The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-06

treaty. with Mexico to indemnify citizens OF
that country tho might sustain losses by depreda-
tions oI the Indians and, from Information that
has reached the Department, there can be no doubt
that in some instances tales of depredations have
been invented with a view of bringing fictitious
claims for damages against the Government.
The Indians west of the Rocky mountains are
represented TO be lees warlike in character than
those the eastern aide of the continent, and, un
I'll recently, had manifested unfricndly feelings
towards the white settlers in their neighborhood.
Several. outbreaks, however, have, within few
months past, occurred both in California and Ore
gon. There is reason TO believe that, in some in
stances, the Indians have been goaded on 10 these
acts OF hostility by the conduct of our own people
Treaties have recently been made with some of
these tribes, which, il they faithfully observed
on our part, and if the white inhabitants are com
PEELED TO respect the boundaries of the territory as
signed TO them, will go far towards reconclling this
unfortunate TO their fate, and preventing tu-
ture outbreaks. recommend, therefore, that the
laws restricting intercourse with the Indians ana
encroachments on their lands be rigidly enforced,
and that if necessary, more stringent enactulents
| be passed for that purpose
Ii would not be safe, however, to rely any pa
cifc policy however wise and just for the protec-
ton Of fellow citizens in that remote region.
Since the withdrawal of the regiment OF mounted
Philemon, the military force on the Pacific Is e1-
tremely email. By the returns OF the AdJutant
General, appended TO the report oil the Generalln-
Chief it appears that the entire force stationed on
the Pacific amounted, at the laet return, TO only
| seven hundred and thirty six men. This force Is
.
the inhabitants, particularly of Oregon. The Gov
ernor Of that Territory has represented this fact,
and has urged an increase of the force stationed
within ii. The means now at the disposal of the
| Department do not enable it to comply with this
! demand.
In my last annual report recommended the
/ creation of new regiment OF mounted men. The
withdrawal of the regiment oil mounted rltemen
! from the Pacific has, to some extent, diminished
the necessity of creating additional regiment of
thot description of force as that country is not pc
| cuarly adapted TO cavalry; and its place may
Well be supplied by infantry. Nevertheless, by
the report OF the General-n Chief IL will be seen
that no considers not only this additional regiment
Of cavalry but also an increase In the rank and hle
OF the infantry and artillery, as indispensably ne
cessary. While | feel some hesitation in urgin g
upon Congress any addition to the force on the
frontier, where the support of troops is attended
with such enormous expense, lcann& but acknow-
ledge the force of his remarks and the weight that
is due to bis recommendation. hope, therefore,
that the matter will be submitted to Congress.
The entire number of men borne on the rolls
amounts to l0, 53S, which, according to the usual
estimate, will furnish an effective force OF not more
than 8 500 men. When it is considered that this
small force is scattered over frontier of several
thousands OF miles in extent, its insuhclency Will
be apparent.
In my last annual report advered to the cnor-
nous increase in the expense OF supporting the
army, and to the causes that produced it. These
causes are, principally
First. That, as has been already stated more
than half of the whole army is stationed or
our remote frontier and SO far expenses are
concerned, may be considered as in active aerylc,
in time OF war.
, Second. That the military posts the frontier
were formerly on or near navigable rivers, bu
now, on the contrary are either far in the interior
OF the country the Pacific, and consequently
can only be reached by an overland journey o
hundreds OF miles, or by a sea voyage OF severa
thousand.
D The following is list of what most re
mote posts in lS45. and their respective distances
u from navigation
Fort Smelling, accessible by steamboats,.
Fort Leavenworth, do do
= Fort Wilkins, do do
| Fort Gibson, do do
Fort Jesup, "a miles from steamboat naviga
ton, by wagons.
Fort Atkinson, 81 miles from steamboat nayiga
ton, by wagons.
Fort Towson, 6 miles from steamboat naviga
ton, by wagons.
Fort Washita, SO miles from steamboat naviga
ton, by wagons.
r Fort Scott, 80 miles from steamboat navigation
by wagons.
Compare this list with that of some of the mos
remote posts at the present time:
! Indianola, the depot for the greater part o
the posts in Texas and some Of those in New Mex
leo, is five hundred and forty miles by water from
New Orleans. From this depot 1t is by wagons
To Fort Worth ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. APO miles
10 III faso. ......,........... 'oU3 90
/ 10 Doha Ana: .;'',.'.;;;;..,,''.'''S 59 do
To the post at the Copper Mines 979 do
c Fort Towson and Fort Smith, both depending OF
: New Orleans, are the frontier depos for the pos
E on the north line of Texas. The transportation b,
u wagons is
n From Fort Towson to Fort Belknap 302 miles.
9 From For, Smith to Fort Arbucke, l67 do
o. Fcrt Leavenworth, four hundred and twent,
miles from St. Louis by water is the frontier depo
!, for the posts on the Santa Fe and Oregon routes
u Thence it is by wagons
To Fort Laramie ............ 637 miles
{ To Fort Union. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 725 do
II To Santa Fe.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. S2l do
| tn Socorro dn
/, To San Juan ...... ...............l,U4 S do
d From St. Louis to Fort Smelling, by water, is 70
e miles, and thence to Fort Ripley, by wagons, IL
IS miles.
n From st. Louis to Keokuk, by water is II
u miles, and thence to Fort Dodge, by wagons, Is
e miles
/ large portion of the supplies for the posts Of
}; the Pacific are drawn from the Atlantic States.
9 Third The frontier posts, as may be seen b.
/ the foregoing list then situated in the mids
l. of fertile and productive country, where near
h all the supplies for the troops could be procured
s Now, on the contrary, they are for the most part
y in one Of the most unproductive rcgi,ns in tn
e world, which furnishes but small portion of th
c necessary supplies for an army. Those supple
must, therefore, all be drawn from the older State
Is and transported immense distances The conse
t. quence is that while in 1915 the cost of transpor
;, taton (ottrooPs and suPp!ies) wns, Sl50,053
o In l65O-5l II amounted to. 1904 40S
g In the former the cost of forage 1894 2
In the latter it was. j, 2S7 1927
The great increase in this last item arises mt
OIS IIOul Tue CAUSES just out also HOI
e the great incrcase of animals in the quartcrmaa
j ter's department. which in lS45 amounted only I
S-i7, and in lS50-5l to upwards Of S,000 and ais
to the fact that the mounted force has been great
J. increased.
. Fourth The great distance which troops hav
now to be transported in going TO and from th
e several posts.
c This Is very important item. Owing to tn
G smallness Of our army changes of station YER
J frequent; and instead OF being made, as they for
n nerly werc by water, they now made by land
e When it 10 rccollected what vast amount
n transportation is necessary for army on a lon
j. march, when not only their baggage, but supple
of every kind, Gncluding provisions for their dali
r consumpuon,) must be carried with them, som
idea may be formed of the expense attending thes
II changes ofstation. The above facts will serve il
some degree 10 explain the great increase that ha
i taken place in the expenditures Of that department
r For fuller explanations this subject, refer T.
It the accompanying report of the Quartermaste
General.
1t Is probable, however, that in some instance
the expenditures, both OF the Quartermaster's ant
the Commssary departments, may have been in
j. creased by NAL administration. The transaction
4 | of both these departments involve such a vnrct,