The New York herald., 1868-12-26
A REVIEW OF THE INDIAN WAR.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
1t Is almost incom prehensible that few nomades
shOud set ut defiance the nation which proved itself
capable OF crushing the most gigantic rebellion
known In history. Still, 1t s q truth easily proven
that this IL the case. The aborigine destroys each
year the lives and property OF citizens to an
tat almost beyond belief. lie does this, too, nearly
without punishment; and whys The Indian fools
the white man, and chooses the time and place for
war. when the winter season is at hand and the
deep SHOWS preclude the Indian pony from his bufao
grass the reskin knows that he must go to the vii
lagos and lay up until the grass is sprouting
under the influence Of the bright spring weather OF
the Plains. II Is during this season, then, that the
Indian must remain peaceful, and what peace
Simply the coilng OF the snake prior to fatal spring;
for the grass is sufficiently strong to afford
ample susenance to the mustang when the Indian VIII
layers are moving and the bucks are the old trail
which has its beginning in spring. and invariably
ending the late fall, at which time the Indian
makes his appearance IN the vicinity Of military posts
and represents himself tired OF a into which he
had been lei by some very bad Indians who are
now gone somewhere, but exactly In hat direction
the peacefully disposed party has no idea. In fact
he Is GLAD tnat he does not know Tor this very bad
those OF the red brothers who are well disposed to-
ward the whites. Ii is just trlfe curious to know
where these very bad Indians go to- for every band
which comes In has almost similar story. 1t reminds
one Of schoolboy days, when '.Nobody did It, slrn
Seemingly this thing has gone to a suinccnt length
Indians which, II 1t proves successful, must, TO q
certain extent terminate ''Our Indian Troubles"
In nearly every journal In the country.
The section OF country which the Indian finds most
fitted for his raids and devastation is that portion OF
the Plains through which we have the three great
trading routes to the far West-thc Arkansas, the
smoky I lr and IT, the Platte This Is no, Level
found In our broad territory unless 1t be among the
mountain ranges. Thus 1t may be seen that II Ia
easy for band Of Indians, whether It be composed
OF ten or 100 warriors. TO conceal themselves
near the travelled routes and swoop hawk
Se CHOSEN WIN Sictms Ne 0Sots Tac oSer ,nese
routes Is far greater than would he belived by par
ties unfamiliar with the Plains. Some idea may be
formed from the fact that during the winter
OF 1866 ana 1860 more than 10000 cattle frozen
to death. These cattle the motive power OF the
The completion Of the Union Pacific Railroad will
facilitate the transportation OF freight to portion
Of Colorado Utah. Nevada aud the Territories OF the
Northwest; but New Mexico must still send out Its
wool and receive other articles OF commerce In re-
turn by means OF what Is known on the frontier as
'bu trains.- which must travel via the Arkansas
route which Ia quito 800 miles south OF the Platte
river, TO the north OF which the Pacific Railroad has
pcton OF the Union Pacific Railroad 800 miles to the
northward and to reach which country must be
traversed which few white men have ever
known route through, enhance the safety OF
travel over the more southern routesf Even now
mSculeI has Dccn done 10 lle railroad ana te,cQrapn
lines; TO be we hear little OF thus, nevertheless
II Is the case. The exernination or thorough nnn.
ishment OF single band OF Indians, whose number
seems rldlculousy small, would do more to give us
safer transit across the buffalo range than ali the
treaties that could be made by well paid commission
ers, or humanitarian meetings that may be held at
Cooper Institute or elsewhere.
what is known as the "lcg Soldier band OF Chey-
ennc- is composed OF the best fighters OF the Chay.
snae w en' Iny are
the overland stage Company and from trains (wag-
on) which have suffered from Indian stampedes. IL
would he Impossible to Imagine men better armed
than are these red r0vers for their weapons il-
var. ably brcech-lOaders OF the most approved
Where the supply OF ,GsT
abundance. Seven hundred warriors Is the full
number OF tins band, which has been concerned in
nearly every outrage that has been credited to the
rcdskin on the buffalo range Where they have not
been participators they have instigated the annir
r9r Instance Keep the Cneyenne away rom tne !ls
Arkansas river, and would not he difficult to keep
the Kiowa upon such reservations as might be as
signed to them In what Is known as the Indian Ter
rtory; but let the Cheyenne and Rtowa once CON-
niunicate with each other, AMI, II " be summer
time, we have Indian war where there should be
il very naturally suggests itself to thinking per.
son that these Cheyennes should be thrashed. Yes.
be well to have 1t on handf and II IL beyond the
range OF possibilities for troops to oyertake O well
In the winter the Indians manage to be al
peace. The capture Of 1--WE Alabamas would have
been more easy than the capture OF this single band
OF Indians during the summer season. Send o.
body OF troops against them and they wi" =.
an Indian until the Indians mat never SCI
stampede the horses some v an attempt I,
or o small hunting o. z;orn!ng just at daylight
camp 9y i.y asadv pal Is Snases sada
reach % .a ,on -, 40, parsut to e sure but when yo
land there s ~ Da NJ .e nearest vt,c high ridge
pn apqw ,ro,s ne m tra and "a speedy nd that thcr
TO rendezyona ~ :, Jns. The Indians have divide
selves. Return me place known best TO then y
frat thing the. your late camping ground and IN
which has .strikes you is the clean glcanln
particle ,ecn done during your absence; not
which II food or article OF any use Wna.ss,
10 bo ,ou may meniber 10 nave icit " anyWhei
d. found. The Indians have visited the sp'