Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-12-05
R.por, Of the secretary OF War.


Report Of the Secretary OF War.
This report noticeable for brevity and the clear
Of its statements, announces that the author
iIed and actual strength ofthe Army remains SUBJ
stantially the same as last year. In conformity
with the policy announced In the last annual re-
port, the troops available for service against the
hostile Indians, and others that have become 50
since that time, have been engaged In Campaigns
Of the greatest activity. This year the Army has
been constantly in the field and aPon al active
The department Of Texas has been restored to
tranquility and relieved ffomall apprehension Of
,assin" Ssna. as thu Msyicss ne fran,ss, anu he.
keen found necessity to occupy with sunctent
force the Commanding posts on and near the Rio
Grande; 50 we have that frontier well protected,
from Fort Fillmore TO Fort Brown fhPse I'M
portant movements have not been made without
mnch toll and fatigue; and whilst looking mainly
to defenses upon the Rio 6rande, an important
consideration was also TO hold In chez < the Ca
msnche Indians OF that frontier, and protect the
settlements from their marauding parties The
hOstilities OF Last year with the Kiowa and Ca
manche Indians upon the head waters Of the Ar
kansas and the Canadian have not yet been brought
TO close very active cam paign has been car
ried on against them, and they have been met and
Chastised on several occasions
la New Mexico, the oatrages and depredations
OF the IndiaRs have been very daring and nuiner-
Gus, and nearly the whole Territory may be said
20 have been infested by them throughout the
season. To make an effective campaign against
these Indians, aud TO chastise them in an exem-
plaTy manner. II became necessary to take large
part OF the troops stationed in Utah southwark 10
New Mexico. The troops, after accomplishing
march OF 600 miles through q trackless wilder
ness, were ready, after short halt, to make a
movement Of $50 miles more, and prosecute cam
Paign against the numerous and powerful tribe Of
the NavajOes.
Secretary Floyd recommends the restoration to
the War Department Of the superintendence and
control of the Indians.
Of he eY IN N he
practicability Of moving bodies Of men from the
thickly populated parts Of the Mississ ppi valley
to the Pacific coast within such space Of time as
TO make them available for service there Is an
nounced.
At an early period last season the detachment
Of recruits amounting to three hundred men EN-
barked at 81. Louis on the Sd day Of May, on two
steamboats, of light draught, and with all the
necessary appliances for such a march, set out on
the journey. The season was the least propitious
OF any for some years, az the water was very low
from the failure Of rains In the spring and Of the
usual quantity Of snow during the winter amongst
the Rocky Mountain range. But, notwithstand-
progress, reached Fort Benton on the I'd day Of
July, without any material hindrance, and took
up their line Of march for the Pacific. Transpor-
tation had been provided for them, and although
there was some little delay in its reaching the
command, 10 caused no material detention and
resulted In no inconvenience. After a prosperous
march Of less tnan sixty days from Fort Benton,
the command arrived In safety and good condi-
ton at Fort walia- Walla.
The experiments for the Improvement Of the
military supplies have been continued with valu-
able results-have greatly improved, If they have
not perfected the fabrication of sea-coas and gar
Tison gun-carriages Of iron, the models and mode
Of casting of heavy cannon, and the quality of
metal for the same. The same Is true to the
manufacture Of cannon powder, particularly for
guns Of large calibers, whereby the endurance Of
such guns has been much increased without anv
dlminuuon OF their effectiveness But 1t il par
ttcularly In regard to rife cannon and proectiles
that such experiments have been satisfactory and
valuable.
Attention is again called to the existing law for
arming aud eqnipping the whole body Of the
lsUs.
The want of national armory for the fabrica-
ton Of cannon has long been felt, and the exPedi-
eney, indeed, necessity, of proper Legislation to
secure It's establishment has been repeatedly urged
National Legislature;
upon 49, '''V recommended
Breech-lOading arms aIr -
as the most efficient one ever put into the hands
of Intelligent mea.
The Pa-Utes, a powerful tribe of warlike In
diaHs about the region Of Carson Valley, In the
Territory Of Utah, broke out into hostility TO the
whites, very suddenly, this summer, and COM
mittea many atrocious murders
Before the United States troops could reach the
spot. the people Of the country determined to or
ganize force Of sufficient strength to pursue and
chastise ehectually the savages. A few days were
sufficient for the purpose, and considerable body
the command Of the celebraied Texan ranger, Col
j. e Hays, and, after equipping themselves as
best they could, they set out in pursuit Of the In
dams. At no great distance they were oyertaken
by these volunteers, In conjunction with de-
tachment Of United States troops, who joined
them. fhey commenced at once the attack. The
Indians were very powerful In numbers and
strong In position, and Were assisted greatly, II
not commanded cy white men. But the practical
eye Of the cool aud dariug leader enabled him to
lead the assault with such skill that vastly superior
numbers OF the Indians availed them nothing
They were driven from their strong position after
severe conflict, and, finally, put to complete
rout. The United States troops, after very apid
and every way creditable march, reached the
neighborhood OF these transactions just In time to
engage In and do coed service in the action. and
by their presence afterwards, eKectuallv to quell
every symptom Of hostility amongst the indians.
The Snake Indians in Washington Territory,
on the road recently opened from Fort Bridger to
Fcrt Walla-W atla, have been hostile during the
p ct season; and although a campaign was under
tken aud prosecuted with yigof against them ii
did not result Ia reducing them to subordination.
Since the troops have been Withdrawn from ac-
grants were attacied almost on The borders of the
settlements, and many Of them murdered. En-
seens measures will be taken to chastise these In
sdfsns
: During the last four years explorations have
made known the character Of that angular river,
the Colorado Of the West and is suita bleness for
navigation; the nature Of large portion Of the
belt Of country, hitherto unknown, between that
river and the settlements Of New Mexico and
north Of tbs thirty-fth degree Of Latitude across
which roads are impracticaole nom the extraor-
dinary character Of It's surface '-@
Further north they have resulted In the estab-
Nshment OF q new route across the Great Basin
from Great Salt Lake City. and in ascertaining
the impracticabiity Of other lines Of communities
ton between i'm portant settleme ns In the interior
They have opened a new, shorter, and better
route between the settlements Of Great Salt Lake
and those Of Oregon and Washington, on the
Oregon river.
T6ey have developed the general character and
Lesoarces Of the extensive region north Of the
Platte, and between the Missouri river and the
Pacific divide Of the Rocky Mountains, have
shown the existence there Of several practicable
wagon routes, valuable In connection with mill
tary operations and the emig ration 70 the Pacific
The W est Point Military Academy has been
progressing in Its usual course, except that the
course Of study and discipline has been extended
from four years TO five. This considered al
the time to be necessary, owing TO the-low stand
ard Of proficiency for entrance to the school.
THE RsosAL LIBERIY Law IN VERAoEr--
The haAl action or the Vermont Legislature
bsfore its adiournment on the 27th ull, was c