New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-04
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE INDIAN WAR.
F1pTYy1yE WHITE MEN MAssAcRRED BY THE nBr
RSERs

2 TO THE tribune
JUNCTION CITY, Kansas Feb. "a man came INTO
Sana about 80 miles west from here yesterday, and
reported that another frightfnl massacre OF white
men by the Cheyenne Indians had occurred near tho
head of Smoky Hill River few days since, under the
following circumstances
Wallace's train, with sixty men, were III camp
when party of fourteen Indians came begglngoi inc
Transfers, who refused to give them anything The
Indians then fired upon them without any effect the
transfers returning the fire. killed eight of the ag-
gressors.
About o'clock that night the camp was surrounded
nv some POO Indians who massacred 80 out Of 90 men,
The man who brought the news had an arrow mead
through his shoulder, and also wounded III me
hip. lie claims TO be one OF the 1Our men WHO
a party of Omahas and Kaws subsequently MADE
raid ON the Cheyennes and captured several head OK
their stock. One Kaw was killed. -. ,o,o.,-
William COmstock, famous interpreter, 4ot I
ment scout and guide says the Cheyenes ana Aiis-
pahoes of Arkansas and Smoky Hill appear friendly
but part Of the Northern Indians were now 'ovIns
southwark, and have already committed many
murders and other outrages Comstoek believes they
mean war.
THE FORT PHIL KEARNEY ,fAssACRE-sAlf on AIMS
TO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LETTERS Fhoa
GEMS. GRANT AND SHERMAN.
| WAsHINGToN, Feb. 3.-The Secretary Of WaryesteF'
dav communicated to the Senate, in answer to the
resolution of Jan A. the kilograms and other Official
| communications relative 10 the massacre OF Unteo
| States troops by Indians on the 2lst OF december
| last near Fort Phil Kearney, in Dakota. The report
| of Gen Cooke shows that three officers, Lieut-Col
Fetterman, Capt. Brown, and Lieut.. Greenwood, and
90 men were killed Lieut.-Gen. sherman, in for
| warding the partial report of the commanding gen.
eral saws that he can make no recommendations Tor
a court-martial until he receives the sub-report OF
! Col Carrinpton and Gen. Vessels. On the 2sth Of
January Gen Sherman forwarded TO Cen Grant AN
extract from private letter received at ms once
from a sergeant at the fort, describing the horrors
of the massacre. II represents that No one escaped
all were butcered and scalped their bodies stripped
and chopped with knives and tomahawks strippedot
every article of dress and shot through and through
with arrows" The writer complains OF the conduct
Of the Indian Commissioners and says that they are
furnishing the Indians with guns and ammunition 10
hunt with, and they using them to murder white
men, The official report estimates the number OF
Indians attacking the masSacTed party at three thou
sand There are detachmens of Blk companies, Win
five Officers on the path Their numbers are deemed
too few and the weather too intensely cold 10 adoit
of aggressive operations at present
The Secretary of War has addressed a cominunsa-
ton to Representative Schenck, Chairman OF the
; Committee on Military Affairs, inclosmg, for tho
information of that Committee, copy Oh q letter
from Major Douglas, commanding Fort Dodge, dated
Jan 49, in relation to the issue of large number OF
arms with ammunition, to the Kiawas, and other
Indians and expressing his apprehension OF Indian
] hostilities in consequence thereof he Gays inc
anxiety of the Indians at the present time to obtain
arms and ammunition is so great temptation 20 the
trader that for a revolver an Indian will give ten
and even twenty times its value in horses aud mrs
: Powder and lead are sold TO them at almost the
same rate and as the bulk is small, large quantities
can be TRANSPORTED at comparatively little expense
This anxiety cannot be caused by lack OF sheh arm
ces because they have plenty TO last for some tine
but everything tends to show that the Indians ara
laying in large supplies preparatory TO an outbreak
| when the outbreak occurs we Will see TOO late tnas
- | we have provided enemies with the means Tor
| our destruction. great deal OF dissatisfaction
seems 10 have been created among the Indians by
had faitb and Injustice Is represented TO great
d rs TO stimulate the Indians to hostlhues III uls
CEN Grant on the 1st inst enclosed to the SECRETARY
. | of War letter from Lieut.. Gen. Sherman Gen
Grant says the letter shows the urgent Necessity Ioi
an Immediate transfer of the Indian Bureau 10 tho
Wag Department, and the abolition OF the Cl'ia IN
dian Agents and licensed traders. he sayt, Inc tns
present Naeee Is 10 be continued do MOI zee tas
any ocvlrse is left open but 10 withdraw our
troops 10 the settlements, and call upon Congress 10
provide neaS and troops to carry on formidable hos-
tilites AGAINST the Indians, until all the lndfaps OK
all the Whites hs great plains t and p SsiTess sons e
on 5e cou ass Gene Sherman R
mrsmed in This matt in disregardng the permit OF
Mr. Bogy and Others is inst right. VIII lnstrncs
tb 70 praosn ms o vsef would respectfully
ask that this matter be placed before the presi'
ident, and his d, e IRnpdisns be asked f We
ing the sale of arms TO rhes Of Indians from
t hSSe 70 time II the rule is to be followed that
ali the tribes with which we have treatlss ana
pay annmtles can procure 81 long before The
out stint or limit, it viii not BY the iodiaDs
and they will avail themselves of it by n,asna
| for war. The will get the arms eth = Who bays
| treaties themselves or through trlb, " is dafeS
JAN q last and addressed to Gen. Han $3.50 I' H.
manding the military division of the MI SILL ".o ="
which he says: I'VE, the military are hea ' a,poh
sble for the peace of the frontier and IL is -
can legaze and encourage so dangerous traffic.
regard the incOsed paper, addressed to Mr.. ID -
Butterfeld and signed by Charles Bogy, w. Il
Irwin, j. H. LeavenwOrth, and others, as an outrage
upon our rights and supervision of the matter and
now authorize YOU 20 disregard that paper and nc
once stop the practice. II the Indian Agents may,
without limit supply the Indians with arms, would
not expose troops and trains to them at all, but
would withdraw our soldiers, who have already
Herculean task on their hands" The order signed
by Charles liogy and others, and addressed TO MT
Butterfieh, is ~ follows:
SIR: You having requested verbally to he informed In
regard to your right 10 sell and ammunition 10 In
dians we have 10 state as follows You as an !naian
trader licensed for that purpose by the Unlfed saes
Government, authorized 10 sell or trade arms Io
ammunition TO any Indians that are at peace ~.ih ana
This rule OF applies 10 any other regularly licensed
trader as well as yourself
THE sAvAGEs AGAIN AT FORT KEARNEY
LAWRENCE Kansas, Feb. "a letter received hero
from soldier at Fort Phil. Keaney says: The In
dams are still hostile and very threatening In that
vicinity. 1t was with difficulty that the bodies OF
the victims of the late massacre could he buried.
owing To the presence in the immediate Belghbor-
hood of bands OF sayaQes"
SUCCESS OF GEN. CROOK IN IDAHO.
SAN FRANCISCo Feb. "A telegram received here