New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-30
i LETTER From GEN HANCOCK



i,t 20 the Plains OF last Spring, under my command
which consider require correction at my hands IN some
nartcuors as they do not entirely coincide Win to
facts as they occurred ,.,oo
Col wynkoop asserts that expressed determination
10 destroy the Indian village the same night 'n"' "a
canned before IT, In this he is incorrect
ON the night In question after the Indians had fIeach
ropsIv abandoned their villages without holding 'ho
council they had arranged for with me- e1pIeSsou III!
belief that would be justified in destroying tnei VI
lagos as punishment for their bad fath Dut u'S''
tated TO my officers at the same time that Wouu o
0e,, order the burning Of the lodges Out "o"u ""@
,or develonments as 70 the conduct OF the Indians
before taxing final action the matter; and IN pursu
,pcs ~ this determination my part had the villages
,cdly guarded from all depredaons Tor hVe o uays ao
their abandonment and then only decided TO Durh te
non hearing officially Of the horrible murders ana
bprpings at Lookout Mastaton, on the Smoky HI, Dy
the same Tor portion of the same) Indians VINO hau
deserted them
Col Wynkoop ia again erroneous as to the Facts con-
corning the killing of the six t6) Cheyennes, at Cmna
ron Crossing April TO- 1867. Those Indians were Aot
killed as nc states before any word had been receiver
from Gen CUSTER" for on the 18th OF Apnl h"u re-
ceiyed from Gen Custer the report Of the killing ana
burning Of the white men by the Indians at Lookout sta
tion which decided me TO destroy the village
This affair however, not an attack by the troops
upon the six 90 Cheyennes in question: for they were nsV
discovered 10y our soldiers who were in byouac at the
time when thc endeavorng TO steal up 10 tho heru
belonging 10 e Command. for the purpose Of stampednS
U THEY wcr called upon to surrender by the guide ana
Interpreter, who with the cOininahu, out S "a
40 so and ming anon the troops they were pursued ana
after short contest killed. Several OF our men
were wounded during the affair. - 49,. .,, oeo,o,
These facts concerning this matter are from ne ViVl
report Of the commanding Oicer OF lnS uetaVil ,
which was cHgded Win Tue lnuiShS on n Gnoyy Of
our troops az lmnaron crossing ulu not g
the burning pi the villages at Pawnee FORK Cue SAINT
being sixty o a. seventy gS miles us 70 i'V we're mn
doubfedy rirncrs from those VINO had lett the NEs
ON ss 9I ooS-t station as they had ample time to
have Travelled from that point 70 the ClunatOI NioSnE
from the 10TH until the 10Th OF April Inc INDIANS ~
0ueston CO.. "a not have known Of the burning OF the VII
lagos at that uluG -, r.. .,,,o,+ ne 20
whether or the Indians who peTpetrated tne asSa
creS and burugs at Lookout Mail Station on the smoky
doncd fine Villages on Pawnee Fork and who crossed the
smoky Hill about eight hundred $500 strong, stripped
and PAINTED for war All Of the reports and other ev
dcnce on the sub eo only made tha Iact
ndisputane TO me- IN Iaet there was NOT L any
within reach Of Lookout Station al the time the outrages
were committed AS TO whether there were "Pawnees
among them OF not only stated in my official report Of
the expedition that the Indians themselves as
snr.aa ar one Of the mail stations that they
ST. CbavepDss Sioux and Pawnees This infOrma-
ton contained in one OF Cen clusters reports 10 me-
and is OF consequence whatever as evidence that me
Indians who committed the atrocities at that time on the
Smoky Hill not from the villages on PaWhee tOrk
Aid not suppose for an instant that there Pawnees
among them for knew Of the enmty existing between
that tribe and the CheyenneS ana sioux; ana nerey
cen Custer in his first report TO OF the pursuit OF
Indians after thew had abandoned their villages Paw
nee Fork did not that the Cheyennes had turned
south hut reported that such was the opinion Of Capt
West who was with him. and who had had great expert
ence on the Plains. There positive evidence, how
ever from any source TO that effect and long Gen
Custer enabled TO follow the trail IT led n0rthwaId
lie lost it near head waters Of Walnut Creek found
II again by tray cling north to the Smoky Hill; and the
trail continued nOrthward from that river -.
