USA > Wyoming > The history of Wyoming from the earliest known discoveries > Part 44
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column was supplied with artillery. Lieutenant-Colonel Walker was instructed to take forty days supplies on pack mules. The west column was to be accompanied by wagon trains containing supplies and material for the construction of a post either on Powder River or Tongue River. The general rendezvous for the different columns was to be on Rosebud River. Fire signals were arranged for the direc- tion of the different columns. General Connor's idea was to bring the Indians to battle, but failing in this he intended to change his plan of campaign on arriving at the rendez- vous. The west column left Fort Laramie on July 30th, and at La Bonta General Connor joined it and directed its gen- eral movements to the Powder River country. He issued strict orders to each of the commanders to keep scouting parties in their front and on their right and left flanks. One paragraph in these orders attracted great attention in the east. It was this, "You will not receive overtures of peace or submission from Indians, but will attack and kill every male Indian over twelve years of age." This paragraph will soon be heard from in high official quarters. On the day Connor left Fort Laramie to join the troops on Powder Riv- er General Dodge telegraphed from Fort Laramie to Gen- eral Pope, pouring out his troubles to that officer. His dis- patch reads, "General Connor is laboring under great diffi- culty. Stores that should have been at Laramie six weeks ago are stuck in the mud, and the columns here started out half shod and half rationed. There is not one foot of the road but what we have a guard near our trains, and it uses up troops beyond all conception. Every regiment that has come here so far has been dismounted or horses unservice- able. There is one regiment here now that has waited here six weeks for horses, and the prospect of getting them is is about as good here as it was there. I have not horses enough to mount even an escort, but we will overcome it all if it will only stop raining and let us have a few weeks of solid road."
The day following General Connor's departure from Fort Laramie a portion of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry,
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the regiment which was to compose the center column of the advance against the Indians on Powder River, mutin- ied. It was the same old story, they had enlisted for the war, and it being over they were determined to go home. Lieutenant-Colonel Walker made a strong appeal to the men but it was all to no purpose and he finally asked As- sistant Adjutant General Price, who was in command of the District of the Plains, during Connor's temporary ab- sence, for assistance. That officer sent him two howitzers, double shotted, and ordered him to do his talking to mutin- eers with grape and canister. A part of the regiment re- mained loyal and with the aid of these Walker quelled the mutiny before the arrival of the artillery, which was on the way. Seven of the ringleaders were put in irons and a court was convened the following day to try them. Those engaged in the mutiny, finding that the matter was taking serious shape and that they were about to lose their good name, hastened to express the sorrow they felt for their unwise and disloyal conduct. These troops, notwithstanding their mutinous behavior, left Fort Laramie on the morning of August 2nd filled with enthusiasm and a determination to make their part of the Powder River expedition a success.
Captain George F. Price, Acting Assistant Adjutant General at Fort Laramie telegraphed General Dodge on August 15th, protesting against reducing the force operat- ing against Indians along the telegraph line and mail line. He claimed that the government should furnish troops to protect men who were proposing to open up and develop the country. He continues, "I repeat, and but give the ex- perience of every military man who has served on the fron- tier and understands Indian character, that a half way exhibition of power will only result in evil-deplorable evil. These Indians have repeatedly declared that they do not want peace. We should fight them like the fiends they are until they come begging on their hands and knees for mercy. When they do this then we can afford to make peace. They are now proud and insolent. Have been able until lately to dash down on a road and destroy everything. They
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should not only see the power of the government, but also feel it. If peace is made with them before they are pun- ished it will not last six months; scarcely longer than the time it will take to deliver the presents. That which ap- pears to be a cruel policy East is really humanity to Indians, to say nothing of the outrages committed by them upon our women and children. It will be hazardous to weaken our force on the mail and telegraph line. In many places have not now sufficient troops We can hardly obtain men to do the necessary camp and post duties, so great is the demand for escort and scouting duty. The stage company has finally agreed to place the stock on road between Col- lins and Sulphur Springs. That could have been done three weeks ago if they had not been scared almost to death about the loss of a few broken-down horses and mules. The Gen- eral does not yet know the infantry brigade has been or- dered back. He should have another infantry regiment for this district and Powder River. One thousand infantry and one regiment of cavalry should be sent to Utah. When you arrive can talk with you fully on these subjects, telling you exactly what General Connor's ideas and plans are. The mail road and telegraph line all quiet. Our cavalry over- took Indians who committed depredations at Big Laramie several days ago, whipped them badly and is still after them. Quartermaster and commissary stores are arriving at the different depots, and all work pertaining to winter is being pushed as rapidly as it can under the circum- stances."
