Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1875 — Gen. Sheridan on the Black Hills. [ARTICLE]

Gen. Sheridan on the Black Hills.

Headquarters Military Division or the I Missouri, Chicago, March 86,1876. f Gen. W. T. Sherman, Headquarters of the'Army, St. Louis, Mo.: General —ln reply to your question: “ What de you know of the Black Hills?” I respectfully submit the following remarks: My first knowledge of the Black Hills was derived from interviews with the late Father de Smet, a noted Catholic missionary, whom I met many years ago on the Columbia River, in Oregon, from whom I heard the Indian romance oi a mountain of gold in the Black Hills, and his explanation of that extraordinary and delusive story. To Indians, frontiersmen and explorers the Black Hills country is much more extensive than that particular locality brought to the Dotice of the public by the recent explorations of Qen. Custer, and gets its name from the black, scrubby character of the timber which grows on the sides and tops of the mountains and hills. It comprises the whole of the country bounded on the east by longitude 103 degrees, on the south by the Sweetwater and Laramie Rivers, on the west by the Big Horn and Wind Rivers, and on the north by the Yellowstone River. This is really the country of the Black Hills; but embraced in it are several localities called “ Black Hills.” For instance, the “ Black Hills of the Laramie,” the “ Black Hills of Powder River,” and the “ Black Hills of the Shyenne River,” the latter being the locality in which Gen. Custer made his reconnoissance last summer, and about which there is so much speculation at the present time, and within the bounds of which, it is supposed by a large number of people, is to be found the Father de Smet mountain of gold. Father de Smet’s story was that while living with the Bioux Indians he was shown by them nuggets of gold which they informed him had been obtained at different points in the Black Hills, supposed to be from the beds of the Big Horn, Rosebud and Powder Rivers and from branches of the Tongue River; and on his representing that such yellow metal was of the greatest value they told him they knew where there was a mountain of it. Subsequent

investigation, however, proved that the IndiAn mountain of gold was nothing more than a formation of yellow mica, such as may be found in a number of places in the above-de-scribed country. . I had scarcely given the story a thought after this, until about three years ago, when I happened to be in New York, and it was there brought to my recollection by a prominent gentleman, who asked me where Father de Smet was to be lound and in slated th at some one should be sent at once to get from him the secret of the gold mountain which would pay the national debt, etc. After I had informed him that it was an old and exploded story his ardor cooled, and the excitement about the “mountain of gold however, that the Black Hills country was embraced in my military command, and two years ago It became apparent to me that a military post in the Black falls of the Shyenne would soon become necessary for the proper protection of the settlements In Nebraska from the raids of Sioux warriors, who always before they commenced depredating on the frontier secured a safe place for their families and villages to the locality mentioned. Believing that these Indians would never make war on our settlements as long as we could threaten their families and villages to thiß remote locality, abounding in game and all that goes to make Indian life comfortable, and with this purely military object in view, the order was given for the Custer reconnoissance. • . „ . , The discovery of particles of gold by alluvial washing near Harney’s Peak, on the eastern slope of the Black Hills of the Shyenne, followed, and brought to the surface the Father de Smet story for the third time. The Black Hills of the Shyenne, described by Gen. Custer, are situated between the north and south forks of that river, one of which is known as the Belle Fourche. the other the South Fork; and although I have the utmost confluence in the statement of Gen. Custer and Geh. Forsyth, of my staff, that gold was found near Harney’s Peak, I may safely say there has not been any fair test yet made to determine ita existence in large quantities. „ , There is not a Territory in the West where gold does not exist, but in many of them the quantity is limited to the “ color,” which is as much as has yet been obtained near Harney’s Peak. The geological specimens brought back by the Custer expedition are not favorable indications of the existence of gold in any great quantity. Still, it may be there; but as the treaty of 1869, duly ratified, virtually deeds this portion of the Black Hills to the Sioux Indians, there is no alternative but to keep out trespassers. But to go back to the Father de Smet information, there is not much doubt of the correctness of his statement that gold exists in large quantities in the Black Hills, but much further west than the Black Hills of the Shyenne. I have seen nuggets from the Big Horn and Tongue Rivers, and many specimens from near FortStambaugh, in the Upper Wind River country, where mining has failed for want of water for alluvial washing and from hostilities of the Indians; and I have good reason to believe—in fact, it is quite certain —that gold exists in the Owl Creek Mountains, in the Lower Wind River, and in the headwaters of the Powder River and the Rosebud, all these localities being, under the general meaning, in the Black Hills, and outside of the Sherman, Augur and Terry treaty of 1869, except so far as the privilege to hunt game. It has been my intention to communicate much information this coming summer to the Government on the above-described country; and as the Indians have no absolute right to the soil, there may be but little difficulty in extinguishing their hunting privileges. I purpose, if you do not object, to open up the Yellowstone River by sending Gen. George A. Forsyth and Col. Grant, of my staff, up the Yellowstone to the mouth of the Big Horn, as soon as the ice breaks, which will give the lowest tide of water, having already secured a steamboat to make this exploration. If Gen. Forsyth is successful I will send Gen. Custer, with a command from Fort Lincoln, across the mouth of Powder River, thence up on the south bank of the Yellowstone, crossing Powder River, Tongue River, Rosebud, and on to the mouth of the Big Horn. This country is as yet entirely unexplored and the expedition may develop a very valuable auriferous section and make the Father de Smet story to some extent true, but I am of the belief that the mountain of mica has not changed to gold. I will also send an expedition down Wind River, through the Owl Creek Mountains, from Fort Stambaugh, via Fort Brown, to the mouth of the Big Horn, and will bring it back through the parks about the head waters of Powder River visited by Capt. Mills and his command last summer. These parks are for beauty fully equal to those described so graphically by Gen. Custer as existing in the Black Hills of the Shyenne. I may also say from my own knowledge that the valleys of the Big and Little Po-po-agie, Little Wind River and Main Wind River can scarcely be excelled in beauty and fertility, while the student of natore will find there the most extraordinary upheavals of the earth’s crust probably to be found on this continent. I am of the opinion that this country is gold-bearing, but of its abundance there can only be a conjecture at present. I feel quite “confident of our ability to prevent the intended trespass on the rights of the Indians, and Cavalry and infantry in the. Department of Dakota are being moved at the present time to the most available points to carry out my directions of Sept. 3 of last year. Were it not for these precautions on the part of the Government there might he a repetition of the California Gold Beach and Gold Lake humbugs, with a still greater suffering, as many of the persons now crazy to go to the Black Hills never think of how they are to exist after they get there, or how they could return in ease of failure. If they will only wait for further information from the Government, which now seems to be desirous of making concessions to meet these new interests, there will be no one more willing to aid in ascertaining their value. So far as the troops are concerned, I will promise activity in the present emergency, and a conscientious performance of duty. Should the points from which the miners start be so remote as to make it impossible for our scanty force to watch them, we can occupy the two or three gaps in the Black Hilis and effectually exclude trespassers. Very respectfully, (Signed) P. H. Sheridan, Lieutenant-General Commanding.