M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-02-02
WAR DEPARTMESr. AZ 4,
WAsHIEoToN, Jan Is. 1855. /

SIR: In the annual report from this
Department. OF December 1853. Jour st.
tention was called to the state of the
Western Indian tribes and the causes
which tesnded TO bring them into h6stIt.
IVY 'sithour citizens. Theexhpse5 COP
ditioh Of the settlements on the frontier.
and Of emigisnts u California and 0t9.
gon passing the Indian TERRITORY With
their property presented to- these war.
like and predatory tribes Temptations
which it was ioreseen would lead them
TO acts Of massacre and plunder. .unless
they were restrained By The presepesoG
sufficient military ioice. ',,.tfU.u
The total insdequacy of the present.
authorized military force for the protee.
tion Of our citizens was shown, and an
increase of the army was urgently rs.
com tnended. ... F'F 90.
In my last annual report the snbieet
was sgain Brought forward, with the ID.
ditional consideration presented by ,hs
realization, in some measure, of the
evils which had been anticipated, and an
increase Of the army TO such en- eSislt
as would enable the Department to meet
the ineyentsbls emergency. was urged
in such terms as seemed TO be demand.
ed by the occasion, and to demonstrate
the necessity Of the means. !sa iGalou
Since the date Of ths. report, Ia ntent'
gence received from tho officers on the
frontier, and through the Department Of
the Interior, from Indian Agents and
other sources, shows that the Indiana OF
the Western prsiries and mountains are
in hostile and defiant attitudej that sev.
eral Of those tribes have entered into
com binativns for the purpose Of making
general war upon the whites duting
the approaching spring and summer, and
that these tribes can bring into the Geld
from four 20 six or eight thousand war.
riors. Had the increase of the army,
which was urged in my report of Decsm.
ber, l9oS,been at an early period author.
lied, the force at the disposal of the Dc.
partment would have been su6cient TO
prevent these com binstions, and, IL all
probability. would have preserved the
lives OF many valuable citizens from Ia.
dian massacre, f m2hllis
This measure, however, hasnot been
acted on; and at this advanced period.
should the bills now pending be passed,
it will be found too late 10, orgshiIeis
regular enlisted force and place Ii in
position in season to prevent the en:ia-
iPated attack, or to Suppress il until after
much mischief shall have been done.--
The only course now left to the Depart
ment. in anticipation Of the proposed in.
crease, in the employment Of q yoIun.
teet force TO CO oper with such ofths
regular troops as can be collected fotthn
present emergency; and il is, according.
ly, recommended that authority be ASA
ed OF Congress to call into service 5000
mounted volunteers. to be organized into
companies, squadrons and battalions,
and TO serve for period of eight months,
unless sooner discharged. isi ssg A
Should the proposed increase Of the
army be authorised during, the present
session Of Congress. il is hoped thstths
. two additional regiments Of ca velry may
be organized, mounted ana put in posi-.
tien to relieve the volunteers some time
during the summer or fall; aud theitwe
regiments of infantry recruited aud of.
ganized for service 10 the depsIpAsnl Of
the Pacific, and on our extreris liorth-
} western frontier whese troops are Sssft.
ly needed. 7l a.l ltsls) : ~
\ Very rsspeetfuIl =. yonr sb't sess'k. :,
JErY DAVIS. Sec'y Of Was.
70 the Ptesidszt esths Unitsd sntsf