Captain Price was an experienced Indian fighter and his knowledge gained in the field was worth more to the gov- ernment than huge volumes of theories advanced by eastern sentimentalists. This officer, General Dodge well knew, was honest in all he said and did. His opinions did have weight with the General, but alas, that commander was practically without power to furnish a sufficient number of troops to properly punish the Indians. Before another year rolled around it was clearly proven that General Connor and his assistant adjutant general knew what they were
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talking about. General Pope and even General Grant be- came advocates of these same methods of fighting Indians before the year 1866 had come and gone. The mistakes of the people in Washington were many during the closing months of 1865. The Indian was encouraged to keep up hostilities. The Redman had in a few years outgrown his bow and arrow and had become an expert with the latest improved weapons. Once he could not stand before infantry or cavalry, soon he was to defy the best drilled squadron.
On August 22d General Pope abolished the District of the Plains and established the District of Nebraska, which included the territories of Nebraska and Montana and that portion of Dakota lying west of the west boundary of the first-named territory, this, of course was the territory which afterwards became Wyoming. The headquarters of this dis- trict was Fort Laramie. Brigadier and Brevet Major Gen- eral F. Wheaton, U. S. Volunteers was made commander. He also created the district of Utah, which included the territory of Utah; with headquarters at Salt Lake City. Brigadier General Connor was placed in command and when this officer returned from the Powder River expedition he visited Denver and from there went to Salt Lake. This closed the labors of General Connor in Wyoming. The War Department failed to properly appreciate his services but not so Major General G. M. Dodge. That gallant officer during General Connor's absence on the Powder River ex- pedition visited Fort Laramie and also made a hasty visit to Fort Connor on Powder River, and, on his return, spoke in the highest terms of the management of the expedition and its results. After General Connor's return to Fort Lar- amie General Dodge telegraphed him: "I congratulate you and thank you for the success you have met with. Please extend my thanks to your command for their success and for the fortitude they have shown under such trying circumstances and hardships." General Pope maintained a dignified silence.
It has long been a recognized fact that opportunities make men. This brought to the front during the civil war
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great leaders and gave us Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and hundreds of others. This war on the plains was the oppor- tunity which developed great leaders among the Indians and the country was soon to hear from them and the gov- ernment to feel their power. General Wheaton, the new commander of the District of Nebraska, headquarters at Fort Laramie, on August 23d, received a letter from Gen- eral Pope, suggesting that Fort Kearney, Cottonwood, Jules- burg, Fort Laramie, and Platte Bridge should each be gar- risoned by three infantry and two cavalry companies, and that if a post should be established at Powder River, it should be garrisoned by four companies of infantry during the winter with the addition of a company of cavalry in the spring. If it was decided to establish a post on the Sweet- water, one company of cavalry and one of infantry would be sufficient to garrison it. This small force was to hold in check 15,000 or 20,000 well armed savages who were on the war path. All other troops were to be mustered out of the service. This mistaken policy on the part of the government was to cost many lives and many millions of dollars within the next two years.
