The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-11
PUBLIC DOCUME ENT.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
Washington, December /. 1858.
Report OF tue secretary Of War.

oil the opcralons oil HIS department uuiihx ue Pas'
The authorized strength OF The army Gas posedl
il 10 s2l officers and men hut " VIII be seen ny 'he
accompanying table. prepared IN The Ajuant Generals
office IRON the latest returns. that The actual strength
il only l0al7 vi this numbsT, S37S are employed IN
the frontier departments, or are nov on the route 10
them.
the prolec on of the Inhabitants OF our frontiers have,
under lha direction OF able aud jealous commanders,
been more haa usually successful The troops have
erywbere been actively and cons,aaily employed In
dian derredations have heen, comparatively. lnirqaeni
and except in California aud Oregon, have not attained
more lhaa local Importance.
Ia the Indian cousiIy nnedatey west Of The Mis-.
ssspp but three instances OF collisions have
CURED. Arraage mis- now III progress which, by
the establishment Of new posts IN more favorable posi-
lions, will enable the department TO dispense with nun
Der ot the smaller and less important posts 10 give IN
creased security 10 that ontier TO employ greater
force or the poieclio OF the emigration crossing
plains OF lhe West and at the same lime, materially az
ninsh The oil the military establishment IN tha'
part oil ihc country.
quency and in importance, and IN majority OF the cases
that have been brought 20 The notice OF the department
the de,reda,,ons have been committed by Indians from
Mexican terriloy. AS The Rio GIande is the boundary
between this county and Mexico, and the positions to be
u,ed on il or the protection OF that frontier and the
iuhIment oil treaty slipulaons with the repubc OF
Mexico, will in all probably, be permanent the force
that river has been considerably Increased aud arrange
menis are being made, under te direction OF NJ sIor
tsenr al Smith. aided by experienced ouhcer OF ens
nee select he most suitable positions Tor the ataln
men Of these objects, and Tor The construction of field
works Tor their defence OF TINS system orders
have been given for tue establishment tor strong post
on the RIO Gfande, opposite The Mexican town OF III
Psso. in The neighbolhood OF which Indian hosuiites
anil COLLISIONS between the frontier inhabitants OF the two
countries have occurred. II is also contemplation
establish large post al the point here The great trail o
the Cumanche Indians the R,o Gfande. OIhsr
dispositions tor the control OF the Indians the northern
frontier OF Texas aso proyress and when they
completed the department hopes with confidence, to give
very great degree oi security to both the Mexican and
Indian frontiers ot that Stale.
New Mexico has been comparatively exemp, from In
dian Disturbances during the las, year. The few that
have occurred have generally been traced 10 maraues
and outlaws. tor Whose actions none OF the trbes o haa
country can justly be held responsible Those 10 which
they nominaly belong have gwen assurances which, IL
is believed. they endeavorng in good ialth to carry
oni OF their intention 10 aPpehend and deliver up these
maIaudes and restore the property plundeEed by them
The Indians OF Caliiorna end Oregon numerous
and warke but. they were divided into small ine-
pendent bands havug no general head, and were, in
great measure, destitute OF hfe-arms. Their hosites in
previous years wee not important Nov, hewever, tha!
tho RAPIDLY x,ending settlements OF those
driving the Indians from their accustomed hanns and
crowding them into narrower limits, they forced into
cembnzllons both formidable and frequent. Within ,he
pssl three wears their hosuieslhe result in many in
stances ot the intrusion and aggrs ssons OF The whites
have been almost uninterrupted and II s officially knos
that. No.thefn Caltornia and Southern Oregon Alone
within this period. the lives OF more than hundrel
whites and several hundred Indians have been sacrificed
in collisions between the two The force that
country 10 mol now aud has been. sufficient and,
Impressed with the itea OF lis entire inadeQuacy the de-
panent some since ordered regiment OF artillery
10 the Pacinc and designed send there addl-
ooa regiment Of infantry but IL was found that the state
oi The service would not then does 1t yet, admit o,
il. The hr.t mail from the Pacific, subsequest TO the
issue Of this ORDER brought intelligence oil renewed hos
uues, in which than ofy lives lost BY the
zeal and activity OF Genesl Lane delegate IRON Oregon
Territory command OF volunteer orce. aided BY the
few regular troops that the neghborhood, host
Ties suppressed and the Indians compelled for
pesce 1hese operations appear TO have been cond
ws,h great ecergy Judgment, and In the final con
act, General Lane and Captain Alden 1.-THE latter
Dand oil the regular Ioops) both severely wounded
while gsllanty leading charge against The Indians.
