The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-20
FOR the uniou
fYE ARHY--O OUGIfF IT TO BE INCRE4SED g<i
HURRIED GLANCE AT THE PRESENT DisTRE
BUTTON or OUR FORCES.

with details of Indian outrages Massaces by Indians
of cnterprsng but defenoeess in the
Far West Of such frequent TO excite lit
tie notice BY busy eastern population kind OF as
that the President viii attend to it seems 10
silence every sentiment of outraged humanity. And
we'll and faithfully have the President and War Depart
ment done their duty With the utmost despatch our
little army inadequate it is to occupy such exten-
sye line of defence hurried to whatever point threat
ems danger but has it arrived at the
of difficulty when the lurking savage kept Ia subsection
by its presence at the station just abandoned sacs
from his covert and guts his savage appetite for robbery
and murder with the rst ucess traveller settler who
chances In lis Way and astons the world with his
cities.
AS an example Of the pursued by Indians when
troops removed from their vicinity had the
Tth infantry left its former station the Arkansas and
Texas frontiers when the Camanches rowing tribe, al
ways hostile to the Whites except when overawed by the
presence OF large force in their midst began series of
depredations the neghboring settlements to such
extent that troops sent from Texas beyond the limits
of that department for their chastsement and the squad
ron of I'd cavalry, under Major Van Dorm, did their
work handsomely but the loss in the action OF the gal
liant Van Camp, and the wound received by the
Major made it dearly bought victory.
At every session of Congress the President and Secre
y of War urge upon Congress the absolute necessity of
increase of the permanent military force OF the eoun-
try yet Congress turns deaf ear to all such appeals
The present Secretary of War; in his last annual report
took the pains to give in detail the vast extent of
boundary showing concusively the entire nadequacy OF
present force to maintain proper military surveillance
the whole frontier The gallant and able chairman
OF the Senate Military Committee, whose genealship in
the field well his four years distinguished service at
the head Of the War Department enttle his convictions
to much force abored day and night during the last
sion to impress upon his colleagues in the Senate the
army increase measure of the utmost moment to the
country.
Our distinguished commander chief likewise adds
his testimony to the daily accumulation of evidence
to the nadcquacy of force to the work to be per-
formed Our veteran quartermaster general than whom
better know, declares that "our little army is
hatder worked than any army in the word.
Every year adds to the category of battles fought by
against savages greatly superior in numbers and
though generally victorious the army frequently made
to ntertwine the cypress with the laurel by the loss of
such noble spirits Taylor CASTOR Allen and Van Camp,
all Of whom to their perpetual honor be said have noby
sacrificed themselves upon the altar of ovcr-exactng
country in Indian conflict admitted to be the most
dangerous Of all Others and at the tme the most
inglorious. Were our army adequately increased by
far fee additional regiments, at least teo of which
should be mounted and the remainder light infantry each
military department could then have force appropriate
to its proper protection and extent of frontier and in all
probability the result would beno Indian deptc
dations, and consequently no Indian Over
aTeH by the constant presence of troops in their midst
the toinahawk would suppant the pipe of peace
and the brutal massacre of women and children would
then be thing of the past.
AT present the force of outposs is just sufficient to
inspire these svages with contempt for the white nE
and not unfequenty these ouposts have been exposed
to imminent danger of destruction. Moreover, the in
proposed would eectually diminish the expenses
Of the quarermascrs department by diminishing the
cessty of transporting troops to distant points on sudden
emergencies.
The establishment of the erland mail route from St
Louis via Fort Smith, to San Francisco California gives
rise to and urgent demand for troops ably
forth in the letter of Senator Gwin to the President
which makes the necessity for addition to the army
still more imperative. Indians have ever looked to the
establishment of mail with jealous dstrust, and well
may they for mail coach the harbinger of civil
izaon, and the and the plough of the settler follow
Its tracks in rapid succession The enterplisng
pany under the superinendence Of the energetic Mr.
Buttered deserve the encouragement and protection
indeed the Manhof the nation for the grand achieve
ment they have accomplished That route is exposed to
Indian dcpcdations from point opposite Fort Arbucle
almost its entire extent to the nearest California settle
mcnt The whole of the I'd cavalry and lst infantry will
be required to protect much of this route and the set
Elements clustering rapidly aon it lies west of the
Pecos The western frontier of Arkansas and northern
frontier Of Texas will thus be left with but two compa-
ncs Of the lst cavalry to protect its entire extent which
will necesitne the transfer from Kansas of the remainder
OF that regiment to occupy that frontier easy march
of six hundred miles The exposed condition of
the Kansas Nebraska settlements stretching every year
further into The hunting grounds OF the Cheyennes and
Sioux, the most warlike and formidable tribes the
continent will then require the withdrawal of the eight
companies I'd dragoons from Utah to constitute with the
Platte river the mounted defence of the Kansas Nebraska
frontier and with the troops there Of the 4h artl-
cry and parts Of the I'd infantry and I'd artillery will have
line of defence to occupy reaching from the mouth of the
Yellow stone to point the Oregon route 125 miles
west of Fort Laramie thence SOUTH via Cheyenne pass
Fixes peak, Bents Fort the crossing of the Arkansas
river thence south to the boundary of Kansas, and
thence along that boundary to the Missouri line The
vast extent of territory included within these limits
Inhabited to considerable extent by rowing bands of
warke Indians and is ntersected by two great national
thorougbiares yearly throngcd with emgrants to the
Vest the Oregon and Santa Fe routes. Such a
line of operations will require the utmost crcumspocton
by the commander and the utmost zeal and activity 10y
the troops, to eflectually occupy
Again. Minnesota frontier is in most doencelcss
condition. Within the past year outrages have been
committed in that region The force remaining in Utah.
supposing the "a Dragons to be withdrawn WILL inde
pcndently of Mormon rebellion be required there for the
suppression of Indian disturbances which have already
begun and to protect the emigration much of the
Oregon and California routes lies in and contiguous to
that Territory The Oregon disturbances have diverted
much of the force needed and intended for the frontiers
of California On the entire Pacific side there is
a whole regiment of mounted troops there in New
Mexico and the remaining two companies of the in Cal
fona aud Oregon that the country would to
que supposng the foregoing dispositions to be made ad
GoRoi mounted regiment for the protection of the
long line of frontier settlements in California Oregon
and Washington Territories extending every year further
to the cast thus narrowing the places of resort of the
rowing tribes One mounted regiment to occupy the por
ton of Texas between the Nueccs and Lower Rio Grande,
far north Fort Duncan infantry regiment to
occupy the exposed points of the Minnesota frontier
infantry regiment for the occupancy with the LIST oaval
ry of the Arkansas and Texas frontier and guarding
much the overland mail route lies of the river