Today in History:

1182 Series I Volume XLVIII-II Serial 102 - Powder River Expedition Part II

Page 1182 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.

their line in pursuit. The orders I have received from the President forbid the crossing of troops into the British Possessions under any circumstances, and the Indians know this as well as I do. I found three Assiniboine Indians in the Arickaree camp, and without telling them or anybody why I sent them, I hired them to carry a letter from me to Fort Union. These Sioux Indians (I above mentioned) are in the Assiniboine country and are on peaceable terms with them. I expect these three Indians to return with their answer and to get their pay in two days. I will then make them tell me of the whereabouts of the Sioux camp, and if it is possible for me to head them off I will do so. It is for this reason I am waiting here. Medicine Bear, chief of the Northern Yanktonnais, came in here before I reached here to give himself up. Heretofore he has been most bitter in his enmity to the whites, and has been a leader in all the fights against me. He is said to be the smartest chief in the Sioux Nation. I had a very long private talk with him. He brought some of his people with him, and it is hard to tell if he is sincere in his wish for peace, but I am inclined to believe so. He told me that against the wishes of all his tribe he Remained here to see me. That they told him I would hang him; that the greater part of the Sioux Indians would be glad to make peace, but they feared me, and, as he stated, "their heart felt bad against me; the prairies were not yet dried from the blood I spilt. " He also said that out of the Yanktonnais tribe alone of all that died, killed, died of wounds and privations, men, women, and children-there were many hundreds-their tribe suffered the most; that in the last year's fight he commanded 100 picked men, and thirty of them were killed of raided afterward. The rest were in the camp north of me near the British line, and he pledges himself he will bring them in to surrender as soon as I leave this section of country. I tried every way to find out exactly where they were but he did not know, was his answer. In two or three days I will decide what I think I can best do. I fear it is impossible for me to move without its being known; and if so, I shall see no Indians south of the line.

With much respect, your obedient servant,

ALF. SULLY,

Brevet Major-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,

Santa Fe, August 14, 1865. (Via Denver August 21.)

ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE ARMY:

GENERAL: I have received the following letter from our consul at Chihuahua, Mexico, dated July 27, 1865:

DEAR SIR: General Negrete, after having successfully occupied the States of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and the greater part of Tamaulipas, and having before him a fine field for military movements, yet for some cause best known to himself failed to make any permanent impression, and beginning his retreat from before the post of Matamoras, subsequently evacuated the city of Monterey, after was that of Saltillo, and finally, without giving battle, fell back to Monseloa, from which place he crossed over to the settlements of Chihuahua, crossing the Great Desert by the way of the jaco lake. The General Government has been very much dissatisfied with the campaign, which opened so favorably and terminated so unfavorably. The French concentrated troops on the northern part of Durango as soon as General Negrete returned to this State, and on the 20th of this month a brigade of between 2,000 and 3,000 crossed the southern frontier and is now marching on the city of Chihuahua. No military resistance has been offered, nor is there any hope that the President can defend himself. He and his officers are preparing to leave, and in a short time you will have upon the line of your department the fragments of the republican army


Page 1182 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.