OHOTBAÜ ACANTHA

...... g Custer’s Expedition to the Black Hills in 1874 Resulted in | | Discovery of Gold and Stampede; Region Was Coveted | 1 Hunting Grounds of Hostile Sioux Indians Many Years |

Published through courtesy of State tirely to blame for this ruthless loss of was built in a quadrangle with the of­ thrilling news of a gold strike in th e Historical Society of North Dakota. life. By the treaty of 1866 the govern­ ficers’ quarters along the west side, Black Hills, where soldiers found “gold (Copyright 193*. All rights reserv­ in the roots of the grass.” ed). ment set aside the western half of what looking eastward over the grounds and (By W. M. WEMETT) is now North Dakota, what is now call­ the river. All that now remains is the On August 27,. the Chicago Inter single row of trees in front of the pile* Ocean featured this fact in bold type, [E picturesque and valuable region ed the Missouri Slope, the eastern half of debris which were once the merry giving seven columns to the "news. The of the Black Hills w as n o t of Wyoming and eastern Montana, dwellings of the young officers and country was electrified. From all di­ opened to the westward march of th a t part lying south of the Yellow­ their wives. The site of the' Custer resi­ rections people of all classes started rcivilisation as soon as its importancestone and east of the Big Horn, for the dence may be singled out by the fact for the hills. The rush was on and th e Justified. When the country on all sides exclusive use of the Indians. By this that a thicker growth of shrubebry has treaty of 1869 did not matter. The gov­ was well known, the immediate vicinity treaty the government agreed to keep grown up around it. Here and there ernment made a serious attempt to stop o f the hills remained unexplored. This the settlers and emigrants out of that are the basements of the many build­ it, but with little success. That fa ll was due principally to the watchful­ region, to refrain from building forts, ings. At the water’s edge to the east , > the Collins-Russell party and many ness and hostility of the Indians, par­ from surveying for railroads and from the heavy cables that once held the pier others eluded the guards and built their ticularly the Teton bands under Red conducting military expeditions within in place protrude from the bank. And 'W W l i / \ ' t cabins on French creek on the site of Cloud, who valued the hills as a na­ its borders. All of these provisions to the northwest the old military road Custer’s permanent camp. They were tural game preserve at a time when were broken repeatedly by the white may be seen winding its way up a draw driven out by the authorities but could the buffalo and other wild life of the people, by the settlers, by the Indian agents, by the army and by the govern­ in the bluffs—the road by which the not be kept out. Custer City grew up plains were becoming scarce. expedition of 1874 started and the road -v * < almost over night, as did settlements at Early travelers skirted the Blackment itself within the next six years. by which General Custer began his ill- M '/ y Sheridan, Hill City and Palmer gulch. Hills nearly two centuries ago. The The Indians resisted in the only way fated expedition to the Big Horn valley But these places were short-lived. Tire­ two sons of Pierre Gaultier de Veren- they knew how. ^ two years later. ¥■*4 -x<' less prospectors discovered Deadwood dyre passed them, perhaps entered By 1873 it became evident to the de­ The commander of the expedition gulch and the motley horde moved to their timbered ravines, as early as 1743. partment commanders in the west that had been carefully selected. General the more northern diggings. Deadwood In the following generations many something must be done to give further George Custer was then in the prime then became the center of activity and travelers and scientists visited the edge protection to the bands of emigrants of his manhood, 34 years of age. He one of the most active mining towns of the broken and forbidden region and that insisted upon going through the was of medium height, slender and lithe of the west. It was only a few miles reported the general nature bf the Indian country to the gold fields of of frame, full of energy and very active from there that the Homestake mine country. Captain Hunt’s division of the Idaho and Nevada, The spot of great­ was opened. est danger was the Black Hills, whose and restless in his movements. His Astor overland expedition to Oregon complexion was fair, his eyes blue and The rush of gold seekers into the passed north of the hills in 1811. Jed- timbered valleys gave shelter to the penetrating. He wore a generous and eddiah Smith went through the south­ foraying bands of plainsmen. There hills during the spring and summer of were forts all around the hills, but too drooping mustache and his yellow hair 1875 was so fast' and fevered that the ern part of the hills on his way to the hung in curls upon his shoulders, from Cheyenne Indians who had occupied Rocky Mountains in 1823. In 1855 Gen­ far away to be of immediate service. which fact the Indians called him “Long eral Harney, in conducting a military There was Fort Pierre on the Missouri that region, making little trouble for expedition from Fort Laramie to Fort nearly 200 miles east, Fort Kearney on Yellow