions of Alaska, the (Jrand Canon of the Colo- rado or the Yosemite, to all of which I shall have occasion to refer later. That journey was one of continuous interest, amusement and delight; and we were fortunate in seeing it just as the hand of nature's architect left it, unmarred by the hand of man. for though it is impossible for him to improve it, he might easily injure its beauty and sublimity. The smoke of the cabin or the palace, the rush of the locomotive, or the rumble of the stagecoach could not fail to mar the lofty grandeur and the silent grace and beauty of one of the most fascinating natural scenes on earth. Our marches were usually made in the forenoons, while the afternoons were devoted to enjoying the wonders and places of interest. In the even- ings we gathered around our large camp tires to enjoy the harvest moon and listen to the vocal and instrumental music which alone broke the silence of the Septeml)er nights. The rivers of the valley were alive with speckled trout, the lakes were dotted with beautiful Avater fowls, and in the park was found an abundance of mountain grouse and pheasants, together with deer and other large game, but for the time being we suspended hunting. After enjoying the beauties of nature for twelve days we returned to the Mammoth Hot Springs, where we found our wagons parked and in good condition for our return journey. We then resumed our homeward march down the Yellowstone by easy stages, selecting beautiful camps and enjoying the journey exceedingly, though it was not as eventful as when we were moving out, and we finally returned to Fort Keogh at the mouth of the Tongue River after an absence of two months. Visiting the park again fourteen years later 1 found a railroad, hotels, stagecoaches and other evidences of civilization, Init less of the ideal picture of nature, and what was remarkable, I met more foreign than American tourists. The former appeared to appreciate and enjoy it in the highest degree. M— 18 mi rKKSONAh HKCIJI-LKCTIONS OK II I ir -f CIIAI'TKW XXIV. SlTTlN(J \U\A.. HimCami' in Canada — (Jampakin ok I.iimtknant ('i.\hk — Tiik Hki> lliviou [Iai.k-Mkkkdh — Cam- I'AKiN OK CaI'TAIN lll(i(ilNH — Si'i: A I.I N( J \H A FlNK A liT — ClSTuMH IN Iv KMI'IU T Tn SllMI.INd Kxi'KI»ITInNS — llnW Till: TllKKT IS At'Ci IM I'l.'SII Kl< — N UIKH oK I'l.ACKM ANI» WllV TllKY WkHK (ilVKN — TlIK •' (':ir\TIN(i ( 'i M (H " — Kx I'l.nlT dK SlMKiKANT (il.uVKK— A CiiNi'iMiKNci: WITH Till-: Inhuns — Tin-; '!'i:i,i;(iu vni am> Ti:i,i:i'I1iim: as Ak- i:u uk tiii: ('iiii:rs — Tiik Utk Oitiikimk. UK wiiitfM' of 1S7S 7t) was imcvoiitt'iil. suul tlie ^'urrisoii ^'cther with the commander of the ('anat'*'>M forces, had met him with friendly overtures. Many disalTected Indians from ditter- erent a^'encies had ^M'adually stolen away and joined his (amp across the Canadian boundary, where there was an abundance of bulTaloes and where they could live on the proceeds of the chase. From a snuill ca^np of a tmv hundred lod^^es. his following' had increased to something like two thou- sand Indians. Yet nearly (n'ery rai(linre practically Hritish subjects, living most of the time on Canadian t(MTitory. Th(\v were a very singula)' i)eople in tluMr mode of living. 1'hey had Iarg«* liodies of strong, hardy, but small horses. They lived in tei'.ts. ami theii' princii)al mode of traus])ortatioii was by what was known a. the "lied Ikiver cart." A man with a knife and an ax(> could construct a cart and a harness, as there was not a particle of iron us(mI in either, i^iwhide was occasiomilly u.sed for binding tluMu tog(>tlHM' and sonu'tinu^s in the jilace of tires. The harness was entirely of I'awhide. With this means of transportation they could carry from a thousand to Hfteen hundred i)oun{'s over the prairies :i10 PP:1IS()XAL liKCOLLECTIOXS OF ! ' I . i n and when not heavily loaded the horses could, with these carts, swim any river, the carts having so much dry wood about them that they were very buoyant. This people had been a disturbing element for some time, not only to our people, l)ut to the Canadian authorities as well, and the repulse of their leader, Kiel, marks an imi)ortant event in the history of that territory. They were in close communication with the hostile Sioux under Sitting Bull, and it was reported to me that they were supplying those Indians with ammunition. I, therefore, determined to break up the traffic, and to that end sent out ))odies of troops, surrounded their camps, and gathered them together on one field to the numl)er of over a thousand people, together with their eight hundred carts, herds of horses, tents and other property before mentioned These v.ere all >ent out of the country after being kept for some time, thus breaking up ojie of the means of supply to the camp of Sitting Hull. The command then returned to the valley of the Yellowstone and remained there during that summer, fall and winter, and the small raiding expeditions which went south from Sitting Bull's camp were nearly or quite all captured. The sur- render of one party of their people was followed l)y another, until the camp of the hostile chief grad- ually melted away. ' Captain Huggins. of the Second Cavalry, was very useful and enterprising in this work. He had in early life, wdiile living in Minne- sota Territory, acquired a thorough knowl- edge of the Dakota language. Owing to his qualifications he was frequently sent north in command of a body of troops to bring in bands of the hostile Indians, and being al)le to speak their own language readily with them, he im- pressed them favorably and accomplished excellent work. On March 24. ISSO. T learned that a party of Sioux had raided the Fort Custer military reservation, and had driven away the pony herd of the Crow scouts at that post, and that troops had Ijeen sent fron) Fort Custer in pursuit. I directed Captain Huggins with his troops and some Cheyenne C'K'iw Foot, Sox ok Sittinc; Bii.i,, • :'! GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 311 n any 3 very ily to ■ their jry of ththe to me lition. md to their eld to r with , tents e v.ere )\)t for 3ans of illey of i^ that raiding : Bull's le sur- Uowod f ijrad- avalry. s work. Minne- knowl- y to his north ndians. he ini- he Fort of the Custer leyenue trailers to move rapidly, and if possible intercept the raiders or join in the chase. Captain Hug»,nns left Fort Keogh at daybreak on the 25th, and found the trail next day at a point about seventy-hve miles from Fort Keot^li, and about thirty miles from the ri^ht or south bank of the Yellow- stone. The trail was four days old, very dim, and seemed likeiy to be soon entirely obliterated by frequent storms of rain and snow. However, it was followed, though freciuently lost and with difficulty regained by the expert trailers. It led by a circuitous route through Bad Lands and very difficult ground across the Rosebud. Tongue, and Powder Bivers. tiie Sioux apparently heading for a ford of the Yellowstone near the mouth of O'Fallon Creek or Powder River. Pursuit was vigorously kept up every da;; irom dawn ujitil it was too dark to see the trail, when the pursuers bivouacked besiue some pool of snow >,ater. The troop horses, almost entirely dependent upon grazing, were worked nearly to the limit of their endurance, and some of them had to be abandoned. For four days at least, an average of more than Hfty miles per day was made, much of the ground passed over being very difficult. On the evening of April 1. the Sioux were overtaken on the head of O'Fallon Creek, and were surprised and separated from their ponies. A sharp skirmish followed ; one sergeant being shot through the head and killed, one Indian wounded and five taken prisoners. The remaining Indians occupied a position of great natural strength, from which they escaped on foot in the darkness of that night. The captured Sioux proved to be from the camp of Sitting Bull, near the Dominion line. All the ponies that had been stolen from Fort Custer, about fifty, were recovered. In this expedition Captain Huggins made a complete circuit of Fort Keogh, first going up the Yellowstone about fifty miles, and striking the same stream about fifty miles below^ the post on his return. During the last thirty-six hours of the pursuit, the command lived upon coffee, hard bread and a little meat from buffaloes, whicli i ad been killed by the fleeing Indians, and from \vhich the choice portions had been re^ moved. Many buffaloes were seen, but orders were given not to chase them, for fear of giving the alarm to the Sioux, whose distance in advance was not known. Horse stealing is considered a fine art by the Indians. It is a remark- able thing that they rarely steal from others of their own tribe. They have the utmost confidence in them and are governed in that respect by a sense of honor that amounts to a rigid rule in their unwritten law. For instance, the entrances to their lodges are never fastened, and they have 312 PERSONAI. I{K(X)LLKCTI()NS OF fl' I no iiH^Jins of soniriii}^ tlici?* valuables l»y lock or Itolt. Hut for one Indian loonier the l(»s in tlw^ meantime thc^ whoh^ <'anipmij^lit have passed ovc^r or n<'ar them. It would harbe, ain' one or two lariats tlii'ow n over his shouhh'r or fastened about his waist. If it is in midsummer ev(M'ythin^' worn will be of a, j^n'een color; blaidar". Isnr.w l; \ri)is(; l'\i;i v. steailhily as wolves, they nsnally seilect a tinier when the snow is dr.\ and drift- ing; and the stron<^e»' tin! wind and the 314 i'EIJSONAI^ KKC'OLLECTIONS OF keep the same wutcli on the crests of the mountains for the purpose (»f studying thecampantlthe hahitsof th<' enemy in regard to the care of their stock, and of learnin<^ the topography of the country so as to make their retreat as safe as possible. A dark and windy ni^dit is best for makin«;tl»eir descent upon the camp, and the hour chosen is usually about midni<.,dit, when the unsuspecting; Indians are sound asleep, and when the raiders can best avoid thefj^uard-i if there are any on the h)okout. Then they crawl into camp, unfasten the iiorses if they are tied, move out as many as they can or as many as they want, get the band of animals a short distance from the camp, and then commences their race for life. Of course they know that at the dawn of day when the robbery is discovered, they will be pursued by the fleetest horses remaining in the camp, and in a large camp this is very often a serious consideration, as tlie pursuing party is made up of the ablest and best riders mounted on the finest horses, with fre(|uent relays. The stealing party generally expect to ride two nights and one day without a halt, as otherwise they stand a good chance of being overtaken. In this way 1 have known them to make a circuit of a hundred and fifty or a hundred and seventy-five miles before taking a rest longer than ten or fifteen minutes to change horses. They drive the band before them on a trot or slow gallop with an occasional short walk, until the horses they ride become tired. Then they stop perhaps for ten or fifteen minutes to remount, possibly taking a drink of water or a little dried beef, and then continue their flight. In this way they are constantly on the move for from thirty-six to forty- eight hours; but even after these tremendous rides they are not ahvays successful. The Crow Butte near the Black Hills derives its name from a party of Crow warriors who, while raiding a Sioux camp many years ago, were pursued, and taking refuge upon the top of this high butte were kept there until they were all killed. A small tributary of the Yellowstone near the mouth of the Rosel)ud takes its name from a similar instance. A war party of Crows had been to raid a camp of the Sioux some two hundred and fifty miles away, and after being pursued for a long distance they encountered a severe storm, and not being protected by sufficient clothing were all frozen to death, and the creek is now known by the name of " Froze to Death." These expeditions were frequently occurring between the Sioux and the Crows as far back as we have any knowledge of the two tribes. GKNEKAI. NELSON A. MILES. 815 arty were cept one mice. two ance lent the ring edge While the warriors are away on their horse-.steaiing expeditions their relatives and friends are greatly concerned for their safety. Usually when they return they send one man in advance to apprise the camp of the re- sult. If they have been unsuccessful and have lost some of their warriors, this is a sad mission. On the other hand, if they have been successful it is an occasion of great rejoicing. The messenger generally appears upon a bluff or a high divide and halts for some time until he is satished that his appearance has caused great consternation in the village. He then moves slowly down the divide or side of the butte, approaches the camp, moves along to his own lodge or that of the principal chief, and dismounts. His horse is immediately unsaddled and i)r()perly cared for and he is asked into the lodge of the chief, or into tlie council tent. Food and water are placed before him. and after he has been refreshed possibly a pipe is tilled, lighted and given to him. After being thus feasted, and not before, he announces the result of the expedition. When the band returns driving the herd of stolen horses before them, they are received with ^ great demonstrations, and ? f, regarded as heroes and brave warriors. At night the tires are lighted, and frequently the whole camp gathers about one tire, while the warriors in turn relate the history of their expedition, each giving his individual experience and adventures to atten- tive listeners, and as he talks the other members of the band frequently strike the drum and sig- nify in other ways their endorsement of his state- ments. In this ''counting coos," as it is called, and while relating his adven- tures, he occasionally pauses to say to this one or that 'I make you a present," at the same time handing him a small piece broken off the end /-v*::--?^-^ I Makk Yor A Pkksent." m' I 310 rKI{S()NAL KK(X)M.K(TI()\S OK ir/: f of a stick, vvliich is e(iuiviilent to tiie i)respi]tati()n of one ot" the horses. The next day the fortunate individual takes tlie stick to the corral and selects his pony, horse or mule, or whatever it ina> he. In that way all of tlie stolen i)roi)erty is j^iven away, for it is one chief element in the char- acter of an Indian never to accumulate property, and the most jjopular men are those who give away the most. On one occasion, in February, 18S0, a stealing expedition moved south from Sitting Hull's cami>. crossed the Missouri, then went south, cros.s- ing the Yellowstone, and thence west toward the Tongue and the Kosehud. Getting information of their movements. Sergeant (J lover was sent to intercept them with a detachment of trooi)s. He surprised them in one of their camps, drove them into a ravine, and lield them there until Captain Snyder with his tr()oi)s came up and forced them to surrender. Tiiese Indians and those captured i)y Captain Muggins, were retained as prisoners, and information was sent to their peo- ple that they would he held until their relatives came in and sur- rendered. In answer to this summons a delegation of eight stalwart warriors came in under a flag of truce ^'rom Sitting bull's camp to ascertain u[)on what terms they could surrender. We treated them civilly, and tried in every possible way to impress them with the advisability of laying down their arms. At that time we had made considerable progress in the settle- ment of the country, and had introduced some of the modern appliances. A good-sized village had grown up in close proximity to the post. The telegraph system was in working condition, and we had also established at Fort Keogh a telephone system. In this conference the superior advantages that the white man had over the Indian was explained to them, and reference was made to an electric telegraph line by which w'e could talk instantly with the Great Father at Washington. This they did not believe at first, and it was difficult to convince them. As it was impossible to explain to them something that we did not ourselves know — that is, what electricity really consists of — we informed them that the (Jreat Spirit had loaned to the white man the use of the lightning. They had seen the lightning and knew^ something of its effects. We therefore had the telegraph office made dark by hang- ing blankets over the windows, and seating the Indians at the table asked them to watch results. The telegraph key was closed and opened, and they could see the electric spark flash from one contact-poiat to the other as the instrument was worked. That was as near as wc could come GKNKKAr, XKI.SON A. MILKS. 31 to iiiiildnj; tijem understand tlio elpctric force. They then admitted tluit this excelled all tiie medicine of all the Sioux. In order to still further impress them \v ith the power possessed hy the white num, their i)arty was divided. an(i one i)ortion remained in the room of the telejj;raph o^terator at head(|uarters. while the other was taken a di.stance of nearly one-eif^hth of a mile to the house of the commanding otticer, and then the telephone was put in operation. We succeeded in ^ettinj< them to talk through the tele- phone to their comrades, whom they had left hut a short time before, in their own language. They recognized the voices of their friends so clearly and unmistakably that they were fully con- vinced that the sound of their voice? sed through the wire, a u it was sur- prising to see the effect u})()n these aborijijines, s t a 1 w art, l)(>ld, hard- nerved men as they were who scorned to show the least emotion: men who had been throujj^h the sun- dance and taken an active part in f'e 'Justsr massacre. While holdin<^ in their hands the little elephone instruments, and listenintember 'JS. The next day A^ent Meeker and all his male eniployes were killed, and about the same time, the advance of the command under Lieutenant Cherry, was tired upon. Thoinburps du<; ritle-pits. and made breast- works of wagons and animals as these latter were shot by the Indians from their positions on the surroundin TKHUiniHv — lis V'aht Akka — Zonks ni- Kmiuu mhin — Indic ationh of Cm xk xci ki< FKOM NaTIKAI, Si UKorSDINOS — Tin; TUANH-CONTINKNTAI. I{ Ml, WAYS— I, AMI AMI I 1 S KniTMiTV — Dkstiny ok Tin: \Vi:st — Yki.i.owstosk \'ai,i,i:v — Tin: ruoiii.ic.M or JKUuiATioN — A \Vi:si'i:».\ "("itv" — Tin: I'i.aci: and Wohk oi' Oi u So|,i»ii:us in Wkstkiin 1'ko(iki;sm. ^ETWKKN the years 1S74 and 1SS(K a belt of coimtry extiMid- •• in^ from the Kio (iraiide or the Mexican l)oun(hiry on the south, to the Canadian honndary on the nortii, and avera^'iii^' some four hundred miles in width from east to west, was re- deemed from a wild state and its control l)y sava^'e tribes, and ^'iven to civilization. This vast re^'ion comprised a territory nearly eij^ht times as lar^'e as all New Knjj:hind. Take out of it as many scjuare miles as there are in New JMi^dand, and add to this New York, New .leisey, Delaware. !\laryland, Pennsylvania. Vir<;inia, West N'irjjinia. North Car(>lina, South Carolina and (Jeor^'ia, and there would still remain more than enou^di territory to carve out other States such as Alabama, Mississi[)i)i, Tennessee and Kentucky. Or, ajjraiu. take all New Knj^dand, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana. Illinois and Iowa — the belt containin*; the }j:reatest wealth and densest i)()i)ulation of the Tnited States — out of this «rreat territory, and there will still be an abundance remaining' out of whicii to form several other States. This vast country, over which in 1S74 roamed powerful bands of Indian warrioi's and countless numbers of wild jjjame, was in six years, by the oj)- erations of the United States Army, freed for all time from the desolating,' influence of the sava|?e. and made habitable for civilized man. And these rt\sults are due to the heroic services, the s])lendid fortitude and coura^^eand noble sacrilices, of men like Lewis. Custer. Thornbur^h. Hale. Bennett, Keo^h. Yates, Tom Custer, Crittenden. Hiddle. McKinney, and hundreds of others, otticers and soldiers, who i)laced themselves between >varand peace, between dan*;er i^id security. ^uardin-day. In the extreme north the Dakotas and Montana will also develop in the near future a strong, hardy, heroic race. That country is beiii^ tilled by people from alonjjj the line of New Enj;land. New York, Ohio. Michij^'an and Minnesota, as well as l)y a forei<^'n population accustomed to the li^'or- ous climate of northern Enrojje, such as the Scotch. Irish, Knf the Indian villages has been replaced by the foundries and furnace Hres of civilization; ihe signal-lights no longer Hash from the hills, but in their places the headlight v)f the locomotive and the electric light disjud the shadows of town, city, and plain, and illumine the i>athw.iy of i)rogress and civilization. As has well been said by an eminent writer, this is "the land of large- ness." Mountains, rivers, railways, ranches, herds, crops, business transac- tions, ideas, all are Cyclopean. It is said that western stories are often on such a large scale that it takes a dozen eastern men to believe one of them; but large as they are they still possess all the elements of verity. The States and Territories are large. New Mexico is larger than the United Kingdom of (Jreat Ih-itain and Ireland. That part of the country, freed from the ravages of the Indians by the campaign of 1S74 and 'V.'». is alone larger than all New England, together with New York, New Jersey and Delaware. The anu)unt of useless land, though large in the aggregate, is much less than is commonly supposeil. and in compaiison with the wealth-producing GENKlJAr. NKLSON A. MILKS. 323 isac- I on 10 ol" rity. the ntry. Now- less iciiiji '^^{^jKi ^mm MAltnilNC! n\ Tin: SPAKKO ''l.AlN. lands is almost insi<»nilioant. The vast region oast of tlio Hocky Moun- tains. thou^Mi not lon^' sinco known as "Tho (iroat Ainorican Dosort," roally doos not contain a larjjjo pereontai^o ol" nsoloss land. Wo liavo soon cattle come out of tho Bad Lands in the spring as fat as if they luid been fed all the winter, Tho I'nited States surveyor }j:onoraly states that t ho proportion of waste lands in tho Dakotas. owin^ to tho absence of swamps, mountains, and overHowod and sandy tracts, is h'ss than in any other terri- tory of the same size in the Tnion. 'i'ho Staked Plains of Texas has been spoken of as a '" des- ert"; but aToxas writer who has lived there for years says: "While it is true that this vast territory which we are describiui; is mainly a ^n'ii/.inj.'j country, it is also true ihat it abounds in fertile vall(\vs and rich locations of lar^'ooxtcMit which are well watered and as fertile as any in the Inion." That i)ortion of the Staked IMains which is mountainous is rich in minerals, and land often api)ears worthless which ujton trial prov(>s to be fertile. Water is all that is needed to make most of our western "(hvsorts" blossom as the rose. The important (piestion of irrifj^ation is attractinjj^ tho attention of tho entire western {UMjplo. Tho unrivaled resources of the West, tejjrethor with tho unstinod to evornmont accomj)anies them. it is not within tho scoi)e of my plan to discuss any of the individual enterprises that have nnirkod tho development of this wonderful territory, although tho temptation to do so is ^n'(Mt. The j)ony o\i>ross. tho build- in;^^ of the trans-continental railways, the ji:roat ii-ri^Mtion schemes, tho mammoth minin*; ent(Mprises are all subjects of absorbing interest, and l)rosent materials tluit would till many volumes. In the light of information that 1 have olitaimnl during the last eight- een years, my opinion has not «*hanged as to tho givat future of that country, although statistics and records are most valuable in fonning M — 1(). 324 PERSONAL HECOLLECTIONS OF correct conclusions, especiaHy as to the natural limitations. Statistics have shown that it was not safe to rely entirely upon the natural elements in aj^riculture in that belt of country which I have described, and which was formerly known as the "Plains" country. In Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, and western Kansas, in some seasons excellent crops will be produced, and then will come a time when in a few days they are cut down md withered by hot, dry winds that absorb every particle of mois- ture. I'ndoubtedly irrigation could be made the salvation of this belt of country, as it has of the arid territory west of it. Irrigation is the surest method of producing sufficient moisture to insure crops in almost any part I, I i ill' ,i ! I i ScEXE IN Tin-: Yki.i.iiwstoxe Vat.i.kv. of the country, and especially in that region. It has in fact been found beneficial in almost every district of the United States. If we Avill take account of the moisture that comes from the rainfall in that section of country, the melted snow of the springtime, and the mois- ture received from the perpetual snows of the mountains, added to the flow of water down the Missouri through its tributaries — the Yellowstone, the Little ]\Iissouri. the Platte, the Kaw. and those great rivers, the Arkan- sas and the lied, which empty into the Mississippi, — we will understand why for so many years it has been necessary for Congress to appropriate many millions of dollars to confine the overflow of the Mississippi along its lower portion, and the question arises, if a portion of that enormous GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 325 lave ts in was otas, 11 be e cut mois- eltof ;urest ^' ¥fh found inf all in le mois- to the wstone. Arkan- erstand opriiite pi along lornious sum had been, or can be, expended in the construction of water storaj^jes to retain the water in early seasons in artihcial lakes, and allow it to bo carried over arid fields and plains where it would lu-oduce an abundance of every kind of agricultural sul)stant'e. and then slowly tind its way toward the thilf, would it not benefit both sections of the country equally ? In describing the quick growth of the far West, I canthiiik of no better example than the Yellowstone Valley, a region with which I am familiar. An exhaustive descripilon of its topographical features would re'tniri^ more space than is availal>le for that purpose in this vohime. The follow- ing i;"ief summary of the subject, partially (pu)ted from articdes on the subject by j\Ir. E. V. Smalley, will give the reader a g a city :h1 with nt. and a camp readers stand- county town in the West may he the capital of a re^'ion rather more than one-third larj^er in area than the whole State of Pennsylvania. It may be. and usually is, a lively, bustling and eminently successful little town. There are skilled artisans of almost every handicraft, in addition to a fair al- lowance of merchants, lawyers in abundance and physicians. Some of the stores ,vill be found to contain, in great variety of course, every staple of merchandise purchasable in Eastern cities, besides countless articles of mere luxury. Prices are quite reasonable considering the cost and ditti- cnlties of transportation. Such a town rapidly growing, is usually regarded as destined in time to justify its name of '"city. " The place, not- withstanding that it may derive its support thus far mostly from its prox- imity to a vast rich region not yet developed, may contain in its list of industrial enterprises, carpenters, blacksmiths, painters, dming-hails and saloons of every grade, excellent drug stores, depots of fancy notions, a free school, a courthouse, a jail, and every comfortable Ihirg in fact recpiisite to maintain a town on an independent footing, as well as a hrst- class hotel suitable for the accommodation of tourists aiul businessmen temporarily sojourning there. Moreover, it may well be an orderly place in which riotous demonstrations are promptly and inflexibly repressed. Often the presentation of a pistol in a threatening uianner subjects the offender to a heavy tine, and even the wanton discharge of firearms in the streets is a punishable offence. For the frontier settlement is apt to rap- idly assert itself as a type of a better civilization, despite the primeval and savage associations which still attach to it like the t»nicli of a bloody finger. Around a nucleus like this may lie the splendid stock-raising plains in which the famous Montana cattle thrive, finding pasture the year round. For sheep raising also the advantages are et[ually great. Agriculture on any important scale is perhaps as yet almost an untried experiment, but the natural fertility of the soil, the general moisture of the atmosphere, and the comparative ease of artificial irrigation, if needed, have long indi- cated that the Yellowstone Valley is likely in the future to compete in productiveness with any section in the United States, 'i'he climate is on an average about the same as that of the northwestern part of New York State — the extreme ranges of the mercury being greater in Montana, but owing to the purity and dryness of the atmosphere not much more appre- ciable as a cause of discomfort to animal or plant. This matter of atmos- phere is something that must be experienced to be appreciated. 