The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-08 00:00:00

SHERIDAN'S REPORT.

The report of General Sheridan accompanies that
of the General of the Army. lien. Sheridan commands
the Military Division of the Missouri, which embraces
the Departments of Dakota, the Platte, and the
Missouri, commanded respectively by Major Gen. W. S.
Hancock, Brevet Major Gon C. C. Augur, and Major Gun.
J. M. Schofield. These three departments cover a terri-
tory of great extent, in which most of the civilized, semi-
civilized, and wild Indians abide. The Commander re-
ports that all the commands have been economically and
successfully administered during the past year. The
number of troops would be sufficient if the companies
are kept filled to their maximum. The report then con-
tinues as follows: —A great many of the settlers in Mon-
tana have been murdered, and 500 or 600 head of stock
captured and run off within the last 50 days, and much
bitter complaint has been made by the settlers on account
of non-protection' the few troops stationed in Montana
being insufficient to meet the wants ofthe case.

There has also been a great deal of trouble along the
Missouri River, and a number of people murdered in the
vicinity of the military posts. The friendly Indians and
the agents and employes at Big Cheyenne, Grand River,
and Whitstone agencies, have been in jeopardy on several
occasions, as the wild Indians have at times had ‘heir
own way, driving the employes into the agency buildings,
taking possession of the annuity goods, and taking the
cattle. Steps have been taken to remedy these evils, as
far as we can, by the erection of block-houses. The post
at fort Buford has been in a state of siege for two or
three years. In the early spring I hope to be able to send
a few troops from the Department of the Platte to the
Department of Dakota.

Although there have been numerous depredations in
the Department of Dakota, and some, in fact, in all the
departments' still the condition of Indian affairs is very
much better than last year. Tho policy of reservations
adopted by the Indian Department is, in my judgment,
the only policy that will put an end to Indian murders
aid depredations. I think that it may be necessary to
punish some of the Sioux as the Cheyennes and other
tribes South had to be punished before peace can be
fully established and the reservation system made a suc-
cess ; but every effort will be made to avoid any necessity
of this kind, with the strong hope that the savages may
settle down on their reservation and adopt a more peaceful
and civilized life.

The Indians have run riot along the lines of our Western
settlements and the emigrant and commercial lines of
travel for many years, murdering and plundering without
ny adequate punishment, and the Government has here-
ofore sought to give protection to some of its best inte-
rests by making presents to these savages •, or, in other
words, while it found it necessary to enact the most strin-
gent laws for the government of civilized whites, it was
attempting to govern a wild, brutal, and savage people
without any laws at all, or the infliction of any punish-
ment for the most heinous crimes. This system was not
a success. If a white man commits murder or robs, we
hang him or send him to the penitentiary. if an Indian
does the same, we have been in the habit of giving him
more blankets.

The Indian is a lazy, idle vagabond ; he never labours,
and has no profession, except that of arms, to which be
is raised from a child ; n scalp is constantly dangled be-
fore his eyes, and the highest honour he can aspiro to is to
possess ono taken by himself. It is not to be wondered
at, therefore, if he aims for the honour when he grows up,
especially if there is no punishment to follow the bar-
barous act.

The Government has always been very liberal to In-
dians, especially whenever they have settled on reserva-
tions ; the lands allotted to them have been of the very
best character, making them, perhaps, by far the richest
communities in the country.
The system of supplying the wild band under the pre-
sent management is working well ; the Indian gets all the
Government intends him to have; he cannot now plead
bad faith ; and, if he does not now give up his cruel and de-
structive habits, I see no other way to save the lives
and property of our people than to punish him until
peace becomes a desirable object.
Tho troops at the different posts throughout the military
division are quartered (officers and men) comfortably.
The expenses for the ensuing year will be much less
than for the past; however, a very largo portion of
the expenses of the last year were very properly charge-
able to the Indian Department.
I cannot close this report without expressing my high
appreciation of the efficient management of the present
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and assure him that
every effort will be made by the military to assist him in
his difficult and highly responsible duties.—l am, General,
very respectfully, your obedient, servant,
P. H. SHERIDAN, Lieutenant-General U. S. Army.
Brevet Major-Gem E. D. Townsend, Adjutant-General, 1
Washington, D.O.