The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-12
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
WAX DrpAnrnEsr,

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IL 49s These troops compose the whole numerical
force of army distributed throughout the States aud
Territories of the entire contedeaey manning all the for
thcations occupied by troops holding all the posts now
garrisoned defending all extended frontiers and pro-
tectng far possible the different routes extending
the continent from the Mississippi valley to our
possessions ON the Pacific.
The absolute demands for In the various posts
stations, Sc. well for what might be termed the
police operation of the army left only thirteen regiments
for actual service in the field And upon this small force
numbering little eleven thousand men, dcvoved the
arduous duty Of prosecuting all the Indian wars which
have extended this year from the British possessions
the Pacific to the border settlements OF Texas we'll
of crushing the rebellion in Utah, which, from its
vndctive spirit and large numbers threatened at its
outset to become, and indeed was very formidable
The labors performed by the army since my last
port will very fully appear from the reports of the different
bureaus herewith transmitted, and to which call your
particular attention 1t may be safely asserted that
army of the size before performed, in such
length of tima marches and movements of such extent
surmountng in their progress such formidable OBJ
stacles.
These regiments have accomplished within the year a
march averaging for each the extraordinary distance OF
twelve hundred and thirty four miles These marches,
in the main have been made through the uninhabted
sotudes and sterile deserts which stretch away between
the settlements of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts upon
routes which afforded nothing to facilitate the advance
except only the heritage which the beasts of burden might
pluck by the side
Every item of supply from horseshoe nail to the
largest piece of ordnance has been carried from the de-
pots along the whole line of those tedious marches to
be ready at the exact moment when necessity might call
for them. The country trayersed could yield nothing
The labor foresight, method, and requisite to sys-
tematize and the energy, activity and persistence to
carry out such operations by the different departments
deserve the attention Of the country, and in my opn
on its commendatioD, too No disaster has beflen the
army throughout its immense ramifcatons ;and the pr-
vations hardshps, tolls and dangers to which it has
been continually subjected, have been borne without
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baah haap e,ro Io, ti,on of
nsubordnate and hostile spirit among the Indian tribes
of Washington and Oregon Territories and during the
past spring and early part of summer it broke out into
open hostility. very large force of Indians attacked
comparatively small party OF people, who after
Intellectual resistance and the loss of brave officers
and men, were forced to retreat This the signal for
general rising of the tribes, and alliance speed
lily formed between the powerful tribes of Spoanes and
CGur d. Aenes, together with many struggling warriors
from amongst the Palouses and other tribes. Immed
atey upon this outbreak, Brevet Bgader General Clark
in command of the department of the Pacific with great
promptness and with wise forecast, concentrated in
mastery the widely scattered forces under his
command and precpitated them into the heart Of the
Indian country, where powerful Indian force was
already assembled to meet him. The campaign
prosecuted with great activity and vgor by Col
onel Wright, of the ninth infantry, who gave battle
to the Indians several occasions always routing
them completely After beating their forces capturing
many prisoners, and destroying large amounts of pro-
perty and laying waste their country the Indians
rendered at discretion with their wives and children and
sued abectly for peace The criminal offenders amongst
them. heretofore guilty of murder and rapne the chief
nstigtors of all dissatisfaction amongst those tribes and
the immediate cause of the recent hostcs,
dered tried, and executed.
permanent peace has beon established by treaties
tered into with heni and the army has been already dis
tbuted to points where the presence of force great
ly needed. The officers and of this command deserve
the thanks of the country for the efficient and sodiery
in which they have borne themselves the pros
ecuton of the campaign.
The forces employed in the Territory of New Mexico
have been called upon also repc Indian aggressons
and chastise the formidable and wafke tribe of the Ma
vaos These savages have for time evinced spirit
of nsubordinaton nd discomfort which last broke out
into an open defiance of authority, and followed
by the murder of negro man within the precincts of
the camp /
The declining health of Brevet Brgadier General Gar
land necessaed his return the States which developed
the command of that department upon Col Bonneville. |
This officer promptly and with very proper foresight
put on foot the expedition against the Indians and the
campaign has, up to the last advces been conducted
with skill, ability activity and courage The enemy
has been met several occasions, and always routed
although our disparity of numbers has always been very
great Our troops have succeeded, also, in taking
siderable amount of the Indian property consisting of
cattle and grain This is still prosecuted with vigor
and the Indians show no disposition to abandon their
wake attitude ask for peace The Navaios are very
rich in herds and hocks and possess considerable quan
ties OF grain enough at least to enable them for some
time to keep up resistance and prosecute the war They
can probably number about three thousand mounted
wild and remote country they nhabit There shall be no
relaxation in prosecuting this war until the savaees are
brought absolutely under the yoke,
In the State Of Texas and upon its borders there has
been and still is at this time, raging Indian war be-
tween troops and that most formidable of all the
tribes the Camanches of the plains and their knsmen
and allies, the Kowas. These people have for long
time been committing petty outrages upon the nhabit-
ants of our frontiers and travellers upon the roads lead
ing in the vicinity of their hauns These depredatons
brought at last fight between our troops and their
warriors, which, for ferceness and determination was
very remarkable in Indian warfare The Indians were
routed with considerable loss of killed and wounded by
our troops, most efficiently commanded by Major Van
Dorm, who also succeeded in capturing number Of their
horses
This war may look upon as just begun and the
probabilities that it will be erceness and NAV
be one of considerable duration. Every means will be
taken to prosecute it with vgo and to terminate it with
all possible speed.
You will see sir from this rapid narrative that our
little army has been called upon during the last year. to
carry on war extending nearly the whole space
embraced between the parallels of 500 and 4So of north
latitude, and extending space of than fifteen
hundred miles IL is not, then, matter of surprise that
our thirteen regiments engaged in these wars and the
Mormon rebellion should have been called upon in the
performance of these arduous services to accomplish the
extraordinary feat of marching an average distance of
nearly thirteen hundred miles
In addition to the operations above spoken Of troons
have been moved upon the northwestern frontier and
stationed in such manner to afford protection as far as
possible 30 the border settlements of that region Much
apprehension from the hostile manifestations of the CAV
,ges beyond the confines of Iowa and Minnesota has
felt by the frontier settlements of those States and
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