Hair.” the whites, became so disgusted with Pierre, passed along the northern part the west, Fort Fetterman on the south­ General Custer had become famous the perfidy of the white people that of the hills and his geologist, Dr. F. V. west and Fort Laramie on the south, as a dashing cavalry leader in General they left the shady recesses of their Hayden, climbed Bear Butte. Two all of them about 100 miles distant. Sheridan’s campaigns in Virginia. He beloved hunting grounds and joined years later Lieutenant G. K. Warren, And Fort Abraham Lincoln had recent­ was a popular hero, and it is said in with their ancient enemies, the Sioux, accompanied by Dr. Hayden, reoon- ly been established eight miles south of the review of the grand army in Wash­ in their hostile camp on the Little Big noitered almost around the hills and the present site of Mandan, North Da­ ington at the close of the Civil war, Horn in Montana. It was there that drew quite an accurate map of the re­ kota, nearly 400 miles to the northeast. he attracted more attention and re­ the next and most bloody chapter of gion. Again in 1859 Dr. Hayden, acting What was needed was a fort in the ceived a more marked demonstration qur Indian warfare was to be written. as geologist for Captain W. F. Ray- Black Hills from which troops could than did General Grant. After the war The Custer expedition camped on nolds, made a similar Journey and in protect the various trails in that region he was assigned to frontier duty in the French creek only five days, which time the following year gave the first scien­ and keep watch over the hostile Og- west where he gained a second enviable was occupied in sending out exploring tific knowledge of the geological for­ lalas and Unkpapas. reputation as a most efficient Indian expeditions in every direction to deter­ mation of the Black Hills. fighter. Tireless himself, he drove his Sitting Bull, Unkpapa medicine-man, the keenest native mind and most mine the nature of the surrounding General Sheridan recommended such men' hard. He was a strict disciplinar­ country. The permanent camp was During the middle years of the last a fort in his annual report of 1873, ian, demanding compliance with orders unyielding native spirit of which there is record. broken at 4:30 a. m., Thursday, August century, when Dr. Hayden’s reports and visited Fort Abraham Lincoln in the without fear or favor. While in the 6, and the long column began its slow maps began to waken interest in the spring of 1874 to make preliminary ar­ Black Hills on this expedition under journey back to Fort Abraham Lincoln, Black Hills, rumors began to come from rangements, secured the necessary au­ discussion, he had occasion and did not tion on the camp site, Including a king pin 400 miles away. Lapping back upon various sources that the mysterious re­ thority for a reconnaissance, and di­ hesitate to arrest Colonel Fred Grant the prospectors could “work” the creek their old trail for the first 10 miles they gion held gold within the fastnesses rected General Terry to place General from a freight wagon, a box-full of loaded beds for the coveted yellow dust. for drunkenness, an incident which may cartridges, which had been spilled, and camp then turned toward the northeast, of its canyons and wooded ravines. Dr. George A. Custer in command of suf­ have had some influence in the Gen­ Early the next' morning General Cus­ emerging from the hills not far from Hayden had mentioned finding specks ficient troops to prevent attack by the spoons marked with the initials 8. L. H.) Rapid City. Thence they took their Indians and to proceed with the recon­ eral’s being reduced in rank soon after­ ter, accompanied by his engineer, Col. of gold in the sands along the streams wards. While in this camp Dr. Winchell, way almost directly northward over the of the foothills. The Indians display­ naissance from Fort Abraham Linclon geologist, wrote in his diary: “Here we Ludlow, his scientists, and a company scorching, dusty prairie, made the hard­ ed small quantities of dust which they in the summer of 1874. General Custer was filled with hope are in the midst of the Dog Tooth hills, of cavalry, rode north and east into the er to bear because of the delightful said they had found there. Fur trad­ Custer was given one of tne largest for the development of the northwest but strangely enough, are unable to rough highlands in the region of Silvan stay in the hills. Laidlaw says, “The ers and travelers reported stories of the and best equipped commands in the and predicted rapid development and see any of them.” The truth of this lake. They climbed Harney’s peak, en­scorching suns, the hot, dry breath of rich metal which they had got from military history of the west. It was abundant prosperity. In a letter to the statement can be verified from the joyed the wonderful view from its lofty the prairie, covered with yellow grass, devious sources. The indefiniteness of so arranged, not because trouble was writer, penned only a few months be­ camp. One ridge of the Dog Tooth hills sides, and gave the names of Custer bore instant witness to the change in theire “rumors, 'their "very'uncertainty, expected, but rather to prevent the pos­ fore her recent death, Mrs. Custer, who marks its jagged outline against the peak and Terry peak to two sharp ele­our