The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-08
THE INDIANS,

Interesting Letters from General Grant
and Major Douglas Regarding tho
Treatment OF the Indians-GOvernment
Agents and Traders Supplying them
with Arms and Ammunition, Etc.
WAsHMGToN, February THE most compre-
hensive statement of the existing Indian trou.
bles on the frontier, and their causes, is to be
found In the following correspondence, which
includes letter from General Grant to the
Secretary of Warf inclosing the accompanying
report from Major Douglas, Of the Sd Infantry,
now in command at Fort Dodge, Kansas.
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
papers, just received from General sherman are re-
pecuy @ % s anH gTuF Necessity for any
diRte transfer Of the Indian Bureau 70 the War De-
and licensed traders II the present practise 2 s Is 70 be
S % aS RO1 Sse an S S Pea 9 %
cali upon Congress to provide means and troops to
until all the Indians or al the whites on the great
s snP Pac oPe me oS
General Sherman has pursued In this matter, in dis
HesGTStns ust sR Re Will Instruct hHS Sg 9o0 To enOcs
PrasSea Prs y0ass would nso repscy sf
that this matter be placed before the President and
dsSs % ssRed We have treaties with all Tribe. Of In,
that ali tribes With Which we have treaties and pay
annuities can procure such articles without stint or
peTecy undefsood BY the TndaSs am and they avail
themselves Oft to equip perfectly for war They win
through tribes who have such treaties. would re-
nunicstons be furnished to the Military Committee
Very respectfully, your obedient servant.
Hon. E. NJ. STANTON. Secretary of War.
FORT DODGE. Kansas January ls.--CieneraI:-I CON
slider il my duty TO report what have observed Ith
reference to Indian affairs in this country, that
OF the In terror by the Commanding General of Dlvi-
foTmaton Which may Be Useful, The issue ard sale
of arms and ammunition. such as breech-loading car
cartridges, and percussion caps, continues without in
remission Tne issue OF rev9yers @ ana m Is
Commissioner of Indian fairs, and the sale ofthem
terfed, an Indian trader, formerly Of the Overland
IL ri 2 has ast eS a eas
to the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes. Charley Rath,
KioWas With TevoveTs; and has completely over.
stocked them with powder: Between the authorized
dians were never better armed than at the present
ali Of whom had revOlvers in their possession A
large majority had two reyolvers, and many three;
and ammunition in case of trouble in the spring
The Interior Department does not seem to appreciate
the danger Of thus armng those Indians The evil of
presenting revolver to each OF the chiefs OF bands
rank and file are thus armed, it not only gives
der, but renders them formidable enemies The
agents have no real control over the traders-ln
white men, of being in league with them. and Of
be Se arge thn O m hShy pTobabet is
natural consequence that the agent does not wish to
present time to obtain arms and ammunition great
Temptation TO the trader For revolver an inaian an
horses and furs. Powder and lead are sold TO them
large SSantities can be Transported at Comparatively
little This anxiety be ,6sy caused by
plenty to last for some tme bnt everything tends
S h 6e U am n afs e
break occurs, we shall see too late that we have
oG' our destruction great deal Of aissatsfsction
The RoWss
plain bitterly OF Colonel Leayenworth their agent
the KOwas, states that only few small pai bands Of
SGT a any Sad sen the
Leavenworth that most Of the bands were bad in their
he tKicking Bird sent runners to tell Colonel Leav
move in there t but he Would in the spring
would keep his share Of the goods But Colonel Lesv-
goods the bands then in or sold themto other In,
year. How much Of this Is true know not; but from
all learn there seems 10 be at least some founda
Bad management bad faith. and injustice site are sure
ali bad feeling in his tribe is owing to the injustice
of their agent that it required all his Influence TO pre-
nSe nn il arge ae bsPd spn8 6
pose Of crossing the Arkansas into the KiOwa coun-
portion Of the Arapahoas under the general leader
ship Of % s SUs Sioux and
encamped about 100 miles north of this post on the
CROSS about seven miles below here They ali well
mounted and well armed With cSr6es anG TeyS
Kicking Bird says the Sioux and Gheyennes
asked his permission to cross the river. and
that he positively refused It for fear Of trouble,
but that his wished them to cross and
he believes that they will the river, and that
in the spring when the comes up. there will be
war. lie had been treated kindly at Fort Dodge, or
he would not tell but we must look out for our
lives stock in the spring. He says as they
talk all the tribes north and south OF the Arkansas
will be in the outbreak his own among them. He
also states that Satante White Bear, q principal
chief of the Kiowas is always talking Of war that
they have already had council at the kiowa camp
in which the Cheyennes, Sioux, Arrapahoes, Kiowas,
Comanches and Apaches were represented and it
was agreed that the grass was old enough
they would commence war; that he, Kicking Bird,
had been kindly treated at Fort Dodge. and he wished
to put guard that before spring the indians
might change their minds but at present their inten-
1ion was war. He said he would be backward and
forward frequently to give us the news. The Chief
Kicking Bird, is known TO General Sherman, who
talked with him last fall and believed at this post
be the most reliable OF all the Indians would re-
spectfully that It is purpose to keep the dis
trict and department informed Of all movements oi
Indians in large bodies far as 1t Is possible,
/ am very respectfully, your obedient servant,
II. DOUGLAS, Major Sd Infantry,
Commanding Post.
TO Assist AdjuTant-Genral Division Of Missouri.