New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-02-13
BEpORT ON INDIAN Troops.


and capacity tho indian troops tie United Stass
armies The Of the Colonel comDanias who mskss
the report Il omitted by the copyt, but beSvs WI.
A. Phillip. OF Kansas At all events tho report win be feu,A
| OF much interest and value
HEAauAsTEEs l.t BRIGADE, ARxr o. rus FnosIKal
. FORT OIBsoS, c. n. Dec 10 1869. ]
SIR: In making report to you of the present
condition and expcdcncy Of retaining muserng ou1
no Indian commands. have delayed because was en-
barrassed by the contemplation Of two great dcuuess
That Of keeping Indian regiments proper subis
ton and order.
g That Of turning loose warlke materials In oou,s
try which is the theatcr OF war.
These have always been difficulties butin addition !
have had to contemplate change in the command since
last it, and in reporting to you and though 700
to the Department ], to extent tho author OF i1
discipline and reorganization feel at loss whether -
| hope ior its future TO disown it. -.
briefly up i,s features thus: These Indians (ana
they are the civilized and best the eOntnent
IRE rot. and probably never will be- thoroughly disct
pined or drilled end II the object Is to put the whels
army in perfect military shape. they ought not to DO
4, part OF it. ...-1-.n.
sseond: They ere poor infantry AS mounted scoss.
Ing mounted Tifemen they have been valuable. and
might do good service yet. AS tie Government seems
10 lee sDiictous to keep tIem infantry II all II
duty owe il to say that II would rot be profitable 70
keep them at all II infantry Cor other men) are to b
Third Their worst faults or pecularties sre igno-
rance Of the language insensibhty to punishment .
desire to league With each other against their two nat
ural enenits order aud white men, temporary ana an.
authorized absenteeism. speedy forgetiulnen OF whss
assS Of Ss 'su des sa
foets: Their good qualities ere. first couYge. Yos
. can take them anywhere II you will only e. ahead.
An officer who wants them TO go ahead OF HIM ali al:
ways call them towards. They Will do any smount a
:, duty without murmur. Last summer hao TO MAKE
an. an 10 ~
tight or ic on their all night When pat on hs1
rations quarter rntions, they do not giyv han me
h the T init on 70 ass
and they oud s e. soon 9.T use men Sya sSs
money. They arc much more truthful thar white sot
diers less ploiane, and spend thetr c,S.hins
thcir families and partly in buying pistols pd poniss
: rlS: Tie ID Indian Regiment Is much ~ best d
the three, and s about well drilled as the average q
is rather Indifferent You can throw them into column
liEe obque the line. throw them into hoDov square
colamn BY division; but IT is proper TO 80 II ths{
have an idea what eyo'utions you design
Wien the two first Indian regiments were raised.
bad only Partial Tia asd az. and
company and non.comnissoned officers were Indians
| scarcely one Of whom understood the Language A
officer who attempted to drill or manage them felt 'ks
me man who drew the elephant and Prsser.ins 0ny'
thing hke correct military discipline was utterly IN.
condition Of the other volunteer troops made DO very
severe comparison with them. Atfiat time the Chero
s to take charge Of the Cherokee or es,ens
With our then Xperience. and my fellow officers with
with me- had but one alternative 70 gut me service ~
Organizing the Sd with white officers In each company
and an orderly sergeant, when ! could get one. n
started on much better basis and from tho first made
n. repcrts in passsbe shape and drilled passably wen
seeing that it constantly engaged IN hard ser'SS
before lie enemy The other two regiments We're gra
4 ~. hoafa &irr fhn Il
uary 1884 when all the Indian regiments entered ny
brigade, the triInonthy returns have been regularly
made and most Of the other reports RE .ons ,n ~,
ali Of he back return (Which have been recently ior
wnrled) or reports win be made, and the business
the three regiments put in fair snaps bus ths Win ,oH
and endurance on the part OF the wn,e once's
has tired and discouraged most OF them ssthey hsts
eyerybody's duty perform, and since appears thss
ths moro efforts that are made TO pu. the ihsasa co
mand in shape. tho less thanks they se'' ana
! sponsibil,s IRE thurst upon then ,.
iIbe qualifications for white officer In an Indian
company are 20 understand and be able TO perform the
duties Of captain, lieutenant, orderly sergeant, o.y
sergeant and corporal; to do duty with his command
the cld keep all books aud papers Do respoHsiDe 10Y
hall.eiyilzed men, Indifferent 70 Ice, manage whels
of the men do not understand the language
here there is but white officer ana he as So
or is killed, business stops; and nave oeen g ra.un
iealous ians resist the best of their ability When
we have been able 10 keep white orderly sergeants MAO
ters have been much Improved Ills sns srd cen
inr their young men TO work, by appearing W .lrn
patriotism and the service they could renoer tlen
corntry and hololding out Inducements Oh pionouo1
90 the vacancies which is only amazing that any oS
them could have been tempted TO coyet. In hc' my
of them back to be priyates IN disgust ehu
who have gone through the ordeal ars 10 uos Hooo'~
90 saw good officers for volunteers. .,,,
II While reporting these plain and incontfoVertinS
fsst %Ts'a no did not bear testimony to the hong md
gallant service they have performed am saie that nS
regiment in the sphere OF my observation mas done ofe
than half The effective work. They have Always been
I'm tina f,ld before the encny Scoed at traduced, ane
abused by those who had neither the nc " eopf0
hend their character the he heart to do them ustc
hey have silently and patiently fought ON. Beside IN
rm,!erabe skirmshes and scoutings they have had
full share in every battle In the south' es. sne ~
were in service. convenient scapesoss .a'! ua IN
hear the sin. other regiments and no state was so
ernsd no yindcae their glory redress their suners
iorS For three months last SPRING they. I'm io.S
coInpanes (dismounted) OF the 6tn Kansas aIneS WV.
sohpps and reyolvers and Hopkinss Battery OF foa5
~urs held Tire combined forces OF Steele Cooper ame
|. feh,ll IN cheek which are now known 70 NV H.
bered ten Thousand men Ahong1h ."v AMI thousS
rom their base the Inc was never broseh anu tSI
oen attacked the command was never beaten. on GS
the Indan command be wiped out toinorr s tbs
~ tbat struggle will yet redeem their nans a
,hIrh tho enemies Of the command nave ~
10 heap upon IL. God forbid that no Nv me and he
usce 10 those who have ngh. ,u I'm GrseueaL aud
loflicers with me at Ne"tonN -
che question requires action ,hs sSens loves
Thousands OF refugees NJ. y. il affords to en
round ths ,inn and weaken Its resources smnn
dsease-,man pcInaEess, hs faiian country has been
TsS as war SSs =
lions Of policy anu s ! nstions which must be met
tie status the im, Intimate In disaster These POoPs
a s' s 'ss s.s food :. for ssI
mustered out ranoees removed to the baee Of sa
tect them Tr war Is over. dcprecaes allowing ls1
.%so.s BE-, % he s:t sss
restrtnt oy ,g% BOSS by gain little In FEY cases
Tho cause the Indians be broken int sms d