OCR Text |
Show to convene it; the President directs that Major-General Greely, commanding northern division,. be instructed to cause a suitable force of cavalry to proceed to the scene of disturbance and command the intruders to return to their homes. It is the President's desire that they be firmly hut tactfully dealt with and that a violent course be avoided unless their defiance of the authokity of the United States continues aud it becomes necessary, for that reason, to compel them to desist from their unlawful conduct and return to the lands which have been allotted to their use in the Uintah'Reservation, Utah. The Indian agent at Crow Agency reported on October 20 that the Absentee Utes were camped about 40 miles north of Gillette, Wyo., on the Little Powder River; that they had purchased sub-sistence supplies at Gillette, TVyo., hut had made no hostile demon-strations, and %ere heading apparently' for the Crow or the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. The War Department ordered that troops proceed to the Indian camp and intercept a part of the hand reported to be heading toward the Crow Reservation. Major-General Greely telegraphed the War Department on Oc-tober 24 : Captains Johnson and Pacton, Tenth Cavalry, striking Ute trail on the 22d, reached their camp on Spring Creek and Little Powder, 40 miles from Gillette, where a council was held wlth Chief Appah's band on the mornlng of the 23d. It would appear that the band camped with Appah consisted of about 300, with few women and children in sight and about 1m fighting men. They are fully armed, have their belts full of ammunition, and from 300 to 400 good ponies, 10,000 pounds of flour, purchased in Gillette, and a large amount of venison. Their transportation is mostly travois, with a few old wagons. While sullen and uncommunicative with reference to subject of return to Uintah Reservation, yet they expressed themselves on their grievances. They claim that they have harmed no one and expressed an intention of conducting them-selves peacefully and lawfully. In this connection I have been unable to asrer-tain any illegal acts by them except the killing of game. They delayed moving to hold council with Johnson and Pacton, hut declioed to remain where they were pending further councils. At noon on the 23d the entire band moved down the Little Powder, with announced intention of proceeding to Cherry Creelr, in Black Hiihl but in Captain Jolinson's opinion they are headed for Montana. Johnson states that they will certainly not return to the resenation unless com-pelled by decidedly superior forces, and is further of the opinion that they will resist any small force, in which opinion Major Grierson joins. Under these con-ditions, in order to avoid bloodshed, I have ordered Colonel Rogers and six troops, Sixth Cavalry, to take the field with Belle Fourche as the base. He has been instructed to intercept Appah's band and compel them to return with him to Fort Meade, where the entire band of Indians will be held as prisoners, await- Ing instructions from the War Department as to m i r disposal. Rogers has been instructed to deal tactfully with them and avoid recourse to farce save as a last extremity, but his orders are positive to bring the entire band into Fort Meade. Major Grierson has been ordered to follow the Utes with two troops-- his only force, the two other troops being snowbound near Crawford. Major Grierson is directed to avoid any resort to arms, as his force is inferior to the reported fighting strength of the Utes, but he will keep in contact with them and keep these headquarters advised of their movements. Should they proceed |