Seeing how matters stood, General Dodge, who was at Fort Laramie, made one more effort and to this end used all his personal influence with General Pope. He telegraphed him as follows on August 31st: "I consider the Indian mat- ters here of so much importance, and knowing no one can judge of them so well as when he is on the ground, that I desire to make one proposition to the government. If the government will allow me to keep General Connor in the field with not to exceed 2,000 men of his present force, leav- ing the forces you have designated to garrison posts on the plains, I will settle these Indian difficulties before spring, satisfactorily to the government, and bring about peace that will be lasting. I may do it in a month or two or it may take longer. The additional expense to the government will be the pay of that number of troops for the time de- tained. All the stores, forage, etc., to support them are here and en route. As soon as we settle with them we can
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send these troops in and take 2,000 more from our posts in addition and muster them out. General Connor left Powder River with sixty days' supplies, and I am satisfied if we will allow him time he will settle the matter before he returns. Should he come back by our orders without settling the matter, the entire Indian tribes will be down on our lines, . and we will have our hands full and more too."
In view of what followed the next year, General Dodge's request should have been granted. Had Gen. Connor made a winter campaign in the Powder River country the power of the combined tribes in that section would have been broken forever and the terrible massacre which closed the year 1866 could not have occurred. Instead of granting this all-important desire on the part of General Dodge, Con- nor was ordered to return to Fort Laramie with all his troops except the small garrison to be left at Fort Connor and to arrive at that post not later than the 16th of Octo- ber. This was a fatal mistake and the government paid dearly for it. On September 15th, General Dodge addressed a letter from Horse Shoe Station to General Pope in which he gives him some important information from Powder River. I make a short extract, as it shows the real feelings and intentions of the savages:
"Arrived here today on my return from Powder River. That post is well located; right in the heart of the Indian country, and is an important post. The Indian trails all cross at or near it, and it will have a good effect hereafter in holding in check Indians. I have not heard from Gen- eral Connor since August 24th. We cannot reach him now. They have done a good deal of work on Powder River; got up the stockade and commenced the quartermaster's store up there, the Powder River stores not having reached Lar- amie yet. From Laramie to Powder River, then to Virginia City is an excellent wagon road; good water, grass, and wood all the way, and the most direct road that can be got. The travel over it in another season will be immense; it saves at least 450 miles in distance. After the Indians at- tacked Colonel Sawyers' wagon road party and failed in their attempt, they held a parley. Colonel Bent's sons George and Joe Bent appeared on the part of the Indians,and Col-
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onel Sawyers gave them a wagon load of goods to let him go undisturbed, Captain Williford, commanding escort, not agreeing to it. The Indians accepted the proposition and agreed to it, but after receiving the goods they attacked the party and killed three men. Bent said there was one con- dition on which the Cheyennes would treat, viz: The hang- ยท ing by the government of Colonel Chivington. He also said that the Indians considered that they were strong enough to fight the government; preferred to do it; that they knew the government would withdraw troops in the fall; then they would have it all their own way again. Expressed great fear about General Connor and said they were concentrat- ing everything to meet him, which is true. Since he left no Indians have troubled the mail and telegraph line, but all are moving north, stragglers and all. At Fort Connor they kill a few of them as they pass every few days. There is one band of Arapahoes in Medicine Bow Mountains, who are committing depredations around Denver, on Cache la Pou- dre and Big Thompson Creeks. They belonged to the band that were at Cow Creek treaty."