surroundings, recalling vividly the created in men familiar with the hills sibility of hostile interference. There was then living in New York City, said: sky four miles to the south and a sim­ vations which they could see toward coolness of air and freshness of veg­ a desire to penetrate that broken, un­ were ten companies of the 7th cavalry, “I wish I could give you an idea of the ilar, but lower, ridge raises its form two the northwest. Leaving their names etation, the abundance of pure cold wa­ known mysterious country in search one of the 17th and one of the 20th in­ earnestness of General Custer in every­ miles to the north, but both are ob­ in an empty cartridge, driven into a ter, the noble campfires, and quantities of the yellow dust. fantry and about 100 Indian scouts, thing that pertained to Dakota. He felt structed from the view of a person crack in Harney’s high shoulder they of game, which had made our stay in But the interest of the white man in mostly Rees and Crows, with a few that it was such a privilege to get the standing on the camp site by low ridges began, Just at nightfall, the most' dan­ detail (as is the military term) to be gerous ride back to their permanent the Black Hills a daily delight.” the mysteries of the Black Hills had loyal Sioux. There were also the neces­ of hills lying between. Traveling northward, a little to the been noticed by the active bands of sary guides, teamsters and wagonmas- assigned to duty in the new country. camp near Custer City. It can only be Even when we were shut off from all (This camp lies In Grant county. Lark Twp., imagined what a time they must have west, Custer reached his old trail in Teton Sioux. They jealously guarded ters, besides a few newspaper reporters, Southwest quarter of Sec. 2). the northwestern part of South Dakota, that country as the citadel of their scientists and prospectors. There were the world at Fort Abraham Lincoln he had making their way by night through delighted in the making of that won­ The camp of July 5 was about three a country so cut up by precipitous ra­ but instead of following it back to Fort broad domain, and the richest part of 110 wagons, each drawn by six mules, miles northwest of Carson. Abraham Lincoln, he went on down derful Dakota. The pictures that he (To the knowledge of the writer, thla camp vines and covered with ragged lime­ drew of the future we sometimes pro­ never has been exactly located). stone and thickets of tangled and fall­ the valley of the Little Missouri, about tested, but nothing moved him—and en timber. But they reached camp 12 to 15 miles east of the river, as far how right he was!” The next camp (July 6) was made in without mishap before morning. as H. T. Butte in the central part of a left bend of the Cannonball river, Slope county. Thence he turned to It was intended to take the months about 12 miles southwest of Leith. It was probably after General Cus­ of July and August for the expedition, ter left on his trip to Mt. Harney, late the northeast, reaching the present (This camp lies In Grant county, Southeast in the afternoon of July 30, 1874, that line of the North Pacific railway near starting on June 20, but they were quarter See. 35, Twp. 133, Range 89 on the Gladstone. From there back to the obliged to wait some days for a ship­ farm of Edward Zachcr). Horatio Nelson Ross discovered gold ment of Springfield rifles. (It is inter­ in paying quantity within the perman­ fort his trail follows the railroad ap­ esting to note in passing that the sol­ There the river flows nearly straight ent camp, about three miles down proximately, usually on the north side, diers were greatly pleased with this lat­ south for about two miles and then French creek from Custer City. There as far as Lyons, where it cuts across est model of improved Springfield rifle. makes a square turn to the east, with is some disagreement concerning the the Heart river to the fort. “The handsomest' gun a man ever held,” a steep, stony cliff on the south side. day and the exact place of discovery, The expedition returned to Fort Ab­ said one of them. But these same single On the north there is a large level flat but it has been found that many re- raham Lincoln August 30, having been shot rifles went with the seventh cav­ where the camp was located. About one- gone just two months and having trav­ alry into the Little Big Horn fight two half mile north of the bend, the ford, eled about 800 miles. It had made a years later and proved to be a poor which leads into the hills to the west, general reconnaissance of the Black match for the repeating Winchester is still in use. Hills, and had discovered gold, how with which the Indians were equipped). Aside from the four camps above, the much gold neither Custer nor the sol­ The expedition started July 2, 1874, Custer trail of 1874 has not been work­ diers knew, nor did they dream that leaving the fort by the trail up through ed out, but still extends an interesting the outraged Sioux would exact pay­ the hills, proceeding in a southwest- invitation to any who enjoy the work. ment in blood within the next two wardly direction, toward the present The trail leaves North Dakota very close years. site of Lemmon, S. D. Only a small to the present village of Petrel, Adams This Black Hills expedition of 1874 part of this trail has been worked