Early Bird Catches the Worm...

The first group of Black Hills gold seekers weren't exactly lucky, but it had nothing to do with finding gold.  Met by General Custer, he suddenly decided that it would be profitable to uphold the US Treaty with the Sioux that protected the land as sacred and holy to the Sioux Nation.  If we know anything about Custer, we know that the last thing he cared about was holy and sacred land belonging to any Indian tribe!

With that excuse, Custer sent those first groups of gold seekers packing back to the railroad lines in Cheyene
While the settlers were setting up residence there, Custer was plotting how to go around both the US government and the Sioux to get to the claims himself...now that sounds more like the George we know who never was one much for following orders!

The first expedition of gold seekers in the Black Hills was actually led by Lt Warren in 1876 and was stopped by the Sioux 15 miles south of Sundance.  "The smell of the white man ruins buffalo hunting" they were told by a 26 year old medicine man by the name of Sitting Bull...

Next time... a little more of Custer and his history with the Indians of the West.

The Secret is Out

Time passes and it is 1874, almost 25 years since the first gold was discovered in the Black Hills of Dakota without anyone knowing about it.  Then comes General George Custer and his 7th Calvary...

Custer had brought along a group of miners in his pursuit of the Indians in the West.  Miners, who discovered gold in the French Creek in 1874.  A year later, it had become official (what took George so long?) and  in 1875 gold was officially indentified in the Black Hills of Dakota by the government's geologist, Professor Walter Jenney.  After an entire generation of peaceful gold hunting - the secret was out and the Sioux's worst nightmare was about to begin.

By 1876, the "treaty" of the US Government was all but forgotten and the rush for gold was on once again.
Rapid City, Deadwood, Keystone...became filled with gold seekers looking for wealth.

A Chicago newspaper, the Inter-Ocean, broadcast the headlines: "GOLD - The Land of Promise - Glittering Treasure - Found at Last"  One newspaper called it "a real lallapaloozer" before it even begun.  (Where did words like lallapaloozer go? LOL)

There to meet the first group of seekers?  General Custer himself of course, but not exactly as they had planned.

Next time...Custer as the Government.