The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-05-12
HON. JOSEPH R.. BROWN OFF,
d., CIALLY INDICATED. +,
Report Of Major Rose in Reply to
81 g Charges in the Saint
-' '.- ~.- Paul I" Press" '.

~ Unarg6S III tne SAINT
-' ia -.- Paul Press"
The following report of Major ROBERT Il.
RosE, commanding at Fort Wadsworth, to
Major General CURTIS, completely vindicates
Major j. r. BRowN from the aspersions of an
anonymous slanderer in the St Paul Press:]
49, HkADo'Rs FoRr WADswoRrH, D. TT
-'-;.-.-.,-' 40 . 'gas April 8, 1866.
.ls CAPTAIN of March 25th is at
hand, and in accordance with instructions
therein contained, I make the following
report in reference to the subject Of an ar
ticle in the st. Paul Press of March Oath.
1865, purporting to have been written by
some person at this post. In the first place
l am confident that the article was not
written by any one at this post-and it is
doubly cowardly to make personal attack
through the papers under false name
but by one at Fort Abercrombie who has
permitted his personal prejudice to run
away with him and taken and given hear
say and supposition for truth. >.
The reflections upon the military are en-
tirely unjust and uncal1ed for. Mai. Jos.
r. Brown was appointed Special Military
Agent and sent to this post, where he has
been of much service in the way of obtain
ing information In reference to the Indians,
and holding communications with those
friendly disposed and desirous of making
peace. Late in the fall Maj. Brown brought
with him, on bis return from Minnesota, q
stock Of goods to trade with the Indians.
No objections were made to his opening q
trading establishment, as it was desirable
to have place at this post where Indians
could trade and obtain necessary and
proper supplies Ghere has been no attempt
on his part or any of his associates to in
troduce contraband articles.)
Upon my return to the post, on assum-
ing command, March /, 1855, in conform
ity to instructions from Maj Gen. Pope of
February 1, 1866, which found awaiting
me, that day sent Lieut.. Thompson to
the Indian encampments on the James
river, and directed that any one there
trading for Major Brown should immedi-
ately return with all goods, and do no
more trading with Indians away from this
post.
I also caused man from Abercrombie,
who was then trading with the Indians, to
be arrested, and as had before forbidden
any one from that post to trade in this
sub-district, and the order was well known
there, and advantage was taken of my
temporary absence, the goods and furs of
that trader are still held subject to Gen.
Sibleys decision.
On the evening of March LIST received
your letter of Instructions of February %,
1866, on the 4th of March (the day that
article was writteD) issued an order ap.
pointing J. G. Searle sole Indian trader,
subject to Gen. Sibley's approval, and
directed that no one else, until further
orders, should trade with the Indians at
this post, and that if Gen. Sibley approved
the appointment, as soon as practicable
thereafter Searles should move his entire
stock in trade into the immediate vicinity
Of the fort, which is now being done.
AS to "the commanding officer is osten-
sibly the controlling power, but really the
old Indian Agent Yields the sceptre in this
dusky KINGDOM" l think that if "Yank-
ton" was personally cognizant to facts, be
would be satis6ed that the Special Military
Agent does not exercise more sway than ia
proper, unless bis philanthropy carries him
beyond common sense.
As to the scouts employed stYankton"
makes some very material mistakes Sam.
uel Brown received 81 instead of $5 per.
day, He performs the duty of Interpreter,
Chief OF ScoVts employed in the mail SER
vice (they make two trips per week to
Abercrombie); and scouting around this
post; and goes upon any scouting expedi-
ton deem advisable. He has started
to-day on Q four days scout along the
cOteau. The number of scouts employed
March LIST, was thirty-three, all told (now
thirty-two), instead of fifty-two. Twenty
SIX in the mail service, scouting around
this post, in charge of Indian Camp on
James River, and scouting that section Of
the country, the six at the Agency. Major
Brown has the immediate charge of them,
and they do such duty as he wishes.
As to the vouchers given by the Acting
Quartermaster to scouts for services rem
dered,,I know nothing about. If Brown
chose to sell the scouts goods and take
their vouchers in payment, and they chose
to give them, consider it q proper aad
legitimate business transaction, and none
of my business, and especially none of
aYanktOn's. - -
As for 'ttbe order of Gen. Pope being
inspired by the complaint of one of the
partners in trade and profit, and proprie-
tors ofthe checks afore mentioned, ct is
entirely unnecessary for me to state to you
thatneither of the parties had any in
fuence or connection either directly or in-
directly. That order is what makes the
shoe pinch. If sYanktOn" could trade