'I'o invalids it is especially grateful. The i)redominance of ozone renders it ■.".;' il ik" 828 I'EKSONAL KKCOLLKCTIONS OF exhihinitin^ to sound lunMng tiiat of simple cordiality and kindness, even where no great congeniality exists. Fort Keogh. Montana, where T was in command for several years, might be considered a typical frontier post from the date of its estal)lish- ment in 1S7(> until the completion to that point of the Northern PaciHc Kailroad in 1SS2. During the first year the post was known simply as the Tongue River Cantonment, the command being (piartered in rude shelters constructed in quite a primitive numner. This cantonment was situated at the mouth of the Tongue Kiver, on the south bank of the Y'ellowstone; Bismarck, North Dakota, distant thi*ee hundred miles , beingthe n^ arest avail- able railroad station. When all the postal connections were closely made. miJl from St. Paul or Chicago was received in about six days; but in winter this time was sometimes increased to several weeks. During the summer of 18.7 the comparatively commodious quarters of Fort Keogh were built near tlip cantonment, and the garrison moved into them in November. The social circle was enlarged by the prrival of officers' families; the upper stf>ry of a large storehouse was turned into a hall for entertainments, pianos and comfortable furniture appeared, the r ^^•rr^ ik^i2:_ »<; !i'i ■ • 1 1 i' M: I'l I'll' ^^il! in ■ , f ' r !( (JKNKIt.M, NKI.SON A. MII.KS. ;{:{:{ vjiluiihle libniry of tli»» Fifth liifimtry was iiiipiicktMl. and tlw» liiu' hand of tlif< ssiiiie ivj^iuiciit coiitrilnited to make of tlic post an oasis of civiiizjition. For a short sesison eacli yoar the Y»'llo\vst()no IJiviT was na\ i^'ahle for small steni-wlieelsteaniiMs. Thuarrivalof tlu'srwcnioccasioiisof iiiuisiial in- terest, the lirst steamer of the season heiii},' watrhed for with s|i(M'ial anxiety, and fjfreat was the excitement and deli^dit when her whistle was heard or her smoke discovered down the stream, (ioods and supplies often ordered months before were received, new faces weic added to the cii-ci \ or familiar ones reappeared, and there was a decided hicak in tiie monotony of many months. The departure of the last steamei' in the fall wasahvaysan occa- sion of sadness, bearing away as it did childicn ^M)ing to sc!;ool. otlic(»rs and their families chan^in^ stations, and sonu'times summer * isitoi's who had come to (^xi)erience the novelty of life at an army [tost in the far West. An amateur theatrical company was 011,'ani/ed. which transported \n imagination the spectators from the banks of the Yellowstone to other lands and other times. Scene painters as well as actors were provided by "home talent." and their efforts may have lieen a little ciude. i)ut their performances met with much applause and served to bei^niilethe Ion*,' win- ter evenings. A play that needed long and careful ])reparation and many rehearsals was liable to suddenly lose the male members of th( cast, as de- tachments fnmi the garrison w ere freciuently sent out as scouts and on expe- ditions of different kinds against the Indians, their absence ranging from a few days to weeks or even months. Owing to the situation of the [tost in a prairie country, and to other favoring circumstances. e(|uestrianism held an important place among the recreations. The garrison for several ye rs consisted entirely of mounted troops, being composed of the Fift'- .liuntry. mounted on choicre ponies that had been captured at different riinesfrom the Indians, and a scpiadron of the Second Cavalry. Many of the otlicers also owned tine private hor.ses, and a pack of excellent hounds for chasing game was kept at the post. The surrounding country was an ideal one for horseback riding, the wide, level river bottoms and the rolling prairies being alike covered with firm, elastic turf, save where broken here and there by the nnder- gronnd cities of the prairi<> dog. In that region is found much of the "Bad Lands" formation peculiar to Montana. These Had i^ands may be described as follows: Riding over the prairie one sees towering in the distance what appears to ■vu :j:{4 PKWSONAI, WKCOM.KCTIONS OK I' I Im' a nmliisrd iiisiss «»f niiiH'd masonry. l{('fl«M*tiii^' luick the my« of tlie sun. walls ol" red liriciv. hrokcn tiiirrts <»f hluisli stone and cninildin^ l>at- ticnHMitsarc linn^x to^^cthcr in iH'wiMcrin^'conlnsion. Apiiroacliin^Miearcr flic contoni's cliiiiii^'c. and the i'nin'>d <'ity piovi's to 'i(> a stn|i(>n(lons inas.s of vai'ic^'atcd clay, almost a ^m-.mi|i of small mountains heaped npon the prairie, and worn l»y the weather into a chaos of precipices, chasms and tissures. I lore and there tlie fantastic lahyrinih is penetrated l»y hridle paths, trodden only a few years a^o by lierdsof elk and ItiilTaloes, and leading' to lofty points of o'tservation, crowned perhaps by bits of piairie. or to little se- cluded vjilleys and patches of ^ra/in^' land. Most of the ladies at P'ort Keo^di became expert horsewomen. To see one of these art ies dash inj^' after t lu' hounds across the l)road valley lands of the Yellowstone was an exhil- aratingsi^dit. The prairies w ere u n- touched )) y " ' fence or plow\ though buffalo trails were numerous, a herd of these animals having l)een in sight of this post as late as .January, 1881. A wolf oi- deer was oc- casionally started and taken by these i)arties, lint the game most easily found and taken was the hare, better known as the jack rabi)it. Small riding parties were sometimes organized, and conge- nial ])eople visited together the various ])oints of interest in the vicinity, exploring the recesses of the broken country and riding through the Indian villages, redolent always of kinnikinic, and often vibrant with wild song Indian MEDforxK IVIan. (JKNKWAI- NKI.SON A. MILKS. :{:{.") and (liiiicc. or with tluMiicaiitiitioiis of the iiUMliciiic inaii. or the hiii'uii"i s 3;j() rEKSONAL KECOLJ.ECTIONS VF «■ ) CHAPTKH XXVI. The Indian Pkohlem. M i i I M ! i, «', CoNri.i'sioxs :\,li m !.!;;!! ' vi\ 88S PERSONAL HECOI.LECT'ONS OF ':i ii line of Blackfeet liidiims approaching, about one hundred and fifty in num))er- men. women and children. Having perceived the trappers before they wei-e themselves discovered, these Indians came down from the mountain dehle yelling and whooi)ing into the plain. •'One of the trappers of Sublette's brigade." says Irving, "named Antoine (Jodin. now mounted his horse and rode forth as if to hold a conference. He was the son of an Irocjuois hunter who had been cruelly murdered by the Blackfeet at a small stream below the mountains, which still bears his name. In company with Antoine rode forth a Flathead Indian, whose once powerful tribe had been completely broken down in their wars with the Blackfeet. Both of them therefore cherished the most vengeful hostility against these marauders of the mountains. The Blackfeet came to a halt. One of the chiefs advanced singly and unarmed, bearing the pipe of peace. The overture was certainly pacihc; but Antoine and the Flathead were predisposed to hostility, and pretended to consider it a treachei'ous movement. •■'Is your piece charged T said Antoine to his red companion. "'it is.' "'Then cock it and follow me.' " Tliey met the Blackfeet chief half way, who extended his hand in friendship. Antoine grasped it. " ' Fire!' cried he. •'The Flathead leveled his piece and brought the Blackfeet chief to the gi-ound. Antoine snatched off his scarlet blanket, which wa;; richly ornamented, and galloped off with it as a trophy to the camp, *he bullets of the enemy whistling after him." What wonder that a l)loody and immediate battle ensued between the Blackfeet and the trapper bands, in which the latter got much the worst of it until reenforcements came from the collection of whites still remaining at the rendezvous, eight miles further up the valley. Such Avere the wars and feuds among the tribes, and from such seemingly triHing causes came results at times of far-reaching and tragic impoi'tance to the white people. During the winter of 1S7S 1) the Indian prol)lem was exciting much interest, and at the retjuest of Mr. Allen Thorndyke Hice I wrote the following article on the subject, which appeared in the ••North American Review" for March 1S71). The article presents the views I entertained at that time and many of the suggestions therein contained have sinco been adopted. GENEKAl. NELSON A. .MILES. aat) in THE INDIAN TUOliLEM. Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless a fact that, after nearly four hundretl years of contlict i>etvveen the Kuropean and American races for supremacy on this continent, a conflict in which war and iteace have alternated almost as fre(iuently as the seasons, we still have presented the (piestion, " W liat shall he done with the Indian.'" Wise men differ in opinion, journali.'^ts speculate, divines preach, and statesmen pronounce it still a vexed ((uestion. If the j^raves of the thousands of victims who have fallen in the teri-ihle wars of the two races had heen placed in line, the philanthropist niile. they were the jirey to the grasping av^arice of both Jew and Gentile. Step by step a powerful and enterprising race has di'iven them back from the Atlantic to the West until at last there was scarcely a spot of ground upon which the Indians had any certainty of maintaining a permanent abode. GENEKAL NELSON A. MILES. 341 It may be well in this connection to remember the fact that in the main the Europeans were kindly treated l)y the natives when the former first landed on American shores, and when they came to- make a permanent settlement were supplied with food, particularly the Plymouth and Ports- mouth colonists, which enabled them to endure the severity of the long and cheerless winters. For a time during the early settlement of this country, peace and good will prevailed, only to be followed later by violent and relentless warfare. Our relations with the Indians have been governed chietiy l)y treaties and trade, or war and su))jugation. By the hrst we have invariably over- reached the natives, and we lind the record of broken i)romises all the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific, while many of the fortunes of New York, Chicago. St. Louis and San b rancisco can be traced directly to Indian tradership. By war the natives have been steadily driven toward the setting sun — a subjugated, a doomed race. In council the Indians have produced men of character and intellect, and orators and diplomats of decided ability, while in war they have disi)layed courage and sagacity of a high order. Edui-ation, science, and the resources of the world have enabled us to overcome the savages, and they are now at the mercy of their conquerors. In our treaty relations most extravagant and yet sacred promises have been given l)y the highest authorities, and these have been freciuently disregarded. The intrusions of the white race and the noncom- pliance with treaty obligations, have been followed by atrocities that could alone satisfy a savage and revengeful spirit. Facts that have been already referred to make it almost impossible for the two conflicting elements to harmonize. No administration could stop the tidal wave of immigration that swept over the land; no political party could restrain or control the enterprise of our people, and no reasonable man could desii-e to check the march of civilization. Our progress knew no bounds. The thirst for gold and the restless desire to push l)eyond the horizon have carried our people over every o])stacle. We have reclaimed the wilderness and made the ])arren desert glisten with golden harvest ; settlemenU now cover the hunting ground of the savages; their country has l)een cut and divided in every conceivable form by the innumei'able railroad and telegraph lines and routes of communication and commerce, and the Indians standing in the pathway of American progress and i\w de- velopment of the wonderful resources of this country have l)ecome the common enemy and have been driven to the remote places of our territory. M— 20 • f ifi :142 I'KKSONAI. K'KCOl.i.KCTIONS OK d '■ Diiriiif.' flic tiiiH' thai 1 liis woiidcrl'iil cliaii^'c was Iiciii^ wroii^ilit. it may Itc uskcd il' the Indians as a Itody lia\(' made an.\' [ fo^^n'i'ss towai'd ('i\iliy,a- tion. and in the li^dif of |>ast liistorv \v<' would he pronijttctl to ivjil y : Why should they have ahandonod the modes (►f life which ^iatul•e litul ^n\('n t hem to adopt 1 he customs of their one mios.' In scelai't and pai'cel of our .^n-eat po]»ulati(m. The fii'st proposition, tlumudi it was h)und To have thonsaiuls of advocates in (hlTerent sections of th'^ country, was and is too abhoi-rent to every sense of Innnanity to be considennl. The other method was rci^arded as practicable, but its adop- tion was considered (loid)tful. LooUiui; at the pui'pose of our ^n)vernnient toward the Indians, we find that aft(n' subju^^atinu' them it has been our policy to collect the diflerent tribes on ]'(vs(M-vations and support them at the expense of our people. The Indians have in the main abamloned th(> ho[)e of drivin<; back the invaders of their territory, yet thei'e ai-e still some who cherish the thouj^dit. ami stran;j:e as it may seem it is a fact that the most noted leader amonjj: the Indians advanced such a proposition to the writer within the last few- years. They lon^ stood, and mostly still stand, in the position of unruly childi-en to indid^^ent parents for whom they have very little respect, at times wron*xly indul'red and a^ain unmercifully punished. I 1 or l.y il.lo ;ike ictii, lOllS ) 1)6 lop- Hiul 'rent The idcrs Hiul the few irnly •t. &i 00 C/5 Z u o D H I liJ I O < a. < < I < O QC I o : 1'.. ■lil f 1 ' ■;■?* i'*f .'fii } , I ■ I fi:lli I I ,f Illi (JKNKK'AL XKI.SON A. .MII.KS. 845 (_'oiniii<; down to our direct or immivliiitc ndutioiis with tliem wr Mnd tiiut our itoli<*y has he«Mi to uiaUo tht'in wards of the nation, to he idd uudei' (dose imiitary survcilhmce, or rise to make them [XMisiouers Miiier no ;>tiu'.; restraint than Mie iuthicnee of one or two iudiviihials. liuin^' nu''ei tiie ^'overument, yet without any ie^ntimate ^(►venimcut. w ithout any hiw .tnd withou*^ any physical power to control them, what hetter suh- jects or more propitious lields could he found for vice and crime? '''e nave comiuitted our Indian matters to the custody of an Indian bureau whi(di for nuiny y<'ai's was a i)art of the militai\y estahlishment of the ^M)vernment; hut for political reasons and to promote party interests, this hureau was transferred to the department of tiie interior. Whetiu or not our system of Indian mana' ii. ')t ha.'^ lieen a success during' the past ten, fifty, or on<' hundred years > a ost answered in the askinjij. ^I'hc Indians, the fi'ontiei'smen. the ii ; • / si-uioned in the West, and the readers of the daily news in all par'^ . f in" country can answer tinit (piestion. There is another (piestion tluvt i fiv«piently asked: VV'liy has our management of Indian afVairs l)een \( " successful than that of our iiei^dd)ors across the nortlu'rn homulary? anu it can he answered in a few words. Their system is i)ermanent, decided and just. The tide of immi- gratioi; in Canada has not heen as <;reat as ah)n;^' our fi'ontier. They have l)een aide to allow the Indians to live as Indians, whi(di we have not, and do not attemi>t to force u[»on them the customs whi(di to the»n are distasteful. In our own manapMueut it has all the time heen the opinion of a very lar*j;e number of our peoi»le that a change tor the hetter wouM be desiral)le. We have the sinj^qdar and renuirkable jthenomenon presenter of the traders, the contractors, the interested otiicials of the West, and many of the best people of the Kast. advocating one s(dieme. while a j?reat majority of frontier settlers, the officers of tin* army of long expei'ience on the plains, and many competent judges in the Kast. advocated another. The ([uestion has at the same time been one of too grave importance to admit interests of a personal or partisan nature. It is one of credit oi discredit to our government, and of vital importance to our people. In order that peace may be permanently secured, the Indians benefited, and protection assured to the eytensive settlements scattered over a greater area than the whole of the Atlantic States, it is believed that a plan could be devised which would enlist the hearty approval and support of men of .dl parties. The object is surely worthy of the effort. No body of people \"hose language, religion, and customs are so entii-ely different from ours can be expected to cheerfully and suddenly adopt our own. The change K .li m i t " ij PKliSOXAI. UKCOr.LKCTIOXS OF must be gradual, continuous, and in accordance with Nature's laws. The history of nearly every ra<.'e that luis advanced from l)arl)arism to civiliza- tion has been throu^'h the stages of the hunter, the herdsman, the Jigricul- turist, and has finally reached those of commerce, mechanics and the higher arts. It is held, first, that we, as a generous people and liberal government, are bound to give to the Indians the same rights that all other men enjoy, and if we de[)rive them of their ancient i>rivileges we must then give tliem the best government possible. Without any legitimate government, and in a section of ('ountry wliere the lawless are under very little restraint, it is useless to supi>()se that thousands of wild savages thoroughly armed and mounted can be controlled by moral suasion. Even if they were in the midst of comfortable and agreeable surroundings, yet when dissatisfaction is increased by partial imprisonment and (piickened by the pangs of hunger— a feeling that is not realized by one man in ii thousand in civilized life — it requires more patience and forbearance than savage natures aie likely to possess to prevent serious outbreaks. The experiment of making a police force composed entirely of Indians is a (hingei-()us one unless they are under the shadow and control of a superior body of wliite troops, and. if carried to any gi-eat extent, will result in rearming tlie Indians and work disastrously to tlie frontier settle- ments. There would be a something absurd in a government out on the remote frontier composed of a strictly nonconibatant as chief, with a jtos.sr r())nlfnfiis of red warriors, undertaking to control several thousand wild savfiges. The advantage of placing the Indians under some government strong enough to control th"in and just enough to command their respect i.s too apparent to admit of argument. The results to be ()l)tained would be: First. They would be beyond the p()ssil)ility of doing harm, and the frontier settlements would be freed from their terrifying and devastating presence. Second. They would lie under officials having a knowledge of the Indian country and the Indian character. Third. Their supplies and annuities would be disbursed through au efficient system of regulations. Fourth. Besides being amenable to the civil laws, these officers would be under stiict military law. subject to trial and punishment for any act that would be ''unbecoming a gentleman, or prejudicial to good order." (;knehal nki.son a. mii-ks. 347 The liza- cul- the lent. hem , and nt, it I and II the ction ^'s of ili/ed es aie ulians 1 of a L will settle- on the ith a )nsand ■strong is too e: d the tating ndian igli an officers shnieut cial to It is therefore suggested and earnestly recommended that a system which has heretofore proved to be eminently practicable should in the next emergency receive at least a fair trial. As the government has in its employ men who by long and faithful service have establisluMl reputa- tions for integrity, character and ability which cannot be disputed; men who have commanded armies, reconstructed States, controlled hundreds of millions of public property, and who during years of experience' on the frontier have opened the way for civilization and Christianity, it is believed that the services of these officials, in efforts to prevent war and elevate the Indian race, would be quite as judicious as their empl(>yment when inexperience aiul mismanagement have culminated in hostilities. Allow- ing the civilized and semi-civilized Indians to remaiii under the same supervision as at present, the President of the I'nited States should have power to place at any time the wild and nomadic tribes under the control of the War Department. Officers of known character, integrity and experi- ence, who would govern them and be interested in improving their condi- tion, should be placed in charge of the different tribes. One difiiculty has been that they have been managed by officials tof) far away, and who knew nothing of the men they were dealing with. The Indians, as far as possi- ble, should be, as they now mostly are, localized on the public domain, in sections of country to which they are by nature adapted. The forcing of strong, hardy, mountain Indians from the extreme North to the warmer malarial districts of the South was cruel, and the experiment should never be repeated. Every effort should be made to locate the Indians by families, for the ties of relationship among them are much stronger than is generally sup- posed. By this means the Indians will become independent of their tribal relations, and will not be found «*ongregated in the large and unsightly camps that are now usually met with about their agencies. All supplies, annuities and disbursements of money should be made under the same system of accountability that now regulates army dis- bursements. The officers in charge should have sufficient force to preserve order, patrol reservations, prevent intrusions, recover stolen property, arrest the lawless and those who take refuge in Indian camps to shield themselves from punishment for crime or with the object of enabling them to live without labor, and to keep the Indians upon their reservations and within the limits of their treaties. The officer in charge would be enabled to control or prevent the sale of ammunition, as well as to suppress the sale of intoxicating liquors among the Indians. Many thousands of the if <' '"r ill: 'iM. 848 I'KUSONAI, HKCOI.F.KITIONS OK (iKNL NKI.SON A. MILKS. U't r'l- ' liidiiiii ponies, iispfnl (nily tor the wsir or the clmso. sliould be Hold and the j)ro('c(Mls usrd in the piircliase of domestic stock. A larj^c pcM-ceiit- a^e of tlie annual appropriations should he employed in the purchase of cattle and other domestic aiiiimils; the Indians desire them, and their reservations even now support nuiuy thousands of them. They have already reidaced the ItulTalo, and must tinally replace the elk, the deer and the antelope. From a noniiidic pastoral people the Indians should he induced to become a|;riculturists and tau^dit the use of machinery as a means of fjbtainin^ food. The step from the lirst ^rade to the second would be easily accomplished, [)rovi(led the Indians wei'e directed by a tirm hand. As they accumulate pro[)erty and learn industry there have already been shown strou}^' incentives to their renuiiniu}^ at peace.namely : occupation, the fear of (rontiscation of pro[»erty. aiul the loss of the com- forts of life. Two more important measures of improvement a»'e also needed, and should be authori/(Ml by Congress. In all communiti(^s there will be found disturbing elements, and to meet this dilliculty. courts of justice should be instituted. Frecpiently outbreaks and depredations are prompted by a few mischievous charac- ters, which could easily be checked by a i)ro[K'r ^'(►vernment. This is one secret of snccess with the Canadian system; where disturbances occur, the guilty suiter, and not whole tribes, including innocent women and children. As a remark from Sitting Hull has been (pioted, we will now repeat the words of Joseph, who said that "the greatest want of the Indian is a system of law by which controversies between Indians and white men can be settled without appealing to physical force." He says also that "the want of law is the great sonrce of disorder among Indians. They under- stand the operation of laws, and, if there were any statutes, the Indians would be perfectly content to place themselves in the hands of a proper tribunal, and would not take the righting of their wrongs into their own hands, or retaliate, as they do now, without the law." Do we need a savage to inform us of the necessity that has existed for a century? As these people become a part of our population, they should have some tribunal where they could obtain protection in their rights of person and property. A dispute as to the rights of property ))etween an Indian and a white man before a white jury might not be decided in exact accordance with justice in some localities. Fortunately our Constitution provides that '"the judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and such inferior courts as Congress may from time to ed for diould jhts of :'en an exact tut ion ;ted ill inie to Faces of Xotkd Indians. 1. Spotted Tail, Sioux Chief. RoHelmd Anenpy. Pnkotn. 2. Iron SViliK'. Sioux C'lilcf, Rortclmd AKeucy. Dakota. 8. Aint'i-k-aii Horse, .Sioux Chief, I'iiie Ritlge AKeney. Dakota. 4. Red Shirt, .Sious Chief. I'ilie Rid«e A^eiu'v, Dakota. 5. White Katjle. ri>iiea Chief, Indian Territory. 6. Standint; Buffalo, I'onea Chief. Indian Territory. 7. Poor Wolf, Maiuian Chief, Fort Bertliold, Dakiita. 8. Son-of-the-Star, Arickaree Chief, Fort Berthold, Dakota. ii. White Man. Al)aeh' llnef. Indian TeriitMjy. ht. StunihliuK Hear, K 1^ wn Clilef. Indlai' Ti ' i itory. 11. Tso-.i, I'.i lis \is(. or .Il)|•|t^^,^• Vi'kmi- UMili Oiin.i\ or l>issi-,ii Tin; Imli) Siiki.i;^ i kmm (iiiii!(,i\ I' i;ii\i l,\wi!i,s(i, AMI 1,1. \ \i;s\Mili'l (I -'I in; l.'l.riiiiii \|\iiMHiiiM,it.-' AiiMMiiMi; ('i.i\iv ()vi.i;i.\M» ( !ii\i \ii\|( \'i ii,\ V'lci; IS ■iiii, \'',\v.\.; 'Iimi,-'. A lll-i'mitn: 'I'lfij; — 'liii, I'll; '1 I.'mmimM) 'I in; l>i,'. vi;i; op 'I'iiD \ v. AVINi:i Kl.oi.il, .MnsiANA, Novi'iiihcr ;.'0, I .SSO. (il'iM'-'l.'AI. OlMU'ilfS. Ill icIiiKinisliiii;.'' coiiiiiiiiii'l III' tlin l''irtli (.'. S. Inriiiitrv tli'' n'L'iiiH'iiliil (•(itiiiMiiii'Icr desires to m;iiiifeHt, Imh irriif,il.U'lt\'j and intimate assooiat.ioi), there has heen eiiLfiidered ii feelinj^ of the slronj^est altaeliiiient and hiLrli'"^t rei/ard. Kor the sMceess that has attendeil our elTorts the ( 'omiiiand iii;/ ( )IIi(ter fleslre.s to render to the ollicers an().\ A MiiJ'is. :;:,:! Oil my v\;iy lo my ii*'W |»o:-l of diit y. I |i;t— cd t liioii;.'li I Im- cit ic> of < 'liic;iu'o, St. liCjiiis. Kiiiisiis rit>', l)('ii\('i, Siilt l,;iK(' iiiid Siin l''i;iii('isc(), .-toiiinn:.' ii Tcvv (Jii.ys ill ••;i<-li. in tlii.s joiifiicy il vv;is my isuml fortune to \k\-^ t Iii()Ii;_'Ii :i)I iiilcic-t in;/ /oiinof our coniil ly. Jiml to :-(•(■ tlio ido-jic > fluit u;i^ hciii;.' i;i|)i were for years rivals, Init are ;/radiially j/rowin;.^ together io form one ;.Meat commeivial and iiidns- t,rial ccnt.er. and enihra.cin;.' w it hin their lior descrihed in c!a.•^,■-ic ver.^e. I would al~(» love to descrihc ot her cit ies, like Helena and iJiitte, .Montana, made rich hy the iiiii;es(tf marvfdoiis v\ealtli found >tore(J in the moiintains in the \'iciiiity (tf t liese t wo cit ies. Omaha, is another city of wonderful |.'rovvtli,of wcalt h, pro;.,'iess and development, and the center of one of the richest, a;_'iiciilt iiral districts of the I iiitiul Stales. The sa me can he said of Kansas < 'ity. ('olorado ('ity is noted for its healthful climate, vvon(J<'rfiil sprin^rs ami heaiitifnl -ceiiers, and Trinidad for its iron and coal mines and steel wdiks; hile Ko- Ari;/c|es, (la.lifornia,, is the center ■>\' commerce and commiinic.it ion in Oawson ( 'oiint \ . Oeoiyia, Ixmiid for the wild l(0(d: l!:J:e $ 1 i Mf 354 PEHSOXAL HKCOLLiajTlONS OF 'in 111 " I liear tlit* tread of pioneers Of nations yet to be, Tlie first low wash of waves where soon Shall roll a hiunan sea."