The daily union., 1852-12-09
WAR DEPARTMENT.,
Washington, December 4, 1852

:
WAR DEPARTMENT.
Washington, December 4, 1852.
SIR beg leave 10 submit brief account OF The opera
lions of this department during The year
The efforts OF The department have been principally di-
reced The defence OF our frontiers and those OF Mex
co IRON The Indian ifbes within our borders. For
this purpose, OF about 1000 officers and men borne
on the rolls o The army about 900 are employed IN the
defence OF Texas, New Mexico. California, and Oregon,
OF OF emigrants desuned 10 The two last
affords great pleasure 10 say that the efforts oi
the department Tor this purpose have been attended with
more lnan usual success as
TIE benefits that anticipated from The udicious
arrangements made by the commanders oi the oth and
9Th military departments Texas and New Mexco) have
been iuily realized. VITA the exception OF poron OF
The RIO GranJe country, The former has been compara-
lively exempt ,foU Indian depredalioDs A number OF
pesous oil desperate character and fortunes were at
,,acted that frontier b. The awless attempts OF Carsa-
h and aer his defeat they dispersed through the coun
iy and resoIted 10 plunder tor subsistence On the
other hand many o Tie nhabilanis of Mexico either
sought avenge themselves Tor The wrongs Inflicted ON
them BY that and his followers or found IN
his lawess proceedings lnshcati, Tor their own ana
reaaled the peaceable Inhabitants.
The Indians IN hat vicinity avaled themselves Of the
confusion and aa' eonst qien. upon .s state OF things
10 renew their deIeJalions Ihes, robbefes and even
presentations, were The consequence.
Although lLe prevention or punishment OF disorders
Ike theses when commit ed by others than Indians, be-
longs rather the civil authorities OF the State than 10
the military force CT tie United Safes, the commanding
officer used every eAeilpn 10 put stop TO them and Tor
that ordtTrd several addHonat companies CI
troops 10 the part The Stale where they had occurred
IL believed mat these have been, al least par
italy, successful So long, however, as The species OF
border warsre wh!ca has lately been carried on in that
region between The 6hahlans of The Two countries
nnues, il will be dlhcu', II not impossible, with any
number Of uoops, and with the srcest vigilance on the
part Of officers 10 prevent, on so extensive IRON
ller, repetition ol these disorders.
In New Mex co the depredaions OF the Indians have
been entirely arrested The Nayaos and The Apaches the
formidable lr bes IN all tnai REGION have been
completely oyea~td and manifest every desire 10 be at
peace with the whites
In consequence OF frequent collisions between the In
dams and the white inhabitants oil California and Oregon
il deemed advisable to send the 4h regiment oil IN
ianly the Pacific, 10 replace the mounted remen that
had been ordered thence 10 Texas l
Intelligence has been recently received that the Yuma
Indians, bold and hostile tribe, occupying portion OF
eountry the Ga and Colorado rivers. whose inroads
depredaons have been The Of frequent annoy
and aaim 10 the inhabitants boh OF our own terri
Tory aad oil the Mexican Stale OF Sonora, have agreed 10
peace.
The troops stationed the frontier may justly be
dered active servicea service TOO, IN which they
exposed 10 all the hardshps and dangers OF with
lis excitement 10 stimulate or its hopes oi honorable
distinction to sustain them.
Owing TO The many officers who. from disability or
other causes excused IRON duty, the and
sponsbies OF command frequently d. volve on q smal!
number; and the establishment during the last OF
number OF new posts has added vety much 10 the la
bors both OF The officers aud men nevertheless it al
fods great pleasure 10 bear testimony the cheer.
fulness aud alacrliy with which all have discharged
Their duties To Brevei Major General Smith and Bre-
vet Colonel Sumner IA particular much praise is due.
The former, although feeble health, has been unre.
hitting in his and 10 his energy and iudicous
arraorenents his department is greatly for the
comparative tranquility II enjoys. The latter has not
only succeeded atIeslIng the lncursons oil the Indians
within his command, but has greatly reduced its ex.
penditues :,
great energy and prudence, and done all that posi-
bic TO do with very inadequate force, and amid many
dhculues and embafassments 10 project his extensive
command
regret 10 say that the attempt 10 cultivate farms by
the troops has but IN few instances. during the past
been attended with beneficial results This failure
owing IN part 10 the constant activity IN which II has
been found necessary TO keep the troops, and TO The
eessy OF employing them in The construction OF barracks
and ia other works al the many posts that have
centy been established Hopes are entertained, how
ever that when alr trial OF the experiment can be made
will, at least al such OF the posts as are favoraby SIT
uaed for the purpose. be more successful
In spite OF this failure OF the unusual activity OF the
troops during the pas, season. and OF the fact that so
large portion OF them staonedon the remote iron-
ter, have the satisfaction TO announce that the expend-
ures have been considerably feducsd and ths too, n
the Quariermaser's deparmen-hsi branch OF the SER
wee oi which the expenditures most affected by these
circumstances The expenses OF that department, aseer
tanned and estimated texcusve OF clothing, the am0uu
o which IS fixed by permanent, regualons) continue "a
exhibit an annual decrease, VIZ Tor the current year. az
compared with the last year, reduction OF Sooi 49, and
for The aext year. compared with the current year,
luuher reduction OF S50U00O.
In spite, however, OF every effort 10 reduce the ex.
penses OF The army they must continue TO be very great 40
proportion 10 its numbers, oag as II necessary "a
maIpiain so large force in countries which supply sc
le OF what s necessary 10 its support as those IN which
the greater part OF u is now stationed. beg leave
therefore, repea, the suggestion contained my las
annual report, that sound policy, no less than humanity
requires that some other than force should be
ed restrain the Indians and 10 prevent the frequent
collisions that between them and the white nhnbi
IN their neighbofhood The whole history oi our
county shows that whenever the two brought
frequently into contact collisions Generally produced by
aggfessons OF stronger the weaker pafy) in
tviable know OF no other means BY which those col.
sons can be prevented than rgid adherence TO the
policy which has heretofore been successfully pursued
Of setting apart portion OF territory Tor tue exclusive
occupancy o the Indians.
officially occurs IN the application of this policy TO
Texas By the terms Of The compact admitting that State
uo the Union she reserved TO herself all the vacant ter
fory within her limits II - understood that she
knowedges Tight OF occupancy IN the Indians within
her boders bui pfoce de- lay of her territory INTO
es and fast il Is needed, 10 sell ~ without assign
ing any portion Of il TO them providing IN any oDer
node for their support Nothing could be more cslcula
Tel 10 alarm and uItste the Indians and 10 proiuce col
hslons between them aud the wnIies than the adoption
Oi this policy IT, IN fact dives the luiians 10 despefa
hon, by leaving them alternative but 10 steal or TO
saive. also depiges the government OF the unl,ed
oaes OF that control them and OF The territory they
occupy which is necessary Tor their preservation as
well a. for the safety OF the white settlements IN their
vicinity II the United States bound 10 project Texas
against the Indians, II " manifest that The government oi
NAT State should do noihnk 10 Ihwari, bot on the con-
vary, all 10 its power TO promote, the iulhmenl ot this
duty. thetefore respec fny suggest the expedepcy OF
ehdeavorng 10 make arrangement with that State
whereby portion OF her vast unoccuped domain may be
temporarily allotted to the exclusive occupancy oi TIE ln-
dlans within hei borders.
What policy, hoseyef, il may be deemed proper TO