OCR Text |
Show 16 REPORT OF TFE COMYIMIONER OF morm AFFAIRS. ' . there await a reasonable time for forther orders, which failing to receive, they were directed to deliver the property in their charge to the commandant of the fort. A letter was also despatched to Mr. Kittaon, dieting him to notify the Indiana assembled at the treaty ground on Red river that we ahmld probably be detained some two weeks. These arrangements completed, we returned to St. Pad, where we learned that the Sioux outbreak was mueh more formidable than we had suppoaed,and that all hopes of an amicable adjnatment had ended. Troops were being promptly forwatdedfor the protection of the &ontier settlements and the relief of Fort Ridgely. Believing now that the danger of further trouble with tbe Chippewas was imminent, I requested Governor Barney to send two additional companies of infantry (one being already en rate) to Fort Ripley; This re-quest was at once eomplied with, and two cbmpanies, one ,under Captain Burt, the otber under Captain Libby, were placed under my command. MeanHme I received a message &om Hole-in-theday, through Mr. Sweet, of Sauk Rapids, to the effect that he desired an &terview. I dw learned from Mr. Sweet, who had visited the Chippewa esmp at Gull lake, that Hole-g-the-day had there assembled about three hundred armed wssriora and was redy t~ tottack the settlements, but would wait three days for an interdew with me, that, if pos-sible, the exiating troubles knight be settled by negotiation. The two wmpanies placed under my eommand had but just arrived at Fort Snellifig& on0 of them was that day musteredinto service; neither had received &ma, tents, clothing, or camp equipage; and yet so efficient were the services of Mr. Ohute, who had been appointed by the governor as qnartermasta to the expedition, and so prompt were the officers and men, that one company started the day the order was iesued and the otber early the next morning, and both arlived at Fort Rip ley in several hours less than three days, having marched a di~tanceo f one hundred and thirty miles. I was accompanied by, and received valuable aid &am,* company of mounted volunteem, organized with the upprobation of Governor Ramsey, and led by Senator Wilkinson. On aniving at the fort, twelve miles distant &om the agency, I notified Eole-in- the-day .that I was ready to hold a council with him and the chiefs who were '+ih&im, a nd to hear their complaints. I was promised an answer the following ' day. I found at the fort "Bad Boy,'' a chief the Mississippi band of Chip- - pewa, and his family; also Mr. Johnston, an educated Indian minister. These Indians, having refused to participate in the wicked schemes of Hole-in-the-day, had been compelled to flee for their livm. I also found the foFt several of the agency employes, who, after being robbed, had been driven from the reser-vations. From these Indians and employ& I learned that the Pillager and Otter-tail Lake bands had promptly repaired to the camp of Hole-iu-the-da7 upon receiving his summons. The Pillagers had made prisonera of the whites and some half-breed employes upon their resemation. The Otter-tails had driven all the whites from the settlement, destroyed the hud offic.e,'breaking |