— were the arauf-cour'u-rs of the grand army that presently followed to par- ti<.'i[){ite in gleaning the precious deposits tliey had heen the hrst to discover. They arrived in Kansas early in May, where their party was increased by the addition of ten other men. These gold-seekers left Leavenworth about the middle of May, and crossed the Kansas Hiver at Fort Kiley, striking out from that jioint acro.s.s tiie country to the old Santa Fe trail, arriving at the mouth of Cherry Creek,, Colorado, on the 2od of June, IS-IS. On the I'awnee Fork. Kansas, a party of Cherokee Indians were overtaken, who traveled to Cherry Creek in com[)any with them. I'nsettled as to future proceeding, the Indians remained at (.'lierry Creek, while the others hastened to Ralston Creek, vvliere they hoped to find the treasure of which they were in pursuit. Three days of anxious search, however, brought no better reward than a very meagre ([uantity of gold particles, the shadows, so to sjx'ak, of the substance they were seeking; but still to them an evidence tiiat gold was somewhere in that region, and with what courage they could summon they resolved to prospect thoroughly, Ii'alston Creek lies about eight miles distant from the mouth of Cherry Creek, their first halting place, and the Cherokees being still there the company decided to return and make that point their base of operations. To do this they recrossed the I'latte liiver, l)ut found upon joining them timt the Indians had determined to return to their own nation, and accord- ingly they started on the following day, leaving the explorers with the whole range of mountains, the various creeks and their tributaries, the canons beyond, and the plains stretching out in the distance, from which to choose a beginning for their investigations. I'os.sessed of marked constancy to a purpose OLce formed, the leader of the company, upon observing signs of discontent among some of his com- panions, declared firmly his purpose to i)rospect the country even if he did it alone, and to that end he [U'oceeded to work with untiring patience, closely examiniiig the soil in every direction. Meanwhile Lawrence, Kansas, was beinj.- rv'«^'ir<'d ')y whispers of golden sands to b(^ found in the water around Pike's Tr-.k. 'i wo Delawan; Indians, Fall Lcvif and Little Heaver, brought t'.e --'^v.y ^-ha^ gold in paying (juantities was to be found in those strea ms UiiU very sweetly a « cmpany was organized at the old GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 355 Commerriiil Motel in that city to cross the desert on a tour of discovery. Fall Leaf claimed the distinction of haviiij^ been a ^uide to Fremont on one of his explorinj^ expeditions, and as in Fremont's report mention is made of two Delaware Indians, "a fine lookii'j^ old man and his son." enj^a^ed to accompany that expedition ?"• iiiinters, Fall Leaf and Little lieaver may have been tiie Indians with Fremont, although they were not so designated by name in his journril. Fall Leaf contracted to guide t!ie party formed at the (Jomniercial Hotel to a locality where gold could be found near Pike's Fea'v. He was to n'ceive Hve dolhirs per day for such service until satisfactorily performed; buti)ending the delil)erati()ns of the party lie was to load, a fall fi'om his horse whihi in a state of intoxication disabled him, upon which they resolved to proceed notwithstanding and prosecute their investigation without a guide. On May 22, 1S5S, close upon the departure of the company from Leavenworth, this Lawrence party, numbering forty-four, two of whom wei*; women accompanying their husbands. started from Kansas to cross the plains with eleven wagons and provisions for six mouths. Fi'oni their coui's*; oxer the Santa Fe trail the traveler; appi'oached Pueblo, and having joined some members of the Leavenworth party were with them on the Otli of -July. iSoS. encamped u|»on the same ground in the (iarden of the Llods, where I^ong's exp(Mlition had rested thirty-eight yeai's before. There is not a ti-ace of the Long explorers left there, wliile the pioneers of 1S.")S have gi'aven upon the r^x'ks a record of their presence, an interesting testi iio- nial iiow^ |)lainly visible. Inside one of the gateways on the gj-ea*" sf^itiiuel stones appear the names of several of the i)ariy '.v'th the year "isr.h*' cut beneath them. Members oF ])oth companies had [)rospectc in various diiections U^y the treasure sought without success, until it s toKJ ^hem one dny that those who had remained behind were washiu' »m the sands of the Platte River about three dollars a day to the man. I'liis news reached them in September, after three months' fruitless qu< and they hastened to the locality where fortune smiled, and found ^ .t not only were the other members from the Leavenworth company vashing gold fr(»m the sands, but that also a man named John Hooker, together with his son, had coiue in from Salt Lake to enjoy a like prosperity. The staying (pialiiies of the leader of the Leavenworth company served him well. Here, within a radius of ten miles from the point where he first stopped, he hayii by dint of sheer perseverance found in the sands golden returns so valuable as to induce the whole party to l)ecome settlers on »( e ground and hold it under ;,.! ;;SJ %\ ■' i r . !!1 y:i. -lU ■A i :! • !l ! i '' ,l«i|j 351) PEIJSON AF, HKroLF.ECTlONS OF the title of >(iuiitter sovereij^nit v, iiiul to found a town which they numed ^lontiiim. On the 4th of ISeptembei*, ISoS, there were assenihled at this point on the Phitte Kiver, some live miles from tlu mouth of (.'herry Creek, por- tions of the Leavenworth company and iif the I^awrence company, and the .Mormon family consistinjjr of four p.-rsoiis— ;.. colony numbering' a little over hfty. Illustrative of the American clanacter it has been said that if a dozen were ^nithered anywhere, even at the most distant portion of the ylobe, they would be found at the earliest ])ossible moment framinjj; a con- ,fl, l',',' I " 'it ■11% '.II "«■ i', . ' % .V'V- «.iO'r >'■■'■ ■ICJ" '/;., ■'»■ 1 f «'"-.' '<" 'ii ■.,•••' I ■'.•,",.■ "'.^li'"./? V. '/■' i ■' '111 ■ ■»V *'!■..■. ■-, An Eaim.y FiNiiiNc in ('uliikaiio. stitution and makin*; laws for self-government. True to the instinct of the race this little band of ]»ioneers far ))eyond the outposts of civilization were makin the way: a motley ccmcourse of travelers, either on foot or going hy any conveyance cai)able of l)eing pressed into servication. crime and initpiity wel- comed its votaries amd victims with open doors, and every stoi'e in town * Tlif nijin wild luisi hi- iiii'iiinfiii I in rliis l»>iiuiiful cily occuiiii-; hni-illy ii imu'i' iii llic lii~iivry iif Kiinsiis. Di'iiviM- WHS iMii'n ill \'irKiiiiji in l"-!^. Il>- iMninnilfd m < nlifurnlii in IVnt. ami wms ;i mh'miIht oI' ('(inifi'i'ss in Is")). luiriiiLT till' Kiinsiis tninMi's in l>-"i7 Ui'incr was CuniniissiiiniT of linlinn AlTiiirs. imii in iliiit yciir wiis iniikln^' ii visit to till' Indiim trilics in K.insiis. Tin' tlifii (iovcrnor Stinitiin took sotiic otlici.il iiction not a|i|n'ovi'roacliing it in size. In a period of thirteen years there were but thirty-two (hiys in which the sun was not visible. The population of Denvei- has so far doubled every five years, and as the number of people within her limits in ISDO is lOd.OOO. it is predicted that at the beginning of the next century the population will be :{-20,(l(HK The tii'st rtilroad to reach Denver was the Kansas i'acitic. nowa branch of the Cnion PaciHc. in ISTO. at which time the city had a population of less than hSM). To-day Denver is the terminal of eight trunk lines, which carry freight to and fro over •JS.ddO mile;; of ti'ack. passing throegli a counti'y but partially settled, but each y(>ar adding t(» its poi)ulat ion and to the variety and volume of its tonnage. The city is regarded by I'ailroad men as the strategic point \vhi<'h will eventually regulate a vast interior I)nsiness. as it is a geographical as well as a commercial and nuinufactur- ing center. It is claimed that the street car service here is the niost i)erfect in the world. The system embraces one hundred and eighty-one miles, one hundred and twenty-tive of whicli are electric. Transfers are given from line to line so that one can ride from any part of the city to his destination foi- five cents. The system of the Denver Union Water Company supplies the city and adjacent suburbs, all being furnished from the same source. It has about four lumdred and tifty miles of mains and con- duits, varying in size from six to forty-four inches in diameter. Attached to tlie mains are twenty thousand service pipes supplying water for domestic purposes. tlioir •iully mrlts, \\\'\v\\ L^tV H( tr lin t iio •tivo Iv of el.V f tl\e () re siiu- /e. tant In the sun M-y live 0.iM)(». it 11 iou \vi hvtnu'h ;iti()u of hich roe bu'.im I to rai I road interior liufactev- 't in tlie iik's. one :en from Istinatiou su ppl les the same and con- Uttached rater for (;knki{.\i. nkkson a. milks. 361 Denver's scliool hnildiii^'s and school ^>st«'m are the pride and hoast of her peo]>le. I Mstiii^niishrd educators from tlu» east are Mlled with surprise and admiration for Ix which is valued at t hree-fonrths of a million dollars. There are Mfty jxraded schoitl hiiildinfxsand twenty-one misccllaiieoiis private and sectarian 'I'hcre are three hi^di sciund Imildiii^'s. one of schools. 'I'here ai'e also eleven academics and college Thei (' are iiinc! piihlic and private lihraries. and four daily and seventy weekly, monthly or (piai'tei'ly [)apers. Tliere ar<' also one Imndred and thirty-three orj^anized clmrches. The eity has six national hanks. whos«> total resonrces Jannary 1. ISI)'), were nearly $-j:),(HMMMM). The dei>osits a0(I. They have a total snr|)liisof iisT'JO.IKMI. iiiul the capital stock paid in is .S4,10(MK)(I. h'eal estate transactions in JSlll were fairly satisfactory ami show a health- fnl inciease over those of |S',i:|. iind were far in advance of those of any (»tlier city of her class. The a<.r^ri"c^Mte transfers for the year rank sixth in volnme of the cities of the I nited States. The statistics showing the commercial and manufacturing industries are ecjually remarkable. ^, ^^,^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 1.4 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 1 \ 5V \\ « •^X^"^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO (716) 873-4S03 a62 PEKSONAI. HECOLLE'^TIONS OF CHAPTER XXVTTT. Salt Lake City and tup: Mormons, Joseph Smith — Thk Mohmonh in Nkw YoriK. Ohio, ^FIs.sl)|•Kl and Illinois — Thk Kxodis Ackosh thk Wilih'.hnkss — Salt liAKK — MitHiUAM Yoim;, His ("hak- A("TKI{ AMI \Vre their welcome was no more cordial than it had been in other parts of the country, and before long Smith and his brother found themselves in jail. Fearing that the prisoners might be allowed to escape, a baud of excited men broke into the jail and killed both of them. Brigham Young was then elected as Smith's successor, and as the hostility against them did not abate, the .Mormons, under his guid- ance, all started for the West. They stopped for a year in Iowa, and then under the strictest discipline marched across the wilderness to the (Ireat Salt Lake. . 1 » V i -i n GENERAL NELSON A. MILKS. 3G3 (>l>^^^ K)died civili- s, the li^ious () well [)utline . cbiUl He vas the nission of the 11 y was )ody of iber of aith in ity and liousand cordial lith and li^dit Itc li killed Isor. and lis ^nid- Ind then le (Jreat The first reference to this lake is found in a hook of American travels in 1689; but it was first explored and described by John C. Fremont in 1842. It lies in a great valley of the Kocky Mountains and measures nearly one hundred miles in length by a little less than fifty in breadth, and its waters are very shallow. Near its center lie a group of islands, upon some of which are found springs of i)ure, fresh water, although the waters of the lake are of so saline a character that from seven quarts boiled down there can be extracted one quart of pure salt. Yet into this lake rivers of fresh water are pouring continually ; fron) the south the fresh waters of Utah Lake find their way into it through the channel of the Jordan. ■; while from the north it receives the water of v^ the Bear River, a swift mountain stream. There is no visible out- let, and its superfluity of water is supposed to be evap.'i rated, but there are many who believe in the existence of a subterranean passage- way having an outlet at some undiscovered point. Geologists declare that at a remote period a vast sheet of water filled a far greater area than that now occupied by the Great Salt Lake. In the mighty intervals of time, as indefinite as the geological periods, certain changes in the rainfall caused the waters to evaporate to the present size of the existing lake. This theory is con- firmed by the various terraces running in long parallel lines on the sides of the surrounding Wasatch Mountains. These terraces mark off the vari- ous intervals at which the waters remained stationary for a while in their gradual lessening of volume. Another remarkable property of the BnUlltAM VolNC. II' 364 PERSONAL HECOLLECTIONS OF water is its density. It is next to impossible to sink to the bottom, for one can float upon the surface with the greatest ease. The so-called " Prophet," Brigham Young, declared that the site of the forthcoming ^ity was indicated to him in a vision by an angel who, stand- ing on a conical hill, pointed out to him the locality where the new temple must be built. Upon the entry of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Basin he beheld the identical mountain he had seen in the vision, with a stream of fresh water flowing at its base. The I'rophet immediately com- manded bis followers to halt and pitch their permanent tents, as they had finally arrived at the site of the , / ■ city of the New Jerusalem. He immediately named the moun- tain Ensign Peak and the stream at its base City Creek. Another larger stream of fresh water he n a ni e d after the old historical stream , of the Jews, the Jordan. Here the people were com- manded to "wash" as of old. When the Mormons ar- rived in the valley in July, 1847, the Territory belonged to Mexico, but the next year it became, together with New Mexico, Arizona and the whole of upper California, a portion of the domain of the United States. This was a severe l)low to the designs of the Prophet. With the Mexican government Brigham Young could, in his remote fastnesses, negotiate his own terms and secure for himself and his followers all the concessions necessary for their temporal as well as their peculiar spiritual welfare. Here they could revel in polygamy and indulge in all the doctrines declared to be a part of their faith. But suddenly the war with Mexico closed, and, as if to overthrow their schemes in this remote section, the territory on which they had already begun the erection of Tm; Miii!M(i\ Ivmidis. GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 3(>5 , for I the tand- mple Lake ith a com- y had (jf the ii. lie noun- and itreaiu s base Creek. i t h e r g e r a ni of water I a in e d stream ordan. e com- ofold. ons ar- n J-aiy, ecame, )rnia, a low to remote lowers eculiar in all he war remote ction of their temple became the property of the federal government. Still, not to be defeated in his original enterprise, the Prophet laid claim to every- thing. Under a system of law enacted by themselves, and in the ai)sence of federal legislation and the per-sons and jmwers to enforce it. all this basin and nearly every arable acre of soil in the Territory was seized and apportioned to their own uses. Sparse and distant settlements were created for the sole purpose of maintaining their hold upon the lands they had taken possession of. and the authority of the church, through its great high priest, was extended in all directions. Not an acre of land should ever be in such condition as to be converted to the use or benefit of the Gentile element. All that in the way of business would tend to attract them thither should be avoided. Under the operations of this rule mining for the precious metals was prohibited under penalty of the "anger of God." Young declared publicly that none of the vast luineral wealth of the Territory should be disclosed until the Lord, through him as His vicar, should so order. While great mineral wealth lay at their doors and a mighty industry might have been establisluHl. they were not permitted to turn a spadeful of earth save in the way of cultivating the soil. These mines of gold and silver were to be kept a secret from the outer world so as to prevent an accretion of Gentile population. The i)eculiar people were sealed within themselves in their mountain walls, and the Gentile was almost an absolute stranger within their gates until the advent of Johnston's army in 1S57. Along with that came the mail and express, and the telegraph soon followed. But not until Genera! Conner came with his California regiment of miners and mountain prosi>e('tors was Utah's vast mineral wealth made known to the world. Then followed a greater iuHux of the Gentile element. ButBrigham Young, as the high priest of the church, still maintained his absolute sway over his people. contr(>lling and direct- ing every movement of their lives in all their social, religious and business relations. The government of the Mormons was thus a pure pseudo- theocracy, controlled by the will of one man. Few men of the present century have attracted more notice from writers of all creeds, both at home and abroad, than Brigham Young. He was born of humble parentage in Vermont in lS(n. His education in the schools was limited, according to his own statement, to eleven and a half days. He learned in early life the trade of a painter and glazier. He joined the Mormon church in 1S32. and journeyed with them to Ohio, Missouri and Illinois. By simple force of character and intellect he reacLid the highest pinnacle of power in the Mormon Church and State. >.v 'wnRUdn^^MBSk PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF He was not only a man of great force of character, but was also pos- sessed of great executive ability. To his clear judgment, firmness of decision, inflexible will, unceasing industry, power of government and ability to control men, directness of purpose and a self-sustaining individ- uality that overpowered all opposition, the Mormon Church owes much of the prosperity that attended its lodgment in the then sterile valleys of these mountains. Had it not been for him and his ability to command, the multitude of his followers would have fled before the disasters and threatened starvation that assailed them in the early days of their entry into the valley. While he directed their spiritual faith and by pretended "visions" and "dreams" pointed out "the will of the Lord." he superintended all the great labor of laying out and building the city of Zion. Ail plans were submitted first to his inspection before a stake was driven. As time went on and privations ceased, and the city had grown great and prosperous, and Mormon immigrants began pouring in from all parts of the world, personally he superintended their movements and established the various settlements throughout the Territory. When the lines of telegraph were laid it was by Young's contract with the company, sublet to others. When the roads were built for the mail and express companies it was by his order, and it was through him that the great trans-continental railroad entered his domain. A late writer, an apostate from the Mormon faith, speaking of the abso- lute power of Young over the lives and property of his people, says: "No one to-day, even in Utah, can form any idea of the thorough control that Young exercised over the people. Nothing was ever undertaken without his permission. He kneAv of everything. No pei-son could enter into busi- ness without consulting him, nor would any one ever think of leaving the city to reside in any other part of the country without having his approval. Merchants who went east or west to purchase goods had to present them- selves at his office and report their intention of going to the States at such a time, if he had 'lo contrary orders to give them. He claimed that no Saint should do anything without his knowledge and approval." He claimed the power of performing miracles, foretelling events and doing other strange and wonderful things. It is said that he rarely made a prophecy or prediction that it did not come true. By the exercise of most adroit cunning he usually succeeded in making his predictions and prophecies seem inspired. He was very intelligent and with intelligent people he would make a prediction something like this: " You will have GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 367 pos- ss of : and livid- ch of ■ys of iiand, s a^id entry " and ill the s were B went ^lerous, world, various li were When by his ailroad le abso- "No lol that vithout to busi- |ing the iproval. them- at such :hat no bt^ and Jy laade Ircise of )ns and lelligent 111 have a successful journey. You will enjoy your trii» and will all return to your homes in good health." When asked if he intended this as a prophecy he would reply: " You can call it whatever you please. I make the predic- tion." With his own peoj)le it was (piite different, for he knew they would believe whatever he told them. Near the close (»f a very severe winter that had caused much suffering he hai)pened to be down in the lower part of the Territory. While there he noticed a warm breeze and the appearance of birds whose coming usually preceded the opening of spring. Making as rapid a journey as possible, he hurried back to Salt Lake, went into the Tabernacle and proclaimed that the Lord was about to put an end to the terrible winter. He told them there would be an early spring, the sun would shine, the snow would disai)pear: the face of the Lord was again turned toward his chosen people, and that he would breathe upon them the blessings of life. All this would hai)pen very soon. Nat- urally this prophecy came true. Another story is told of him illustrative of his shrewdness. One of his followers had been unfortunate enough to lose a leg and was o1)liged to go about on a wooden one. This man came to him one day and told him that he knew he was a prophet of the Lord: that he could perform miracles and foretell events, and that he wanted him to perform a miracle for him by giving him back his lost leg. He stated that with (mlyoneleg he could not support his families, and that he had a strong desire to nuike himself useful. After thinking over the matter a few moments. Young assumed a very solemn and wise attitude and expression and said : "What you say is true. I am a prophet of the Lord: I can perform miracles and foretell events and do numy other wondrous things: but it is i)ossible that you have not thought this thing out as seriously as you f)uglit to have done. You know it is told us that what is lost to us in this world will be restored to us in the next. If you continue in the faith in the other world your lost leg will be given back to you, and if I give you another now you will have to go through eternity on three legs." This was a view that had not occurred to the man befoie. and he concluded that he would not insist on having the miracle performed. He went away a more fervent l)eliever in Brigham than ever. When Brigham Young died, in 1S77. John Taylor was elected to succeed him, but his real power descended to (leorge Q. C'annon, entitled ''Urst Counselor" to the president, and who was also a delegate to Congress. Salt Lake City at the present time covers about nine thousand acres of ground, some of which is unoccupied, but the city is handsomely laid k 308 PKUSONAL UKCOI.hKlTlONS OF i ' ! 1 ViU i { '^1 : ! out. The streets arc one liimdnMl and tw«Mity-(M«;lit feet in widtli, crossing at ri^Mit anodes. 'rii<\vare tliicklv sIuuIimI, and tlirMn;j:li many of tlicni tlow sh'cains of [uire water fnnn tlie distant nionntains. enaldin^' the people to irrijxate I heir j^ardens, N(»arly (»very ward contains a pnhlie s«|nare. The honses sire mostly Iniilt of a.ilipii('al in shapi> and its i nt e r i o r space is siillicient to permit the drilling' ol'a I'ciiimcnt of mein. It was desii;ned hy a yonnj^j (J erm a n a rchi tect. and its aconstic prop<'rties aiv remarkahje; nnexcidied. I presnme. hy those of any hnildin«j: in the world. The new temi)Ie. Itnilt at a cost of $'").<>nd(Ml to endure forages. Its foundations are sixt(MMi f(M^t d(M^[)and composed of hard ^rayjjfra nit (\ There is still another very interestint; building in the same emdosure iaiown as the iMulownuMit. House. Here for many years converts to the Mormon religion have been receivinl into the bosom of the church with mysterious forms and cere- monies. It is built of tidobe and contains but four windows, one of which is blocked up. On a high bench of land commanding a niagnilicent view of the city and surrounding country stands the imposing residence formerly occui)ied by the Prophet with many of his wives and children. At the west end of Hrighanrs Block, as it is called, lies the Tithing House. This is a large building with numerous cellars, storerooms, receiving rooms, payrooms and ottices. Here are collected and store(» ' r io r HMlt to rilliii}.' )l'in('n. ihmI by nil an iimI it^ pcrtics ill the losurc. oiisare MiotlH'i' llWIIlCIlt (1 ('(MO- oiio ot" c he city cupied oiul of a lar^e yrooiiis le prod- labor — tlio nvsiiltaiit of tliat systnii of tithing' wliicli ('oiiipcls cui'li individual iikmiiImm' of tlu'rlinrvli to drvotc to its sii|>|iort onr-tcntli (d* all the |>rod- iH'ts of his oi- Iht laltof. 'I'licsc |»ossrssions of tlir rlimrh always found a i n statesman. I 870 rEUS(JNAL liECOI.LELTIONS OK Universal industry, groat economy and simplicity of life, with rigid temperance, were the main sources and pillars of their prosi)erity and wealth. They have been a very prosperous people. They lived under a system of perfect (liscii>line. They are a healthy people and great care has ht^en taken that their immigrants should bring no disease with them. They for a long time allowed no intruders in the country. Anyone who was very troublesome disappeared very i»romptly. and the Mountain Meadow massacre will forever l)e a blot upon the history of the Mormons. When finally the railways were established, giving employment to a large number of men, the result was a rapid increase of wealth. The number of buildings erected grew steadily larger, and the luxuries usually found in wealthy communities w(>re gradually adopted, until now Salt Lake City is one of the picturescpie and prosperous cities of the West. They point to their success, the productive res(;.irces of the territory and the growth and beauty of Salt Lake C^ity as the direct evidences that they were the chosen peojde of the Lord and the es])ecial recipients of His blessing. Yet they for- get in this argunuMit the great prosperity of St. Paul, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Denver. Omaha, Kansas City and hundreds of other American cities and towns that have prospered and been made beautiful during the same period. ?^?^?#^^f. K?*^^-%^fe^ ■y^^'. m GEN..;UL NKLSON A. MILES. 'Ml aiul lev a care tl\em. intain luons. I lav^e »iuh1 in I'ity i» oint to vth i\m\ I chosen hey fov- )Us, l^os , Kansas rospeved CHAPTKU XXIX Across I'tah and Nkvada. From Salt L.\kk ti> San Fkancisco — On tiik I'acikm — Thk Cdlimhia Uivkr — MoI'nt llt»in> — MorxT Shasta — A .Muintain Lakk — City ok IVtKTi.ANU — Okkohn — WASlllN«iT. UOM Salt Lake City 1 journeyed across the arid phiins of southern Utah and western Nevada to San Francisco l)y way of tlie Central Pacific, which was a continuation of the Union I'acific. at that time the only trans-continental line. I remained in San Francisco several days, hut as I shall have occasion later to speak more fully of this city 1 will not at this time attempt to descrihc it. At that time there was no way of reaching Portland, Ore- gon, except l)y water, unless one went hy stage and the mountainous route through the interior, the latter hemg a long, tedious and most undesiralde journey. I took passage on hoard the "Columbia." and passing out of the beautiful San Francisco harbor found myself on the billows of the broad Pacific. The trip along the coast was a most delight- ful one until we were overtaken by a severe storm.when the water became so rough that even those who were most accustomed to ocean voyages were obliged to succumb to seasickness. Even those who had crossed the Atlantic many times without any unpleasant effects were forced to acknowledge the power of the Pacific when once roused from its usually placid condition. At the mouth of the Columl)ia River at that time there was a bar which, if the wind was fresh, was covered by a dashing surf, while in a storm this surf appeared like a great white wall. There were several breaks in this bar, allowing ships to enter. Ijnt it was at all times a danger- ous passageway, many steamers having l^een wrecked there and many valuable lives lost. During the last few years the government has con- structed extensive and costly jetties that have greatly improved the navigation at the entrance of this great river. It is to the Columbia, a-j I'HKSONAL I:K('(M,I,K( TIONS OK » 1 F f wliirli oiH'o l»(»ro the namo of Oir^'oii, timt lliyaiit refers in his poem "Tliaiiatopsis" w lien lie says: •'Or ln>*«< thyself in the coiitiniKnis \voiumI, l»(»ii»/ alnuit tit'tcen miles a<*n»ss a few niiles fnun ulicre it entered the Dcean. To^'etlier witli its triluitjiries it drains a territory <>f :{tl.').