Col WynkOOp asserts that notwithstanding my state
ment IN my letter Gen Grant that was Impossible TO
distinguish with certainty the lodges OF the Ceyeles
from those OF the Sioux, gave nun lCOi. MHhhooW al
inventory OF the property contained in each village
l certainly did furnish such an inventory to Col Nyn-
General who instructed by me TO make an inventory
of the property belonging to the SIOUX yage sePaae
from that OF the Cheyennes II ne found IL PraeaoIe
TO do so, and he prepared the one IN question
presume, from the beet information ne could V111in
to the line which separated the Two Nases; sau 70 e
small ravine which pointed out to me as having the
Sioux upon one SIDE OF H. anu tne Cey entS u g ne
other, but, when made personal W vi tue
ground found IL impossible 10 determine with any GER
tainty or to my own Sataeuon TheIe ne ne ol eepI
eve any such marked difference the lodges either
erection, as would accurately designate that line.
Taking these facts into consideration was convinced
could not be correctly ascertained either from the ev
denoe was enabled to collect on the ground or from my
own observation aud therefore. made the statement in
reference this matter which has called forth the au
SION Of Col WyukoOp in his letter Of September 4h re-
ferred to. presume the estimate approximate
and gave 1t to Col Wynkoop as the best information
He remarks that the council which held with the
chiefs OF Dog Soldiers Cheyennes at Fort Larned
that IL was against their medicine, and that fact alone
calculated 70 certain degree, 70 make them fee
suspicious"
The council IN question held after dark for the
pie reasons that the Indians pTeteDses,
delayed coming into Fort arned 10 meet as they ha(
promised to do through their agent Col WYnkoop, an!
because my orders Issued TO the troops TO marcl
early on tie following morning. Not the slightest oh
lection made at the time either by the Indian
or their agent holding the council after nigtfal
Col WynkOOps letter is the first intmatiOn have
received Of such ground OF complaint against me.
Most unfortunately, am uDacquanted with the hour
which are "bad medicine" and those which are gOot
medicine" for holding council and 1t seems 10 have bee
especially my misfortune not 20 have known that wa
bad medicine" against their medicine" Col
WvnkOOp informs the Dog Soldiers tOmeet in
eli after sunset Col WynkOOp should have Informed
at the time OF this objection
Had possessed this information before the council re
fered to held at Fort Larned, would assuredil
have selected prOpitiOus hour. II took upOI
myself the whole conduct OF affairs" that Occa
sion il was because Col WynkOOp declined speak. III
was offered the opportunity but did not accept H. wa
charged with the conduct Of the expedition and was di
reced explain the views Of the military authorities tC
the Indians, aud therefore, called upon to address
them at considerable length
It believed By me at this tine from various con
yersatiOns which i had with them, that the Indian
Agents, Col. WynkOOp included, acting in perfect
harmony with my views.
Ihave written this letter with no desire 20 enter into
discussion in the public prints OF the events connected
with my administration OF affairs while was in com.
maud Of the Department Of the Missouri but simply 10
correct certain Of the most erroneous statements in Col
WynkOOps letter 10 the Superintendent Of Indian Affairs
My official report OF the expedition TO the Plains OF last
Spring under my command, rccites in detail ali Of the
events connected Herewith
II has not regret however, been officially published
therefore feel called upon furnish this reply
portions OF Col WynkoOps letter As that letter has
found place your columns have IL in other
papcr trust you WILL In justice TO myself, accord the
courtesy 10 this. am, Sir very respectfully your
Ob't servant, WIND s. HANCOCK,
MaiOr-GeneTal u. >. A.
Headquarters FIN Military District Nete Orleans, Ia.
Dec II, 1867.