The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-12-10
Affairs in Kansas.
HEAD QUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE WEST.
Fort L~eavenworth, Nov IL, 1856.

Fort Leavenworth, Nov. IL, 1856.
CoLoNEL:-Since my last communi
cation nothing of Importance has hap
pened in the department.. After tn
success of the measures taken SOM
weeks since to prevent the gross out
RACES on the law, then threatened, and t.
suppress the disorders then existing Ii
this Territory, order and tranquility
have gradually resumed their Legitimate
sway; the laws have again been put IL
operation, and the administration of jus
tice revived. Deserted farms are agar
occupied, fences rebuilt, fields put under
c~ultivation, and the ruins of houses de
stroyed by fire replaced by more dura'
Bile babitations; the roads are covered
with travellers unarmed and secure; and
the towns thronged with persons selling
their produce and purchasing from the
stores. All these evidences of restored
order have enabled me, with the concur
renee of the Governor of the Territory,
to recall the troops from the active duty
on which they nave been employed, and
to establish them again at their proper
posts, where they are to pass the winter.
As there are no ecure prisons yet bulls
LOT the C6rrlIOrlal duIuOTlJleS W use IL
the administration of justice, at his re-
quest there will remain at the disposi-
ton of the Governor a few men to guard
prisoners in the custody Of the law and
for other such contingencies.
| am happy, then, to be senabled to
announce to the War Department, and
through it to the President, the entire
success Of the measures they directed to
be taken for the suppression of iusurrec-
tion and removal of distractions to the
regular administration of justice, and
that this end has been attained without
the shedding of blood or the exertion of
any force beyond the ordinary arrest of
persons accused of crimes.
The troops in the field have been un-
der the immediate command of Lieut..
Col. Philip St. G.. Cooke, I'd dragons.
The sound judgment he has displayed,
and his promptness, energy, and good
management, have had a large share in
producing the happy state of affairs at
present existing, for there were moments
when the want of either of these quail
ties might rave led to the most fatal and
extended disasters. And the officers and
men of the I'd dragons under Brevet
Major III. Fl. Sibley; LIST cavalry, under
Lieut.. Col. Joseph e. johnson and Ma
jor John Sedgwick; and of the battal-
ion of the 9th infantry, under Lieut..
Col. George Andrews, commanding that
regiment, all partake of the credit at
tached to their good conduct and labors
in the duty just concluded.
The winter has commenced With Sc
verify much earlier than usual, and it il
now too late to send the companies of
the 9th infantry to the posts further
West-their original destination. From
necessity they must be crowded into the
quarters at Fort Leavenworth. The
great reduction IN the number of men in
the LIST cavalry will render this possible
now, which it would not be if the latter
regiment was full.
Being no longer occupied with tho
affairs of this Territory, which have
caused so much uneasiness, undivided
attention can be paid to preparations for
Furnishing the Cheyennes Indians. In
pursuing them in the spring the great
want will be fordage and transportation
for supplies. Pasturing animals in rap
id movements is impossible; nor can
horses perform regain Jay 5 Wofk OH
grass; in short, for daily journeys grass
is sufficient; for there is time to pasture,
and very little labor to undergo. Ad-
ditional appropriations will therefore be
to provide for the expedition,
which must be chiefly of mounted mer,
and ought to be ready by the middle of
April. The details of the force and the
directions of the operations N now
be determined; but a general appropria-
ton of an additional sum-much less,
however, than that given to the Sioux
eXpedition-will be advisable.
l will again repeat that 1 consider
tranquility and order entirely restored
in Kansas. I foresee nothing in the
shape of disorder that the ordinary
means in the hands of the civil authori-
thy, directed by as able and energetic
hands as those of the present governor,
are not amply sufficient to control; and
the whole time and efforts of the troops
here can henceforward be devoted to the
protection of the frontier.
With the highest respect, your ODE
dent servant,
PERSIFER F. SMITH,
Commanding Department.
Colonel Samuel Cooper,
Adjutant General of the Army.