(KH) sijuare miles, and penetrates in every direction tliroufjli twelve degrees of latitude and thirteen de^jrees of longitude. Although naviga- tion upon it is not continuous, it has seven hundred and twenty-live miles of navigjible water.s. These are broken hy the cascades. The Dalles, and other obstrncti<»ns. The distance across the country between its navigable waters and those of the Mi.ss(uiri is oidy four hundred a!id tifty miles, which gives it great value as a nu'ans of trajisportation. On the Snake Hiver. one of its i)ranches. steanuM's can go as far as liewiston, Idaho, a distance of four hundred miles east of Portland. Oregon. The most interesting part of the river is that known as the (Jorge of the Columbia. From ab(»ve The halles for lifty miles or more the river Hows through the solid mountain range of the Cascades, and the farther it penetrates these mountains the more nuijestic and awe-inspiring grows the scenery. As we ascend, fantastic forms of r(K*k attract the attention on every hand, and from lofty ledges silvery water from mountain rivulets d whicb mountain localities are subject, make this a stormy passage at some seasons of the year. As the rap- ids are approached the ^, '*V/^^()^^v::r J> ., ^,y heights recede and en- "^^^^^^^^^^S&J:!!;- close a strip oi level rock on which stands a soli- tary pyramid know as Castle Kock. Above the MctlNT lliiul). cascades the scenery is so grand as to almost defy description. The most interesting part of this Gorge of the Columbia is The Dalles. Here the river flows for fifteen miles through such a narrow channel in the solid rock that one accustomed only to the lower part can hardly believe that this great, dashing, rushing, foaming torrent of water is the Columbia. So narrow and so deep, indeed, does it appear **«■■■■■■ . ■I 'I ;^74 PhiUSONAL HKCOLLK'CTION'S OF at. this place that it has been aptly likened to "af?reat river set on edge." As I stood on the deck of the steamer on the occasion of my first ascendinj^ the Columbia I noticed what appeared to me to be a triangular white cloud above ad(M^i)bank of darker ones. Someone quietly renuirked, "Mount Hood!" "VViiere?" I inipiired; and jjjreat was my surjn'ise when he pointed out my beautiful three cornered cloud as the snow-capped peak of the famous mountain. At first I was incredulous, l)ut as we drew nearer and it {gradually unfolded its j;ra<'eful and symmetrical form, st^eni- injif to reach into the very iumvens, I was fonrcd to acknowled|^'ethat he was right. Most mountain r mges stand on a i)lat(siu so that we do not get the full effect of their height. Pike's i'eak, for instance, reaches an altitude (»f lJ{.r)(M) feet above the s(si level, but the country around it rises so grad- ually that tlu^ actual mountain is only about half that height above the surrounding (tountry. Moinit Mood, howcner, stands forth in all its ma- jestic proijortions, as one se(\s it from the sea level I'J.'MM^ foot from foot to summit, and losers nothing of its graiuleur by reason of any surrounding tableland. Ac<*ording to a tradition of the Indians. Mount H(K»d was an active volcano at a comparatively rec(Mit ])eriod. As we move on u|» the Columbia the remainder of the cluster of mountains of whi<'h Mount ll(K)d forms one become visible against the sky; Mcuint Adams, Mount •lefTerson, Mount St. Helens, and furtluM" to the wt^st Mount Kainier or Tacoma, as the Indians called the great UKniutain towering up two thousand feet higher than even Mount Hood, and all contributing to form a grand picture that I have never seen surpassed. One of Oregon's native poets speaks of " cloiidt'd Hood, St. IIclt'iiH ill ln^r stMi of wood Wlinre H\V)'ti|»H tlic Oit'iroii, and wlit'it" Wliito storms art) in tlif fcatlicrcd lir. AikI snowy si'u-l)irds wliccl and wliir." M'M^jt /'iuista is one of the grandest of this great mountain range. It tow«jrs above the surr()unding coiintry, symnieti'ical in form, impressively majestic in proi)orti()ns, rising 14,440 feet in height. The grandest of all these mountains at one time must have been what is now known as Crater iiake in southeast Oregon, ninety miles east of the Oregon and California, Kailway. it is one of the most wonderful features of nature that 1 hav(> <»verseen. As you approach it you pass over what is known as the Lava Ueds, a large district of country that must have 111 i .! (iKNKlJAL NKLSON A. MII.KS. 876 y first iignlar larked, wlion d i)oak B drew „ soeiu- , be was jrotthe altitude ;<) ^rad- »()ve tlio its lusi" I foot to •ouudinjj; [ was ail )U ui» tlie li Mount s. Mount aiuier or thousand a ^n-and ive iH)ets |ran«jcc. Tt ipressively [been wbat least of tlie 111 features lover wiiat inust bave been (H)vered by tlie lava from a ^'reat eruption. You ^raibuilly ascend for four or live mik's what i(K>ivs like a luouiitaiu ran^'c. As you approach and liually reaeh the suniiuit you are suddenly appalled by lindiuf/ your- self ui)on the ver^e (d' a preeii)iee lookiuj,' down two thousand feet up«»n a Dody of waier six miles lon^ and live wide, encircled by an ahnost per- pendicular wall, with only one or two places whei'e it is possible for a nuiii to descend to its mar^'in. The area of this lake is ahoul thirty stpiare miles and its depth ov(M' two thousand feet. There is no appjirent outlet, but sonH> twelve or lift(MMi miles away there rolls out from the earth a lar^ni stream of water as cold as ice, which sead of navigation on the Willaniette makes it virtually a seaport. A rather amusing account is given of the way in which I'ortlaiid received its name. The site of the present city was purchased in IS44 by two nuMi from New l^lngland, one being a native of the chief <'ity of the state ol" Maine, while the other came from {{oston. In ISlS the nund»er of ]»('ople in tluMr new settlement had so iiu'reased as to seem to warrant the dignity (d' a nanu'!. and naturally each of the owucm's was desirous of hon- oring his own city with a namesake in the far West. After hmg discussion, no agreenuMit being reach'Ml, a p« sSe PKWSONAL IJE(H)LLECTI()NS OK m ' ^ i 1 ' '■} ■ 1.. .. 1 1 ^HBLnJI 1 : :' 1 J ^^HiLi {( Portland is a thriving cityaml Orojjon a prosperous Stato l)e('aiise of the vast natural resources of the surrounding' country. Its Avaters are alive with tli(» most delicious trout and salmon. Its forests are of j;reat value. Its ajjrricultural resources are unsurpassed. Its mines, manufactures and com- merce and the enterprise of its jx'ople all contribute to its wealth and prosperity, ^hmy have ^rown rich as a result of the wonderful discov- eries of mines in California. Idaho and Oregon. These mines increased the i»opulation and hrou^dit in many additiomil industries. I'ortland is now a handsome city, lighted l>y pis and electricity, with many miles of street railway, and containing numerous massive buildings. Naturally its connnerce is of great importance. The discovei'y and exidoration of Oregon and Washington is credited to the Spanish navigators early in the sixteenth century. In l')92 .luande Fuca. a (ireek pilot sailing in the service of the N'iceroy of New S[)ain, entered into "a broad opening between forty-seven and forty-eight degrees, and sailed eastward for one hundred miles, when he saw men clad in the skins of beasts and emerged into the Atlantic." Considering his duty done, he saihnl back through his strait and down to Acapulco. Afterward he was sent to Spain to report tliis marvel to the king. Then began that series of voyages in search of the "Straits of Aman." which resulted in the telling of such wond(M-ful stories. These fabled straits were supposed to lead thi'ough to the Atlantic, and their I'ediscovery and exploration was the ambition of the greatest navigators of two centuries. The first who claimed to have explored them was a Portugese, who was supposed to have sailed through them from the Labrador coast into the Indian OceJin in loOd. The Strait of .luan de Fuca is a magnificent highway eighty-three miles in length and in places not more than twelve miles in width, the great gateway to one of the grandest of all our inland seas. Puget Sound. The latter, with its arms and inlets, covers a surface of two thousand square miles. Its waters are of very great depth, and its harbors are cai)al)le of accommodating the largest vessels. For safety of navigation it is un- ci (ua led. In 17112 Captain (J ray of Boston in his ship "Columbia" sailed up the great river which now bears the name of his vessel, and it was upon ins di>C()veries and explorations that the United States based her claim to that vast region com}»rising Washington. Oregon and a part of Idaho, and which contains thirty-two times as many s((uare miles as Massachusetts, the native State of Captain (iray. The overland expedition under Lewis e vast with I. Its I coni- b and Usc-ov- •reasetl laiul is liles of ■ally its •redited .1 uau de ' Si>ain, ae^n-ees. :1 ill the liis duty ftenvavd irau tlrat suited in snppo^t'^^ ion was hrst who vipposed ian Ocean iree ni iles the great md. The aid s(inare •apahle of it is nn- ed up the upon his lini to that daho. and achnsetts, luler Lewis GEXERAl. NELSON A. MILES. •)( 12 '-J m ! **■■ I '■ 'll 1 ^ 1 1 i J i ■ i 37S PEHSONAL HECOLLECTIOXS OF I :1 I! ! and Clark crossed the liocky Mountains and followed the Columbia River from itssouice to its niouth in 1S()5. The wonderful resources of this part of the country were first n)ade known to the world through that expedition. The first attempt at settlement was nuide by Captain Winship with fifty men in ISKI, but the hardy pioneers who were afraid of neither man nor beast were fon-ed t() own themselves van(piislied by another adversary when the summer freshet swept down from the mountains, carryinjj: away their gardens, flooding their houses and forcing them to abandon, their enter])rise. Captain Winshii) returned to San Francisco and began mak- ing pliins for })lanting another colony on the Columbia, but before they were comi)leted he heard of the establishment of Astoria, named in honor of its founder. John -hicol) Astor, at the mouth of the river. He then abandoned his enterprise. The Hudson Bay Company subsecpiently obtained this property and ruled supremely in the valleys of the Cohnnbia and the Willamette until 1S4S, excepting for a few years wdien its sway was disputed ])y the Northwest Fur Company. Tn 1Sl'4 the first fruit trees were planted in Oi'egon. and seven years later some servants of the Hudson Bay Company abandoned hunting and trapping and attempted wheat- growing in the VVillamette \'alley. The sad story of the Nez Pen^e Indians who took the long journey from the far West to St. liouis in search of "the Book" is well known in that country. In the end tlieir journey did not prove a fruitless one, for their pathetic story became known, and when in ISJJ') two exploring delegates of the American board of missions met the Nez Perces on (Jreen Kiver, Dr. Whitman, one of these agents, concluded that he had discovered his life work. When he returned to the east to make his report and arrange his plan; he took with him two of the Nez Ferce boys as specimens of the people among whom he wished to ])e allowed to labor. As soon as his plans were completed he returned to the West and founded a small colony in Walla Walla \'alley. Afterward it was largely due to his patriotic efforts and sacrifices that the whole of this vast region did not become a part of the British possessions, as will l)e shown in a future chapter. In 1S41 Captain Wilkes of the United States Navy, at the head of an expedition, surveyed the coasts, bays, harl)ors and rivers of this territory, and two years later Lieutenant Fremont of the army arrived at Vancouvei' on the Columbia Hiver, thus connecting his reconnoissance with the eastern terminus of C'aptain Wilkes's explorations. In the course of time this territory became the occasion of numerous disputes between the United States and the British government. These River is part ditiou. p with \Y mau ^crsiiry ^ away ii> their u niaU- »re they meA in ,er. He LHiueutly Jolnmhia its sway i-uit trees ^e Hudson P,d wlieat- rney fvo»^ 11 in that .^ t()r their delegates Ben Uiver, i-ed his lite grange his ^eiis of the soon as his nail colony is patriotic become a ipter. head of an s territory. Vancouver the eastern )f numerous Lent. These 1 GKNKKAL NKLSON A. MILES. 879 were not finally settled until 1S72, when the (iernian Emperor acted as arbitrator between the two governments. During the years when the owner- ship of the territory was unsettled it was held by the people of both countries; but no form of civil government existed until 1.S4H, when Oregon Territory was organized by Congress. The country was really settled by the Ameri- cans, for while the British hunter and trapper came in search of game only, the American farmer brought his wife and fsunily and remained in the country perinanently. A "donation law" was passed by Congress in iSoO. which enabled early settlers to secure titles to their hoNliugs. In IS")*.) Oregon was admitted as a State. For several years thereafter her progress was slow, but the coming of the railroads overcame the most serious obsta- cles to her advancement and assisted her to the present substantial prosperity. The history of Washington was closely connected with that of Oregon until 1858, when Congress endowed the former with a sei)arate territorial government. It was admitted as a State in ISS',). For many years there was a very mistaken ojiinion regarding the cli- mateof the northern Pacific Coast.it l)eing supi)()sed that the winters were very cold and severe, while in reality tiie revers<» is true. The mean tv.\u- perature in January ranges from ten to twenty degrees higher on the Pacif- ic than it does on the eastern side of the mountain chain which SO TKliSOXAL RECOLLECTIONS OF I ■iI'imI; 111 eastern Orej^on and W'lsliinj^ton the temperature is much lower in winter and liij^her in summer than it is west of the mountains. Althonj^h the days are often very hot in the summer, the nights are always cool and refreshing. As there are four or tive months of what is known as the dry season, between May and October, it gives the farmers an oiipor- tunity to harvest their crops at leisure. Wheat forms the staple agricultural product of both Washington and Oregon, in Washington much of the land devoted to the raising of wheat is from l.OiK) to ;{,(l(M> feet above the sea level. Hundreds of miles of irrigating canals are in operation, and the annual product averages 15.(K)(I,(KM) bushels. Oats also yields heavily and fruits and vegetal)les are extensively raised in both States. In Oregon the Willamette V'alley is the chief region of agricultural wealth, and is famed alike for its beauty and fertility. This charming valley, which has sometimes been called the "Eden of Oregon." is one hundred and twenty-five miles in length, and its breadth for the entire distance averages over forty miles. Its area is tive times that of Delaware, or nearly equal to the entire State of Maryland. The valley presents most delightful alternations of scenery, from lofty moun- tains to rich meadows, wooded hills and pastoral dales. It is the most populous portion of the State and embraces within its limits nearly all the important towns and cities. At the time that I was in that part of the country the valley was being rapidly settled, and in the loneliest parts might be noticed new houses; so new in fact, that the sawdust sometimes still clung to their ))()ards. The prairies of the Willamette Valley are not an uninterrupted level like those of Illinois. Ranges of hills and isolated buttes occur frequently enough to save the landscape from monotony. It would hardly be possible to exaggerate the value of the forests throughout Washington and Oregon, especially in the former State. The principal growths are fir, pine, spruce, cedar, larch and hemlock, though other varieties are found in considerable quantities. Trees attain an unusual development, both in regard to height and symmetry of form. They are so tall and straight and gently tapering that they are peculiarly adapted for making the masts and spars of ships, and for this purpose large quantities one hundred and fifty feet in length are shipped from the forests of Douglas County to all parts of the world. Gold was first discovered in Jackson County in Oregon in LS52, and mining is still carried on there for the same precious metal, though it has since been discovered i. t many other places. In Washington gold is found \-^' GKNEUAL NELSON A. MILES. 3S1 wer in iitaiiis. tihvays own us oppor- ou and ■ wheat liles of vera^es retables Valley beauty Eden of breadth e times id. The y moun- he most y all the t of the !st parts metimes are not isolated |ony. forests ^e. The though Ittain an lof form, (culiarly purpose from the 852, and \\\ it has is found on the Yakima River and in various other localities. U\c\\ deposits of sil- ver and iron, as well as many other minerals, al)ound in both States. Washington has been called the Pennsylvania of the Pacific on account of its vast coal region lying in or near tlie Puget Sound liasin. Stock-raising is also a great industry, and the country is well adapted for it in both of these States. The waters in this region abound with fish, the most important of which is the salmon. Such large ((uantitiosof these are canned every year as to make it one of the most important industries. Aii extensive commerce is carried on. especially with China and .lapan. Port Townsend is the port of entry in Washington, and the number of American vessels engaged in the foreign trade here is exceeded at two ports only in the I'nited States — New York and San Francisco. Washington, with her rich and varied resources, undoubtedly has a great future before her. In the terse language of the West, her people state that if you should build a Chinese wall around Washington her inhal)itants could supply themselves with everything they absolutely required without going outside, and the statement is practically true. In 1858 the population was less than 4.000 for the entire territory; in 18t)0 it had increased to 349,000. and in 1894 it was estimated at 410,0(M). Oregon in 1842 had only two hundred and forty white people within her ))orders, while in 1890 the census gave the numl)er of inhabitants at nearly 314,000. The chief city of western Washington is Seattle, with a population of over 40,000. When we consider that its progress has been made against railroad opposition instead of by the aid of this powerful influence, its size and business importance seem almost incredible, and its public- spirited men can hardly lay claim to too much credit. From the harbor it makes an impressive appearance because it is built in a manner peculiar to itself, though the result is that its streets are exceedingly steep. After some of the best engineers and most prominent officers of the army had for years recommended without success the construction by the govern- ment of a short canal to unite the waters of Puget Sound with the fresh water basin of Lake Washington, the citizens of Seattle, with commend- able enterprise and pulilic spirit, have undertaken the great w^ork them- selves. The canal will be completed within a few yeavs,and when finished will have cost about $7,000,000. Tacoma, an hour and a half distant from Seattle by water, is also a substantial city, and especially remarkable for the beautiful homes that adorn its streets. It is the center of a large circle of cultivated people and, though it is not as large as Seattle, it has exhibited great enterprise. Hi %m,J..;vmmf:M' liH2 I'KKSONAL liKCOLLECTIONS OF Spokane is tin? priMcipal city of esisieni VVasliiri^'toii. It is a very active placfi, with electric (;ars, (electric ii^'lits, cal>l(; <;ars, (ficvators, etc., though it is not at all |)C('iiliar in these; respects, as nearly all pro^'rr^ssive western towns hav(! tlu; same, an * ^*i^ .. ^ SniisiiMNi-: l'',\r,i,M. ^'on, VV;ishin<(ton, Utah and Nehniska,. Aithon^di explored by liewis and Clark on their famous exf)edition, hut litth; was known of it until \W)2, when j^old was discoverfMj nc^ar the northern hounthiry. On 'Inly 'J, IHIK), Idaho entered the Cnion, hein^' tlu; forty-third State in the ord(!r of admi.s- sion. The uauu) Idaho is said to nu-an "Li^lit of the Mountains." Its mountain system is peculiar. The Salmon River range in the cen- (;knkuai, nkf.son a. mif.ks. im is }ind |l isr,2, jidrniH- inil fMrt of tlio Stato is diio of the nmst |>irfiin's(|in' in Aniericsi and of itself (rovers an area as lar^?e as New .lersey. Streams radiate to nearly every point from their sonrces in this ^n'at centnil ran;;e. y(^t they sill flow into the Snake Itiver and thence into tlu^ CoJMmltia. 'I'he crests and sum- mits of many of these; ujountjiins rise from KMHM) to 1:{.(MH) fc'et above i\w Iev(d of the sea. ()n(5 of the most remarkahle features of Idsiho is tin; vast lava ImmI which , making a descent of two liuudrfMl and tvventy-fiv(; f(;et. For<\sts abound in the north. 'I'liere is but litthi rainfall in the south- ern pai't of the State, but toward the center tlierc' is a heavy snowfall for several months in the year. 'I'he climatf^ is depend(uit upon tlu! (elevation, and varies from a, dry area, of almost torrid heat alon^ the Snak<; Kiver and till! foot-hills to the cold of the mountain peaks wlicM'e the snow lies frecpKMitly through thesiimmer. and ic(! forms nearly every ni^lit. Kven in winter the ice and snow are (>ften rapidly melted by the (.'hin<»ok winds blowin;^' from the I'acilic ('(»ast. 'I'he <'ount)\v is not well adapted to a|,ni«*ultiire. yet on both sides of the Snak(! I{iv(^r irrigation has pr'<»duced the same i-esults t hat it has in I'tali. In th(; a,^^ni^atr; the }^ra/,in^ lands form a. c(>nsidei-able tract, but these hinds are widely scatten^d. There ai-e many rich min«'s in tlM\ States but as yet they have nr)t been fully devebtped. Tlu; .Mornutn <'|iui<*h is strong' in Idaho, l)ut as polygamy is piobibited by law, about o.(M)() Mormons are practically disfranchised. The lar^'est town is lioise ('My. which in IS'.M) contained about JJ,iUM) people. :{.S4 I'KHSONAI, KiaoiJJXTlONS OF CTIAPTHH XXX. A rilAPTKK Ol'T OF KaKLY HisTOHY Idicas (tr Ami:uican Siatksmkn Fiirv Ykahs Aon — DiscnVKiiv or riii: Cm. imiiia — Ci.AiMH or Tin: Umti:i» Static m riii: Noktiiwiost Thkuithuv — Tm: Ivmu.v MissroNx — I)|{. Whitman and Mu. Spai.dino — Tiik Fikst Ovkui, wd .Im iinkv — Till: (M.i» W'AduN — (ii;Ni:nAi, l> ivi:.iuv — |{i:si i.t in W vsiiiNdTuN ol' I'lli: 'ri:A(IIIN(l OF TIIK lllDSON |{\V ('(IMI'ANV — Till: PlONIUNd TUKATV — TlIK lilCTlHN ,rnrilM:V HI' WlllTMAN ANi> l-nvi:.i(>Y — A (!iiAN(ii; ni- \ii:\v IN Washini;- Tc>N — Tin: LicssoN uk tiik Oi.d \VA(ii>\ — WoHK and DlCATII OK I)|{. WlllTMAN, N our day, when the ji^reat uorthwestoni »)art of our country with its vast reso'ivces is so well known and so thoroujifhly appre- ciated, it se^ms almost incredible that only Hfty years aj?o so little was known of that region that a man like 1 )aniel Webster was willing to believe it a ''sandy desert." That this great country which now comprises the States of Washington, Oregon and Idaho is not to-day part of the British possessions is largely due to the unselfish exertions of Dr. Marcus Whitman, a missionary sent out to that part of the United States by the American Board of Missions in 1836. That this country, which was then known as Oregon, belonged right- fully to the United States there can be no shadow of doubt. Captain Robert Gray of Boston discovered the Columbia River in 1792 and gave the name of his good ship to that beautiful and majestic Hudson of the West. The English navigator, Vancouver, was informed of its existence by Captain Gray before he ever entered its waters. The second claim of the United States was based on the Louisiana purchase. This territory had been ceded by France to Spain in 17()2, re-ceded to France in 1800, and sold by the latter country to the Ignited States in 1808 "with all its rights and appurtenances as fully and in the same manner as they were acquired by the French republic." Although there was some doubt whether France could rightfully claim the territory along the Pacific Coast as far north as the parallel of forty-nine degrees, it was Spain who disputed her claim, and not England. • . i-j (iKNl-:i!.\I, NKI.SON A, MII.KS. 385 I'MlllA — ry with appre- ago so Vehster IS great Oregon iions is litman, l)y the right- iCaptain liid gave of the :istence ;laim of lerritory ISOO, and :s rights .cquired France Lorth as claim, A tliird claim of the liiitod States was liascd on the explorations of Lewis and Clark, who were s(»nt out hy JetTersoii in lS(i;{,aiid who followed the Coliinihia from its headwaters to its mouth. A fourth clainj was hased on tluMictual settlement nuide at Astoria in isjl. A hfth was tiu' treaty of the I nited States with Spain in ISIS. wlu'U Si»aiii relincpiished any and all claims to the territory in dispute to the I'nited States. The sixth and last <'laim was the treaty with Mexico in IS-JS. hy whicli the I'nited States ac((uired all interests in the territory in (jues- tion that had heen claimed l»y Mexico. When the apiieal of the Flat Head Indians of the Northwest was nuide known to the peo- ple in the eastern part of the I'nited States, it toucluMi a resi)onsivo chord and .stirred the church to unusu;.! :; *ivity. The Methodi.sts sent out the Lees in \HlH, and the Dr. .Marcis Wiiitmas. Am on a [leninsnla formed hy the Itranches of the Walla IJiver, in what is now <)n(M)f the most tertile and hoautifnl portions of Washin^don. The Indians called it Wai-i-lat-i»ui. meanin}^' "the plac(M>f ry(^ ^Mass.'' Oneoftiie v lirst elTorts (d" Ih. Wiiitnnin X'^. was to indnce his Indians O to rai.se their own j?rain, fruits and vegetables. All the missionaries in that part of the country believed that under the existin^'treaty between the Tnited States and i ireat liritam the nation which first settled and or- <,'aiii/ed the territory would hold it. The glowing accounts given of the soil, climate, great for- ests and indications of mineral wealth had induced a small numher of Americans to immigrate, and in the vicinity of each mission was quite a popula- tion of farmers and traders. In 1S40-41 many of them met and discussed the subject of organizing a government under the American Hag. but were unable to do so. being outnumbered by the English. In the fall of bS4'J Elijah White, an Indian agent for the government, brought a party of Americans, men, women and children, numbering one hundred and tw'enty. to Waiilatpui. Among this party was a most intelligent gentleman, (Jeneral Amos L. Lovejoy, who was thoroughly informed in national affairs, and told Dr. Whitman of the treaty then pending between England and the United States regarding The ()i,i> Waoox. |i- i yiTr- - llHMil •SSJfflS^RS J^^-^ __^ .<(l ' '!'