On the night of September 30th a number of Indians belonging to the hands of Little Thunder and Spotted Tail attacked a quartermaster's supply train on the North Platte, not far from what is now the eastern line of Wyoming. There were but two wagons in the train, eight men and one woman. The white men made a desperate resistance and at last succeeded in driving off the Indians, but they took with them all the mules belonging to the train. One of the white men, J. H. Temple was killed and three others, An- thony Shilling, James Ireland and Alfred Acres were severely wounded. Fortunately a detachment of cavalry came up the road and assisted the train men in carrying the wounded to a nearby ranch. Unfortunately these troops arrived too late to be of assistance in the fight. During the next fifteen days there were numerous attacks made on stations along the telegraph line east of Fort Laramie. These Indians all appeared to be on their way to Powder River as they went in that direction. It was astonishing to witness the carelessness of many emigrants while passing through the Indian country. It was hard to make them observe even ordinary precautions. In reply to officers and
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soldiers, who warned them against Indians, they invari- ably said they were not afraid and these were the very ones who met with mishaps. Men of experience knew that the price of safety was constant vigilance and that carelessness led to woeful consequences. Many of the women among these emigrants were exceedingly reckless and were con- stantly declaring that there was no danger to be appre- hended from Indians. One case will illustrate the class referred to. Early in October a train encamped late one afternoon just above Bridger's ferry. In this train was a father, mother, two grown sons and a daughter of eighteen. When the train halted these people pulled out of the line and went up the river some little distance above the others. Before night set in a gentleman connected with one of the other wagons, seeing the exposed position taken by this family, went to them and suggested the danger of a loca- tion so remote from the other wagons. The head of the family admitted that it was not good policy and seemed on the point of moving back when his wife spoke up and said that the place was good enough; that the horses had fine feed and the family were enjoying the privacy of a sep- arate camp, and, with a lofty toss of her head, remarked that she did not believe there were any Indians within fifty miles, and further stated that she was tired of this con- stant talk about danger which did not exist. The well- meaning fellow traveler went back to his wagon and this woman who was so anxious to enjoy the privacy of a separ- ate camp kept her family where they were. During the night there was an Indian attack on that part of the camp which was isolated and all their horses, four fine ones, were run off. The young men and their father turned out to de- fend their stock but too late, they were gone. One of the boys, who had struggled hard to secure the animals, came back to the wagon with an arrow sunk deep in his shoulder. After much difficulty the arrow point was removed but it left a dangerous wound.
On October 24th, General Pope telegraphed General Grant as follows: "Is it to be expected that the United
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States furnish mounted escorts for the overland stages? Such service is enormously expensive, as it kills off both horses and men at a fearful rate, and requires a very large force, more than the government is willing to allow. With the sums appropriated to carry the mail, the company ought to be, and is, able to furnish enough men itself to accompany the coaches. If the military are to furnish mounted escorts, they had best carry the mails themselves. With one-fifth the amount paid to the mail company the military in this department can carry the mails regularly without additional expense to the government. I would be glad to be informed whether I am required to furnish mounted escorts to the coaches. If so, it will need more troops than we have spec- ified and a constant supply of horses. The stage company threatens to draw off their coaches and stock and stop car- rying the mail unless I furnish mounted escorts."
To the above General Grant replied on the following day: "You need not furninsh escorts to the overland stages except when it can be done without inconvenience or ex- pense. The route should be as well protected as practicable with the means at your disposal, and when troops are mov- ing over it they might move with the stages. With the col- ored and regular troops sent to you, can you not now muster out of service all the volunteers remaining?"
The President was in favor of making peace with the Indians; General Grant favored a new treaty with these providing there was any hope of such a peace being lasting. The Indian Department was anxious that peace com- missioners be appointed and sent among the Indians. The Indian sympathizers and admirers wanted peace at any price. General Pope thought that the time had not yet come when a lasting peace could be made with the Indians in Wyoming, but he announced himself as ready to do his duty and follow instructions. The Arapahoe, Sioux, and Cheyennes were willing to talk peace and secure supplies which were very much needed to take the place of those destroyed by General Connor and General Sully. Red Cloud, who was fast coming to the front as the master mind among
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the hostiles, did not care to talk but he allowed the other chiefs to indulge in this harmless pastime, while he took good care not to commit himself to a policy that would be detrimental to his own personal ambition, which was to be- come the one great leader among the powerful Sioux tribes. With the close of 1865, the peace talk reached a climax and it became generally understood that there would be a confer- ence at Fort Laramie in the spring and accordingly mes- sengers were sent to the Cheyennes and Arapahoes as well as to the numerous bands of Sioux, inviting them to come to Fort Laramie in the spring, and before the winter passed it was generally understood that from 20,000 to 30,000 Indi- ans would participate in the grand peace conference. All that winter was heard the certainty of the coming peace which should make everybody happy. General Wheaton, who commanded at For t Laramie, was enthusiastic, and all the news which found its way into eastern journals from this fort indicated that the peace conference of 1866 was to be an affair reflecting credit on all concerned. Old Jim Bridger and other mountain men of experience did not feel willing to express the opinion that the Indians were honest in their peace talk. They would wait and see what the savages had to say after grass came. General Pope was out of patience with those people who were willing to haz- ard everything on the peace conference, but he said little. The War Department was anxious to muster out all the volunteers and these organizations were, as far as possible, hurried to points where they could receive their discharge. The council was to open in May and General Wheaton had abundant evidence to prove that all the Indians in the dis- puted region would be at Fort Laramie at the appointed time to do the smoking and talking and it was thus that the winter of 1865-6 closed in.
