The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-10
THE INDIAN WAR.

INVESTIGATION OF THE FORT KEARNEY MASSACRE.
WAsHINeToN, June 0.-General N. b. Buford
one OF the special commissioners appointed TO
visit Daeotah and investigate the Fort Phil.
kearney massacre, has reached this city. The
commission OF which General Buford was
ker, appointed by General Grant General
Buford, General Sanborn. Judge Kenney, and
Mr. Beauvais, appointed by Secretary Browning.
After full and very complete Investigation, n,
General Buford says there is no necessity for an
Indian war, and there would be nose II the
rascality of frontier settlers, whose interests
are to bring on war. and supply our armies
with subsistence at exorbitant prices, In fact.
the present war which is upon us Is nothing
but raid upon the Treasury OF the United
States by the frontiersmen and army con-
tractors. These men band together, and make
false reports of alleged massacres by Indians
and then cali upon the Government to send
troops to protect them, when In fact they only
ask for them that they may grow rich from the
supplies furnished them. ~" =
These men see that the Pacific Railroad is fast
driving them out of business, because It fur
nished supplies cheaper and with more despatch
to our military stations than the rancho traders
the Indians can be driven away from the lines
Of railroad, and our army following them must
be supplied as they were heretofore. To show
you the enormous profits made by this class OF
people 1t need only be stated that at Fort
Laramie our Government pays four dollars per
bushel for oats, five dollars for corn, and one
hundred and twenty Il We dollars per ton for hay.
These prices are obtained by the sellers Great
ing the impression that they run hairbreadth
escapes on the route to camp, when they are in
fact the instigators of the hostiIities. The en-
ployes OF the Union Pacific Railroad are also
advocates of war, because the transportation of
troops and passengers would put into the trea-
sury of the company large sums of money. In
fact, those only are for war who desire to plum
der the Government, and the alleged atrocities
of the Indians are merely used as means to
consummate this robbery.
General HancOcks expedition has rendered
1T difficult to secure peace north of the Platte
river, as the Indians all have regular facilities
for communicating with each other, and when
q war Is made on one tribe the 9thers think
they will be included Thete Commissioners
also had power to separate the peaceful from
the warlike Indians; but, for the reasons Just
stated, they found this very difficult. They,
however, induced the Brule tribe, numbering
25OO persons to keep out of the way of the hostile
forces. These tribes were given $1,000 worth of
presents, and were assigned for the time being,
as q hunting ground, all the country south of
the Platte and north of the Smoky Hill route,
bounded by the longitudinal lines passing the
mouth OF Plumb and Lodge Pole creeks
The Commissioners found that those tribes
who lived in the Vicinity of military posts
were much more demoralized than those who
lived far away. This is especially so of a tribe
called the Laramie Loafers," living in the
vicinity of the fort of that name. General
opinion that all the territory north of the State
oil NebI aska, and west and south ofthe Missouri
river as far as the mouth of Muscle Shell river,
containing about $4,000 square miles, should be
set apart as an exclusive Indian territory, In
which no one should be allowed except agents
teachers, and duly licensed t. aders.
No military posts should be erected or white
persons allowed there. except those mentioned
In this territory could be collected gradually al
the Indians north of the Platte and east of the
Rocky Mountains. Corn can be grown sue
cessfully there, and the agents and teacher,
can teach them agriculture and the arts of civil
lized life. In fact, these Indians. In the opinion
of the Commissioners, should be allowed all tn,
advantages enjoyed by the Indians south o
Kansas. The new route to Montana by way o
Fort Phil. Kearney is, in their opinion, unne
ccessary. as all the supplies aud emigration des
tined for that territory can be sent up the Mis
souri, to Fort Benton, or by the southern or for
mer route.
The Fort Kearney massacre was caused by
our Government forcing a military force alonl
what is called Bozemans route to Montana
before treaty had been concluded with the
Indians. The Government not being able tc
come TO terms with the real chiefs of the In
dtans, created new chiefs, and got up treaty
which was not recognized by the tribes as
legitimate. Under cover of this treaty troops
were marched to Fort Kearney, where. on the
2lst of December last. they were massacred
The force consisted of 81 men, under Colonel
Fetterman,