■:! I ^'1 rKIJSONAI, KKCOLI.KCTIONS OK the bouiulary line between the United States jiiid the British j)ossessi()iis in North America, The statesmen of tliis period were ij,Miorant on the (juestion of the meat valne of tlie territ(n-y in dispnte. and the ••interminable desert." "arid plains" and "impassable monntains" were constantly qnoted as im[)(>diments in the way to a conntry.most of which was ••as irreclaimable and barren a waste as the Desert of Sahara." All this i«Mioiance was the ^rf:r-<=^f^ I V. WiiriMW l'i.i:\i)iN(i i(.i! <)iti:(i()\ |{i;r(.i!i: Damki, Wkissti'h and I'kksidiont Tayi.ok. resnlt t)f the teachin^^s of the llndson Hay Company, which, wishing' to secnre a monopoly of the country, constantly decried it and endeavored to persuade all outsiders of its worthlessness. in this they succeeded so well that, althou^di our statesmen were thoron^dily persuaded of the justice of the claims of the I'nited States, tliey re}j:arded thecounti-y as bein()n was a^^ain i^niored. the mind of Daniel Webster, the then Secretary t»f State. havinre not \villin<; to aUow him to under- take sucha journey alone. When a vohmteer was called for. (ieneral Love- joy, who had just Hnished his tedious Hve months' journey to Oregon, promptly offered to retrace his way to assist Dr. Whitman in his ^'reat endeavor. Before leavin*;. Dr. Whitman mad(» a visit to Fort Walla Walhi to pro- cure the necessaries for his journey, and \vhih> there an express messenger of the Hudson May C'ompany arrived from Fort Colville. three hundred and fifty miles up ti ■ Columbia, with the anm»uncement that a colony of one hundred and forty Englishmen and Canadians were on their way. Great was the joy among the Englishmen present, and a young priest expressed the sentinu>nts of most of the peo[>le present when he threw his cap into the air and shouted, "Hurrah for Oregon — Anu>rica is too late; we have got the country!" Naturally Dr. Whitman did not share in the general pleasure, but carefully avoided all mention of his purpose in going to Washington, and on his return to his home hastened his preparations for departure. On the third day of Octo{)er, 1S4'J, he bade his y«Ming wife a reluctant good-bye. and with (Seneral Eovejoy and one guide set out on a journey whose success or failure meant so much to our whole country. He reached Fort Hall, in the southeastern part of Idaho, at the end of eleven days, and thus far the journey was comparatively easy, as each member of the party was familiar with the road. Captain (Jrant. the com- manding officer at Fort Hall, had for years done all in his power to dis- courage immigration to that part of the country, and. with the single exception of Dr. Whitnum, he had been uniformly successful in persuading settlers that they would be unable to move their wagons, and cons(»(iuently the greater part of their goods, across the mountains, thus compelling them to go on horseback or on foot for the remainder of the way. He now susi)ected that the missionary had some important business on hand, and ' >ssness of ry po av »l» crossing the l\ocky Mountains, already covered with snow in some plac:es twenty feet deep, and on the almost certain death of anyone who might encounter the Fawuee or Sioux Indians who were then at war with each other. I , m) TKUSONAL lIKCniJ.KC'TIONS OK iE! Dr. Wliitnian fully reali/od the dilliculties and dangers attending' his enterpriso, hut \w ivIustHl to rrturu and Captain (Jrant had no authority to stop him. as ho carried with hiiu a iK'rniit sijjjnod " liOwis Cass, Secretary of War." Instead of turning hack he .set out in a soutlieasterly direction over a route to the States, untrodd(Mi. as far as he knew, hy tlie foot of a white nuin The course he pursued took him past the vicinity of the present Salt liake City, Fort I'intah in the luu-theastern part of Ttah, Fort riu'ompahgre in the W(\stern |>ait of Colorado, and from tiiere down into New Mexico to Santa Fe. thence hack into Colorado to IJent's Fort, from which point his way lay in a jjrenerally easterly direction through the States of Kansas and Missouri to St. Louis. The weather the little party encountered was terribly severe, and they were obliged to change guides several times. (Mi their way to Taos. New Mexico, they met with a terrible snowstorm which comitelled them to seek shelter in a defile of the mountains, where in spite of all efforts to get away they were detained for ten days. At the end of that time they con- trived to make a fresh stai't, but soon encountei'ed a snowstorm so severe that it almost blinded them and made the mules unnumageable. At last the guide stopi)ed and acknowledged that he could show them the way no further, and on attempting to retrace their steps, they found that all traces had been completely covered by the fast falling snow. They knew not which way to turn, and after coming so far, it seemed that they must perish in the snow with their errand still unaccomplished. In this extremity (general Lovejoy tells us that "Dr. Whitman dis- mounted, and, upon his knees in the snow, commended himself, his distant wife, his missionary companions and work, and his Oregon, to the Inlinite One for guidance and protection. "The lead mule, left to himself by the guide, turning his long ears this way and that, finally started, plunging through the snowdrifts, his ]\Iexican guide and all the party following instead of guiding, the old guide renuirk- ing: 'This mule will find the camp if he can live long enough to reach it.' And he did." On returning to the camp the guide i-efused to go any further with them, which was a terrible blow to Dr. Whitman as they had already lost much valuable time. He told (ieneral Lovejoy to remain in the cam}) and rest while he returned to Fort Fncompahgre for another guide, whom he brought back at the end of a week. The dirand Kiver at the point they encountered it, was about six hundred feet wide : for two hundred feet on either shore the water was frozen solid, and a terrible torrent two hundred (JKNKIJAI, NKLSON A. MILPJS. im n^ his liority •retiiry ret'tion lot of a of the ,h, Fort ni into •t, from ijjjh the \u\ they i)s. New to seek :s to get ley con- o severe At last ) way no .11 traces jy knew ley must man (.Us- s distant Infinite lears this iMexican re mark - •each it.' lier with :»ady lost [ami» and Ivhom he )int they Id feet on 1 hundred feet wide rushed Itetween. The guide dechired that it was inipossil)le to cross, but Dr. Whitnum plunged boldly in, and his horse with great ditli- culty succeeded in swininiing to the other shore, and tlienthe rest followed. Owing to the many delays, they had consumed all their provisions, and were obliged to subsist upon a dog and a mule they had killed, but on reach- ing Santa Fe they were again abundantly supplied with provisions. When near Heut's Fort, Colorado. Dr. Whitnum pushed ahead to try to meet a party of men who he had heard were on their way to St. Louis. But he lost his way, and when he Hnally reacluMl the fort, some time after his com[)anions arrived there, he was exhaustiM] and almost discouraged. Still, he delayed only a single night, and hurried on to overtake the party which had already started, while (leufM-al jjovejoy renuiined at the fort until he had recovered from his exertions. The trail to St. Louis was a most dangerous one, being infested with wild beasts and savages, but he reached that town in safety and learned that the Ashburton treaty had been signed August t). 1S4"J, nearly two months before he left Oregon. But this treaty only related to the Maine boundary, so there was still hope that he would be in time to save Oregon for the Ihiion. When he reached the capital he was worn and exhausted, and his hands, feet and eai's had all been frozen; but he cared little for this if the President and Secretary of State would only grant him an interview to enable him to explain to them the great mistake they would make if they permitted Oregon to slip from their grasp, and this he had no difii- culty whatever in securing. Long before Dr. Whitman reached Washington there was an under- standing that the settlement of the boundary question between Oregon and the British possessions had been delayed because there were negotia- tions pending looking to the exchange of the American interests in Oregon for the fisheries of Newfoundland. When he heard of this. Dr. Whitman assured Mr. Webster that it would be better to barter all New England for Newfoundland rather than part with Oregon. He told President Tyler and Mr. Webster of the fertile soil, of the healthful climate, of the great forests, of the indications of mineral wealth, only to be met with the su])- posed unanswerable ol)jection that all this could not matter since Oregon was shut off by impassable mountains, and a great desert which made a wagon road impossible. It was then that the heroic missionary had his reward for all his toil and trouble in hauling his old wagon across the country, for he could now reply: " ]\lr. Secretary, that is the grand mistake 'i S) ; i. 11 ' i i^i PKliSOXAL KKCOI.l.Kl TIONS OF that has lieen made l)y listening? to tlie enemies of American interests in OrejJTon. Six years a^o 1 was told that there was no wa^on road to Ore^'on. and that it was inii)ossihle to take a wairon there, and yet in des])ite of pleadinjrs and almost threats. 1 took a wajj^on over the road, and have it now." Tliis i)lain statement had an effect which any amonnt of argnment and oratory could not have produced. It was a new ex[terience to these experienced politicians to meet a man who could plead so <'lo(iuently tor the cause of his country, and still have no selfish interests of his own to serve, and when he asked that they would not l)arter away Ore^'on until they had given him an opi)ortunity to lead a hand of stalwart Anwrican settlers acr(>ss the plains, they could not well refuse. After receiving this promise he hurried to Boston to report to the missionary hoard, who in turii severely censured him for leaving his station. Meanwhile (Jeneral Lovejoy had published far and wide that l)r. Whit- man and himself would lead a party of emigrants ucross the country to Oregon early in the spring, and a rendezvous was appoiut(Hl not far from the spot where Kansas City now stands, '{'he gi-ass that yeai- was late and the hand of emigrants did not start until the first week in June. The journey was long and (hmgerous, lut was safely accomplished, and when in September one thousand immigrants with their wagons and stock entered the long disputed territory, the hearts of Dr Whitman and all other patriotic Americans with him thrilled with joy as they realized that at last Oregon was saved to the Tnion. riuit Dr. Whitman was the means of saving Oregon to the United States there can be no doubt. A Senate document, the forty-first Congress February U, 1S7I. reads: "There is no doubt but that the arrival of Dr. Whit- man, in lS4o. was opportune. The delay incident to a transfer of negotia- tions to Ijondon was fortunate, for there is reason to believe that if former negotiations had been renewed in Washingt(m. and that if for the sake of a settlement of the protracted controversy and the only remaining unad- judicated cause of difference lietween the two governments, the offer had been renewed of the 41)th parallel to the Columbia and thence down the river to the I'acilic Ocean, it would have been accepted, 'i'he visit of Whitman committed the President against any such action." I^efore Dr. Whitman left AN'ashlngton a nn^ssage was on its way to Mi', Evei'ett. our minister to Kngland telling him that "the Cnited States will consent to give nothing below the latitiulc of forty-nine degrees." After Dr. \\ hitman's return to W'aiilatpui he resumed his labors among the Indians, and for a number of vtars devoted himself entirelv to their \v. ests in pite oi havo it [uineiit ji man ill have y would loatl a not well •t to the ; station. r, Whit- untry to far from late and ne. The md w hen nd stock and all ized that |e United Congress iDr. Whit- iiojjjotia- if former le sake of iii visit of [before l>r. lerett. our M)ns( ut to ors amon y to liu'ii' CHIRICHUA APACHES AS THEY ARRIVED AT CARLISLE. .FROM FORT MARION. FLORIDA , NOVEMBER 4, 1HH5. ^ ^ ^ ?T''*" "^^^^JWJ ■£ f " ^ \ ■"v* \ ,» a ^''^E^l^^^l *•■ . "0^ Wfm,.-, 'f*\'j,^-« k.'^mi [ ''W ^SH^^^^I ^Vj.*^>*^ ^1 n C > J i^Sj^^H^^H THE SAME CHILDREN FOUR MONTHS AFTER ARRIVING AT CARLISLE.— ^KK 1'.\<.K :i.'iil. ]m ■'; '■'> Vi') Mr |( k' > 1 1 II i III (JKXKHAJ. NELSON A. MILES. 895 interests, healing' the sick, teaching' the i^niorant. aiul counting no labor too great if it resulted in their beneht. Yet the Indians seemed chan«red. When the Whitmans tirst began to work among them thev were willing to comply with all re(iuests, but now for some years a feeling of dissatis- faction had been slowly creeping in. I'he missionaries insisted on their cultivating the ground and supporting themselves by their own hibor, and of this mode of life the Indians soon grew weary. They were also insti- gated to deeds of violence by various enemies of the missionaries. Al- though Dr. Whitman was aware of the existence of this hostile spirit, it seemed impossible to believe in the existence of any real danger in the face of his loving service among them for eleven years, when on the 2Sth of November. 1(S47, an Indian named Istikus. who was the tirm friend of Dr. Whitman, told him of threats against his life and also that he had bet- ter " go away unti^ my people have better hearts " Knowing Istikus as he did, the brave missionary for the first time became seriously alarmed, and began to think of removing his family to some place of safety, but still went about his work as usual. The next morning the doctor assisted in burying an Indian, and having returned to his house, was reading. Several Indians were in the house ; one sat down by him to attract his attention by asking for medicine, while another came behind him with a tomahawk concealed beneath his blanket, and with two blows brought him to the floor senseless ; still he was not dead when another Indian, who was a candidate for admission to the church and on whom Dr. Whitman had bestowed numberless benefits, came in and cut his throat and mutilated his face, but even then the murdered man lingered until nearly night. This was only the beginning of a most sickening massacre in which fourteen people, including Mrs. Whit- man, lost their lives. It was believed by those familiar with the facts that this foul massacre was instigated by the enemies of the people murdered and of tlie cause in which they were engaged. Despite his cruel and bloody death, the missionary work of Marcus Whitman was far from fruitless. Though the work of the American Board ended so suddenly and disastrously, years afterward it was found that many of the Indians were still faithful to the religion taugiit them by Dr. and Mrs. Whitman. Neither will his name be forgotten so long as the walls of Whitman College stand as a monument to the memory of a man who was glad to suffer untold privations for the gf»od of his country and his fellow men. and at last perished through his devotion to his duty. h. t!l Hl)() TKUSOXAF. liKCOI.I.KCTIONS OF If Dr. Whitiuiin vouWl today iiiaKotlR' loii^' journey from theColunibia to the national caiiital on tlie Itanks of tlie I'otoniac. and nmU\ the insti- tutions of ieiirnin^'and eiiui'c'- .'jtires now standing' in tlie districts, villa^^es, towns and eities thron^'li which he would pass he i)laced in line jit con- venient distances, he would never for a moment he out of sij^dit of these uhjects most pleasing to him in life. ; Mil , GENKIJAL NELSON A. MII.K8. UU7 Colunilna the insti- ^, villa^os, ,0 at <•<>»- t (»f those CHAPTER XXXI. Department of the Columbia. The Inpian Sign LANorA(;K — Tiik (Jiiindits and privile;.'es. In oi'der to make the l»est use of tfoojis. measures wei'e taken to facili- tate communication hetween tiiese scattei-ed posts, to aid in the concentra- tion of the avaihihie foi-ces, and at the same time to promot«' tiieir <^enei'al elliciency. In aihlition to their ordinar.N (hit i«'s tlu* troops we I'e put to work in the construction of military I'oads and the estahlishment of military tele^'raph lines. These m»t .\ei"cises. ('(donel Morrow was one of the first to estahlish what iuis since Ikhmi so heiielicial to the army, the Canteen Exchange. This is really a post clul> for the heiietit of the soldiers. One of the first. largest, and hest of the military gymnasiums was estahlished at Vancouver. During this year facilities were atforded the soldiers with families to provide homes for themselves at tiie expiration of tlieir term of service, and to secure suitahle employment. All the troops in the department were thoroughly e«inipi)ed for immediate field service; eacli company, troop, and battery was nnide a unit of organization and demonstration. Ka<*h had its allowance of field e([nipment. incduding tents, field supplies, trans- portation, cooking utensils, extra clothing, hospital supplies, and every- thing re([uired for immediate and continuous service in the field, and enough to last for several months. In the department were several sections of country that had not been fully explored, and other sections of whose topography there was no knowledge whatever. With a view- of obtaining the knowledge \vhi(di would be indispensable in case the country had to l)e occupied by the military, and that would also be valuable to citizens seeking a knowledge of those districts, I organized several exploring expeditions, in fact, during the four years in which 1 was in command of that department, there was constantly some expedition in the field obtaining infornnition about those interesting and to a great extent unknown portions of our country. In January, 1SS2, Lieutenant Thomas W. Symons made an exploration and examination of the Columbia River from the line of Ih-itish Colum])ia to the mouth of the Snake River, and obtained much valuable information concerning that extensive district. ,1 ' ' 'M:' tlH) j'Ki!S(»N.\i, i;i;('ni.i.K(ri(>.\> ok III. Inly of tlir saiiu' >«';'.•■ iiii rxpi'ditiuii was oi';:aiii/.tMl t<» cxplon' t lu> i) .!t| n'}.'i(»ii iM'twct'ii tiM' iipiMT ( oiiiiiihia ami \'\\)sv\ ^oiiikI. fiicii hut UftM» kiiiiuii. It was a siiiall (>\p<>ii. and was plai'(>i' tlir ('oiiiinaiMJ *>! Liciitt'iiaiit llnirv II. Pit'i-cc of t lie Twnity-lirst I'liittMl StsiU's Infant ry. will) i>erl'i)nnnl tli(> duty in a iiiost t'lliciciit iiiaiiiirr. Aftrr inal\iii;«' tlic nrccssary pi'cparat loiis at Fort Culvillc. tlir ai»»>\o incntioncd cxprditicdi left that pla<'<> on t lie lirst of Auj^Mist. and t lir next day ci'osscd the ('oliiinhia !>> fciTy and ciiranipctl on the wcstci'ii side. Kroiii tluM'<' tlic ( oluinlda was skirted alon;.'a }.Mtod trail for a ilistancc (d' six niiit's; llicnce the rxpcflitioii inovrd wcstwai'd past lofty niountains. dashing' torrents and l»('autiful lakes, fording' numerous crecdxs and rivers, and at the end of ten days reached the dkinakam'. a swift, deep river that flows into the Columhia fi'om the north, Kroiii one of his camps on this i-iver, liieiitenant IMerce desired to send hack a tele|iraiii and letters to Kort ('(dville. and «'n;,fa}ied an old Indian to cai'ry tluMii. hefore ;^i\in^' the Indian his compensation. Lieutenant I'ierce asked him if he was an lion(>st man; not that he douhtcMl him. hut he w ish'Ml to hear his answer. \\ ith ^n"eat ens, tuid draining' an extreme' v fertile country. Then, still moxin;,' towai'd tlio west, they journeye lirmest head to I'ee!; lordiii;^" turi)uleut rivers, piishiii;,^ throu;;h almost im[tenet lahle iinderhi'ush. crossing' swampy ai'eas. they went on until at last they <.'aiued the passaue of the main cascades. Here tiM'y wci'e Iteset l»y so many obstacles that it was almost iinpossihle for them to pi'oceed fm-thei'. hut their coiii'ai:(> and piM'severance tinally ovei'- canu> every dilliculty and they reached the other side of the mountains in safet>'. From here tlH\v followcnl th(» coui'se of the Cascade l\i\er. cross- ing; it several times, down to th(» point where it (>mi)ties into the Skagit. For their [)assaire down that rivei' they wow foi'tuuate enout^h to (ditain canoes fi-inn the Indians, and on Septeml)er 0. landeil at Mount N'ornon to await the comin«' of the steamer. s lit tittl«< lllillKl <)t iifiiiitrv. w aiM»\o III' next iTii siilr. itaiicc ol" MllltilillS, 1 1 rivers, i\rf tliiit to send iidiiiii to iMitciiaiit liiiii. Itiit tiiictliiii^' Ic iilraid t' and Ito ' slowlv latter is Is siirl'an' )ii ('it liei' v II rtile [IM't WI'CU luce was l>iisliiii;^ tlipy lllMO as. Isihli' lor Illy over- litaiiis in |i'. cross- SUajjfit. o ol) tain Lriioii to (iKNKU.M. NKI.SON A. MII.KS. m ii 5 ,t ' 'Jl .!■ if 8 \i J 40: l'l<:i{S()N.\[. I»'K('()I,F,KCT1()NS OK I , /IS '(3 i s ii Ufciit adistanco as would previously liave occiiiMcd sovoral wocks. As faras possible, I (liscoiitiniK'd the small and iiielTartment. with trooi>s stationed for immeiliate use in the sec- tions of country most liable to Indian hostility, while Vancouver IJai'i'acks served as a station for a strong' reserve lorce for the eutii-e departmtMit. This last-named i)ost was particularly adapteu to the |>uri)ose mentioned, owin^to its near pi'(».\imity to I'oi'tland. Ore^'on. which, from its i-ailroad connection and river and ocean service, was accessible from all sections of the country. In 1>SS4, in spite of us *j:reat commercial importance, and the lai^je numb(M-of thrivin*; towns that had ^mowu u|) on its shores, l*u<,'et Sound wasK^td' in a detenseless c(mdition. 'V\w ^ovei'umcMit had reserved im- poiiaii sites for batt(M'ies and defensive works at the entraiu'e vof the sound and dnrinj,^ the year mentioncMl I ordered a l)oard of experienced artillery otlicei> to r(»poi-t as to their relative imi)ortance, and the proper armament, j^an isoii. and work necessary to place them in proper condi- tion for use. Having oci-asion to mount one battery of artillery. I secured several Motchkiss revolving cannon, invented by an Anu'rican and numufactured in Paris, France, and the residt of the practice with these was most satis- factory. Although the fact of a <'annon IxMug lired from the shoulder of an artillerist seemed somewhat novel, yet experience proved these guns to be the most destructive that had up to that time been used in the United States army. It is singular that many AnuM'ican inventors have to go to Europe to h.ave tlieir inventions adoi)ted. llel\v(>en them and the settlers. The Indians wen^ linally pacilied. howoNcr. and nundters of them were assist(>d hy the militiiry in locatin^MluMr claims to homesteads untler the hiws of t'on«iress. In the Territory of Washin^don then* were in ISSJ nf(e(Mi Indian nv^er- vations. iidiahited hy over ten thousand six hundretl Indians. The total amoiMit of land comprised within these i-eservatioiis was over six hundred thousand aci'es. and consisted lai'^ely of the best aj^rii'uitin'al, ^'ra/.in^. tindter and mineral lands in the Territory. In numy [daces the Indians were enga|j;ed in cultivating^ the soil with jjfood results, the systle quantity of land to them in severalty having; a nn)st excellent effect. i i il I I n''il \i^ f r 404 PERSONAL KECOLLECT10X6 OF 'I [ I »■! U >l f -i ; f \ I CHAPTER XXXII. Chief Moses and His Tribe. Tnr: B'^GixNiNCt of TRorBi.E — Chikf Moses and the Moses Heservation — Causes of Dissatis- faction — Al'TION OF ('ol.ONEI, MeRKIAM — IXVESTKIATION RY CaI'TAIN RaM)WIN — Meeting and Coincii, at Vanooivek — A New Treaty and a New Reservation — The Kesii.ts — Looi'loop's Statement of the Situation — Review of the Nez Perce Situa- tion ON Their Final Hetirn from the Indian Territory. ONTKOVEKSIES arose in 1S7S between the Indians of the upper Columbia and the white people of Yakima County and vicinity. These troubles ev.entually resulted in the arrest of Chief ]\l()ses, who was a prominent character., although many of the Indians did not recognize him as having any authority over them. Chief Moses -^as kept in prison for some time, Imt this did not allay the restlessness of his followers, and additional troops were sent to the Yakima Yalley. In 1S79 Closes, with a number of other Indians, was sent to Washington. Avliere he made a treaty with the Secretary of the Interior by which a tract of land was set apart for the use of himself and his i)eoi)le. This reserva- tion was bounded on the east l)y the Okinakane River, on the south by the Columbia and Lake Cheh.n, on the west by the forty-fourth parallel, and extended to the Canadian boundary (ui the north. The country in question eml)raced approximately four thousand two hundred square miles, known as the Moses reservation, aiid was worth many millions of dollars. Certain white men afterward declared that they had discovered mines and occu[>ied ranches on this reservation long before it was tr.msferred to the Indians. This region was rich in agricultural, pastoral and mineral resources and contained rich deposits of gold and silver. The benehts intended to be secured by this treaty did not last very long, as Moses and the other Indians soon complained that its various pro- visions were not carried out by the goveriHuent. while, on the other hand, citizens who had made their homes in the reservation before it became such, remonstrated strongly against a treaty l)y which they were deprived of their property and rights. These settlers had discovered, had claimed GENERAL NEI.SOX A. MILES. 405 F D188ATIS- !N — s of the »unty and tirrest of 1 many of oiity over 3, but this iidditional ashington. ch a tract s reserva- ath by the rallel, and in ({uestion les, known lof doUars. mines and Irred to the d mineral It hif^t very larious pro- )ther hand, it l)ecame ce deprived lad claimed according to law. and had actually worked valua!)le mines located in Stevens County. There had even been voting i)recincts established, and elections had been held within its boundaries, in spite of these facts, when the Moses reservation was set apart by executive order all these people were peremptorily told that they must leave that part of the country, althor.gh some of them had lived there for mauy years. They, however, did not all obey the order. The Indians grew more and more dissatisHed, and Moses demanded that if the white peoi>le would not leave, they should at least ac- knowledge their holdings to be on an Indian reserva- tion and ask his permis- sion to work their mine;: An executive order restor' strip of land fifteen miles wi of the Canadian boundary much resented by the Fndiai At last there were rumors that a generi war council of the Indians had been caller whereupon Colonel Merriam, a very intell gent and judicious officer of the Seconc Cnited States Infantry, the con>- mander at Fort Spokane, signed the duty of adjusting the causes of dispute. This he endeavored to do l)y rigidly excludinj.' white settlers from any part of the Moses reservation south of the Hfteen-mile limitof thestrip a))0ve mentioned, that had been restored to the public domain l)y executive order. Indians who had ftirn ■! on this strip were recog)iized by him as having the same rights on urireserved public land as the white people had. In May, 1SS8, Captain Baldwin, one of the most judicious and compe- tent officers I had in that department, was ordered to proceed to the Moses and Colville reservations, and investigate the reported dissatisfaction of the Indians located there. On the (.'olville reservation he succeeded in meeting Tcmasket. head chief of the Okinagans. and found him an intelli- gent, industrious Indian, much respected by all his people as v.cll as ])y the white settlers. He said that neither he nor his band desiifMJ to have WATi"IIIX(} TlIK ('itMIN(i i)E- TIM: WllITK -MaN" I I .,f i f!' U' Hi III 1 HI 406 PEliSONAL liECOLLECTIOXS OF s I i ; (J.M'TAIN HaI.KWIN ! trouble with the white people, ])ut on the contrary wished to live in peace with them if possible. He conii)lained that their a^^ent had not visited them for sevei'al years. 'I'hese Indians greatly desired a j^ristmill, as they were oblij^^ed to take their grain thirty miles into British Columbia in order to have it ground, and even then the miller claimed one- half of it for toll. They were also anxious for a sawmill and other ai)pliances used by civilized people. After Captain Baldwin's conversation with Tonasket, Sarsopkin, a chief of the Okinagans on the Moses reserva- tion, came to him to have a talk. This Indian and his fol- lowers were the ones who really had to suffer from the restoration of the tifteen-mile strip, as they had lived within its boundaries and cultivated the farms there for many years. Sarsopkin expressed a strong desire to remain in the place which had been his home for generations, but disclaimed all idea of using force to maintain his rights. His people were farmers and, for Indians and considering the fact that they had re- ceived no aid or encouragement from the government, were in an ad- vanced stage of civilization. All the Indians who were approached on the subject, united in expres- sing the same views; and all complained very bitterly because Moses was recognized by the government as their chief. Both Tonasket and Sarsopkin asked: " Why does the government place over us, who make our living by farming, a man who never works, but gambles, drinks and races horses with the money he collects from the white men who graze cattle on our reservation? We want a chief who works, and sets a good example for our young men." Nearly all the Indians expressed a desire to have the white people come among them and work the mines, but emphatically ex- pressed their determination not to allow them to usurp the farming and pasture lands. They reasoned in this way: "When the white men come and get the money out of the rocks they will give it to us for what we can grow from the ground, and for our cattle and horses, and in this way we will get rich like the white men " Begardless of these friendly protestation.-v on the i>-AYi of many In- dians, the hostile feeling l)etween the two races increased until it became so violent that a serious Indian war was threatened, 'i'he white people seemed determined to exterminate the Indians, and the Indians to annihi- late the white settlers or drive them out of the country. Realizing the GENERA r. NELSON A. MILES. 