The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-11-21
An Indian War.

The hostile incursions of Indians in our new
territories, and the border raids and outrages
which form the sad burthen Of nearly all the
late intelligence received from these quarters,
indicate with sufficient strength how great was
the neglect which has left that portion of the
country without adequate military protection,
and how weighty will be the responsibility i'm
posed upon Congress to remedy an evil that
has already produced such bloody results. The
depredations of these Indians have for years
been growing more frequent, their outrages
more atrocious and the spirit Of animoSity that
produces them more audacious; and yet in the
face of these indications and with perfect
comprehension Of the fact that our means of
frontier defence have not kept pace with the
extension ofour territory, Congress has refused
to authorize those additions to the strength Of
the army which were so imperatively needed.
1t is but just to say that whatever responsible.
ty-and it is a fearful one-belongs to the oc-
currence Of the late massacrees Of emigrants,
the invasion of settlements and the slaughter of
troops, whose weakness exposed them to the
ferocity of the savages, it cannot be laid to the
charge OF the Secretary War. The exgency
finds the War Department with its resources
exhausted, and its means of defence crippled
by the refusal of Congress to depart from the
policy that has kept the military force Of the
country so far below what was plainly required.
The skeleton companies Of foot soldiers we have
kept upon the frontier were only provocative
of Indian outrages. and it needed but an ocea.
sion which would show their weakness to bring
down upon them general attack. That weak
ness has now been shown, the troops are no
longer dreaded by the Indians, and in addition
to the frequent cases Of outrage already record.
ed, the apprehension Of q general and organized
Indian warfare is seriously entertained.
There is certainly good ground for the ex.
tremest solicitude in these facts, and an evident
necessity foran immediate and decided increase
of our military force, especially of the proper
description of troops for frontier service. There
were several efforts made at the last Congress
by the Military Committee of the House Of
Representatives, to increase the efficiency Of
the Army, but of all the measures proposed,
only one, an increase of pay, was granted
This had a good effect in enabling the Secretary
of War to reinforce the army, and bring it up
to the low standard of numerical efficiency au-
thorized BY law. But tits was not sufficient.
The Secretary Of War then recommended an
addition Of three regiments, and recent events
have since shown that this increase would
scarcely have been equal to the emergency that
has already presented itself, and which threatens
to grow in the future. The subject will need
again to be presented to Congress with all the
force of the threatening realities connected
with it, and will require from that body prompt
and adequate measures. With the numerous
Indian tribes in our Western wilds already in
undisguised hostility, and with the threatening
cloud of serious difficulties with the Mormon
zealots of the plains hanging over US, it is the
dictate of even the most ordinary wisdom to
prepare for troubles that may perhaps be ho-
ly averted, certainly speedily surmounted, if
met in the right way.-BaH american.