Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-23
From the Second CavRlry--The Indian Ex-
pedition--COL DOubleday's Resignation
The Case Of Major Minor.


From the Second CavaIry--The Indian Ex-
pedition--COI. DOubleday's ResiEnatiOn--
The Case Of Major Minor.
CAMP on SPRING RIVER,
OK THE CHEROKEE BORDER,
June 18th, 1862.
EDS. LEADER Last week a portion of
Doubleday's brigade -ineluding the Second
Cavalry-rendezvoused at this point six
ty miles south from Fort Scott, and just
on the Indian line. Operations connected
with our Indian expedition will probably
be conducted from this point, as a base, for
some days before we move our headquar-
ters farther on.
Last Thursday Col Doubleday, with
force Of 1900, artillery, cavalry and in
faatry, made forced march of thirty-fve
miles to point near the line of ArkaD-
sas, where force of rebels were reported
to be stationed. Arriving there at sun
down, we found the camps of the enemy
completely surprised by our coming. Col
Coffee, with 600 MissOurians, and Col.
Stanus Waite, with nearly 1000 Chero-
KEGS, were encamped near each other. We
came upon their pickets, fred on them,
and waited for the artillery to come up
On the arrival Of our guns, q few shells
were thrown into the enemy camp, and
without any show of resistance the motley
crowd broke precipitately for the hills of
Arkansas-eluding pursuit by their supe-
rior knowledge of the country. The Cher
okees cannot stand before what they call
our shooting wagons" The scream of a
shell is nearly as terrible to the ears of
red man as Gabriel's bugle call viii be to
Kansas politicians.
Saturday and Sunday our command re-
turned to Spring River, bringing with it a
thousand head of cattle and two hundred
horses, mules, &C. The Confederates have
long used the Cherokee country and West
ern Arkansas as a pasture ground-draW-
ing thence their beef at pleasure. This
still goes on to some extent by way Of Fort
Smith and Memphis. We have relieved
them Of at least one good drove, and pre-
sumo that the aforementioned oxen will
taste quite as palatable to Union as they
would have done TO Confederate outlets
Last week orders from Gen. Blunt, COM
manding Department arrived, relieving
Col Doubleday Of the command of the ex-
/ petition and giving it to one Col. Wier, at
present, 1 think, commanding the 10th
Kansas. As Col. Wier is Col. DIS junior,
/ (unless by bogus commission, and as
| Doubleday has planned and done the Ia
borious work for this expedition, his su-
percession is little less than insult, unless
/ the military authorities find some fault
with his management-which they do not
pretend to do. f.t
The fact is, political wire-pulling, conducts
military affairs in the Department of Kan
sas from beginning to end, and this change
Of command is only another manifesto
from the politico-miitary cabal at Leaven-
worth.
On receipt Of the order taking from him
the command of the expedition and giving
him instead two regiments and battery,
Col. Doubleday promptly rendered his con-
ditional resignation. In case his COM
mand is returned to him he remains
otherwise he leaves this deleotable depart
ment for civil life or another field. Al
though his loss would be an irreparable
one to the regiment, yet it is difficult to see
how the Colonel could do other than he
has and assert his self-respect.
By the way, 1 notice that the LEADER in
its issue of May 30th, inadvertently lends
its columns TO an unworthy and unfound-
ed attack upon Major Minor, of our regi-
ment. The Majors reputation as a mill
tary man needs no defence in the regiment
or out Of II, and 1 only advert to the pres
ent circumstance to protest against the
opening Of the columns Of home papers to
attacks from irresponsible correspondents
upon officers in the field This literary
bushwhaeking should be stopped. 1t is to
Major Minors energy, prompt discipline
and military experience, that the 2d caval-
ry owes much Of its present efficacy, and
he is appreciated accordingly. The very