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GENERAL NELSON A. MILES.
their country.  Yet so powerful and independent were they that long
after the line of communication had been established from the upper
Platte River to the Big Horn they made their protests against them in a
very vigorous way, especially on the occasion of the Fort Fetterman
massacre, in wx hich they killed eighty-two  officers and mnen.  In
accordance with their demand, that route was eventually given up, and
the Forts Phil Kearney and C. F. Smith were abandoned at their dictation.
The sending out of commissioners representing the government to make
peace with them resulted in the treaty of 1SO, in which the government
granted to the Indians various reservations known as the Red Cloud
Spotted Tail and others in the country west of the Missouri River. In
addition to these reservations they were also allowed a large range of
country as hunting grounds, where they were to be permitted to rove at
will in pursuit of game.
   This treaty was partially observed by the government for several years
but it cannot be claimed that it was very rigidly adhered to. This re-
sulted from the fact that during the years 1878, '74 and '75 great excite-
ment prevailed throughout the country owing to the discovery of gold in
the mineral fields of what is now known as South Dakota, and there was
great clamor on the part of prospecting parties to be allowed to enter that
region. In fact surveys were being pushed through that territory for the
different lines of railroad, the principal one being the Northern Pacific,
and people were eagerly seeking opportunities to establish colonies, take
up lands, open mines and establish other interests in that country. As a
matter of fact some military expeditions were sent into the territory to
explore, and reconnoitre with a view of discovering its natural resources.
This was especially the case in '74 and '75. The country was at that time
practically overrun by prospectors and mine-hunters through the region of
what is now South Dakota, and particularly in that district known as the
Black Hills.
   While the Indians claimed that the treaty of '6S was not adhered to by
the government, neither was it observed by all the tribes of Indians.
While the great chiefs, Spotted Tail, Red Cloud and others, kept niost of
their people on the reservations and carried out the terms of the treaty,
yet many of their young men would quietly steal away on raiding parties
and go on long expeditions against the Crow Indians and the Mandans, or
against the white settlers wherever they could find them. .
   These were animated and encouraged by the example and influence of
an Indian called Crazy Horse, who was the personification of savage ferocity.
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