407 in peace t visited , as they in order led one- sawmill 'onasket, reserva- d his fol- tter from they had the farms a strong been his [ idea of is people ly had re- n an ad- n expres- loses ^»'as arsopkin living by horses e on our mple for have the jically ex- iling and len come ,t we can way we lany In- It became Ite people lo annihi- izmg the difficulties, expenses and sacritices. as well as the cruelties of Indian war- fare, I thought it better if possible to endeavor to secure justice for the In- dians, and,atthesame time, protection for the whitesettlers, 1 thereto re sent outotiicers to find Chief Moses andotheriiroiiiinent men, andsummon them to my headquarters at Vancouver, for counsel. When tiiey came T listened to all their grievances and their statements of what they believed to be their rights; what they expected the government to guarantee to do for them, and also to their recital of the aggressions of the white people, lalso heard the accounts of the depredations of the Indians and their trespasses upon the property of the white settlers. With a view of settling the whole difficulty without proceeding to hostilities. I obtained permission to send a delegation of the Indians, accompanied by Captain Baldwin, to Washing- ton, that they might have an opportunity to negotiate a treaty that would be satisfactory to both Indians and settlers, and at the same time be cred- itable to the general government. On the 7th of July, 1883, they made an agreement with the Secretary of the Interior, whereby they engaged to give up all claim to the Colum- bia or Moses reservation, and remove to the Colville reservation. In consideration of this concession, Moses and Tonasket were to receive an annuity of $1,(MI0 each as long as they lived. Mose^ was also to receive a house costing $1,(100. For the benefit of the whole number of Indians, two schooihouses were to be built and two sawmills and gristmills. There were to l)e pro^'ided. three teachers, two sawyers, two millers, and one doctor, for the use of each of whom a house was to l)e erected. Four hundred and sixty cows were to be furnished, as well as a lai-ge number of wagons and agricultural implements. The Indians already located on the Moses reservation who wdshed to remain were to be allowed to take up land there in severalty under existing laws. On the 81st of August an order was issued, directing Captain Baldwin to visit the Indians concerned in this agreement and explain to them all its terms and effects. First Lieutenant James Clio. Second liieutenant John S. Mallory, and Topographical Assistant Alfred Downing were detailed to assist him in carrying out these instructions. All necessary preparations having been concluded at old Fort Colville, on September 10, Captain Baldwin directed Lieutenant Flio to proceed to the southern portion of the Closes reservation, explain the agreement to the Indians, and should any of them desire it. locate and carefully survey for each head of a family or male adult, a tract of land containing not more than six hundred and fortv ao'es. ' f * . 'Mil lit nmtm m.' ii ! ,1 I'EHSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF r()lt()<;ra]»lural Assistant I)()\viiiii their him to the C'olville won Id be ready as season was over, made up of what "wild" Indians; '"> ('hkhi'iis, Indian Babies in Tmkiu Cradles. mg even gone so location of their the iSth Captain patched a niessen- tify him that he and the chief ar- ing of the 'JOth. eighty miles that all his i>eople had minds to go with reservation, a n d soon as the lishing This band w a s were known as they had always (salmon) and game farminy:. depended upon fish for food, and knew absolutely nothing al)ont Tonasket. the principal chief of the Colville Indians, was a man of great force of character. Although he had received little or no help from the gov- ernment, he exhibited a deep interest in the fortunes of his people, urging them to work and take up lands, but his greatest desire was to see a suit- able school provided for them. He and his people not only consented that all the Indians on the Columbia should establish themselves on the Colville reservation, but that all others who wished to settle down and become industrious farmers should enjoy its benefits. Captain Baldwin was much pleased with the me'ibers of Tonasket 's band, considering them further advanced in civilization than any Indians he had seen west of the Missis- sii)pi. _ / GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 409 () pro- ud the 1 ^rrist- e UUh, n'th of [U tluit iii^ton. e. who lowing, ivatiou, rone so f their Captain niessen- that he ■hief ar- [\e '2<»th. lies that Dple had o-o \vith n. a n d lie tishinuj d \\' a s lown as ] always ind game In of great II the gov- lle, urging lee a snit- nted that le Colville d liecome ^vas much m further Ihe Missis- Lieutenant I'lio visited a number of families, live of whom consented to allow him to locate farms for them. He also had a conversation with Chelan Jim. who had become the recognized chief of a small band of Indians. At first this man refused to either locate any land or to move on the Colville reservation, but afterward lie consented to consider the matter. Lieutenant Mallory. after leaving Captain Baldwin's camp near the junction of Curlew Creek with Kettle Hiver, continued over the Little Mountain trail to the mouth of the creek just mentioned, and from there over a magnificent belt of country to the lake where the creek takes it source. This lake proved to be a beautiful body of v :iter about eight and a half miles in length. Soon afterward he came to another lake, much smaller than the first and oval in shape, which proved to be the source of the San Polle Kiver. He had never schmi a map on which either of these lakes was noted. Having crossed the Okinakane and marched along its farther bank for some distance, he came upon several ranches owned l)y Indians. One of them named Looplooj) was a man about fifty years of age. with a thoughtful, intelligent face. In a long talk with iiieutenant Mallory this Indian expressed his opinion very freely, l)oth concerning the preten- sions of Moses and the general situation of affairs, and as he voiced the sentiments of a great nuiny others his words are worth repeating. He said: "There are four things above all others which you white men tell us we should avoid; lying, thieving, drunkenness and murder. Moses is a liar; Moses is a thief; Moses is a drunkard, and Moses is a murderer. Yet, he is the man you have set as chief over us. and he is the man you send to Washington to represent us. He has traded away our rights, he has sold our lands, and there is no help for us. He will have a tine house built for him and will get one thousand dollars every >ear. and he and his peojile will be given wagons and harnesses and numy cows. ii(»oploop is not a beggar; he has never asked nor received any help from the government, nor does he ask it now. He is al)le to take care (tf himself; and all that he asks is to be let alone. When .Aloses came back fi-om Wasiiington the first time, there was a great council between the whites and the Indians. General Howard stood up in the midst and said: 'The Indi:ins have for many years been wanderei's from i)lace to place and tliei'e has been no rest for any of them, but now they are to iuive a reservation — Moses — v^liich Avill be a home for them forever. While the mountains stand an[' m Vi In',' tl' ' I !' • ! ■ •! li! f 410 TEKSOXAL HKCOLLKCTIOXS OF Indian Weapons. 1. Comancht' Toniiihawk. 2. etc TonialiHwk I'ipf. 3. Bow Case and Qiiivi'i' (if the Bannock Indians. 4-5. Sloiix War ('liil)H. 0-7-8. Sioux Bows and Arri)W.=. ii. ('oinanclif War Sliicld, Kt-ll. Sioux War (.'hil)S. V2. CkiinaMchc Tomahawk I'iiie. 13. Toinaliawk Tipc whicli oni'i' belonged to Little Bear, a proniinent chief of the Nortliern Apuches l!llj.il!l II GENKHAL NELSON A. MILES. 411 " The Indians heard ; they believed and were satisfied. Scarcely four years have passed by and we are told that we must leave this reservation, this land which was to l)e our home forever, llovv do we know that if we move to the Colville reservation we will be left in peace? Why should we not be driven from there in a few years, and then what "an we do? There is no other place left. Hut you tell us that we who do not recognize Moses or any other chief, are not obliged to leave our home; that you will mark out for each of us a scjuare mile and will set stakes so that no white man can take the land away from us; and you wish to know whether we will go or stay. There are but few of us here, and our blood IS the same, but our minds are different. As for me, why should I go? Here I have a house, and fields that raise oats and hay and all kinds of vegetables. When white men pass through here they need these things and pay me for them. Did you not, yesterday, give me $25 for one thou- sand pounds of oats? With money in my pocket. I feel that I am a man, and respect myself. Why should I give up all this, and move on the Colville reservation, to become a wild Indian again? But I am getting an old man now. My daughter is married and has children. T love them, and like to be with them ; but my son-in-law thinks he will go on the Colville reservation. My only son has two sons; sometimes he thinks he will go, and again he thinks he will stay. Our hearts are sad, and we know not what to do. You must give us time to think and talk among ourselves, and we will then tell you whether we will go or stay. But we cannot tell you to ^ ', or to-morrow, or for many days to come. Leave us now, and return ..t^er we have had time to think ; we will then know our minds, and what we say we will do." Eventually, though only after much indecision, the Indians concerned in the matter all yielded, and the treaty went into full effect. But a long period elapsed before the government completely fulfilled its part of the agreement. Nevertheless, there was a marked improvement almost immediately. In 1S85, when Captain Bal'^v.in once more visited the valley of the Okinakane, where, in 1883, he had found only half a dozen farms, thgre were hundreds of acres fenced and under cultivation, ahuost every available spot on the river and its tributaries was occupied, and large herds of domestic stock belonging to the Indians were grazing on the hills. In 1885 I at last succeeded in having the remnant of Chief Joseph's band of Nez Ferce Indians brought back from the Indian Territory to the vicinity of their old home, as stated in a preceding chapter. Popular , .'11 '11 l,n«.'d to Little fthern Apaches i;t! M .1 , TEKSONAI. |{K("()I.I,K(TI()NS OF feoliiijj: in Idalio Territory was (h-cidcdly a;j:aiiist tluMii. Several Nez Perce warriors were under iiidictnient tor Jiiiirders perpetrate*! in IsTT. and as tliei'e liati been riunors of threats of violence on tlie part of some of the white people, every |»i'ecantion was taken to prevent collision hetween them and the Nez I'erc/'s while the latter were on their way hack to the North- west. The Nez IVi'<'«''s entei'ed the Depai'tment i)\ the Columhia in .hine hy way of the I'nion I'acilic and Ore^^on Short liine Hallways, and were met at I'ocatello hy Captain Frank lialdwin, who was then actinj,' jnil^'e advocate of that department. After their arrival they were divided into two parties, one ])rocee(lin<; under military escort to the Lapwai aj^rency in Idaho, and the oth; r. includinj^' Chief Joseph, to the Colville reservation o|)posite Fort Sp(d^i\ 'I ■ \'\' Hi !■! ; i ; c M (JKNKIJAI, NKI-SON A. MII.KS. 415 troaty i>i roiiconu'tl. its forms woro not kopt on \\\o part of tlio Tiiitod States. In 1S();{. another ti'eaty was n»»!^otiat('(| wliirli ^neatly iTdnced tln> reservation estaltlisjieil l»y tiie treaty of IS.'m, and anioii;^' the lands yielded in this case tiie Wallowa Valley was inelnded. A niiniher of the chiefs refns(Ml to si^'ii thistreaty, and wonld never afterward reco^'ni/e it as Winding, bnt always repudiated it, refnsin^' to accept any of its hcnetits. These hitter feelings tinally cnlniinated in tln» Nez Perce war. by whichatrihe of Indians that had always made the prond hoast that no white nnm was ever slain hy the hand of a Xe/ I'erce, were driven to open hostilities, resulting' in a serions war l)«>tween the Xe/ I'erces and the troops of (leneral Howard in Idaho, a s(>ries of enpii;ements between the Nez Ferc«''s and troops nnder (Jeneral (libbon in west(»rn Montana, and tiie IMirsuit and capture of the Nez I'erces by troops under my command as related in a precedinj^r chapter of this volume, and their liiuii return, eij;ht years later, reduced in numbers and in a wretched condition, to their country where they have since peacefully renuiined. .,*f'';> I'll M f 1^' if: • I i' '3 P m:,m I ! |i!i pirii: 4,.,: :^Hi: ' I t! 111 il:'li 416 PEUSONAL liEC0LLECT10^'S OF OH\PTER XXXIIT. OuH Alaskan I'osskssions. DisrovKHY OK Alaska iiy Rkiiking — Tiir Vin IIintioks — Tin; Kisman Cumpaxiks and Tiikik Si rcKssoK — Sai.k hk tiik (Iointky to tiik II Nrn:i) Statics — 'riiio Thanskiok --\ ast Si/k or Alaska — Cmmatk — Mointains — Moint St. Ki.ias — (!i,aim:u 1\ivi:i{ ('ointky — Skai.s and TiiKiK I\ooki;kii:s — Salmon, and tin: ('anmnci Indisi'ky — liiuTisii SruioNdTii in tiik N o HI" 1 1 \v i:sT T !■: li it i ro u y . ^ '^CVA\lilN(VS iamous voyage and the discovery of Alaska is the liistoi-y of a scries of privatioir; and disasfei's. lie set sail fro: a ()khotsk in 1740. in a vessel called the "St Panl." He siirhted and named the niajj^nilicent monntain St. Klias. lii hrin<,' was hnally wrecked on an island which now bears his name, and died there DecfMnlxM' S, 1741, without ever at- " ' ■' "^ .aining any henelit from his valuahhMliscoveries. 'J'lie vessel was little more than a wr(M*k. hut out of its ruins the crew managed to build a little shallop in whic]i they sei sail on the l(>th of August. 174'J. 'rh<\v linally reached ci\ilization bearing with them a large number of valuable peltries, which stimidated the prompt fitting out of many new exi)editions foi* Alaska. These fur hunters ventured out from their head'.) a large area (►f Russian America was well known to them. Prior to the establishment of the couti-ol of the liussian A nmrican Com- pany over the whole of Alaska, uhmv than si.xty distinct Russian trade compani(>s had been organized and had plied their vocation in these waters. In 17*.lt) this last named conii»any received a <'harter which conferred ui)on it very great |»rivileges, but also burdened it with niauy obligations, it was country to the United States for the mere cost of transfer if President I'ierce would maintain the Tnited States line atW 40' and shut Mnj^dand (Uit from any fronta^'e on the I'acilie. In 1S54 it was aj^ain ottered to the I'nited States, and yet afj;ain in \S')\), hut with no result. Hut in ISO? Secretary Seward ett'ected the purchase of the whole vast territory at the late of altout half a cent an acre. Fij^ures show that from the veiy he^innin^' Alaska has heen to us a payiu}.^ investment. The lirst lease of the two seal islands returniMl into the treasury a sum ecjual to the pun Vase money ($7,'J(MMM)0). The ld mines have since added an ecpial sum to the wealth of the woild. while the salmon lisheries in the six years from ISS4 to 1S1H> yielded $7,r)(l(MM)0. As soon as the treaty was ratified, imnuMliate military poss(\ssion was decided upon. The commissioners on behalf of both the I'nited States and Hussia, met at Sitka in October, lS('»i). Th;'<'(» men-of-war aiul two hundred and fifty troops wei'e present on th(» afternoon wh.en ihe Russians joined the Tnited States officers at the foot of the ^'overnment fhi^staff. Doubh^ national salutes wer(> fired by the men-of-war and a land battery as the Iv'ussian national fla^ was lowered and the American fla^nvas raised. As soon as the lIiiitcMl States took possession of Alaska all the Russian in- habitants who were able to travel left the country, their jjjoverinnent jjfivin^ them free transportation. in 1S77 the last ^ai'iison in vMaska was vacat(Ml.and a few monlhs later the Indians had destroyed all ^'owrnmeuf pi'operiy outside the stockades, and threatened a nuissacre. Heai'in^^ of the (lesp(>rat(^ pli^dit of fhe Americans the captiin of an Kn^^lishship which hai)pemMl to be at I'lstpii- mault at the time, hastencMl to tluMr assistance, and renuiin(>d until a United States revenue cutter and a. num-of-war arriv«Ml. Alaska, is nine linu's fh(» siz(» of New Mna('h u|>on the eastern hemisph(M'(\ placin^^ the ^'eoirraphical c States l)orderinij: on the Atlantic, the I'acilie and fhe Culf of Mexico combined. ■'bi.: U ■ I ■ I rf M I n 418 PEKSOXAL KECOLLECTIOXS OF The climate and phy.sical t'eatnres of southeastern Alaska very much resemble those of southern Norway. While St. Johns, Newfoundland, is surrounded hy icebergs in suiumer and its harbor is frozen solid in winter, Sitka ten degrees farther north, has always an open roadstead. The thermometer rarely registers in winter as low as ten degrees below zero. It is the isothermal ecpial of the District of Columbia and Kentucky, skat- ing being a rare sport for Sitkans. When William II. Seward was making his trip around the world he wrote from lierlin: *" We have seen enough of CJermany to know that its climatf^ is neither so genial, nor its soil so fertile, nor its resources in forests and mines so rich as those of southern Alaska." The lofty mountain ranges and the Japan I'urrent give southeastern Alaska a greater rainfall than that of Norway, the annual rainfall i.i Sitka aver- aging eighty-one inches. There have been wet seascms there in which there were respectively two hundred and eighty-Hve and threo hundred and forty rainy days ; but all this moisture favors a luxuriant vegetation and keeps the foliage fresli during the greater part o^' the year. Thunder storms are almost unknown, and there are beautiful auroral illuminations during the long winter nights. There have been only two great hurricanes since the transfer of the country, one occurring immedi- ately after that event anil the (jther in ISSO. Fine grass springs naturally on any clearing ; coaiser grasses grow three or four feet high, and clover thrives unheeded. Hay has been cured there since as early as 1S05, and some varieties of vegetables have been raised. In summer there is usucally about a fortnight of reallv very warm weather, and the days at that time of year are eighteen hours long. The greater part of Alaska is exceedingly mountainous. The most celebrated of all her lofty summits is Mount St. Elias, the central peak of a crescent-shaped range of mountains on the southern coast of Alaska. This mountain lifts its glittering white head more than 19.(100 feet above the level of the sea. The whole of this great peak is not often seen at one time, as a perfectly clear atmosphere is very rare in that region. The vai)or from the warm ocean current is condensed into clouds as it strikes the frozen sides of the mountain, keeping it perpetually cloud- capped. Its summit is a bold pyramid placed on a rugged mountain mass, and surrounded by foot-hills each one of which is of sufficient size to be widely noted were it in any country wdiere colossal peaks are not so com- mon. The mountain can be distinctly seen one hundred and fifty miles at sea. and at that distance it appears to tower up with all the grandeur and beautv that ordinarv mountains have when viewed from a short distance. Gh'NKKAh NKLSON A. MILKS. 419 y much land, is winter, l1. The )W zero. :y, skat- making loii^h of ) fertile, i^laska." 11 Alaska ka aver- n which hundred (getation i auroral only two inimedi- iiiiturally id clover 1S05, and s usually hat time Hie most .1 peak oi If Alaska. .(100 feet not often fit region, luds as it [ly cloud- lain mass, Isize to be It so com- miles at ideur and distance. Some of the most magnificent glaciers to l)e found on the glol)e till the gorges of the Alaskan mountain ranges. The Malasi>iiie tJlacier is one of the largest known. It is one vast, slowly-nioviiig i)rairie of ice, and from the mountain spurs projecting into it one may look down upon it frou) a height of two or three thousand feet witluuit being aKle to discover its southern limits. The outer holder is covered with earth and supports a dense growth of vegetation, and in some idiices thick forests of s[)ruce trees. These evergreen forests, willi undei'growths of fei'us and flowers, growing on living glaciers hundreds of feet thick, are among the most interesting features of Alaska. 'I'he entire region is renuirkal)h^ for the glaciers which aoound in the valleys and along the coasts. The Muir Glacier at (ilacier Bay is one of the l)est known, its face heing a solid wall of ice, two miles wide. Another glacier situated on the Stickine Hiver is forty miles long and five miles wide. The Miles (ThK-ier, so named by Lieutenant Abercroml)ie, who discovered it during his exploration of the Copper Kiver country, is one of the largest and most intei-esting of these wonders of nature. Some idea may be formed of these colossal glaciers by inuigining a valley between two ranges of mountains packed solidly with ice. formed from the packed and semi-liquid snow^ of mountains from forty to tifty miles back from the rivers or bays into which the glaciers empty, A Ithough actually in constant motion, the movement is so slew that it is im[)er- ceptible except from final results. The continual fall at the end of the glacier of masses of ice from the size of a man's hand to that of a block acres in extent, produces a noise like the constant roar of thunder, and is frequently heard eight or ten miles away. The glaciers that empty into bays and navigal)le rivers produce icebergs that are usually four or five times as deep below the surface of the water as they are above. These masses of ice are forced iiack against the faces of the glaciers when the tide is coming m, and are held there firmly until it goes out, when they again go rolling on their course to the sea. As the huge masses fall from the face of the glacier they produce a motion of the water which is sometimes dangerous to vessels in the immediate vicinity, and when the ice Hoe is moving out with the tide it sometimes becomes necessary for steamers to seek shelter behind some promontory. The beauty and grandeur of these scenes is equal to anything that I ever witnessed. There is only one feature of nature that compares with > iii grandeur, although of an entirely different character, and that is the geysers in the Yellowstone Valley. During our visit to Alaska it required ^t.i u ihI it: in I : i:. ■ i (I ; hi! ■ : ; 420 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF twenty-four days going and returning, the distance being a thousand miles each way. Now the journey can be made in fourteen days, and even this time will l>e lessened as better facilities for travel are afforded. In the year 18S3 there were frequent reports of disturbances of the peace between the whiteiS and Indians in Alaska which seemed to indicato that there might be serious hostilities between the two elements in the near future. Althougii the Territory was included within the geographical limits of the Department of Columl>ia, its area of nearly six hundred thou- sand square miles was practically an unexplored and unknown country, but little acquaintance having been features, the number i.nd character or climate. Detrriing lurther infor- exceedingly desiraole. in aides-de-camp. Lieutenant United States Cavalry, a gether with Assistn^nt-Sur- icai Assistant Homan and obtain intelligence of the us in the case of any serious Frederick born at Galena, tember, 184i). pointed to the emy from Cre- ated at West after which he ing admitted to He then took medicine, re- made with its topographical of its inhabitants, its resources mation in these respects to be April, 1883, I sent one of my Frederick Schwatka, Third distinguished explorer, to- geon Wilson and Topograph- three soldiers, to Alaska to country iliat might be of use to disturbance. Schwatka was Illinois, in Sep- He was a p - Military Acad- gon and gradu- Point in 1871, studied law, be- the bar in 1875. up the study of ceiving his de- gree in New York in 1876. He was in command of the Franklin expedition which sailed tor the Arctic regions in 1878, and which succeeded in tinding many relics and evidences of the fate of Sir John Franklin's pa7'ty, during its two years' absence. He afterward led various other exploring expedi- tions and has written many interesting books and articles concerning his travels. His death, which occurred a few years ago, was a severe loss to the scientific world. Lieutenant Schwatka and his party left Portland, Oregon, on May 22, 1883, arriving at Pyramid Harbor in Chilcat Inlet early in June. The instructions of Lieutenant Schwatka were to '* endeavor to complete all ■■■^ .1 < „^v_H«v(n„4!)**. Alaskan Tut km. m GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 421 information in each section of country before proceeding to another, in order that if time .shonhi not permit tlie full completion of the work, it may be taken up the following season," and he accordingly selected the valley of the Yukon Kiver as the district most imi)ortant in the Territory. 'J'his great river rises in British Columbia at a point about two hundred miles northeast of Sitka, and forming the arc of a huge circle over two thousand miles in length, enters Behring Sea through an extensive delta. The volume of water which it pours into the sea is so great as to freshen the ocean ten miles from its mouth. The difficulties that had been experienced by others in exploring the Yukon from its mouth, led Lieutenant Schwatka to believe that it might be easier to descend than to ascend, and he made his preparations with this end in view. He finally decided to make the attempt to reach its headwaters by way of the Chilcoot trail which leads up the inlet of the same name, to a branch called the Dayay. then through this to the mou^h of the Dayay River, thence to its head, and thence across the mountains to Lake Lindeman. Here they stopped for the purpose of building a raft on which to descend the river. After the comi)ieti()n of this, they pa.ssed through several other lakes and their connecting streams, reaching Lake Marsh on the 29th of June. This is a, body of water nearly thirty miles long, but tilled with mud lianks from one C\»nd to the other, making it extremely ditlicult to navigate even on a raft. / From Lake Marsh they entered the Yukon River and on July 1, found themselves approaching the grand canon of the Yukon, This is the only large canon in the entire length of the great river, and was named l)y Schwatka after the dei>artnient (onimander. The river, which before reaching this \Hnnt is about three hundred antl tifty yards in width here begins to grow narrower, until it is hai-dly more than thirty- five yards wide. The walls of the canon are of perpendicular basalt nearly a mile in height, being widened in the center into a huge basin about double the usual width of the stream in the canon, and this basin is full of whirlpools and eddies in which nothing but a tish could live. Through this canon the wild waters rush in a perfect nuiss of foam, with a rever- beration that can be heard a considerable distance away. Overhanging the canon are huge spruce trees standing in gloomy rows At the northern end the water spreads rapidly to its former width although not losing any of its swiftness, and falls in a wide, shallow sheet over reefs of l)oulders and drifts of huge timber. About four miles further down, the river grows narrower than ever, and the volume of water is so great that it ascends the sloping banks to a consideral)le height and then falls back into the n ril it I I •MS, , t' PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF narrow bed below. The shooting of the canon and rai)ids was an exciting adventure, and I will give Lieutenant Scliwatka'sexi)erience in his own words. '• Everything l)eing in readiness, our inspection made and our resolution formed, in the forenoon of the '2d of July, we prepared to shoot the raft through the rapids of the grand canon, and at llrJ.j the bow and stern lines were cast loose, and after a few minutes' hard work at shoving the craft out of the little eddy where she lay, the poor vessel resisting.; as if she kneu' all that was ahead of her and was loath to go. she finally swung clear of the i)oint, and like a racer at the start, made almost a leai) forward, and th 3 die was cast. A moment's hesitation at the canon's brink, and quick as a tiash the whirling craft plunged into the foam, and before twenty yards were made had collided with the western wall of the columnar rock with a shock as loud as a blast, tearing off the inner side log and throwing the outer one far into the stream. The raft swung around this as upon a hinge, just as if it had been a straw in a gale of wind, and again resumed its rapid career. In the wliirlpool l)asin of the canon, the craft, for a brief second or two, seemed actually buried out of sight in the foam. Had there been a dozen giants on board they could have had no more influence in directing her course than as many spiders. It was a very simple matter to trust the rude vessel entirely to fate, to work out its own salvation. I was most afraid of the four miles of .