Fort Keogh
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On the 25th, the paper reports that a telegraph from Miles at Fort Keogh on the 24th says that Sitting Bull is on Frenchman's Creek and has about 4000 warriors and 5000 women and children in 1000 lodges and that Fort Peck and Keogh are preparing to defend themselves. Two companies of infantry have been sent from Keogh to protect Fort Peck. Fort Keogh only has 500 men. With Sitting Bull are: [[Black Moon]], [[Four Horns]], [[Long Dog]] and [[Red Bear]]. Another count gives Sitting Bull 2300 warriors, plus 800 escaped Nez Perce and agency Indians who are well armed with Sharp's rifles and plenty of ammo, plus a large number of Government horses and mules. [[Red Bear]] had deserted the agency with 200 lodges, just after returning from [[Washington DC]]. Indians have been spotted within 10 miles of Fort Peck. [[Black Catfish]] chief of the [[Yanktons]] is in the vicinity of Peck and Wolf Points, and sent word to [[Gen. Miles]] that he will stand by him. | On the 25th, the paper reports that a telegraph from Miles at Fort Keogh on the 24th says that Sitting Bull is on Frenchman's Creek and has about 4000 warriors and 5000 women and children in 1000 lodges and that Fort Peck and Keogh are preparing to defend themselves. Two companies of infantry have been sent from Keogh to protect Fort Peck. Fort Keogh only has 500 men. With Sitting Bull are: [[Black Moon]], [[Four Horns]], [[Long Dog]] and [[Red Bear]]. Another count gives Sitting Bull 2300 warriors, plus 800 escaped Nez Perce and agency Indians who are well armed with Sharp's rifles and plenty of ammo, plus a large number of Government horses and mules. [[Red Bear]] had deserted the agency with 200 lodges, just after returning from [[Washington DC]]. Indians have been spotted within 10 miles of Fort Peck. [[Black Catfish]] chief of the [[Yanktons]] is in the vicinity of Peck and Wolf Points, and sent word to [[Gen. Miles]] that he will stand by him. | ||
| − | On [[2 Feb | + | On [[2 Feb 1878]] the Bismarck Tribune reported: "[[Gen. Miles]] is preparing to move against Sitting Bull, probably on the 10th with 8 companies of cavalry and 8-10 companies of infantry plus as many Crow as he can get. Weather is good, no snow yet. An Indian scout had arrived the day before from Fort Stevenson with dispatches from Mils for Gen. Terry and one for the commissary at [[Fort Lincoln]]. A man arrived the previous day on the stage from Fort Buford and claimed that it was common knowledge there that Sitting Bull is on the Montana side, on [[Box Elder Creek]] hunting buffalo. He said that (British Canadian) "[[Maj. Walsh]] doesn't know what he is talking about". A dispatch from Miles dated [[25 Jan 1879]] says that the main body of his field force is en route to Fort Peck, where he will await the arrival of 150 recruits for the [[5th Infantry]] and instructions from Terry on the status of Sitting Bull and how to handle him should he be captured. The recruits haven't reached Bismarck yet and when they do, they are to take the Stanley Trail to Fort Keogh. |
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| + | By [[5 Feb 1878]] national newspapers are reporting that British officers in Manitoba claim that Sitting Bull is more interested in hunting buffalo than attacking the forts. | ||
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| + | On or before [[6 Feb 1878]] having been informed of the possibility of mail service between Keogh and Bismarck becoming daily using a direct route, if Miles recommended it, Miles relayed the info to the citizenry who promptly circulated a petition which was then endorsed by Miles and forwarded back to Bismarck. Currently, mail and small packages travel from Bismarck to Fort Buford (230 miles NW) and then 170 miles SW to Fort Keogh. The direct route is almost 150 miles shorter. It is hoped that a telegraph line be established along this route and onward to Forts Custer and Ellis at least. As a perspective, the War Department spent $1830 in the last four months of 1877 using couriers from Keogh to Bismarck. The route in mind is the 250 mile surveyed route for the [[Northern Pacific Railroad]]. The wood contract at Fort Keogh has been met, putting about 300 men and many teams out of jobs. [[Gen. Sherman]] was quoted as saying, "We have got 'em to fight again, and meantime we are feeding their families while they are off reservation making their preparations for the campaign against us." Talk was being circulated of establishing a military department of the Yellowstone with Miles as commander. The argument is that Terry in St. Paul is too far away. | ||
