Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 4, 1883

No. 300.
Mr. Davis to Mr. West.

Department of State,
Washington, June 25, 1883.

Sir: With reference to previous correspondence concerning the incursions of Cree Indians into Montana Territory, I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a report received through the Secretary of War concerning the disposition which Lieutenant Adams made of certain Indian prisoners on the 28th ultimo.

I have, &c.,

JOHN DAVIS,
Acting Secretary.

[Inclosure.]

Lieutenant Adams to Lieutenant Bates.

Fort Assinniboine, Mont., May 30, 1883.

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of my compliance with orders No. 81, dated Fort Assinniboine, Mont., May 26, 1883:

With a guard of two non-commissioned officers and eight privates of Company H, Eighteenth Infantry, in charge of forty-seven Indian prisoners, I left the post at 7.30 o’clock a. m. the 27th instant, and, taking the main Fort Walsh road, marched about 22 miles and camped at Red Rock boulie, which place 1 reached at 2.30 o’clock. I here issued one day’s rations to prisoners.

I left camp at 1 o’clock a. m. the 28th, and, with guard and prisoners, arrived at the international boundary line at 12 o’clock m. the same day; distance traveled about 18 miles.

In compliance with the orders of the post commander of Fort Assinniboine, I took charge of all of the animals belonging to the Crees, viz, four horses and two colts, and brought them back to the post. I also destroyed (burned) two carts, property of the same parties, and notified the prisoners that on no pretext whatsoever must any Cree Indians recross to this side of the line, and that if found in Montana hereafter they would be considered enemies and horse-thieves and be severely punished. I then issued them five days’ rations and saw them cross the line. They said they would go about 4 miles north and then camp for the night. At 2.30 o’clock p.m. I started on my return, marched about 13 miles, and at 1 o’clock p.m. camped near a small lake. I left this camp at 1.30 a. m. the 29th, and arrived at the post at 2.30 p.m. same day; distance traveled about 27 miles. On my arrival at the post I turned over to the quartermaster’s department the four horses and two colts. The quartermaster’s department furnished me with two six-mule teams for the performance of this duty. The whole distance traveled was about 80 miles.

Very respectfully, &c.,

H. H. ADAMS,
Lieutenant Eighteenth Infantry, Commanding Company H.