New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-09

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r. = ,o1te 10 Oregon and Utah. On the 18Th o' Au-
-, Lent Grattsn. OF The 9Th lnffntry, was rent oy
the Con- msnder OF that post with thirty neu to arrest
an offender. This entire detachment was massscred
nv the Indiana with tha exception of ole an who
esesped severely wounded aad subsequently died.
The circumstances of this affair we're AZ fret involved
in much obscurity, but aEiheBt, cetaiis have since
proved that the massacre was the result OF De
iibeietely formed plsn, prompted by knOsiedge
Of the weakness of the garrison ~ Fort Lara
ME, and by the temptation 10 plumber the large
quantity OF pubic and private stores sccumul1ief
at and rear that poet. The number OF toe lu1isns
engaged in this affair was between ! 200 ADD 1000.
regret that il has not been in the power of TIE De-
pariment to concentrate the troops In suiceG, force
TO prevent aid in all cases 10 punish these Disorders
The circumstances OF the service have been suca ana
the ant of troops in all sections Of the c)datry so
great that the concentration would have expos5f pof-
lions Of the frontier TO Indian hosttes without any
protection whatsver. Every favorable opportunity
will be taken to post the troops IL Commanding posi-.
tons from which they can exercise SUPERVISION oil
the Iodisn country and operate to the best advantage
The events Of The past year have furnished many e1'
amples OF the ineiCiency of small posts. our entre
loss in the several actions with the iodians daring
the year. has been officers and b3 nsh kiiieu, ahd
officers and AZ men wounded. While the occurrences
on or frontier and in the Indian Territory present
gratifying evidences Of the zeal ana oeVouon OF tue
troops they also furnish deporable proofs OF the IN
suficeDcy Of our military force, and the absolute ne
cessity of the increase which was my duty 10 urge
ip nv LAST annual report again solicit attention to
this subject and in doing must repeat, to some ex
tent what was then urged.
For military purposes the territory Of the United
States is divided into five geographical command
/. The Department # the East-Embraciag all the
country east of the Mississippi River. This depart
ment has Q 600 miles of seaboard, l,sOO miles OF for
eign and about 200 miles OF Indian frontier. OF the
50 permanent Notifications and barracks the Lake.
Atlantic and Gulf Coasts now completed, or neatly
40 and requiring garrisons to protect the posts cities
and national establishments which they cover, only II
are now garrsoned leaving the remainder exposed 70
q sudden or unexpected attack from any naval power.
The total force in this Department at the date of the
last returns was only 574 officers and men, ard Of
this number 500 employed on the Indian frontier
of Florida.
Q. The OepIytment Of the Wcst--Incudes the coun-
try between the mississippi River and the Rocky
Mountains except the Departments Of Texas and New
Mexico. II has a seaboaTd, foreign and Indian from
tier Of 400 miles, 1000 miles OF routes through the
Indian country constantly traversed by emgr7nts
| their way to Utah. New. Mexico and our possessions
on the Pacific end Indian population Of $50 900,
large proportion Of whom are in feeling hostile TO u',
and many Of them at this time actively The total
force in the Department. at the date OF the last re-
! turns vas ,s55 officers and men.
| g. The DEPARTMENT Of TeIas- Nearly the whole of
that State has seabosd frontier not yet protected by
fortified atoms of 400 mles foreign and Indian from
tier nearly 1000 miles, and communications through
! the Indian country Of more than 200 miles
The Indian population is estimated at 30 900 nearly
all Of whom are nomadc and predatory, and the west
ern and northern frontiers of the State exposed to
constant inroads from the Indians of Mexico and the
pIars The force in that Department at the date OF
/ the last returns, was 9 ESQ officers and men.
| T. The Department Of Nep Merico.-This Depart
ment has an Indian and foragnr0nterof 800 miles,
commune atoms through the Indian country of more
| than thousand miles, and population of &c, O0O a
great proportion Of whom are predatory bands who
do lot the authority OF the United States.
The force in the Department at the date Of the last
returns was ,65i officers and men,
u aIpIn I Ila he Ifnlar Amin flal
State of California and the Territories Of Oregon,
Washington and Utah and part Of the Territory of
NewMexico. This department has a seaboard from
tier of 500 miles, entirely unprotected by fortlca
ton exec the works ia progress IN San Francisco;
an Irdian and foreign frontier OF 900 miles, more
than 1000 miles Of communication through the Indian
country, and an Indian population of 1874 900, who
/ are becoming formidable from concentration. from
the acquisition Of fire arms and a knowledge of their
use The force in this Department is only 800 OIL
GERS and men, but heretofore mentioned they will
be increased by en- additional regiment ordered there.
To rec0pulaie, we have seaboard and foreign
frontier Of more than 10 900 miles Indian frontier
and routes through the country requiring constant
protection of more thD : 900 miles, and an lndia
population of ore than 10000, OF whom probably
oDe-hs,f, 10 900 warriors, are iolm;sl and only
wait the opportunity to become active eoemies. IL
our Army should be expanded to its greatest limit it
would have force Of 4,73l officers and men. but
Z as a large allowance must always be made for alb
senees Aids, &c. the effective force would prob
ably never exceed ii 600.
That this force is entirely inadequate TO the par
pores for which MAINTAIN any standing army,
needs no demonstration and take occasion again
to urge the necessity of such immediate increase as
will at least give some degree OF security to our In
dian frontier. That for this purpose, regular force
is only the efficient aud chesp but the proper ana
constitutional means seems to me deinonstrabls, II
not obvious The President ia authorized TO call out
the militia 10 repel invasion and suppress iasurrec
ton. Thee are the emergencies for which II was
deemed proper to confer upon the Executive the
moi IN cal ri
ayocatons and these are the great occasions
on which they may be justly expected TO make
all the personal sacrifices which the safety OF the
country may require. Ii Is IN this veT that we
babtually and securely look 10 the militia our re-
lance for national defense. 1t was not the design of
the Constitution and laws 10 enable the PRECEDENT to
raise and maintain a standing army; but this would
be the practical effect OF ~er al his discretion, TO
call the militia into service and employ them for the
ordinary duty Of preserving order in the Indian terri
tory. The abuse to which such power, il il were
possessed would be subject, sufficiently attests the
wisdom of forefaihers ia not comforting It, and
must remove from u any desire to posses IT, Ii this
view of tine subject be correct, it folio vs. that the
Executive must look at the army regularly au horned
by law 10 preserve police among the Indian tribes, and
TO give that protection TO pioneer settlements which
interest humanity and duty alike demsnd. The
organic alton of the two Territories and the i'm
pulse given thereby to emigration towards the west
frontier and the increase in the overland trains
the Pacific possessions have multiplied the opportani-
ties well the causes of Ind an depreciation and
hostes. 1t is reasonable 10 expect that the ensuing
years will be mark cd by aud serious In
dian ou,rages than the last any preceding year Oar
border seleme hts extending from the Missouri to the
West, and from the Pacific Ocean 10 tbs East, are
ste ably pressing the savage tribes into limits
and ali uIproductve region, from which result com
binations of bands heretofore separated from each
other producing at the time by their cOncentra
ton, increase of power and diminuton of their
ability 10 live by the precarious products of the chase
Hence two-fold necessity for an inchease of our mil
itsIy force. The question of economy in the employ
ment Of the for this purpose has been requen