out. county, thence continues almost direct­ must not be confused with Custer’s mil­ It is not the same, and should not be ly westward, just south of the North itary campaign into Montana in 1876,- confused with what is popularly known Dakota line, to the Cave hills. From in which he and his entire command Cold has been discovered in the Black Hills." This cry electrified the United as the Black Hills trail, a freighters’ there it extends almost directly south were destroyed. This was a peaceful, States, as soon as General George A. Custer sent his official dispatch to Fort trail which was later used for many to the Black Hills. exploration of the Black Hills and only Laramie in 1874, years In hauling freight between Fort Each day the great train moved a few Indians were seen. These were Lincoln, Fort Rice and the Black Hills. southward from 14 to 30 miles per day, not friendly but were too few to start The freight trail lies considerably to traveling four wagons abreast, a fact any trouble. They merely expressed, the east of Custer’s military trail, which makes it easy to distinguish this by their sullen, inhospitable manner,, their hunting grounds. Should the about 1,000 cavalry and 700 mules. In crossing the South Dakota line about trail from others which appear here their resentment of the Whiteman’s in­ white man ever wrest that paradise addition, a herd of 300 beef cattle was 25 miles farther east. and there along the route, where the vasion of their choicest hunting, from them the Indians might as well driven along for fresh meat. So, in all, ground. (Ia the spring of 1930 the writer, in com­ ground is too rough • or too stony to Pierre De la \erendrye, believed to be give themselves up as slaves to the hat­ was a small army of 1,000 men, 2,000 pany with Mr. H. B. Thompson of Fargo and plough. Each night the expedition ------------ed whites or starve by slow degrees up­ animals and 110 wagons, which made Mr. Charles Bugbce of Mandan, spent a few camped a t the crossing of some stream, the first white man to pass the Black Work for Veterans on the game-depleted plains, leaving a rather formal appearance on the days on the Custer trail and succeeded in lo­ which furnished necessary water and Hills, perhaps entered their tim bered The Veterans Administration Facil- their bones to bleach with those of the plains. There was little, but well cating the first three and the fifth camps. The first camp Is about 15 miles southwest whose wooded banks provided fuel for ravines as early as 1743. ility at Fort Harrison is now consider­ buffalo. selected artillery—one three-inch rifle from Fort Lincoln near the headwaters of the camp fires. In the evenings, when the ing applications from veterans who Two tribes in particular resented and and three gatling guns, which could Little Heart. The camp occupied a large flat weather was pleasant, the troops en­ wish to be enrolled in the Emergency fire 250 shots per minute and kill at on the east side of the river where timber porters made careless and erroneous Conservation work. Inasmuch as the resisted the encroachments of the and water were plentiful. The deep ruts of joyed a concert by the regimental band, statements. It is generally agreed that whites, and the whites could hardly 900 yards. which included the popular numbers selection must all be finished and the the trail could easily be seen along the stream Ross definitely insisted that the time men notified in time so as to report at have had more crafty enemies. These As it was a part of the purpose of at the north end of the camp, where the of the day, “The Mocking Bird,” “The and place was as stated above. This were the Oglalas and Unkpapas, the the expedition to add to the knowledge train had left the foUowlng morning on Its Blue Danube,” and always General Cus­ the recruiting station, June 24, it be­ tortuous way to the southwest. This camp is point is about eight miles south of Har­ hoves those interested to apply im­ mo6t warlike of all the Sioux, the great of the country traversed, a scientific In Morton county, township 137, range 83, ter’s favorite, “Gary Owen.” Some­ ney’s peak and much farther south of war nation of the west. The Unkpapas corps was provided. Captain William south of Sec. 17, on the farm of P. B. times, when the evenings were chilly mediately to the veterans’ administra­ Helbling.) Lead, where the Homestake mine is lo­ tion facility for application blanks. Able- were led by Gall; the Oglalas by Red Ludlow was chief engineer; Dr. N. H. or rainy, the soldiers were glad to hud­ cated. It is interesting to note in pass­ Cloud and Crazy Horse, by all means Winchell and A. B. Donaldson, geolo­ On July 3 the train made its way 14 dle about large camp fires. bodied men only are desired and spec­ ing that this mine, the largest gold ial consideration will be given to those the three most capable war chiefs of the gists; Dr. George B. Grinnell, zoologist, miles to the southwest along a rough On the 22nd of July, Custer and his mine in the world, operates entirely on Mississippi valley. And in all of Amer­ (assisted by T. H. North; Dr. W. J. ridge toward the old Barnes postofficc having dependents. ican history only two others, Pontiac party reached Inyan Kara mountain, om that runs less than four dollars per ------<•>------Williams, chief medical officer; and