The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-04
DOCUM ENTS

DVOC tA 01N ~
Accompany yiDg shs Presidents ss.,.ae
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
WAR DrpARrmEsr,
Arlington, November 30, 1851
SR beg leave TO submit the following repor, Of The
opsn.ons q TINS department during the year which has
J, The subse, which h,s mos, engaged the attention oil
,me M department has been the defence of Texas New
nexco and the Mexican territory adjacent to our own
against the incursons o. the psghb0sng Indian tribes
IN IN ny last annual report briefly advered to the
0t the contnent these tribes are acua,ed moi 80 much by
hostility TO The whites by motives OF plund4 Accus.
TONED IRON time immeuorial to carry on predatory
warfare against the Spanish settlements their vicinity
they submit with reluctance 10 the efforts Of new and
more powerful race 10 put stop to their incursons
ne character OF the country, which affords wonderful
Iaotes 70 escape and presents almost insurmounabe
obstacles to pursuit. is wonderfully adapted to these
sudng expeditions As infantry u Of ltle uas in ses.
VICE which consists principally in pnrsuing small parties
VINO are always mounted, recommended my last re-
port the raising Of additional mounted regiment
equipped with special reference this Congress
not having adopted this recommendation. all that re-
maned Tor the department TO do 10 make such dis
position OF the force at lis disposal would eec
tuay protect our own territory and fulfil treaty obli
taken 10 concentrate the confines Of Texas and New
Mexico as many OF the troops adapted to this service
could be spared from other quarters.
Ihe indians IN California and Oregon having always
appeared of unwarlike character and disposed 10 cu
ivate the good will OF the whites, thought that the
services OF The regiment Of mounted rfemen might be
dispensed with the Pacific II therefore ordered
10 Texas Brevet Major General Smith, its commander
was put in command Of the eighth military department
and Brevet Brig Gen Hitchcock ordered succeed
him in the command OF the Pacific division.
In the interval OF several months which elapsed between
the death OF Brevet Maj Gen Brooke and the arrival OF
Brevet Nal Gen. Smith in Texas, the command of that
ney, during which time this officer displayed his ac-
cusomed activity in arresung the incursons of the In
dans and the good effects OF the adopted by him
already descenble the comparative tranquility
which that section Of the country has for time past
enjoyed
Some Of the ercest and most insolent OF the tribes in
all that region occupy the northern portion OF Texas
where the streams that flow into the Mississippi well
those that empty themselves directly into the Gulf. find
their sources From this region these tribes make re
quen forays, only into Texas and New Mexico, bu
across the Rio Grande into the Mexican territory. With
The double obec OF Overawing these tribes and OF af
fordng protection to such emgrants as may take that
route to Texas, New Mexico, California, deemed i,
advisable to establish chain OF military posts that
frontier For this purpose, the fifth regiment OF Infantry
(Which already stationed high up the Red river and
the Arkansas ordered to advance further the
,eor and to establish chain OF posts extending ia
direction, and following, nearly practicable,
the route called 0rom The name OF The officer who
traced iD MaIcy's route"
The seventh regiment OF infantry was ordered from
Jefferson barracks to occupy the stations abandoned by
the fifth.
In New Mexico the Indians had become SO bold as to
commit their depredaons within few miles OF the mill
tary posts and regret TO that no instance was their
audacity chassed To remedy If possble this state Of
things, Brevet Colonel Summer ordered 10 the
maBd OF that department..
He arrived at Santa Fe in the month OF July last, and
his first step was to make new, and, II s believed,
judicous arrangement of the military posts. His
TO set out with portion OF his command on
expedition into the country OF the Navaos-a powerful
tIibe which has long spread terror only Texas and
New Mexico, but in the State OF Sonora. The
suit of this expedition s not yet known but If he should
accomplish more than TO establish a military pos,
among ihem and re,aa,e upon them by capturing their
herds and destroying their elds, the expedition will not
have been lruitless.
Experence has shown that the most efectual way 10
protect our settlements is to the Indians by a
constant display OF military force in their immediate
neighborhood For this reason, well as account OF
the demoalizng influence OF the towns and villages on
the troops, the commanding officers, both in Texis and
New Mexico, were directed 10 remove the stations as
near the frontiers circumstances would permit Both
these officers have with their accustomed prompttude,
taken steps TO carry this measure INTO eject and made an
entirely new arrangement OF posts. looking far
practicable alike 10 the defence OF own territory and
that OF Mexico Strong hopes are entertained that when
their plans shall have been fully developed the Indians
will be disposed 10 make treaties and TO observe them
The United States have thus endeavored TO fulfil, 10
their fullest extent the obligations imposed upon them by
their late treaty with Mexico. ], surely was never con
templaied that the entire expense and responsibility of
defending her territory against these ncurslons should
devoive upon The language OF The treaty admits oil
no such construction, and II it did, IL would require of us
what il would be obviously impossible for us TO perform
As the United States have right 10 station Their troops
within the limits OF Mexico, how II possible TOR them,
entirely TO protect her against tribes most OF whom oc
cupy the vast desert lying between the two countries
that we can do is to make common cause with her
To make her wrongs our own TO chasiise, possibe,
the tribes By whom they committed TO compel them,
whenever il m possible do so, TO make restitution oi
Mexican prisoners and property and. hnally, m our
treaties them, TO guard the interests OF Mexican c
zens "a carefully those OF own and TO punish any
violation OF the severely we do that oil the other
il manifest too that whatever efforts we may make
for the protection OF Mexico will not only be irnltles-,
but absolutely preudcia unless they are aided ny cor
responding efforts on her part. The number OF our null.
,ary posts the vigilance, activity, and courage OF our
troops all tend 10 drive these maraoders from our border
towards that OF Mexico where they carry on their
deprcdaons with almost certain impnnily.
The difference in the character OF the inhabitants oil
The two countries aleo tends 10 the same result Our
people are all familiar with the o arms, and readily
ioun themselves into militia companies Tor Their OWN de-
fence Il was this circumstance, joined with native
hardhood of character that enabled the pioneers oil all
our States to subdue tribes lar formidable than the
robber bands that nfest the frontiers OF Mexico ihe
inhabitants Of Mexico the contrary, have little skiil
in 6fearms nothing that deserves the name OF militia,
and little of that daring in,repidy which distinguished
fhe early settlers of country It's not surprising,
that the Indians stand less IN awe OF the Mex
rans than they do Of people and that where both
countries present equal temptations TO Pnnoet, they
shoud direct their incntsons towards the iofmer raher
than the latter -, ,..,,o..s. - ,ho
II il not improbable, also that the ieeblcness OF me
federal authority in Mexico, the Distracted s,a'e o.
republic and the civil contests that have SO long uvdea
her peope NAV impair her influence among savases who
know no right but power, and motive but 'he rear OF
its exercise, . =, f.,
TIE portion OF Mexico which is said 10 have suffered
most from these dcpredatons is the Sae OF sonora BE,