Arkansas intelligencer. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1842-1859, 1844-04-13

report, mace 10 the secretary or war In Decem-
Der last, and to add 1t it is not in the contempla-
ton of this Office, nor has it been recommended
by Brigadier General Taylor, to re-establish the
former military post, Fort Wayne, or any new
post within that vicinity. II is within my CO n
temptation to propose, at an early day, to rein
force the immediate frontiers Of Arkansas with
portion of the present regiment Of rifemen, or
dragons, should that regiment be remounted.
.... WINFIELD SCOTT.
History OF THE EVACUATION OF Fort WAYNE.
On the evacuation of Fort Coffee, on the 10Th
October, 1888, that command Captain Stewart's)
was ordered to establish the neD post on the ILL
nois, fort Wayne,l 29tb October, 1888. This
was done at the solicitation Of the whites, on ac
count of the numbers Of emigrants settling in that
quarter. The better class Of Indians have al
ways been opposed 10 this post, on account of the
difficulties and fracas between the dissipated of
the Indians and the sodiery. February II, 1899,
drgoon camp was formed their, relieving the
company of infantry. This post was subsoqunt
ly called Fort Wayne. In June, 1910, it was
changed to more healthy site in the neighbor-
HOOD. 1t was evacuated in full the 26,h May,
1912, and its garrison ordered to establish Fort
Scotia post essential to constrain the lawless
Osases-on representations from citizens of Mis-
souri,. The post of Fort Wayne has never been
upheld by officers or on military considerations,
except by Lieutenant Colonel Mason, whose re
port cannot be found. The Cherokees are known
to be opposed to it, THAT is, the better class though
there have been petitions for and against ii. Tho
treaty of New Echota requires the United States
to afford protection in the case of internal dissen
sion and violence; and in some of their petitions
they adduce this. July %, 1871, General Tay-
lor, in relation to Fort Wayne, writes to the adu
n 10 - h,r 81.
sooner it is done the better, as it will save much
erpense 20 the Government; and conceive Fort
Gibson sufficiently near the line to effect evry OBJ.
Ject that can be obtained by keeping up Fort
Wayne; moreover, the present site of this post is
IN the most densely populated section ofthe Cher
okee nation, which necessarily brings the disor
derby Indians and soldiers often in contact = By
abandoning 1t, the Indians piH be better satisfied,
and the inhabitants of Arkansas have nothing
more to fear or complain of than they have at
present. Fort Wayne was, at this date, merely
held by company, A, LIST Dragons, to guard the
public property; for, by general orders No. 43,
August Is, 1910, Colonel Mason had been direc.
ted to abandon it in full, and take Post at Fort
Gibson-an order occasioned by the 18th infantry
being ordered to relieve the garrisons Of Forts
Iowson, Jesup, and Smith. The 18th Februa-
ry, 1913, General Taylor writes TO the ad jutant
general ''The Cherokee people, with whom |
conversed at Fort Wayne, arc adverse to the re-
moval Of the works from that region, and was
informed that tho names of several individuals
were placed on petition for its removal without
their knowledge -
The 2Sth Of March, 'lS43, General Taylor
writes to the adjutant general, and says that not
wthstanding the reports sent to Washington, there
exists no rumors of danger in the Cherokee ma
ton that the design of such false reports is to
re- crno Of Eor
son the subject of re-occupying Fort Wayne, it is
proper to remark, that the position was evacuat-
ed by orders from the War Department, with.
out any recommendation to that effect from me !;
and, although thought it expedent to change
the particular site, yet il seemd TO mo- at the time
lmpolitic to break up the post altogether. Now,
however. that 1t has been evacuated for nearly
year, without my knowledge, any injurious con-
sequences. l. see no adequate reason for reoccupy-
ing 1t. The multiplication of small posts is, in
some degree, hurtful to the discipline of the
troops, and entails heavy expenses in the quarter.
masters and substance departments. | am
therefore decidedly opposed to the re-establish-
mont of Fort Wayne, OF the creation of any new
post within the Cherokee country. In case of
any real or apprehended difficulty in the settle
ment around Fort Wayne, sufficient force of
mounted men can be on the spot from Fort Glib.
son in forty-eght hours, as was exempted in
May last" =.
BY a letter from the adjutant general, dated
February 10, 1912, ordering the evacuation of
Fort Wayne and establishment of Fort Scott, the
Seer etary of War directs, in consideration of the
pending treaty, that it be held out to the Chero-
KEGS that it shall be regarrisoned by the Cd dra-
goons on their coming out of Florida. - ~.
A further reason for evacuating Fort Wayne
was the sickles, of the neighborhood. .El
Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of
War. T-
WINFIELD SCOTT.
December IL, 1913.