Copybook of James McLaughlin, U.S.Indian Agent, Devils Lake Agency, Fort Totten, N.D, (Section Eight of Eight Sections) February 1, 1878 to March 23, 1878, Original Material, First Time Published (end of copybook)

 

This is Section Eight of Eight Sections…The eighth batch of 50 Letters of 493 Devils Lake Copybook Letters. 

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This copybook encompasses all the official letters written by Indian Agent, James McLaughlin, during this time frame.  It is the closest one can come to a diary of daily life at Devils Lake 1876-1878 (albeit from a white man’s perspective)

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Originals of this Material were Donated to National Archives November 2005, as requested, since it was stated that these letters had been written “on government time,”  hence they did not belong in private hands.

As copies of the letters are posted the index item will be highlighted.  Subject Matter of Letters deemed important will also be highlighted.  All letters in this copybook are included (no matter how routine sounding). The letters in this Section Six were typed with my 1911 Underwood in the 1970’s.

shields339-devils-lake-map

February 1878

Letter No. 444: Feb. 1, February Agency Report.  GOOD DETAILS.

Letters No. 445-446: Feb. 2, Two routine letters.

Letter No. 447: Feb. 2, “Brave Bear,” murderer of the Delorme Family, is here.

Letter No. 448: Feb. 2, Routine letter.

Letter No. 449: Feb. 2, Please tell me how to fill out new supplies issued form which seems to require an inordinate amount of detail.

Letter No. 450: Feb. 7, Asking Commanding Officer for help.

Letter No. 451: Feb. 5, Health Issues.  EXTREMELY INTERESTING DISCUSSION OF OLD WAYS VS. NEW WAYS OF LIVING.

Letter No. 452: Feb. 8, Care and feeding of domestic animals on reservation.

Letter No. 442: Jan. 26,  Estimates of Supplies, however you shorted me on everything.

Letter No. 453: Feb. 9, On teaching the Indians about Agriculture.  VERY INTERESTING PROGRAM.

Letter No. 454: Feb. 9, Routine letter.

Letter No. 455: Feb. 15, Supporting a claim for 5 oxen pulled by Indians.

Letter No. 456: Feb. 16, Routine letter.

Letter No. 457: Feb. 16, McLaughlin’s full biography from birth, April 16, 1842 to this letter, Feb. 16, 1878.

Letter No. 458: Feb. 18, Pass to Indians traveling to southern Dakota.

Letter No. 459: Feb. 18, STORY OF DELORME MASSACRE AND THAT ‘BRAVE BEAR,’ THE MURDERER, IS IN THIS AGENCY.

Letter No. 460: Feb.19, DON’T MOVE THE TWO COMPANIES OF CAVALRY FROM FORT TOTTEN.  THIS POST IS TOO ISOLATED AND VULNERABLE TO ATTACK BY HOSTILES, EVEN SITTING BULL, OR HIS WARRIORS, WHO MIGHT SEEK NOTARIETY.

Letter No. 461: Feb. 23, Sewing Machine payment and troubles.

Letter No. 462: Feb. 23, A Reverend has defaulted on his interest payment.

Letter No. 463: Feb. 23, I need the wagon.  No snow for sledding this winter.

Letter No. 464: Feb. 28,  On how he has induced Warriors to cut their hair by giving them priority in lines.

March 1878

Letter No. 465: Mar. 2, Ordering a Santee Agency Newsletter.

Letters No. 466-469: Mar. 2, Four routine letters.

Letter No. 470: Mar. 7, On ordering clothing and goods for the Indians.

Letter No. 471: Mar. 7, Supplies and Annuity Goods wanted for Fiscal Year.

Letter No. 472: Mar. 9, My Jan. 26th order of wheat seed has not arrived.  Need it asap, together with other seeds.

Letter No. 473: Mar. 16, Telegram regarding Delorme Family Massacre.

Letter No. 474: Mar. 16, On feeding ‘Wapepe’ until Marshal arrives from Bismarck.

Letter No. 475: Mar. 15, On claiming against Indians who may have killed his cattle.

Letter No. 476: Mar. 17, ONE DELORME MURDERER KILLED DURING ESCAPE TRY.  MORE INFO ON THE CRIME.

Letter No. 477: Mar. 16, Out of sugar, so can’t send samples.

Letter No. 478: Mar. 15, On appointment of laborer.

Letter No. 479: Mar. 16, On powers of attorney.

Letter No. 480: Mar. 18, MORE ON THE DELORME CRIME AND CAPTURED MURDERERS.

Letter No. 481: Mar. 16, I can buy tea and pork.

Letter No. 482: Mar. 13, On why his wife is working for him.

Letter No. 483: Mar. 16, Need a fresh beef issue to make up for ban on guns and lack of wildlife.

Letter No. 484: Mar. 19, Pass for well-behaved Indian family.

Letter No. 485: Mar. 19, Pass for 2 Indians and a horse.

Letter No. 486: Mar. 23, Pass for well-behaved family of killed murderer of Delorme Family is going back to Crow Agency.

Letter No. 487: Mar. 23, Proposal for Indians to furnish wood to Fort Totten.

Letter No. 488: Mar. 23, Ordering garden seeds.

Letter No. 489: Mar. 23, TWO MORE DELORME FAMILY MURDERERS ARE AT STANDING ROCK AND SHOULD BE ARRESTED.

Letter No. 491: Mar. 23, Pork order.

Letter No. 492: Mar. 23, Pork order.