There however, no assurance that peace be
tanned unlrss force adequate to the control ol the ln
dams ia stsohed in their midst Ii is the intention of
toe department that this shall be doue, aud as
possible considerable additional force Will be
the Pacific and OF The brgad generals OF the army
ofieed thee 10 command.
The territories between the Rocky mountains and
the Sierra Nevada Inhabited BY numerous and warke
bands Of lndans. liost,ies existing bet ween
them and the inhabitants OF Utah Territory, and they are
constantly occurring on the emigration through
that nouo,y from the western States possessions
on the Psc,nc. is due 10 our citizens who settled
IN psss through. those remote regions ba, their lives
and popef,y should be projected bat the department 10
without the means ol fulfilling ib- duty.
Tbs measures adopted By the DEPARTMENT of the lbie
under the last administration Tor the OF the
lev ksm,noes remaining IN Fouda having tailed II was
oonshesd sdssable 10 transfer ihe control vi these u
diane 70 This department, Tor the purpose OF emgrang
them 10 the county ives OF the Arkansas An expert
eneed o6icer OF the army. who - well acquainted with
their character sst sesses their confidence, has been
utrNsted with this duty and. with view TO strengthen
hs enors aud al the same time be prepared
Give IL such should be necessary, force con.
s,s,ins Of hire companies OF artillery. posted in the
peninsula OF Fosds- II hoped that the thus
taken will be attended with tavo able results.
The appropriation oil March 81, 1858. ior remountns
the tour additional light batteries authorized BY the &C,
OF Mach 81 ls47 has been found sufcien, 10 nl
bul tree o them II IL recommen that n the appro.
pfasions for the support OF the army for
year. provision be made Tor mounting and equppng the
rsmnning company
For HE details OF the movements Of troops du,ng the
psst year. and their present disposition, reference re
sr.c,uly made 10 the report OF the commanding
.rAi sn tie accompanying isbles, which are transmitted
hers sith. 4e
The disposition and employment OF The army msst de-
pend up,a The necesse- ct the service bot II NOTHING
npforsAeen Should tits propose arrange two OF
the ments of arlery TO lbe Canada isOnsr and 10
the Atlantic and gull coasts the ibud to the Rio Gfande
boundary, aud the fourth 10 the Pacific coast The
troop the seabosfd will te concentrated much a.
possible and at each Of the posts occupied BY them will
be provided the means necessary for the instruction OF OF
hcsrs and IN all the duties OF tseir profession The
sane course will be adopted. far practicable. at the
posts the Mexican frontier and PsciEc occu-
ped ny the artillery. and generally wherever be
done consistently WITH proper degree OF economy. OF
the three cavalry regImens, will be required in Tex.
as one IN New Mexico, and the remaining one for the
western frontier, fof service the plans and for the
peetrston OF ewsrssis fourth is needed for The Pa
cue and The country between the Rocky mountains aud
the SeSn Nevada. and II ~ hoped thar Congraas VIII
ssthouze ts oresnxson. Three regiments OF lnIantry
reqslred Texas on the frontier west of he
iisuss,pya, IN New Mexico. and he remaining Two
the Indian couniry OF the Pacific In another parl OF
me report shall invie your attention TO the necessity
IoI 1n increase OF tina force,
The companies OF several OF the regiments. narcu