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Report of the Powder River Expedition.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
REPORT OF THE POWDER RIVER EXPEDITION.
CAPTAIN PALMER'S DIARY-THE ARMY OF INVASION STARTS NORTH- CROSSING THE PLATTE AT LA BONTA'S RANCH-INCIDENTS BY THE WAY-BUILDING FORT CONNOR-A RUNNING FIGHT-TWENTY-FOUR INDIANS KILLED-A SKIRMISH-VISITS LAKE DE SMET-SOMETHING ABOUT JIM BRIDGER-BATTLE OF TONGUE RIVER-EXCITING SCENES ON THE FIELD OF CARNAGE-THE MARCH DOWN TONGUE RIVER- ANXIETY ABOUT COLONEL COLE'S COMMAND-SCOURING THE COUN- TRY FOR INDIANS-COLONEL COLE HEARD FROM AND HIS TROOPS REPORTED IN A STARVING CONDITION-HE FAILS TO MEET GENERAL CONNOR AT THE APPOINTED PLACE OF RENDZEVOUS-RETURN OF THE VARIOUS COMMANDS TO FORT LARAMIE.
No fact in history has been more obscured than the operations of General Connor in the Powder River country. A careful search among the records of the War Department makes it clear that there are no official reports on file there pertaining to this expedition, except those relating to the right column which was commanded by Colonel Nelson Cole. I have met many officers and soldiers who were in the Powder River campaign and while they, in a general way, are familiar with what occurred, are unable to give dates and facts sufficient for a reliable history of the im- portant events which transpired on the Powder River campaign. It has always been supposed that General Connor made an official report, but it now transpires that he never did. Smarting under the injustice done him at the close of this campaign, he hastily boxed his reports and papers and sent them to Salt Lake, explaining that he wished to examine them carefully before making a formal report to the War Department. It chanced that the build- ing in which these reports were stored was shortly after burned and hence the official data of the Powder River ex- pedition was destroyed. Fortunately, Captain H. E. Palmer
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of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, who was acting quarter- master for General Connor, kept a diary of events from the time the column started from Laramie until its return and thus a reliable record has been preserved. From this diary he prepared a paper which he read before the Nebraska Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, on February 2 1887. This paper, Cap- tain Palmer has been kind enough to place at my disposal and thus it is that I am enabled to give the history of this important military event in the Indian wars of Wyoming.
It was Captain Palmer's duty to provide transporta- tion, forage, etc., for the expedition, and, upon investigation, he found that there were but seventy government wagons at Fort Laramie. It was estimated that the commissary's stores and forage required would take in the neighborhood of 200 wagons, he therefore was obliged to press into ser- vice, outfits belonging to citizens to make up the deficiency. Thomas Alsop was at the fort in charge of forty wagons belonging to Ed. Creighton, these were taken, also Tom Pollock's train of thirty wagons and forty-five others be- longing to numerous freighting outfits. This made up a train of 185 wagons upon which was loaded the stores nec- essary for the expedition.
CAPTAIN H. E. PALMER'S REPORT.
In order that the Powder River expedition may be fully understood I give here an extract from the paper prepared by Captain Palmer, and as it is thoroughly reliable, is enti- tled to a permanent place in the history of Indian warfare in our state. The report contains much valuable informa- tion relating to events on the plains which has been told in other parts of this work, I therefore commence with the paragraph relating to the starting out of the expedition.
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