and camped on the headwaters of where they camped a day for observa­ ton. and Thunder-Rolling-Over-The-Moun- W. H. Illingworth, photographer. Char­ Chanta Pcta creek. Mortgage Law is Held Invalid tains, have had such enviable war rec lie Reynolds, the capable scout who tion, thence they entered a valley of It was on the 3rd of August, while Another flaw has been found In the- (This camp lies In a low valley some four the Black Hills from the west. The cool camped some distance south of the per­ ords. With these three war leaders lost his life with General Custer in the miles southwest from the original site of the Montana mortgage moratorium law was the Unkpapa Medicine-man, Sitt­fight on the Little Big Horn two years Barnes postoffice, which has been moved since. atmosphere and shade of the well tim­ manent camp in the hills that General enacted by the 1933 legislature. District ing Bull, the keenest native mind and later, and Colonel Fred Grant, the old­ Morton county. Oak Coulee, Twp. 136, Range bered valley make a delightful change Custer wrote his dispatch which con­ Judge William L. Ford of White Sul­ most unyielding native spirit of which >3, on south Vi of Sec. 17, Just north of the from the hot, dry prairie. All mar­ tained the famous statement that the phur Springs, sitting at Roundup re­ est son of President U. S. Grant, were home of Tiberius Frlesr. The old trail Is velled at the richness of the verdure there is record. These leaders watched members of the force. Among the few plainly seen where it leaves the camp toward soldiers had found gold in the roots cently, ruled the act unconstitutional every trail and lay in waiting for al­ prospectors was Horatio Nelson Ross to the southwest). and the great variety of flowers, and of the grass; that dust could be found in deciding two cases Involving suit b f reveled in the beauty of the region. in paying quantities almost anywhere, most every party that came into the whom was to come the distinction of On the next day the heavy wagon the Security Building and Loan essoria Black Hills country for the twelve years being the first man to find gold in pay­ This place Custer named Floral valley. down to a depth of at least eight feet; tion of Billings, against separate de­ train made its slow way southward, At the end of Floral valley they pass­ and that it was not necessary for the preceding the great fight on the Little ing quantity in the Black Hills. somewhat toward the west, as far as fendants who sought a stay of «n ee Big Horn in 1876. The “Montana ed over the divide and descended Castle gold seeker to have any knowledge of tion cm foreclosure. District Judge The starting point of the expedition, Louse creek, a tributary of the north Creek valley. They passed about nine mining. This dispatch, with others, Stanley E. Felt of Baker, handed down Road,” the trail from Fort Laramie to Fort Abraham Lincoln, was in 1874 fork of the Cannonball, and camped Bozeman, skirted along the west slope miles west of Harney’s peak into Cus­ was carried by the scout Charlie Rey­ a like decision recently in the case of the baby member of the frontier out­ about five miles west of Flasher on the ter’s park, where, on July 30, some of nolds to Fort Larminie. Muffling hoofs Franceska Vesel vs. the Follch Trading of the hills, became a trail of almost posts designed to keep the plains In ­ farm of William Frederick. continuous slaughter. Hundreds of the prospectors found gold in very of his horse to prevent noise and track­ company. dians in check. It was located about (This camp was easy to locate. Grant coun­ small quantities along the creek beds. ing, that fearless messenger made his ------3>------travelers gave their lives to Sioux ven­ eight miles south of the present site of geance and hundreds more of soldiers ty, Lark Twp., southwest querter of Bee. 3. Thursday afternoon, July 30, they es­ way alone through the most hostile Canvas covers over plant beds raise Mandan on the west side of the river, The trail, four lines of wagons abreast, could tablished a “permanent camp” on Indian country, where the cunning the temperature about five degrees gave theirs in a vain attempt to protect where a level plain stretched back to be seen entering the camp from the north the travelers. Year after year the con­ Just back of Mr. Frederick’s barn. The large French creek about three miles east of Sioux lay in watch for any travelers and save many tender plants from the bluffs some half mile from the flat, occupying the bend of the creek made the present site of Custer City. This that might venture along the Montana frost, the Tennessee department of ag­ ditions grew worse rather than better river. The site of the fort is about 30 a perfect camping spot, with plenty of timber until it became intolerable. camp was the official end of the ex­ road. With his unusual skill and good riculture advises. feet above the level of the jriver and ia and water. The Fredericks, who have lived ploration, from which they could send H ie Indians, however, were not en- there sine* the early eighties, have found sev­ luck, Reynolds made his dangerous ride ------* ------almoat as level as a floor. The fort eral things connected with a military expedi­ out surveying parties and from which in safety and bore to the world the Look in thy heart and write.—Synder.