Headquarters Military Division of the Missouri,

Chicago, Illnois, September 3, 1874

To Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Terry
St. Paul, Minn.

Should the companies now organizing at Sioux City and Yankton trespass on the Sioux Indian Reservation, you are hereby directed to use the force at your command to burn the wagon-trains, destroy the outfit and arrest the leaders, confining them at the nearest military post in the Indian country. Should they succeed in reaching the Interior, you are directed to send such force of Cavalry in pursuit as will accomplish the purposes above named. Should Congress open up the country for settlement by extinguishing the treaty rights of the Indians, the undersigned will give a cordial support to the settlement of the Black Hills. A duplicate of these instructions will be sent to General Ord commanding Department of the Platte.

(Sgd.) P. H. Sheridan
Lieutenant General

Official: R.C. Drum
Assistant Adjutant General