Letter No. 493: Mar. 23, Routine b/l transmittal plus can my wife and child get round trip passes.

Letter No. 494: Mar. 23, Letter #490, Routine transmittal….END OF COPY BOOK

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February 1878

Letter No. 444: Feb. 1, February Agency Report.  GOOD DETAILS.

dev444a

dev444b

Letters No. 445-446: Feb. 2, Two routine letters.

dev445-446

Letter No. 447: Feb. 2, “Brave Bear,” murderer of the Delorme Family, is here.

dev447

Letter No. 448: Feb. 2, Routine letter.

Letter No. 449: Feb. 2, Please tell me how to fill out new supplies issued form which seems to require an inordinate amount of detail.

dev449

Letter No. 450: Feb. 7, Asking Commanding Officer for help.

dev450

Letter No. 451: Feb. 5, Health Issues.  EXTREMELY INTERESTING DISCUSSION OF OLD WAYS VS. NEW WAYS OF LIVING.

dev451a

dev451b

Letter No. 452: Feb. 8, Care and feeding of domestic animals on reservation.

dev452

Letter No. 442: Jan. 26,  Estimates of Supplies, however you shorted me on everything.

dev442

Letter No. 453: Feb. 9, On teaching the Indians about Agriculture.  VERY INTERESTING PROGRAM.

dev453a

dev453b

Letter No. 454: Feb. 9, Routine letter.

dev454

Letter No. 455: Feb. 15, Supporting a claim for 5 oxen pulled by Indians.

dev455

Letter No. 456: Feb. 16, Routine letter.

dev456

Letter No. 457: Feb. 16, McLaughlin’s full biography from birth, April 16, 1842 to this letter, Feb. 16, 1878.

dev457

Letter No. 458: Feb. 18, Pass to Indians traveling to southern Dakota.

dev458

Letter No. 459: Feb. 18, STORY OF DELORME MASSACRE AND THAT ‘BRAVE BEAR,’ THE MURDERER, IS IN THIS AGENCY.

dev459a

dev459b

dev459c

dev459d

dev459e

dev459f

dev459g

dev459h

 

Letter No. 460: Feb.19, DON’T MOVE THE TWO COMPANIES OF CAVALRY FROM FORT TOTTEN.

 

dev460a

 

dev460b

 

Letter No. 461: Feb. 23, Sewing Machine payment and troubles.

 

dev461

 

Letter No. 462: Feb. 23, A Reverend has defaulted on his interest payment.

 

dev462

 

Letter No. 463: Feb. 23, I need the wagon.  No snow for sledding this winter.

 

dev463a

dev464b

 

 

 

Letter No. 464: Feb. 28,  On how he has induced Warriors to cut their hair by giving them priority in lines.

 

dev464adev464bdev464c

March 1878

Letter No. 465: Mar. 2, Ordering a Santee Agency Newsletter.

dev465

Letters No. 466-469: Mar. 2, Four routine letters.

dev466

Letter No. 470: Mar. 7, On ordering clothing and goods for the Indians.

dev470

Letter No. 471: Mar. 7, Supplies and Annuity Goods wanted for Fiscal Year.

dev471a

dev471b

Letter No. 472: Mar. 9, My Jan. 26th order of wheat seed has not arrived.  Need it asap, together with other seeds.

dev472

Letter No. 473: Mar. 16, Telegram regarding Delorme Family Massacre.

dev473

Letter No. 474: Mar. 16, On feeding ‘Wapepe’ until Marshal arrives from Bismarck.

dev474

Letter No. 475: Mar. 15, On claiming against Indians who may have killed his cattle.

dev475a

dev475b

Letter No. 476: Mar. 17, ONE DELORME MURDERER KILLED DURING ESCAPE TRY.  MORE INFO ON THE CRIME.

dev476

Letter No. 477: Mar. 16, Out of sugar, so can’t send samples.

Letter No. 478: Mar. 15, On appointment of laborer.

Letter No. 479: Mar. 16, On powers of attorney.

dev477-479

Letter No. 480: Mar. 18, MORE ON THE DELORME CRIME AND CAPTURED MURDERERS.

dev480a

dev480b

Letter No. 481: Mar. 16, I can buy tea and pork.

dev481

Letter No. 482: Mar. 13, On why his wife is working for him.

dev482

Letter No. 483: Mar. 16, Need a fresh beef issue to make up for ban on guns and lack of wildlife.

dev483

Letter No. 484: Mar. 19, Pass for well-behaved Indian family.

Letter No. 485: Mar. 19, Pass for 2 Indians and a horse.

dev484-485

Letter No. 486: Mar. 23, Pass for well-behaved family of killed murderer of Delorme Family is going back to Crow Agency.

dev486a

dev486b

Letter No. 487: Mar. 23, Proposal for Indians to furnish wood to Fort Totten.

dev487

Letter No. 488: Mar. 23, Ordering garden seeds.

dev488a

dev488b

 

Letter No. 489: Mar. 23, TWO MORE DELORME FAMILY MURDERERS ARE AT STANDING ROCK AND SHOULD BE ARRESTED.

dev489

 

Letter No. 490: Mar. 23, Pork order.

Letter No. 491: Mar. 23, Pork order.

dev490-491

Letter No. 492: Mar. 23, Routine b/l transmittal plus can my wife and child get round trip passes.

Letter No. 493: Mar. 23 Routine

dev492-493

END OF COPY BOOK