Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-12-25

under three dislinc, heads. FIRST, for the proteC
ton Of The western frontier against Indian hos
tllies. Second, precautions against aggression
from the colonial possessions of foreign powers 3
our vicinity at The north. And thifd, tue deiehc
Of our maritime frontier.
Under tie first head. the plan communicate
10 the Senate, on the 81 day Of January, 1s3S, II
pursuance Of a resolution of that body, and re
commended by the then head o: this department
was approved III It's general outlines by the boar
of nfiircrs.-"hp reported on the suiJect &c May
IS 10, and appears To be well adapted to the pur
pose. II contemplated a line Of exterior posts d
vanced INTO the indian country, beyond the bonn
dary Of existing cessIons, for the purpose OF over
awning and REFRESHING hostilitIcs among the lndi
ans. or against oar own settlements; aud an IN
terror line OF posts, as places ct refuge IN case
Of Danger Or alarm, with dcpots for arms an! sup
plies. There seems to have been some differ
rncc of opinion whether the forts 10 be establish
cd at these rusts, should be constructed al wood
50 ahuudantlY furnished by the country, or o
stone, or other equally Indesiructih.e material
From he ruformatinn which has been received
and from the uniform practice IN Indian wars, the
better opinion would appear to be, that stockadeo
forts with log block houses, would afford sufficient
protection against an enemy unprovided with ar
rIiery. The rapidtty and economy with which
they could he erected, IN many cases chiefly by
the labor of the troops, would give them a deer
dcd preference. II is not perceived why the in
terror line Of posts, or as many OF them as may
be necessary, should not also be used as depols
of Subsistence and military supplies. SIX or
eigh, uf the exterior line. and eight interior forts,
are deemed sufficient. The following arc the
forts established. which may be considered form
lng parts of this plan of defence. Fort Jesup,
- miles southwest from Nachitoches, on the road
to T'Xls; Fort Iows0n, near the confluence Of
the Ctamichi add Red rivers, 10 the Choctaw ma
ton, 325 miles from Fort Jcsup, and about 80
miles from the western boundary OF Arkansas;
Fort Smuh, situated on The Arkansas river, part
ly in Arkansas and partly IN the Cherokee Ma
ton; Fort Gibson, about go miles northwest OF
Fori Smith, on Ike Arkansas river, and 207 miles
from Fort Towson; Fort Wayne, on the Illinois RI
ver, IN the Cherokee Nation, not far from the wes-
tern boundary of Arkansas, 90 miles from Fort
Gibson; Fort Leavcnworth, on the right hank of
the Missouri river, 2SO miles from Fort Smith ;
Fort Sizzling, at the junction of the ST. Potter S
with the Mississippi rlver,5l2 miles from Fort Lea
venworth; Fort Crawford, 300 miles below Fort
Smelling, on the Mississippi river, about ) miles
from the mouth Of tho Wisconsin,; Fart Vinneha-
90, nj the portage between the Fox and Wiscon-
sin rivers, about 100 miles from Fort Crawford
Fort Howard. at the head Of Green Bay, 10
mites from Fort Winnebago; Fort Maskinac, on
The island of MichiIimackinac, at the outlet of
Lake Michigan; Fort Brady, on the St Mary's
river, at the outlet of Lake Superior; and Fort
Gratiot, on The ST. Clair, at the outlet Of Lake
Huron.
B,rrack5are in progress a, Tufkoy river, in the
Winnobago country, and at Fort Smith; and at
For, Leavenworth extensive barracks have been
completed. As the white settlements advance,
and the Indians reccde, 1t Will be necessary to
push these exterior forts further into the Indian
country. But i, is evident that such a line of
posts would not accomplish all the objects which
should be had in view in relation to that vast por-
ton Of our territory, which extends from the lakes
to the Gulf OF Mexico. 1t is in immediate con
tact with numerous wild and warIike Indians, who
are capable of bringing into the field a number
OF warriors, stlma,e at from twenty to thirty
thousand. From the intercourse which subsis,s
between them and the traders. and emissaries Of
foreign nations. they may be rendered as formid-
able as any description of force that could be
brought against us. To secure a proper influence
over them In peace, and 10 counterfeit and con
troll their dispositions in war. to secure oar own
territory and to protect our traders. it Is indispen-
sable that a chain of posts should be established.
from The Council Bluffs TO the mouth of
the Columbia river, 50 as 10 amman the ave-
nues by which the Indians pass from the north to
The south; and al the sam time maintain q COM
municatIon with the territories belonging TO us
on the Pacific.
TIE present state Of our relations with these
Indians, and other considerations which will rea.
dily suggest themselves, seem to demand prompt
attention TO these views, and the adoption of the
measures 10 execute them.
Second. The defences on the northern from
will necessarily be Of a different character
from these already considered, as they mus, he
designed for protection against a powerful enemy,
possessing all the means Of warfare along n dis
lance Of more than two thousand miles. Naval
forces on the lakes undoubtedly affprd our chief
reliance for defence and offence. ofurnish them
shelter from temPes;s, the harbors must be en!ar.
yed and rendered accessible; and to protect them
md their supplies, as well as the property md
ives of orr citizens from an enemy, those har.
and the most important Of the straits and
connecting he lakes, should be fortified.
comprehensive and able views Of the board
# officers on this subject, in their report of Nav.
$50, already mentioned. cannot be strengthened
any remarks from this Department.
The omission to make the necessary appro7ri-
liL0ns. has nreXnnted anyihinr mara than n M