^hallow rapids below the canon, but she only received a dozen or a score of smart bumps that started a log here and there, but tore none from the structure, and nothing remained ahead of her but the cascades. These reached, in a few minutes the craft was caught at the l)ow liy the first high wave in the funnel-like chute and lifted into the air until it stood almost at an angle of thirty degrees, when it went through the cascades like a charge of fixed bayonets, and almost as swiftly as a flash of light, ])urying its nose in the foam beyond as it sul)sided. Those on board the raft now got hold of a line from their friends on shore, and after l)reaking it several times they finally brought the craft alongside the l)ank and commenced repairing the damage with liq^ht hearts, for our greatest obstacle was now at our backs." At vaiious intervals below the canon a numlier of large rivers flow^ into the Yukon, greatly increasing its width. On the I'Jth of July they shot the Kink Kapids, the last rapids of importance on the river, and the next day reached the site of old Fort Selkirk, a trading post of the Hudson Bay Company which was burned in ISol by a party of Indians l)ecause it interfered with their trade with other tribes. This was an important point on the Yukon, as above it the river had never before l)een explored. ^ GENEHAL XEKSOX A. MILES. 428 Lciting words. )luti()ii »()t the cl stern ngating over eleven thousand. Lieutenant Schwatka's exploration was one of exceeding interest and value, adding a very important chapter of information about that remote country. The territory he passed over, however, had not been entirely untraversed by prospectors and miners, as a few of those adventurous spir- its had previously i)enetrated that country in search of gold and other minerals. Schwatka describes the country as of lit- tle value except for its fisheries and minerals. The suiumers along the Yukon Valley are of very short duration, and the country is so infested with mosquitoes as to make life there almost intolerable during that season, while the severity of its winters — the thermometer often registering sixty degrees below zero — makes it an equally undesiral)le country for occupation at that time of year. Schwatka exi)resses the opinion that all other desirable parts of the United States will be occupied before that country is settled. Nevertheless, (iumi' (IF Eskimo (In: ¥i I ,'■' ' 424 TEUSONAL HECOLLKCTIONS OF ( ; t n :* i • i: M, he describes the natives as a hardy, brave people, and most expert boat- builders. Their way of niakin;^ these boats is very rude ; burning and bt'ving out great trees, which are then fashioned into well-drawn lines, making excellent boats capable of carrying thirty or forty people and pro- pelled by i>addles or sails. VVitli these rude crafts they -lo not hesitate to go out into the oi)en sea of the I'acilic, or to take journeys of three hundred miles along the coast outside the inland i)assage. In their snuill canoes built of skins, in which one or two oarsmen are lasiied. covered with water-tight, thin skin garments, they go out into the open sea to attack the sea otter, which is the most valuable fur-bearing . . •■-..- i^vc ~ animal in that country. The prows of these boats are built of such light material that it is impossible to keep them under water, and the water-proof garments ot the oarsmen are fast- ened in such a way that not a drop can penetrate the interior of the boat, even though it should be entirely submerged 01- turnec^ over by the surf. This being the case, when the canoe is capsized, as occasionally happens in passing through the surf, the light prow immediately rights itself and brings, with the aid of the skillful oarsman, both canoe and passengers right side up again, and without damage to either. Schwatka found these native races among the hardiest and strongest on the continent. All his baggage had to be carried over the mountains on the backs of men hired for that purpose, and he reports that they could take a box of ammunition or supplies weighing a hundred pounds and g«« up the side of a mountain as rapidly as an ordinary man could go without any burden. One of their races that I witnessed, near Juno, in which five of their largest boats, with twelve to fifteen men in each, took part, was as good a display of muscular strength and activity as I have ever seen. Desiring to gain more infornnition regarding a country which up to that time had been wholly unknown. 1 organized a similar expedition, in charge of Lieutenant W. F. Abercrombie, in the summer of IS^-'l-, to explore the N.\ I ivE Kay.^ks. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 425 Copper li'iWY region, and. if possible, the Aleutian ran^'e of mountains and the valley of the 'I'anana. A party of Hussians, under Serihriekol) from the Russian War Department had. in 1S4S compelh'd the natives to dra|,' their sledges up this river. At a preconcerted si<;nal the rehellions Indians suddenly attacked and massacred the entire party. From that time no successful expedition had been made up the Coppei' h'iver. and the natives had been very much opposed tocivili/<'d men enterin;^' their country, lint Lieutenant Abercrombie found them inolTensive. and employed them to draj; his boats up the river. The cuirents, however, were so strong, and he experienced so much ditficulty in makin;i:t».liiiwn At last, in order to make them helievu that it was a ^'reat favor to them to he allowed to ^'o iit all, Lieutenant Allen deci desired elTect, thongli he would have been glad to hire tea men instead of live. The aseent of the I'iversoon became exti-emely dillicnlt. as the elia.nnel ill a short time ^n-ew so shallow that they conld not use their canoes, thus making' a jioi'ta^ic necessary. Taj'al. of which they had heard much on their way up the river, they found to consist of l)ut two houses, one of which was unoccupied, ib'reall the natives but one either deserted or were sent ba(d<. and here the e\|)lorers left the Copper Hiver to exiilore one of its imjiortant branches called the Chittyna. As they went on. their fo(»d sui>ply became so low that on Lieutenant Allen's birthday they could cele- brate in no bettei' way than by makinj.!' a bancpiet of some moose meat that had been left by the natives and their doj.js as unlit to eat. Afterward matters ^avw so much worse that they would have been glad to obtain even that delicacy. They completed their ex[)loration of the Chittyna. and on May 4. once ni(u-<> reached Taral. They then continued their way np the Copper Kiver by • cordelling." That is. two men remain in the boat, one to steer and the other in the bow with a long i)ole: the renniinder of the party pnll on the rope as they walk along the shore. From Liebigstag's. a settlement on the river, conld be seen a magnihcent series of grand jieaks. the highest, Mount AVrangell. rising more than seventeen thonsand feet above the sea level. On the .jth of lune they commenced to ascend the mountains on their way to the Tanana. whose head waters lie very near those of the Copper, although thetwo rivers aremarkedby snch entirely dilTerent characteristics. After a wearisome journey, as they climed to the top of a high divide four thousand five hnncL-ed feet above the level of the sea. they suddenly found themselves in lid 1 vi^w of their promised land. In front of them lay the Tanana Valley with its numerous lakes and low. unlu'oken ranges of moun- tains: a scene which no white man had ever looked upon before. As they went on. vegetation began to be rank, and they suffered from the heat instead of from the cold. The Tanana is a muddy river full of quicksands and boil- ings, but with no rocks, and the spruce trees grow down to its very edge. It was decided to descend the river in a boat made of skins, and in this \i (JKNKRAL XKI-SON A. MILKS. 427 niannor tiio vnva^'o was niadr in spito of tiio msniy rapids which jzreatly i- creased the (hiii^'ors of t lie descent. After sntTeriny much from hun;^'er ami vveakiK'ss. tiie party reached tiie Viikoii. into which tiie Tanana emi)ties fifteen liunthcd mih's from its source. They then expjoi'ed the Koyukuk, another tributary of tiie Yukon, for some distance, after whicii they niade tiioir way down the hitter river as rapidly as tiie means at tlieir dispo.sal wouhl permit, rea('liin<,' St. Micliael's on Au^nist lM>, and tlius concluding' a most suc- cessful exploration, thon^di made at the cost of much priva- tion and sulTeriii}'. Most of the p(>ople they nn 't on tl 10 npiM'r Copper andTanana K*iv- ers had never seen white men before, and nuudi interesting.? inforination was obtained con- cern! "i^,' them. 'J'l'e principal industries of Al'iska at present are the fur trade Mining, and i\w curing' L'*- and caK lin^' of tish. The value of the Seal Islands was not appreciated at the time of their transfer to this country. In 1S70, the Alaska C'ommer cial Company of San Francisco (!^ obtained a twenty years' lease of the islands of St. Paul and St. (leorjjje, and are believed to have divided from SWiM«)0 to $1,000,000 profits annually between twelve original stockholders. In lSi)0 another twenty years' lease was awarded the North American (."(^mmercial Company of San Francisco for an annual rental of $100,000. At the rookeries the seal families herd in little groups on the rocks, the patriarch staying at home with the cu))s, while the mother seal swims sometimes as far as two hundred miles daily in search of their food. These M— 25 Sl'.AI, ll^ M si 1 ilM H; \ I I* I 'm «i !> J > i fi ■H M if f II 1 1 ' 1 '''' il i '. 'i m ^ 1 i ' 9 R : '• ffi f '1 ' • i 1 '1 ■ 1 ' , ! J i 1 ' ': , t ', i 1. ' 1, P; 1 ' 1 ■ ' ' 1 ■ ' ' It 428 TKIfSONAI, ina.'OM.KCTlONS OF ciihs live very timid, and rush iiit<» the watof on iicariii^ any stnin^»^ noise. The ton^diness of the cnhs is somewhat amusin;^'. If aiiytiiin^' happens to frigiitne, and the aleuts. runnin;^' hetween them and the water in th(» early morninj,'. drive them slowly to the killing grounds, where they dispatch them l>y a blow on the head. Salmon is the most im[»ortant Hsh. hul halibut and herring are onrod in great ([uantities. At Loring a tine oi>portunity is i)resented of watching the canning of salmon, which continues from .lune to Septemb(»r. The outdoor work is done by a few white men. wiHi sometimes a few Indians employed under them. Although naturally inte of time but will keep the machinery going as long as there are any tish left. The canneries are of no actual benefit to the country, as they drain it of its natural wealth and in retnrn result in no imi)r(>vements or permanent settlements. The inhabitants of this country are (dassed as Oraniansan'l Indians, the Esquinniux belonging to the former, but there are besides numerous and complicated subdivisions. The (Jreek church was early established in Alaska, and there are now also many imi)ortant mission stations belonging to the Protestant church. Public schools have been in operation since 188() and the attendance of children living within a certain limit is com- pulsory. Who can foretell the future of this country when the similarity between its people and the ancient liritons, accoriling to the descriptions handed down to us is remembered? In fact, the similarity in construction of their boats and of those described l)y the companions of Ctesar is remarkable. Their waters are filled wdth an abundance of tish. the l)rain-producing food. In the works of their construction — their implements, their means of trans- portation, and their most interesting carving in wood, copper and slate — they have given us evidence not only of their enterprise, but of their in- dustry and great ingenuity. Should the country be occupied l)y civilized races who have the advantages of all the wonderful modern inventions and implements, Alaska may yet play an important part in the great future, JO IKUSO. [)|MM1S to tt(M Hop iii^' one. [> "hsicli- Nvatcr ill (TO thoy r«* ('urod vaicliinj,' er. 'Vhii I Indians it cannot Lttend to on. lint 'SO in the )ie('o, tiio i*f as lonf^ lit to the Lilt in no lians, the rous and ished in lelonging ince ISSC) is com- between s handed 1 of their narkable. ing food, of trans- d slate — their in- civilized tions and ,t future, CiKNKKAI- NELSON A. MILES. 42'.) and the d(»\eh>|iinent of tiie resources of its mines, waters and forests nuiy 0!ie (hiy contribute hu'gely to the welfare of the hiinian family. Coming down from that far remote region we |»;iss(m1 through the great zone of British territory which that government has so tenaciously held, and the ownership of whicli was for so long a tinu> the subject of dis[)nte between (Jreat Hritaiu ami the I'nited Statrs. If we had maintained onr position, our territory would be now increased by a domain (d' great value not only in nuiterial wealth bnt in political importaiu'e. and our I'acitiir Coast line would have been uninterrupted fi-um ('alifoniia to Alaska. Hut the hritish statesmen have with coiisummat<' diplomacy, astute immage- nuMit. tact and sagacity utilized this territory to theii- own advantage. Their possessions stret<*hing aci'oss the continent, divide our territoi-y into two widely sei)arated i)arts. The country is not thickly poi)ulat(»(l, and will not be, jn'obably, for many generations. It is very sparsely settled indeed, yet the vast wealth comprised in its maguilicent forests, rich agricultural country and great mineral resources, nuikes it a valuable and important territory. The liritish have std)sidi/ed and constructed a great avenue of com- merce between eastern Canada and the Pacific Coast, known as the ( 'amidian Pacific Railroad. The energy, enterprise and skill of their engineers, con- tractors and numagers in that great work are most ciunmendable to the men concerned. They claim with reason, to have the short route to the Asiatic trade. It is estinnited that the distance between Hongkong and Liverpool l)y that route is nineteen hundred miles shorter than it would . l; by way of San Francisco and New York. Escjnimanlt is one of the best and most sheltered harbors in the world. The British have there established a great naval station and have con- structed a navy yard, with extensive dry docks, costing many millions of dollars. They have laid out their lines of fortifications so as to make it one of the strongholds of the British empire. It is the headcpiarters of the British Pacific sc^uadron. usually under the command of a British ad- miral. It is not unusual to see there a fleet of British war ships that are eciual to, if not larger than any of our beautiful white s(piadron, of which we are so proud, and so confident when we speak of its prowess; and it is far from uncommon to see a stronger Heet of more formidable ))attle ships under the flag of the cross of St. Ueorgeat anchor in this harbor near Victoria than we now possess. The morning and the evening gun fired at the navy yard near Victoria is heard distinctly at Port Townsend and along Puget Sound and the >■'»!; ^ . f , m Tr II 11 430 PERSONAL HECOLLECTIOXS OF I I t E I i \ wwl' *! * - H M i ;i I h i Straits cf Fuca, yet the United States has not a single l)attery of modern guns in position to protect the interests and commercial wealth of that great northwest territory. The question of suital)le navy yards, dry docks, depots of construction, coast defences, and other matters in which the United States should be interested, has been to a great extent overlooked, and should l)e a matter of serious consideration in the near future. Before bidding adieu to that great empire of the Northwest I can only consider further the changes that occurred under my observation between the years 18S1 and 1S;S5. Four years is certainly a brief period, yet in that short time the Northwest passed through a complete transformation. As I have ^|/ said in the early (chapters on this sub- ject, we came up the coast from San Francisco. During the four years. 1 saw the Northern I'acihc.that great ave- nue of commercial communication, constructed from the East to the West with all its various branches and con- necting systems. Next to that was con- structed what was known as the Oregon Short liine, a branch of the Ihiion i*a- citic. diverging to the northwest from Ogden. Utah, and developing a great ter- ritory through Idaho to Oregon and the Columbia Kiver. Then was constructed the C'Oast Line south from Portland, Oi'egon, along the old stage route to San Francisco by which the Central Pacific and Southern Pacitic were connected with that great northern country. Next in importance was the great inter- national line, the Canadian Pacitic, built under the ausjnces of the Canadian government and supported by the British empire, with its branch line down to Puget Sound and the Columbia, thus giving us an additional line of com- munication to the east. Then with marvelous enterprise, commencing in a small bankrupt line of road out from St. Paul, that enterprising railroad buil- der, Mr. Hill, continued on and on, constructing his roads at little expense until he crossed the Rocky Mountai ns. and linally found a terminus on the Pa- cific Coast, thus giving us that vast system now known as the Creat Northern. Tb'^se five great systems of railway communication that were con- structed principally, chough not entirely, within this period of four years. Al.XSKAN TnTKM. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 431 modern , of that ry docks, hich the erlooked, e. can only between 3t in tliat i throujjh As 1 ha^•e I this siib- trom San L- years. 1 ^reat ave- inication, the West and con- t was con- he Oregon Lhiion Pa- west from great ter- 11 and the )nstructed Portland, lite to San connected reat inter- Canadian line down lie of com- ncing in a Iroad l)uil- le expense on the I'a- Northern. were con- bur years. opened to the world the vast resources of a country capable of contributing so largely to the welfare of the people of the I'liited States; for in that country are natural resources capable of producing all that is reipiired by mankind. There are its immense forests of gigantic trees affording wealth and employment to thousands; its soil of unsurpassed fertility, capable of producing a wonderful variety of i)roducf^. and making possible unbounded Helds of waving grain and proliHc orchards of drilcious fruits; its mines of gold and silver, and its rich deposits of coal and iron so essential to any country desirous of excelling in manufactures; its great commercial advan- tages ; its wondrous scenery, varying from pictures(pio and rugged mountain peaks to smiling, fertile valleys; and to crown all other blessings, its delightful climate, mild in winter, free fi-om tem])ests in summer, and so amazingly invigorating to both mind and body. With all these, and count- less other natural advantages there seems almost no limit to the future possil)ilities of this extraordinary country. Wir^HTr ' ii| ! 1 ^1 W-: TSum 1! 432 PERSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF i if! i Jli II' ;;ii!i I Rl ?! p ill i I: CHAPTER XXXTV. From Indian Territory to Arizona. SiTfATiox IX TiiK IxniAx Tkkkitoky IN 18S5 — Tm: Utk.s ix Ni:\v JIexico axd Coi-okaoo — Visit TO THE GlIKYKXXES AXI) A KAl'A IIOKS — HkCINXINCS OF NkW ApACIIK TROrBI.KS IX Arizoxa — Eaki.v Ahizoxa, AXI) Kaki.iiost Exi'i.oKATioxs — Antikxt Kiixs — ClIAKArTKK OF THE C>)r\TKY — MiNES — I'oi'LLATIOX. N this chapter it will be necessary to revert to occurrences fol- lowinjj^ my transfer from the command of the Department of the Columbia to that of the Missouri, and thence to that of Arizona. In ISS"), and for some time previous to that year there had l)een clashinjj: between the interests of the Indians in the Indian Territory and the owners of the immense herds of cattle that roamed over their reservations. This, in the summer of 1885, seemed ready to rijien into open hostilities. A lar^e part of the Territory had been leased, under authority of the government, fenced in, and to some extent stocked with cattle. On account of this authorized occupation of tl^e Territory by white men connected with the cattle interest, a large numi^er were either perma- nently located there or moving l)ack and forth through the country to attend to their affairs. It also gave opportunity for a large numlier of lawless men to travel al)out the Territory, the result being that many disorderly acts were committed against the persons and property of the Indians. This created a feeling of discontent, disaffection and hostility on the part of the Indians toward the white people. As a result of these disturbances, in July. 18S5. I was assigned l)y the President to the command of the Department of the ]\Iissouri. of which department the Indian Territory formed a part, and one-fourth of the army was placed at my disposal. Under telegraphic orders I proceeded from Vancouver, Washington, to (Jeneral Sheridan's headquarters, Chicago, and thence to the Indian Territory. Upon investigation I found that, as usual, the Indians were not entirely in the wrong. The disaffected Utes in northern Now Mexico and Colorado were in a most desperate state, and only withheld from actual out! reak by the presence of troops in their midst. Six of their number had been . I I { GENERAL NELSON A. xMlLES. 433 no — Visit ;s IS nces fol- iit of the Arizona, liere had e Indian ttle that • of 1885, ft of the ernment, by white perma- untry to uml)er of lat many y of the hostility d l)y the of which the army ded from cage, and t entirely Colorado out! reak had been murdered by lawless white men, their reservation had been overrun and their game destroyed. They were nearly starving, their daily ration having been reduced to one-half a pound of beef and one-quarter of a pound of flour for each Indian. Happily this last cause of discontent was remedied by the prompt action of the Secretary of the Interior, who immediately increased the food allowance. The hostile Apaches were at the stime time threatening the frontier of south- ern New Mexico, and it was necessary to keep troops in that part (. ■ the country to guard against their incursions. The extensive settlements in southern Kansas also made it necessary for a large body of troops to re- main in that vicinity for their protec- tion. Bad as w as t h e state of affairs in the Terri tories adjacent to the Indian Terri tor y , the conditions there threatened immedi ate and serious hostility between the Indian tribes and the white people living in that Territory and in the States Am/ow Vkcktation. (Ciant Cacti k). of Texas, Kansas and Colorado. In company with Lieutenant-Cieneral Sheridan I visited the Cheyenne and Arai)ahoe reservations and found them in a most desperate condition. 'J'he Indians were huddled together in disagreeble camps, and were entirely )>eyond the control of the agent and his Indian police. Two of their prominent men had been murdered, and they were turl)ulent, disaffected, and on the verge of oi)en ■H J' ■I 1 ,1 \ r'i. , ,i ■ • " ! \l t! ■' i'.r ; 43.i PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OP' m 'i il:l hostilities. As is usually the case when anj' disturbance occurs, there was a large number of white men with no visible means of support hovering about, and endeivVoring to turn the turbulent condition of affairs to their own advantage. While Lieutenant-General Sheridan listened to the complaints of the Indians, investigated the relationship between the Indians and the white people, a?Hl the effect produced by leasing the lands to white men, I de- voted much of my attention to the condition of the troops and their proper equipment, organization. supi)lies, means of transportation and everything that was required to put them in proper condition for active campaigning in case United States troops were required. Fortunately I had known many of the principal Indians as a result of the campaign of 1S74-5 in the southwest; also a number of the prominent Cheyenne Indians had sur- rendered to me in Montana in 1S77 and had since l)een moved down to the Indian Territory. These were sent for and counseled with, and I was enabled to give them good advice which they heeded. (Jeneral Sheridan had also met many prominent warriors in l!S()D and subsequently. The threatening condition of affairs was soon changed. The President revoked the cattle leases, and the Indians were soon brought under con- trol. A very efficient officer. \.'aptain Lee, was placed in charge of the agency. Under his able administration their condition rr.pidly improved. On" hundred and thirty of the most active and restless of the young men were enlisted as soldiers, and performed good service under the command of competent officers. In addition to their military duties the> were re- quired to cultivate ground enough to raise all Hie vegetables they would require during the year. The reservation was summarily ckaied of the lawless white men who infested it and peace and conffdence were once more restored. The military garrisons were increased, and affai^" speedily became so (juiet. that i"lie large bodies of troops which it had been neces- sary to call from other departments were returned to their proper stations. As the tide of white settlers rolled westward, driving the Indians before it, the idea of setting apart the huge block of country known as the Indian Territory, where the scattered tribes of Indians could be congregated, was at the time a good one, and wise and judicious in every respect. But in 1SS5 the Territory had outlived its usefulness, and served merely as an im- pediment in the pathway of progress. Without courts of justice or pul)lic institutions, without roads or bridges or railways, it was nothing more than a dark blot in the midst of a great and progressive country. It had naturally become the refuge of outlaws and the indolent of all races and GENERAL XhLSOX A. MILKS. 435 classes, aiul the vices introduced in this way were rapidly destroying the Indians. Although it containtnl land sutticient to maintain millions of en- lightened people, it wfis actually costing the government hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly to maintain nearly seventy-tive thousand Indians who made it their home. Being Hrmly convinced that such was the case, T could do no less than recommend that measures should he taken to l)riug about a decided change, as I l)elieved, for the better. The reconnnendation contained in my annual re])ort of ISS.") was substantially as follows: That Congress should authorize the President to ai)point a commission of three experienced, competent men. empowered to tieat with the diit'er- ent tribes; to consider all legal or just claims to titles ; to grant to the Indian occupants of the territory . uch (juantity of land in severalty as might be required for their support, but not transferable for twenty years ; that their title to the remainder be so far extinguished as that it might be held in trust or sold l)y the government, and that a sufficient amount of the proceeds should be granted them to indemnify them for any interest they might possess in the land ; that enough of said proceeds be provided to enable the Incaans in the Territory to become self sustaining. The land not required for Indian occupation to be thrown open for settle- ment under the same laws and rules as have been applied to the public domain. This was the same course that I had recommended before in the north- west, while in command of the Department of the Columbia, and. having demonstrated its success by actual experiment. I knew that the plan was practical, just and humane. If there have l»eeu failures in attempting to carry it out, it was because the officials appointed to treat with the Indians were inexperienced and did not understand the Indian's method of reason- ing, his tastes or his ambitions; or because they were theorists, instead of being practical men, capable of inspiring confidence. I also favored the employment of a number of Indians in the army, as scouts, guides and trail- ers knowing from personal experience that they were endowed with many of the qualities that would make them useful. I had commanded Indians in various parts of the AVest for years, and, besides having found them of great value in numerous ways, never in the whole course of my acquaint- ance with them did I know one of them to be unfaithful to a trust. Everything pertaining to the Department of the Missouri now being quiet, I was looking forward to a peaceful sojourn at Fort Leavenworth, W'hich had formerly been my headcpiarters for several years while colonel H n n 1, 1: : ' 1 ; ! '-Hif' li ;i 436 I'EKSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF ill \ i \ ! J Lh of the F'ifth Infantry ; but the wilj' Apaches were l)usily at work in a way to completely frustrate any such designs on my part. Within nine months from the time 1 took command of the De})artment of the Missouri I was assigned to the Department of Arizona, where the Apaches were devastating the country. For many years there had been serious troubles with these Indians. They would allow themselves to be placed on reservations, and after remaining there as long as their own convenience dictated, would suddenly escape to the mountains, and from there send out raidii.g parties in all directions to burn, plunder and terrorize the inhabitants of the country. While the Indians still renuiining at the agencies did not take active part in these hostilities they aided and abetted the actual offenders in many ways, thus enal)ling them to resist the troops sent against them much longer than would otherwise have been i)ossible. In Anzona the state of affairs was altogether different from that which had prevailed in my campaigns against the Sioux. In the north the terri- ble cold was the chief obstacle to success, while in Arizona the heat and want of water were equally formidable. The Apaches had for generations been accustomed to the heat, the rugged mountains, and the scarcity of water, against which the troops found it s«. diffi"ult to contend, and had moved from one place to another so ([uickly and stealthily that the settlers could never for a moment feel sure of the safety of their lives and prop- erty. The Apaches devoted theniselves with great impartiality to Arizona, New Mexico, and Northern Mexico; and the citizens of these parts of the country had become so paralyzed with terror, as to cause in many in- stances the al)and()nment of the ordinary avocations of life. Before entering upon the history of the campaign against the Apaches, it may be interesting to glance briefly at the peculiar history and still more peculiar geographical features of the vast region the Apache so long dominated. In prehistoric times, Arizona was probably inhabited by a very superior race, judging by the ruins of their cities, aqueducts, fortifications, etc. But the known history of the t<^rritory extends back only to the time of Narvaez's ill-starred expedition to Florida, after the failure of which Ca- beza de Vaca, the treasurer of the expedition, who probably little realized the extent of his undertaking, with three companions started to walk across the continent as the only possible chance of being able to join the Spaniards in Mexico. The wanderings and adventures of these men dur- ing their tremendous pedestrian tour read like a romance. They waded I a way 1 nine [issouri IS were ndions. d after iddenly •ties in of the ot take Senders st tliem t which le terri- [eat and Brations ircity of md had settlers id prop- \^rizona, s of the lany in- ipaches, nd still so long superior >ns, etc. time of lich Ca- realized to walk join the len dur- ^ waded GENEHAL NELSON A. MILES. 