New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-13
I'VE shah publish additiond! T''e' IN 'DT ''F'
n
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
INCREASE OF TIE ARMY.


sf.ssn regiments. divided as follows: OF Dragons
two regiments, of Artillery four reg uens, Mounted
Rife. ore re giment and of Infantry eight regiuents-
giving total OF 9,377 men, There 10 also company
Of sanners and Miners stationed a, Yves, Point This
small force Is expected 70 keep in repair vaous ior'
6cAtiops ON our sesboari and also, and by FAR the
most difficult task to protect our western trontiers
and the small settlements along our borders guard
the main routes Of travel to Oregon and Caiuorpa,
ard in fact to keep in subsection the numerous tnoes
Of Indians which over our western prarles, resdy
TO pounee upon any unfortunate traveller or unwary
settler who by circumstances or distance from settle,
Ynents NAV prove easy prey 10 their unexpected
attack Not only do our "piOneers OF civilization
suffer from their attacks in which the loss OF property
and total destruction Of Improvements the least that
can be expected but SO bold have these lodians be-
come Of late that on more than one occasion wtsin
he last few months United States troops have suffered
severely from thei. attacks. The great emigrans
routes 10 California and Oregon by land, have be-
come noted for the daring assaults OF the Comanches
ApAches and other tribes California, oregon, Tex
a. ard New.Mexico are the scenes Of conflict be-
tween the soldiers and Indians, and II is common
remark among those whose experience IN such mat
ters entities their opinions to favorable consideration,
"tbat the Indians are not only growing bolder but
"are learning how 20 fight, and this is absolutely the
fact By frequent contact with our troops, IN sklr-
m.hes they are fact losing the impression of their In
ypcibiy In battle and begetting confidence in them
seve and the small parties that are usually SENT OUT
in pursuit of Indians lend until we haye more troops
II cannot be helped are ept from their very paucry
of numbers to in0gce an attack spd as lndisns al
ways attack in sprerior NUMBERS. partles arc
either defeated or find themselves too weak 20 profit
by the OPPORTUNITY to chasse the savages, which Is
not By any means thing Of frequent occurrence.
In Texas the depredstous of the Indians have of
late been so frequent that large force Of "Nolun
"tser Raj gers have been musterednto the service Of
the state by the Governor for the protection OF her
citizens duty which the General Government Is un-
able to perform from want of troops. For several
wears past the attention of Government officers has
been dir cted TO the subject OF controlling the To-
disps within our borders, and various expedients have
been resorled to TO attain that end. AT hmes IL has
been ahsoluieN necessary 10 call into service, for
short period OF time bodies OF volunteer troops,
lmouuted rangers armed with the ilhe 10 prevent
their nrosds. Infantry companies have at times been
furnished with horses and required 10 perform tue
duty of cavalry soldiers, armed with musket and
,.,.,.. If any person doubtthe inetdeeney of such
troop.. LEI him mount horse ard ma what difficulty
he has in carrying musket not taxing mo eohs'e'
alton the efficient use of the weapon on horseback.
If In ADDITION you consider that many men eust in
Infantry regiments, because they cannot ride, you
csn arrive at toerably just conclusion t. the
sult Of On encounter between such troops and the
Comanches ard Apaches reputed to be the beau ideal
OF horsemen. Still, Ia spite of the Disadvantages be-
fore mentioned, mounted infantry deserve great
6ea of credit. The zeal of officers and men made up
in some me6- ure for the want of proper equipment
and drill This was found to operate badly. Officers
ard men naturally became dissatisfied AZ not receY-
ug tho pay Of cavalry and il wasabandored. Indian
depr. datons contnued the troops were posted Ia The
midst of tie Indians aud scouting parties b)th mount
al ana on foot hepf up far as possible comnunica-
ton between the different posts. and oil that 30 few
men could do was DONE without hardly checking this
Indians Citizens pettoned n er Governors for pro-
lection and Governors retered the matter 70 the
General Government, which, anxious TO AFFORD relief,
fH.a 10. e.. .f.E.r nd NM af-
tiers stard al the present time Nobody can deny that
our present Secretary OF War has not dOne all m his
POWER to place The Army upon sucha footing rs would
enable To sord troopso protect her citl-
zeus from Indan depredAt0ns. HeUrged the subject
in his as Annual report, aud with the conviction of
the nt cegsy Of increase asked Congress Tor an
Increase OF tsO regiments OF Rtemen and one Of
Dragons.
lie necessity of An increase must be obvious to the
most ihcughcs. IL is not necessary to refer 10 our
r launs with foreign nations, which may well cause
every prudent man and lover Of his country honor
70 me- mber that il is best In time 1T peace pre-
pare for war" but ii he will but glance over the
II ap ard look at the extent OF country TO be protect
cd ard think of the number OF defenseless citizens
scattered along frontier, and our large emgrGnt
routes, ana then compare the force OF the United
States with what they are required TO perform, |
Think that even the most strenuous oppOser of a
standing army will acknowledge tast it is more
than can be expected from our small army.
Since tbs war with Mexico a large amount Of terri
tory has been added which is inhabited by
tribes Of lEcisns, with many Of whom treaties of
frerdshp have been made Tina and again but only
to he broken by them Oh the first favorable 0pp0rtu
mtg Experience has proved that physical force is
required 10 them into quietness aud that the Gov
erDmtut caLBOs employ for want Of soldiers. These
t. bes over our Western possessions ia state Of
native widness, recognizing no power unless stronger
than thcmseYes, AID naturally looking with some.
thing like contempt upon the small parties Of troops
sent against thCm from our frontier posts Ii - not
difficult thing for person living the old States
her he irfi hay ad
the advance of civilization, and secure in his life
and property from the unexpec ed attack OF the willy
red msn 20 read the daily reports OF the rsyages con-
mi.ted on our deel.eess frontiers by Indians without
Its making the slightest impression his mind; but
place him and his family in situation to feel the full
horrors that surround the settler il any Of Wy
acquired possessions and venture to say that his cry
for suecor will come to US coupled with ind gnant re-
prOsches against the Government for neglectiug so
valuable portion of her citizens. We want more
mounted troops 10 operate against the lGdiAns Of the
plains who are all horsemen, and we want two or
three rsgn eats of remen for service against the foot
Incians Of California ana Oregon
Tire rife has become one Of the NOS! deadly
weepors that cen be placed ID the hands Of SOLDIER
and If il i. considered that the rifle is peculiarly an
American weapon the prOprety of raising a corps Of
rifemen may well occupy the attention Of the com.
ing Congress. Let any one refer 10 the accounts Of
the execution done With the rife aud Mimic ball in
the late battles between the Russians ana the allied
forces and he cannot but be astOnished. Artillery
killed at their guns at distances which seem
incredible. II such results can be Ataiaed with tAe
weapon in the hands Of men who however expert,
cannot have the same confidence 10 the arm as
p6non acCuftOneu to handle a rife from bOyhooi,
what might rot be expected from body recruited
from our young men, to whom the rife il perfectly
familiar There could be no more formidable body Of
troops than ouT western men armed with the Miais
rife. During the last wsr the regiments that were
AIMED with the rife very distinguished, and the
murdCrcus fire of the Mississippi Rifles at the bat.Ie
Of Buera VISTA under commsnd Of Col Davis our
present Secretary Of War, is famiiar TO everybody
But particularly border warfare with indians is