Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-04

|
my preceding reports, aud arc almost too OBVIOUS 10
| need repetion Even under the former very de-
tcctlye system Of keeping the regular forces ~ aff
son within the forts along whole line oil ,rohtier
they insufficient for their defence But II the army
of The United States is to be rendered efficient and rs
discpline preservedht must be kept together IN mass
es and the garrison duty be performed by small de-
tachments aided in case Of need by the ne'ghoorihg
militia. Accompanying tins reports minute aetiii Oh
the number of troops required to man the iors upon
the maritime and inland frontiers. These must De
drawn chiefly from the people, and 70 DC enecu'e III
war they must b. drilled and taught Their military ga
tics in time of peace plan for Tins purpose was S
nitted to Congress in 1887, and aga.n recommended
the following wear, but not acted upon Having I'M
dcrstood that the chief objection oits adoption CONSISTS
in its being limited 10 comparatively small o"dx q
men and that was the desire OF Congress, us vel as
of the nation that plan for the organization OF the
militia of the United States should emaatc from this
Department. have thought it my duty TO skc inc at
TEMPT and although entered upon the task win re-
uctnnce and great dflidence, feel confident that the
project herewith submitted practicable and that while
i will diminish the burden Of personal service now ex
acted from the citizen it will ensure the prompt ana CT.
fcent application Of the national force TO the national
defence.
military districts ard 10 organize the m'nh III each
district so a. to have body Of twelve thousand ii:e
hundred men in active services and another OF equal
number as reserve. This would give al a-i:cd mill.
tia force of two hundred thousand men, 50 drilled and
\
in defence Of the country, whenever called upon to
oppose the enemy or reprl the invader The age OF.
the recruit TO be from twenty to t!Irty-ScScn Inc
whole term of service TO be eight years; tour years III
the first class, and four i'll the reserve One iourtA
part TWENTY-FIVE thousand men, 10 leave the service
every wear passing The conclusion Of the rst tcrm
into the reserve, and exempted from ordinary nii;ta
duty altogether, at the end Of the second; IN th's
manner twenty-five thousand men vii! be- discharged
from militia duty year. and twenty-five iiousua
fresh recruits be received into the service. 1t VIII DC
sufficient for all useful purposes, that IN" remainder O.
the militia under certain regulations provided inr tncr
government, be enrolled and be mustered at long and
stated intervals; Tor due process oil tI!e, nearly INC
whole mass Of The militia will pass through he first aud
second classes, and be either members Of ia" active
CORPS of the reserve, counted among the e%epiS
who will be liable TO be called upon only II periods OF
invasion or imminent peril. Tie manner OF enrolment
the number of DAYS Of service, and the rate of conf
pensuton ought TO be fixed by law but the details had
better be left subject rcTuation plan OF which
am prepared 10 submit 10 YOU.
Congress having expressed desire that an attempt
should be made to terminate the in Florida by pa
cic measures and appropriated sum Of money Tor
that purpose" the Department, early III the srIHg &C.
spachcd Major General Macomb to open c":nnunt-
cation with the Indians, and if possible 10 treat with
them He succeeded with difficulty in obtaining an
interview with some OF the chiefs and head mon, and
made an arrangement which il was hoped might put
stop to this long proraced war lis onl" result, howe
yer has been the loss q many valuable lives. Our
neoule fell sacrifice to Their confidence II the good
faith and promises Of the Indians ana were cntTapped
and murdered with all the circumstances o! cruelty and
treachery which distinguish Indian warfare. Cohpos-
cd the Florida Indians are OF the remnants Of tribes
that have taken refuEe there and o!cdg.ag
mon head trcatr stipuatons tina. are not sanctioned
by each and every tribe be regarded as binding; nor
can the Government consider the country pacicd until
there has been a general submission of all the chiefs
of the various tribes of Indians nhab!tng the PENN
srla The experience OK the last Summer brings with
the painful conviction that The must b. nTosccu
ed until Florida freed from tncsr ruthless sava@cs.