437 the swamps and l)ayous of Florida, passed through what is now Georgia. Alabama and Mississippi, discovered the Father of Waters nearly ten years before the eyes of De Soto rested ui)on it, followed along the course of a great river supposed to have been ihe Arkansas, entered New Mexico, and hiially reached a Pinui settlement on the Uila Kiver in Ari- zona, These Indians treated them with nuirked deference, and having heard of the coming of the Spaniards to the south, were al)le to direct the wai ico, where they finally arrived, bronzed, dirty, and so wild in Uieir appearance that their fel- low-countrymen could hardly believe that they were gazing upon white men and Spaniards. The stones told by these men of the wonders encoun- tered by them during their j on r ne y i n g . aroused the spirit of adventure and cupidity in the Si)aniavds, who were never very loath to undertake any enter- prise that promised ei- ther gold or glory. The priests also listened to the wonderful tales and one of them, Padre Marco de Niza. organized an expedition that pushed north to the valleys of central Arizona, and thence northeast to l)eyond the Little Colorado, where they beheld the first of the Seven Cities de- scribed by Cabeza de Vaca, The return of this party wrought the Spaniards up to such a pit^ii of excitement that the expedition of Coronado, in 1540, was the result. This expedition was a strong one, numbering nearly a thousand men. all of v.hom expected to hud and Cr.Il'K Dwi'.I.I.INdS (IN liKAVKH CkKKIC. A KlZi INA. 'I'll HKI; !MiI,I:s ri!(iM FoKl' \'i:i!l)I, SoMKTl.MKS CaI.I.I:!) .MiiNTKZl .m a's I'ai.ack. I !l J ■ m m iil'r^i 'I Hiill '' ' , i' ! ,. '11 . I. '■ i J M ■ if I ! ■ ;f 'in liili iir n ' 438 PEIISOXAI. KECOLLECTIONS OF conquer another people as rich in the precious metals as they had found the Aztecs to he. Only a few poor and insij^'nitlcant villaj^es rewarded their search, however, and disappointed in his dreams of conquest in that direction the Spanish leader turned to what is now New Mexico, where he met with no better success. From New Mexico he traveled to the north and east and explored the countr as far as the site of the present city of Denver, and i)n)l>ahly even reached the Missouri, after which, at the end of the two years of profitless wmderings. he and his men returned to Mexic-. Both Cabeza u • Vaca and Coronadc* ,5 : -m. ;Ht rh? numerous traces of a prehistoric race scattered throughort rlns n Ion. First in importance am on jjj these ruins was the famous Casa * landv , which is still standing, thouj,'h naturally not in so good a state of pre. ervation as it show^ed three hundred and fifty years ago. In loJd, when vis- ited by Coronado, this ruin was described as being four stories iiigli with walls six feet in thickness. Around it were many other ruins which proved that a city of considerable size had once existed there. Like the Fgyptians who now dwell beneath the shadow^ of the pyr- amids and know nothing of their origin, the Pima Indians who were living in its immediate vicinity knew nothing of its origin or history, an(^ it had been a ruin farther back than the earliest date mentioned in any of their traditions. After Coronado's visit forty years elapsed before another attempt was made to explore Arizona. Init in 15S-2 Espejo led an expedition far toward the north aiul discovered rich silver ore at a spot which is now supposed to have been in what we have named the I)lack Hills, in Dakota. So far as we know this was the Hrst finding, in that vast region, of the precious metals which have since given that country its chief importance in the world. As the Spanish cavaliers undertook these expeditions merely for the sake of gaining suddfMi wealth sr.ch as had been acquired by the con- querors of Mexico and Peru, they never troul)led themselves to plant colonies, so that the history of most of the old Spanish towns in America dates back no further than to the missions established there by the priests. (>i,i)i:sT lIoisK IV Tin: 1'mi'i:i) Statics, S.wta Vy'.. X. M. GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 4:19 The first niissioii within tlie orosont limits of Arizona was fonndod at a place then calletl (irevavi, in KiST. I>y Fray Eusehio Francisco Kino and ''adre Juan Maria h' livatierra and ))y 17"J(> there had l)een nine such (aissions estahlishtd. After the ^j^reat Indian revolt which occurred ii; '751, in whi"li the Spaniards \v< re driven entirely out of the country, the presidios of Tu son and Tuhec were founded and maintained w ith snuill p^arrisonsof soldiers for the i)rotec^io)^ of the missions. Besides these there were a number of small ))ut tiourishin^ settlements pos "ssinjj; large flocks of > beep and herds of cattle ; mining was also vigor- ously prosecuted. As a result of the Mexican war. )»y the treaty of Guadalupe in 1S47, all that portion of the territory north of the Gila Hi ver was ceded to the United States. At that time there w as not a single white inhaltitant in all that vast region wliicli stretched from the Gila Hiver north to the present Utah l)Oundaiy. and from the Colorado Hiver to the present line of New Mexico. In lsr)4 that i)ortion of the territory lying south of the Gila was acquired from Mexico by the treaty negotiated by .lames (Jadsden; then minister to Mexico, and at a cost of $ 1 0.00( M •< ►<>. On the last day of l)eceml)er, bsr)4. a memorial to (.'ongress was introduced in the legislature of New Mexico praying for the organization of the western jKU'tion of that territory into a separate political division. IMmeria was the tir.st name given to the teriitory thus cut off from New Mexico. I)ut it was soon changed to Arizona. The origin of the latter name is not positively knowai; some claiming that it means "little creek" in the Pima language, while others hold that it is derived from two Pinui words "ari" a nuiiden, and "zon" a v.illey or country, having reference to a traditionary maiden queyn who once ruled the whole i'ima mition. The name can also l)e traced to the meaning of two Sj^anish words combined into one, and signifying a dry belt — an '"arid zone." l'i:ri!ii'ii:i) I-'ohkst, Aiu/.ona. 'il Vi h ! 440 PKHSOXAI. UKCOM^KCTIONS OF I , - «i iw.' ' 11;' ( : ''Vn fi Tliis attoinpt to secure u TnTitorial ^M>v('rnnHMit was iinsuroessful, hut, still the country slowly prospered. A stjij^'e route was oriziuiized, the mines were worked, and despite* the <*ontinual rava^'es ot tiie Indians the country seenied on the iiif^'h road to prosperity up to tiie time of the hreakiufj; out (»f the Civil War. The trooi)s were then ordered out of the country for service elsewhere, and every American who couUl do so tied to California or to Sonora, Mexico. Then, as there was ahsolutely no ono to control them, the Ai>aches swe[»t down fi'om their mountain hei^dits and indulj.fed in a pf'rl'ect saturnalia of slau;,ditei anion^' the settlers who had been so unfortunate as to renuiin behind. In FebruarV: iSCrJ. the Confederates took possession of a but retreated in May umn of volun- nia. The pres- sjtired con- set 1 1 e r s ;v!'?*t ,rfMi ' porti()n of the country, on tlie comini^ of a col- teers from Califor- ence of these in- t1 d e n c e . and aj^'ain ventured into tiie Terri- TiiK I'aintkd Dkskkt tory. (lold was discovered on the Coh)rado. and l)usi- ness once more began to re- vive. It was not until 1S()8 that the country jj^ained a political existence separate from New Mexico. During the following ten years its history was a ^)loody one. the Indians laying waste the country and killing the white settlers wlienever they could get an opi)ortunity. But immigration still went on, the rich mines l)eing the lodestone that drew crowds of adven- turers in spite of the terror inspired by the Apaches. Settlements gradu- ally took root, and in 1.S7N, when the Southern Pacific Railroad was built through the Territory, a brighter period in Arizona's history begins. The surface of Arizona may be described as a vast, lofty plateau, in the northern part crossed and recrossed by mountain ranges, deep canons and narrow valleys. This northern part is fi-om five thousand to seven thous- I 'i il l.ufc iniiu'S MMitiy iijj; out :ry Un' forniii oiitrol eeii so lenitos )untry, f a ('(»l- 'alit'or- ?se in- e . and 'iitured , 'Vevvi- overed d l)usi- 11 to re- istence ory was e white on still adven- gradii- iis built I. , in the ions and thous- (JKNKItAI. NKI,S()N A. MII.KS. 441 and feet al)ov«^ the sea 1(>V('1. Itut ^'radiially decieascs in altitude toward the south. The highest mountain peak is Mount San Krancisco. a luige extinet voh-anic cone, thirteen tliousand feet in hcigiit. uhich nniy \)0 seen two liundred miles away. Ihiring tlie melting of tiie winter snows and after the heavy summer rains, tiie deei) gorges and ravines are tilhMl w ith wild and furious Hoods that carry everything l)efore them. The most extensive of the table lands of Arizona is known as the Colorado plateau, lie- tween the nuissive nnunitain ranges that diversify its sur- face; are extensive grassy i)lains and valleys witli a fertile soil and delightful climat<'. This great region is drained by many rivers. The southwestern i)or- tion of the territory adjacent to the gulf is made up of plains covered vvith coarse grass and scanty shrubbery, but almost devc/id of all other vegetation. The soil is uni)roductive with- out irrigation, and in places water is very scarce. In the southeast a different order of things prevails. Here the lofty mountain ranges are covered with some verdure and are in- terspersed with l)road valleys affording fair pasturage. Central Arizona contain.^ the richest body of agricultural land in the Territory, and the valleys of the (iila and the Salt Rivers rank among the best. In these valleys is a soil on which anything will grow that can be raised within the tenii>erate and semi- tropical zones, and the climate is almost unetinaled but here also, as elsewiiere. irrigation is reijuired. North from the junction of the Little and (ireat Colorado Rivers is a A (" \.'\iiN- A Mii.K I)i:i;i', ! M, I I fil 442 PKifSONAI- HKCOI.I-KCTIONS OK '< i most reiiijirl\Jil»k^ ivj^ion known as the Paintrd Dpsort, or as t lie Indians, wlio cjirofully avoid tlu» spot, call it. "the country of departed spirits." It is a perfect picture of desolation, hein^' entirely destitute of water and vegetation, and with its entire surface covered with is(dated peaks and huttes fashioned by the floods of ages into the most fantastic and grotes»(ue shapes. The air is wonderfully clear, and shows marvelous mirages in the form of temples, fountains, fortili- cations. beautiful landscai)es. companies of peoph*. and all painted hy the atmosphere in such a way that it seems im- l)ossil)le t(> doubt their reality. The Colorado River, which cntsses the northwest corner and forms i)art of the western boundary of Arizona, ranks among the gre^it rivers of the continent. The eside its I'ushing waters it gives one a strange sensation to real- ize that he is over a mile lielow the crust of the earth. The Colorado is one of the principal tril)utaries of the Pacific Ocean on tlie American conti- nent, and down its course there flows a volume of water rivaling that of the Nile, and capable of irrigating a territory several times the extent of Egypt. The flrst miners in Arizona were the old Jesuit fathers. Their success encouraged others, and many rich discoveries were made. The largest : 4 GKNKUAL NKl.SON A. MII.KS. 44a pipce of silver ever found, and which \v<»ij,'h(Mi twoiity-spveii iiiiininMJ )»()uiinj;cd to tiio crown. Tiic first niiniiij^' hy Americans was nn«h'rtaiven in the Santa Kita Mountains hy a company or;/ani/ed in IS")'). Naturally, mining' was carried on with considerahle dilliculty. as all su|iplies iiad to l)e brought overland from St. Louis or from the (iiilf of Calilornia. and tho terrible Apaches were ev(M' alert to destroy any wiiite man that came within tlH»ir power. At th(» lime of the Civil War, mining, lilr)0, and the silver at Sl.TdO.SOO, and. besides this, 4S.'27(),")(K) pounds of c()pi)er were mined. One of the mo.st valuable products of the Territory is co^tper, and in this, Arizona rivals the great deposits of Lake Superior and western Montana. In ISOO the census returns gave the population of Arizona as 59,620. Ph(enix, the present capital of the Territory, is pleasantly situated in the Salt River Valley. lu this region much has been done by irrigation, and large orange groves and tine vineyards are the result. Tucson is the largest city. While in command of the Department of the Columbia, in the spring of 1S82, I visited San Francisco, and there met (ieneral W. T. Sherman, commanding the army. He had just passed through the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona. The condition of affairs at that time, especially in Arizona, was not satisfactory, and in fact was very serious. The Apache Indians were 01 the warpath, and were committing depredations in various sections of the Territory, It had been decided to make a change in the command of tliat department, and General Sherman suggested that I should be assigned to the command, but said the change wo!i!d not be made unless it was agreeable to me. I replied that I did not desire to go there; that other oflicei's had had experience in that pari of the country and 1 thought it better to give them an opportunity of restoring pe'LvCt, M — -iii TKIiSONAL liKCOLI.K'CTIONS OF igatiii^' tlio Indians and ovcntiially l>rijigiiig tlieiii under control; had hoen hut ro('(Mitly assij^ncd to thcscouunaiid of tho Dopariincint of ►hiinhia and was niucli interested in the carets and responsihilities of that, conunand and in thedeveh)i)inent and progress of tliat great, northvvt^st country. Tliis ended tlu^ (Conversation, aiul the suhject. of my going to that i)art, of the Tnited States was at that time dismissed. Still I watched witli great interest the reports from that section of country; all that was puhlisluMl i-egarding the depredations of the Indians. th(^ iiovcMuents of troo[»s. and the various [)hases incident to hostiliti(\s of tliat nature wen^ carefully noted. I traced on the hest nuips that I coidd ohtaiu of that country the movenuMits of the Indians according to the dales as th(\v werci repoi'ted, ohsei'ved where and wIkmi hostiliti(\s were (•(Mumitted. wher(^ and when certain hiinds of warriors a,ppeaf(Ml. from wluMK'e they came and in what direction they were reported to have gone, comparing one I'eport with anothei', and thei'c^hy tracing as far as practica- ble the habits and actions of the hostile Indians. I thus became somewhat familiar wirii the raids of the Indians and the routes of travel they most fri;i{M:ss ('.i:mi:'I'i:uv — Moi ncain 1"'as'im;ssi;s ni' Ahiziina — i;i:s()ii;('i'.s nr 'imif. Ai'aciiI': in \\'\|{ — A Foiimkk (' v.Mi'AKiN, l':NKI{y\li Ch'OOK had he(Mi tryiii<,' for yeiirs to hrii)g the Ai)a,('h(^s to terms, and oil several oeciisioiis wilhiii thirty yea I's they had pretended to siiri(Mid(M" iiiid had aeccptcMl the terms j^nveii them by th(^ ^ov(M*iimeiit. They woidd thru j^'o back to tl.eir a^eii(ti(^s with th(Mr [(hinder, stohui stock, and for a fresh supply of t luMiiiinitions of wai', and after reniiiiniii}.^ (piiet for sometime would suddenly bn^ak oiitiiffain with renc^wed ferocity. There wer(^ vjirioiis bands of A|)ji,ch(\s- Yuma,. Moliji,v(\ White Moun- tain, Chiiiciihiia iuid other brancluvs. The Chiricaiuiiis wen^ the worst, wihiest stud stroii'j^est of all. The Apiiclu^ re^:irdeen oi' man. as tl i(^ worcl A pad le iiK iicat (^'^. II some re- s])ects thoy regally were superior. Th(\v excelled in sJreii^dh. activity, (MidnraiK^e, and a.ls() in criudty. They were cruel to everythiii}^' I hat <'anm within their power. If th(> yoiiii}.,' Apache conld capture a, bird or a moiis(> or any living thin<.r, hci took the keenest deli;^di< in tortiiriiiji it, and this s|KM',i(»s of cruelty did not disappear even when th(\v ^M'ew to be stalwart men. Tli(\v took pleasiirci in toiMiientinj^' any liviti}/ creatine from a hird to a lior.se. Their atrocities a,r(^ simply too horrihie ari(J shocking' to write out in words. Then^ is an Indian l»y the name of Schimi/ene still liviiij,' in that Ter- ritory who. for a niimlxM' of years was in the habit of traveling pasta certain white man's dwelliiiu', and on these occasions was iilways tr<'ated kiiully, j^'iven food, and made conifortahle wheiiexer he cared to tarry. One morning after ha\iiij,' stayed there loirr enoii^di to seciii'e a ^^nxid hreaJvfast, lie picke(| lip Ins I'ille and kilh^d his heiiefa.ctor, and t hen went awav boastiiiet in diameter. The un- happy victim lived ioi- two days, suiTering the most exci'uciating tor- ture while the ants slowly ate a way the tlesh from his head. Another incident showing the heartless- ness of this people was related to me by one personally cognizant of the facts, and of un- doubted trustworthi- ness. A renegade, or outlaw Indian, had com- mitted several murders and was wanted to an- swer for his numerous crimes, Imt the official at the agency had found it im[)ossible to arrest him. as he rarely appeared there, and kept himseil concealftd in some safe moun- tain retreat. Seeing no other way of securing the *,riminal the otKcer in charge called up a dissolute Indian, a cousin of the outlaw. and told him that if he would go out into the mountains and bring in the culprit alive, or if that was imi)ossible, a proof of his death, he would give him a certain horse, wdiich was i)ointed out to him. One morning not long afterward, the officer was in his ([uarters seated at the breakfast table, when this Indian appealed before him carrying a sack over his shoulder. ITe advanced to where the officer was sitting and remarked with much apparent satisfaction that he had come for the horse, at the same time shaking tlie head of his relative from the sack to the floor at the officer's feet; and the Iiulian received his lat gray h.)rse. A short time after this, as the officer was going about the agency, the same Indian motioned to him to come round the corner of the agency building that he might speak to him in private. The officer naturally not ArAciiK ('i!ii:i/i'Y. I, >' !l < C;EXKir\L NELSON A, .MII,KS. e wliite V l)lci(.'k iy;li and l'(vt ho iiii- lV(mI iof •hVfi the iiig toi'- e iiiits the flesh • i d e n t 3artless- )ple was by one lizant of of mi- tworthi- ^ade. or bid com - murders ;d to an- umerous rest him. Fe moun- officer in lim that ve, or if in horse, le officer ippeared here the that he ^ rehitive aved liis eiicy. the agency iraily not 447 , ■,- / .'■ / ■' /)!■■/ h, ■/■!.., ■■■//■■■. Ii,y,w., ■'#/'.>/ V having much confidence in the sense of honor of tliis particular savage, called an interi)reter to go with him. lie need not have feared, for the Indian merely wished to say that if the otMcer had another good gray horse, he had another cousin whose head he could bring in at any tinu\ The instance given conveys but a faint idea of the unique character of the Indian 1 found myself called upon to subdue. He was, l)esides, pos- sessed of resources not under the control of the white man. He required noth- ing of the white num to support life, and wanted only his weap- ons for warfare. The deserts and the moun- tain fastnesses were his allies, and witli his knowledge of tlie en- tire country, he could find in the rocks tanks of water where a white man would die of thirst. Even in the desert the cactus was us(mI for both food and drink, nature aiding him where she was fatal to the white man. From the I'nited States these Indians tied to the most inaccessij)le mounUiins of Mexico, and not till the treaty made in 1SS2, did it become possible for our troops to pursue them into that country. As previously stated, (Jeneral Crook had been trying for years to bring the Apaches to terms and keep them under control. In 1SS:{ he made an expedition into .Mexico which resulted in the return of the Chii'icahuas and Warm Springs Indians under (Jeroiiimo and Natchez to the Ai)ache reservation. For nearly two years they remaiinMl (|iiiet. when tiring of peaceful pur- suits, (Jeronimo, Natchez, ^langus and many others, in May. 1SH5. again went on the warpath and fied into Mexico. They were vigorously [uir- sued but succeeded in eluding the trooi)s and commenc^ed again tluMr work -=:i^\ ( 1. \im:m; 1 1 IS i;i:\v \ i:i li ! ! !■ ''I If li i I 'f '!: n.Vi ! ^ ' Mill « 3 (J ■/) r lii :|i^! I ^i 448 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF of death and destruction from tlieir base in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Captain Wirt Davis, Fourth Cavalry with liis troop and one hundred In- dian scouts, pursued them and surprised their camp near ^ivacori, Mexico. Lieutenant Hay, Fourth Cavah'y (of the command), with seventy-eight scouts, attacked their camp, surprising them, but only succeeded in capturing their camp outfit and killing two boys and a woman. Captain Crawford, Third Cavalry, with a bat- talion of scouts a) so proceeded to Mexico in pursuit, and his scouts under Chatto encountered Chihuahua in the Bavispe Mountains and captured fifteen women. An ac- count of this cap:]iaign is given by Captain Maus. Captain Borst also commanded a siuii'r.v e\i)eiliti<)n. Despite constant pt i-iiit thf^se Indians succeeded in crossing back into the United States, i nirder-int; people, and destroying property. One band. Josauie with tei liUi . ros.^ed info the Ciiited States, raided the Apache Ills AcTHlNS WkKK ClKIOCS. I II i^t GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. 449 reservation, killed some of the friendly Indians as well as thirty-ei^ht white people, captured about two hundred head of stock, and returned to Mexico. This expedition occupied only four weeks and the Indians traveled a dis- tance of over twelve hundred miles. That such a raid was possible despite the fact that in addition to the commands already n^Ciii^iwi^pd, there was a large force of regular troops in the Held (forty-three companies of infantry and forty troops of cavalry), shows the energy and daring of these Indians. The necessity of following and constantly harassing them being evi- dent, two expeditions were again formed to go in pursuit. One consisted of a battalion of Indian scouts (one hundred aud two men) and a troop of cavalry under Captain Wirt Davis, Fourth Cavalry, and the other of a battalion of Indian scouts (one hundred men) under Cai)tain Crawford. Third Cavalry. The first battalion (Davis) was composed of San Carlos and White Mountain Indians, principally, and the second (Crawford) was composed of (Jhiricahuas. Warm Springs and Wliite Mountain Apaches. The Indians of the battalion were largely a part of the band to be de- stroyed, and in every respect as savage and as able as they. Captain Davis operated in Chihuahua, while Captain I'rawford proceeded with his com- mand into Sonora. Captain Crawford selected the people composing his command on account of the fact that they were mountain Indians and knew the haunts of these to be pursued, being, indeed, a i)art of their bands. Many doubted the wisdom of taking these men alone with no troops, and predictions of treachery were freely nuide, but still officers volunteered tor the duty. Those selected were Lieutenant Marion l\ Maus. First Infantry, and Lieutenant W. E. Shipp, Tenth Cavalry, to comnmnd the companies, while Lieutenant S. L. Faison. First Infantry, was the adjutant, ((uarter- master and commissary officer, and Acting Assistant Surgeon T. 13. Da\is was the medical officer. The scouts were selected and listed, fifty each, by Lieutenants Maus and Shipp. thusformingthe battalia »f one h- jidred men. The history of this expedition into j\Iexico, its Mjue formation, the almost unparalleled hardships and dangers it encoui''<'red, the tragic death of its commander, Captain Emmet Crawford, and t ■ international phase of the affair, all give it an especial interest, and will follow its move- ments in detail from the time the command left .\pache till its return and muster out of the service — a period of six months. This account is best given in the narrative of Captain Marion P. Maus. who accompanied (Japtain Crawford, and is himself one of the most exi)erienced officers in the service. His account illustrates the difficulties to l)e overcome, as well as the fortitude and courage of our officers and soldiers. ■|f: i m^^ ■■ii ' I : ^ til! i' Ii" I iM Js»aciU!£s-.vi. '-^T'''*'^rr'ir-T7ri'rr •:'■'■ 450 PERSONAL HECOLLECTJONS OF CHAPTER XXXVT. H 'i li'^i ■■.>f mM'i '.,{ A Campaign Against the Apaches. (Captaik Maus' Narrative.] Bk(iin\in(1 <>i' Tine C.\Mi'Ai(ix OF 1885 — Crossinc; Into Mkvic-o — Mrtuoos of tiif Indian Scocts — LriTT.i-: M i:\ic AN 'I'owNs and Tiikih Pkoim,!-; — .Mkscai, ani> its Usk hy Indians — Kikst N i:\vs of TIIK IIoSI'lI.KS — Hi;(!INNIN(i OF A MoFNTAIN MaKCII ON FoOT — AliANDoN Fl) CI A.M I'S — TlIK DlCVn.'s liAC'KHONK — KlNI!IN(i TIIK lloSTII.KS — TlIIC AtTAC'K — A BaTTI.K WITH Mk.mcan Thooi's That Was Koiciit hy Mistakio — C!ai'Tain Chawfokd MoliTAI,I,Y WolNDKD— liATFK AcTION OFTIIK -AIlOXICANS — Till; IloME- WAKD M Alien — MlOSSFNdKK FKOM ((F HON I Mo — A ("oNFFKFNCF — An Indian Thick — Dfatu of C-attain C/Kawfohd — liiK- lAi, AT Naooki, Mioxico — Unfhifndi.y Disposi- tion oi'Tiii: .Mfxu'ans — Akhivai, in (' mtkd Stai'fs Ti:uuiToin" — Rftihn fou I'liF Ilosrii.Fs — TiiF Skjnai, — 'I'm-; KscAPF anf; Piksiit — NksII.TS ok TIIK IVM'FDITION HE following sketch grapliicully illustrates the warfare of times of peace, and the duties aiul perils of the American regular soldier. Such narratives, were they all written, v.ould constitute much of the history, almost to date of the southwest. The narrative has an added value in the fact that it is the story of personal experiences. The command, fully equipped for field service, left Apache. Arizona, on Novemher 11, 18.S5, for Fort Bowie. Here it was inspected by Lieutenant-CJeneral Sheridan and Brigadier-Ueneral Crook, and with words of encourage fueiit from these officers, the commard started south by way of the 1 )ragoon .^lountains, endeavoring to find the trail of a band of Indians who were returning to .Mexico after a raid into the Ihiited States. Thoroughly scouting these mountains without finding the trail vve went on to the border and crossed into Mexico twenty miles north v/' the town ot Front- eras, with the object of pursuing the renegades to their haunts in southern Sonora. We believed that if we could trace this band we could find the entire hostile camp under (leronimo and Natchez. I nder instructions from Captain Crawford. I preceded the command to the town of Fronteras to notify the Presidente of the town of our approach, of our object in ' ;i. GENERAL NKLSOX A. .MII,KS. 451 coming,