, 1863-12-23

II
KEGS. COL: Vim. 4. Phillips, Of the srd reg
imcnt, Indian Brigade, is'now In command
Of the troops in tic Mutton, rirs Col. tRitchte
Of the 1st regiment. The change Will sait
Indians, who have lately suffered much I'M
der q disastrous system Of bushvhscktns.
Col. Richie is i good man, but the Choro-
kcee and troops have moro confidence In
Phillips. This officer is q man Of very de-
ciced ability, courage and energy. The TR1-
uuSE will remember him favorahly from lis
connection with the Kansas Free State strug-
gle. He is Tie author Of 1.-THE Conquest OF
Kansas" and was the n. T. Tribune; cores
pondent in that region during the Free State
tho Indian Brigade during the glorious cam
paigus Of northwestern Arkansas and the In
dian Territory, under Gen. Blunt After The
battlei Of Horcy Springs he returned to his
home on sick leave, He has Just returned Its
probable that the change WAS solicited By the
Mcneil. Col. Phillips has the thorough COLI
fldence Of the Indian Brigade, and deserves.
Great dnmagc and much suferir las been
lately Inflicted on the Cherokee by rebel
gueriIlas. The principal rid waa under t.,
lead Of a bushwhacker o. the :nRnic Of nnt.
}sis it, niRnex fRe s1fe 4f the snta 1e1ine I1 et
ment, military aud civil, needs a chanse
The loyal c.fceka fnd Chefokees would resd-
", II flowed, !eEae care Of tho bughwhack-
7. Their three regiments, with the Pin In
diane, {Union} guerillas, arc sufficient to sup
press the bushWhackers II allowed to take
the measures necessary. Under Col. Phil
LIPS this will be done. Col Richie
was unfortunately hampered By disscnslons.
me pro-Schofeld intrlgucs in this army hare
Congress would do the country service,
and benefit the Treasury, by M investigation
Of the afair6 Of the Indian Bureau. SO lar. at
1cast, as relates to the tribes In the adjacent
territory. The Cherokee md Creek, Legisla.
lures both charge their superintendents,
anee. One thing is certain, they, or "some
other man," arc making q pile out of the
feeding, &c, of the Indian refugees who were
driven out BY the rebels. A most obvious
nlunder IN tho appointmsnt Of officials
observer. It Is That they arc men who pre-
vfons1y had no knowledge Of or connection
with the Indians. Those who have been
with the Indians in the army Of the frontier
are set Of party hacks, and poor specimens
ut that, whose only desire seems to be to
make rs 1nnch during their lease Of office as
plenty Of men capable Of filling all the Offices
The Federal Government has to bestow.
They know the Indian character
The ChocktaWs and ChickasawB still con-
tfnue to adhere to the rebel cause Since
Gen. Blunt,s last campaign, many members
Of both nations hare come in. They declare
there is considerable Union sentiment among
them. The Greeks are rapidly desertins
Mcintosh. The removal Of Gen. Blunt had d
depressing effect on the Union cause among
the tribes. They wcrc told, and felt, that
The military were Intending to abaadon the
Territory. This stopped the progress Of
~ rIn,t,,,-, o,,a c,,,,,.,.,~r., ,oo,-
rebel and will probably continue SO till thor
ouGh]y defeated. Their pro-slayery, rebel
1ious character is striking commentary on
tho cyaugc1fzing character Of tho American
Board, whose missionaries have been the
teachers Of their people. They succeeded in
most intcuserrebels, and the best educated na-
tion Of the Territory.
The question Of what Is to be tho future re-
1ations Of these Nations to the General Gov
crnment is now agitating the loyal Indians.
They nre afraid Of measures throwing open
the Territory to White emig1atien. All the
leading and Intelligent Cherskees and Greeks
ore strongly in favor Of the consolidation Of
all tho scmi-ciyilizcd tribes scattered through
the West and Northwest on reservations
within the Indian Territory, and the adoption
Of such measures as VIII ultimately secure
Them admission to the Union as State, to
this end at1ording them Territorial Dele
gate. The Territory has an area Of G5,1n
square miles and had in 1850 q population Of
G., $50 1ndians, about |, 500 negroes, and {, 900
whites. Its present population may be
roughly estimated at nbout IS 600 In this
proposition It Is proposed that tho Western
part. Of the. Territory be used tor the no.
madic tribes The intelligent Indians, such
as the ROSES, Downing, CAPT. Bowlcgs. &c,
fayor this plan, which Includes the abolition
Of tho trndlng system, the gradual taking Of
lands IN sereTa1ty, and assumption Of citizen
ship, the enrolment Of an Indian Brigade for
police duty, DC. 1t deserves tho cafeful at-
tention Of Congress, and al1 interested in this
matter. The loyal Indians descrvo well of
the Nation :.
MILITARY HoyEMEx7s.
Tho force in this District is now in first
rate trim. It is smaller than the rebels, but
much superior to them in morale. The 18th
Kansas cavalry, Col Thomas Moonlight, ar
rived here lately, escortlng subsistence
train. It is q fine body of men. and was re-
sE sCuitfa BY Gen: Blunt # pnaer orders from tn the
1ncrly clicf Of staff to the army Of the from
tier, and is one Of the ablest and most eff
cIcnt Of soldiers.
The I'd Kansas colored, or iron-clads as
they arc called hire, aro on duty ut this post.
Rhls R1,st Is 5 PEW aso sa1sed o. Gen
tho I'd Kansas cavalry, is in command, and
under him is rapidly improving IN efficiency.
The famous 1st Iron -Clads, Col Williams,
are in about forty miles Of here. Col. VIII
1iams Is In command of brigade. Colonel
Bowen is In command at Van Burcn. Col.
Cloud, Of the "a Kansaz, has received leave
to visit Washington. Other regiments and
their commands arc stationed at Fayetteville.
Wcbbers' Falls, Scul1yvillc and Port Blunt
j.. =, nEcnu1TING
Is proceeding bKislsly. Gen. Blunt has au:
t1lority to recruit to raise the 11th Regiment
q. s. Co1ored Volunteers, the officers of
which will be examined before q Board at st.
Louis. -Four companies are now at this post
ready for muster.
The Union men are still coming in to join
the Arkansas regiments. IT is safe to say
that ut least 3,60o, men have been enlisted
since the occupation of Fort Smith, by Gen.
Blunt -
VIC are all looking anxtonsly for change
in the management Of the Department, SO that
We mny hope for a.tiEe military movements
Lereabouts. 4 column Of ut least 10000
could be readily organized hero By Gen.
Blunt Give him the command, and we will
haA Nnr4hnrt fTavna f9nEEE