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Show I COMMISSIONER OF ~NDIAN AFFAIRS. 19 1 them, have suffered severely from the drought of the past summer, but being more wealthy, and having had good success in their hunts, it is believed that with the supplies already provided by their agent they will be enabled to pass the winter without any great amount of suffering. The Sioux and Winnebagoes, removed from Minnesota under the act of Congress passed at its 1:~sste ssion, although within the limits of this superin-tendency, are included in that portion of this report which relates to the northern superintendency, they being still under the charge of Superintendent Thompson. In regard to the friendly ~ndiaus of the Upper Missouri and Blackfeet. agencies, I am able to give you hut little information, for the reason that the agents, as hereafter stated, were unable to reach and remain at their posts. Referring to my last annual report, it will be seen that at that date we were warned by Governor Jayne, then ex officio superintendent of Indian affairs for Dakota, by each of our agents, and by all the friendly Indians, that the danger of hostilities on the part of the Sioux was imminent, and that nothing but the most prompt action on our part would be efficient in averting so great a cnlarnity. These various warnings were, bowever, suffered to pass unheeded, and no measures adopted looking to an effort to adjust the disturbed relations between this powerful and disaffected nation and the general government. Since tbat time, the Sioux, driven from Minnesota in consequence of the horri-ble atrocities perpetrated by them in that Btate during the autumn of last year, have taken refuge among their brethren of Dakota, and neither expecting nor deserving forhemar~cea t onr bands until they have received the chastisement their cririmes have merited, they have doubtless done all in their power, and it would appear with success, to induce their brethren to make common cause with them in an endeavor to extermillate and drive a11 whites from the Terri-tory. A very large proportion of the Sioux of Dakota were already hoatile, or at least far from friendly, and the remainder or friendly portion being deprived of that protection to which under the provisions of the Fort Laramie treaty of 1851 they were entitled, and being in the minority, have now doubtless yielded to the various inflnences brought to bear upon them, and we now have upon our hands, in addition to the great rebellion, an Indian war of no mean proportions. In January last, and again in March, I forwarded to you copies of oommnni-cations received at this office, representing in the strongest manner the urgent necessity for the immediate establishing af military posts upon the Upper Mis-souri. l'hese communicrttions were by yon laid before the War Department, from which I learned through you, on the 26th of March last, that the subject had been referred to the commander of that military department for the neces- I sary action. What action was had I am uninformed, but certain it is that the ~ posts were not established, nor were Agents Latta and Reed enabled to obtain an escort to accompany them to their respytive agencies. It is understood that the expedition under Brigadier General Sully , i n conse-quence of the extreme drought, and the burning of the prairies by the retreat- |