Their late treacc.cus and cruel coadnct too generally
known 10 require repetition nt II" revolving recital.
II has been such rs Is calculated l. deprive .ic OF Inc
svmpathy OF the humane, and 80 convince the most
peaceabic Of the necessity OF s'adG:ng them by !orSe
With this view the regular forces haze been augmented
in Florida much the circumstances the country
will permit and orders have been grcn 70 change, for
the present, the theatre Of operations The frequent
murders committed III West and Middle Florida show
that there are still small bands OF Indians lurking there,
and il is the determination OF the Department, IL the
first place 10 drive them from that portion Of The ter
ritory ard fee the settlements from further mnc"ta-
ton In the mean time, the posts the Atlantic 2;d
The Gulf Will be majntancd IL order - protect u"
passing trade in which effort il is expected tic navy
VIII co operate. F3r this purpose, the vessels htri 70
cmnloyed on the have been ;Tanse:rc,! 70 That
Department.
Until the operations O. the campaign inter
rDted in the attempt to negotiate with tie Indians
they were conducted with vgor and ability under that
t Jealous and interchangeable officer, BrigaGier General
TAYLOR who accomplished ali that could be expected
with the very limited means at his command, spread
out they extensive field OF operations
Throughout The whole of this disastrous war, the Off
GERS and men engaged III it have endured fatigue and
pr;yaons, sickness and suffering, without
comnlint and have all occasions, exhibited the
qualities of brave and good soldiers. with untrng per
severance they have opened roads through The sI'amp
in pursuit OF the enemy, and whenever tie" co"id oEig
him battle, displayed the utmost GOODNESS and intrc
pdv every instance driving him from his businesses
But all these cxerios and sacrifices have proved Una
vang. Heretofore the Indian population OF our State
and Territories has been expelled b. the gradua! increase
and advances OF superior race. whereas, N flcrd;
the attempt has been made Cor the first time, to drive
the aborigncs from the unsettled wilderness, wha
still difficult, to catch them for the purpose
{ transporting them beyond its limits. II the Indians
Florida had country retire to they would have beer
driven out Of the Territory long ago. bot they arr
, hemmed in by the sea- and must defend themselves t
the ucrmost, surrender TO be transported beyond II
To reduce them 10 that extremity, SPREAD they are
over space OF at least foEtyive thousand square m
, of country, abouHd.ng in provisions suited 10 their ha
+ bits defended BY cnlc, benign to them, but deadly
10 the whites, and presenting difficulties 10 the marcel
Of armies tia; have been often described and cauno
be exaggerated viii require great ezcrons, and proba
bly, other means than those hitherto tried.
II The passage Of the hill introduced in the Senate dur
ing the last session, and partially rced upon in Con
y gress for the military occupation of Florida, would,
IS believed, be attended with beneficial effects: and
further recommend that authority be given to the Exc
! cutyc to raise one thousand 70 during tn
r war in Florida who shall Tie pay Of dragons
/ and, upon It's termination, bounty III land. Thcs
/ men is proposed TO and equip and drill in
:, n4r 10 render them equal The Indian warrior in vgo
. and endurance, and employ them in active opera
tons during the cnsnng winter The exigenCes OF tn
}, service al his particular uncirrc compel TO a.
< this additional force IL VIII be ,ia the state
the Western frontier requires the forces terc 70 s.
creased rather than diminished and the condition o. III
III, . ~. u q
,roops nj present stationed there Il believed tha
the citizens Of the e. States upon at bcrdcr had bee
c convinced Of he improperly Of interfering n the CO
&c Germs Of their ncighbors, and Of The cr;mnal;t -,
I q.ns the laws Of the country: and through the De
!" alarming 'niorna'3tIc existence there of new CON
> part@as and conpaccs agains. law and order hone
= entertained that real danger exists Of any turtle
! ouragcs being rrrpe.aedh BY !cllow.ctzens on ta