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| + | [[6 Feb 1878]] a special transport train arrives in the morning at Bismarck from St. Paul with 150 recruits for the [[5th Infantry]] at Keogh and 50 recruits for Fort Buford's [[6th Infantry]]. By 2pm the long march began with 28 wagons and two ambulances for a total of 300 men in the train. In command is Col. [[E. Rice]] (of the "trowel bayonette" fame), assisted by Lt. [[James Humbert]] of Fort Lincoln. [[Lt Pearson]] ([[2nd Cavalry]]) is quartermaster, with [[Lt. Meyer]] of the [[11th Infantry]] in tow. Acting Assistant Surgeon is Dr. [[A. C. Bergen]]. The wagons contain lots of arms, ammo, food and clothing. The Stanley Trail route has been rejected by Gen. Terry and they are going via Fort Buford, which they expect to reach in eight days, plus another six days for the rest to reach Keogh, a 400 mile trek. | ||
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| + | [[7 Feb 1878]] '''Fort Buford''': Mr. Cad, mgr of the trader's store at Poplar Creek Agency with Charley Sargent arrived and met "Col." Mitchell's train from Bismarck with their goods which they will take back with them. E. T. Winston's wood contract at this post has been filled by Leighton and Jordan, putting in about 2500 cords, probably half of what is needed for the future. Mr. Cad reports that Miles is probably at Fort Peck and that Sitting Bull is no longer in charge, but a chief with "Horn" in his name is. (copy this to Fort Buford article) | ||
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| + | Around [[8 Feb 1878]] national newspapers report that on Christmas eve past, a council was held between Sitting Bull and the British Canadian police where Major Walsh threatened the native Americans with a fine of $200 and 6 months imprisonment for killing a cow buffalo. Blaming the Americans for this meanness, Sitting Bull replied that they would be forced to hunt for food south of the border or else starve, to which Walsh advised him that he does so at his own peril. Sitting Bull said he would return to Montana and die fighting the Americans. | ||
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| + | Around Valentines Day [14 Feb 1878]] a Pennsylvania paper published this bigoted version of reality, erroneously claiming that Frenchman's Creek is just a few miles from Fort Keogh, predicting that the tiny garrison at Keogh would soon be slaughtered and the Indian sympathizers will be asking that they be treated kindly, when the "only way to treat them is...by simply killing off all that will not respect the kindness of the government." | ||
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| + | [14 Feb 1878]] The February roster for the Department of Dakota (St Paul to the Rockies, Canada to Nebraska) lists 12 companies of the 2nd Cavalry headquarted at Fort Custer with detachments at Forts Keogh, Custer and Ellis. 3rd Cavalry (4 companies) stationed at Red Cloud and New Spotted Tail agencies. 7th Cavalry, HQ at Fort Lincoln, with companies stationed at Lincoln, Totten, Rice and Standing Rock Agency. 1st Infantry, HQ at Fort Randall, companies stationed at Randall, Lower Brule and Standing Rock Agencies and Fort Sully. 3rd Infantry, HQ at Helena, troops at Fort Missoula and Camp Baker. 5th Infantry at Fort Keogh. 6th Infantry at Cheyenne Agency, 6 companies there and 4 at Fort Custer. 17th Infantry at the Standing Rock Agency, companies stationed at Forts Sisseton, Totten, Lincoln, Pembina and Snelling. 122 officers are absent from their posts (34 sick, 34 absent with leave, 80 on detached duty, 14 temporary duty, 8 recruiting, with Gen Hazen in Europe under instructions and Major Reno absent by authority). | ||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
