The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-05
THE PLAINS.

The Military Posts the Upper Arkansas
The Movement Westward-COuditiOn and
Prospects of the Country-Indian Depreda-
tiOns-Causes Of the Raids-A POwwOw In
Contemplation.
FORT HARKER, Kansas June 10, 1858.
At this military post Lieutenant Colonel Benthine
commanding Brigader General Alfred Sully has his
headquarters He commands the district OF Upper
Arkansas, which includes this portion of Kansas
and part Of Colorado, in which embraced forts
harker Larned, Dodge, Zarah Wallace, Hays Lyon,
Reynolds Cedar Point Monument Station and the
camp at the mouth of the Little Arkansas, besides
four camps of movable columns at various points,
mastering in all about three thousand five hundred
men. With such a force perfect security may be
guaranteed in this section Of the country II the mill
tary commanders would be only left to the exercise of
their own judgment and not obstructed by the null
titudinous and absurd orders emanatng from the
Department Of the Interior-orders which, 1t may not
be invidiously said, issued whether designedly
or not, In the interest Of those to whom Indian
troubles are very profitable.
Fort Harker Is located within four and half miles
of the town of Ellsworth, and stands prominent
elevation on the line Of the Union Pacific Railway.
Ellsworth is a small and very scattered town Of
twelve hundred Inhabitants. Being on the prairie,
1t may be said to have agricultural surroundings.
for it-depends mainly upon the wagon trains pass
ing to New Mexico and its proximity to the fort.
The town was originally located mile further down
the road, but it was inundated to the depth Of five
feet by freshet about year ago. which catastrophe
was Sufficient warning to the inhabitants to move
to higher ground. The houses, being all either made
Of frame in compartments or canvas tents, the re-
moval was easily made. 1t Is no uncommon thing in
this region to move town from point toanother
II the sagacity Of the original projectors should prove
at fault. What was known as Coyote, for instance,
lying between Fort Hays and Fort Wallace month
ago. is now to be found several miles on, and is
known as Monument. few sturdy mules carried
the star Of C0yotes empire westward with great ease
The towns like civilization follow the railroad, the
soldiers and the suffers and this being their cognate
destiny, the towns are generally kept In marching
order. This, however only applies to the immediate
prairie country which extends from Salina west to
the contemplated junction OF this branch Of the
Union Pacific road eastern Division) with Denver.
Along this track for some hundred miles or more
there is not vestige OF vegetation except the short
yellow buffalo grass and occasional patches OF green
pasture, which serve to feed the stock used by the
garrisons or en- route, in droves, from Texas and
Mexico with the exception OF the Smoky, which,
with the Republican, farther north, combines to
make the Kansas river and small creek here and
there, whose track can be discovered by the fringe
OF dwarf trees on the banks, peeping up above the
eternal level Of the prairie, there Is no pleasant
water to be seen refreshing thing for the eye to
light upon. II Providence had any special object In
creating this region of country 1t must have been to
make a home for the savage and the bufialo, and
why man should have stepped in to put asunder
what God hath Joined a. E., the savage and the buf
falo), by introducing railroads and perambuatOry
towns where people raise neither food drink,
can only be attributed to the blind madness OF spec
railroad which runs in this particular direction. II
the road we're to branch of southwark towards
the Pacific from this point or somewhere in the vicn
ity-crossing the Arkansas rtver-it would pass
through q country susceptible Of cultivation, and
would make an available military road to Forts Lar
ned, Dodge and Union, most valuable to the govern
ment and would take In some Of the richest portions
OF Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona leaving OF the
track the desert districts referred TO- where white set
Elements are exceedingly difficult to protect or
sustain, and where the growth OF prosperous towns
Is next to an impossibity. The high rates OF
passage and freight which are complained OF by
settlers are attributed by the company to the small
Of the trafic, which renders high tariff neces
sary to support the road. Why, then, burden the
road with the expenses OF running through desert
country where there Is no inducement to immigra-
tionS believe that an effort is being made in Con-
gress to get the route changed in the direction ind
Gated. fhave heard it said by military officers OF
experience that 1t would pay the government to
9e a yysc nov s ha e al 's s anu
In view OF the saving In transportation OF stores and
troops. Military posts in the Indian country are
only necessary where there are white settlements to
protect IL Is evident that at such places as Hays,
Monument and Fort Wallace there would be no
III there were no forts or military stations, for
there is not material In the country to feed the set
tiers The Indians thrive there on their hunting
grounds, but the white men cannot farm lands dest
tute Of soil, water and timber.
Every time few irrepressible young Indians go on
''burst'-and their fashion Of going on burst is
always fatal to mules and beeves-the facts are gene
rally marnined into hostile raid. For example on
Sunday last fifteen thirsty Arabs OF the desert, ARA
pahoes probably, made an attack on water tank No.
2 on the railroad near Monument, ana came into col
lision with a party OF soldiers stationed there by
orders Of General Sully who has had constructed a
for IFS protection against red men and white men
for the latter, be 1t known, are often compelled by
dire necessity to tap the railroad through It's water
tanks The raid resulted in skrmish Of three hours
Duration the wOundng OF soldier and the skedaddle
OF the warriors without indulgng their hydropathic
propensities. You may have heard an enlarged &C.
count OF this AFFAIR by telegraph but was OF little
moment. The late attack OF the Cneyennes upon the
osages near Council Grove, Of which have already
belonging to white men, shows that the Indians were
not disposed modest the settlers, from the fact that
the Cheyenne chiefs sent word to General Suy that
they had been forced to kill eight head OF cattle the
property Of white men, because they were In
a starving condition, having failed in their
were willing to pay for them out Of their annuity
such raids upon the property Of the whites are
not and will not be uncommon as long as the tribes
are at war with each other. They are the incidents
Of Indian warfare and cannot be guarded against
long a. our ocers are resc,ed 1 oy 'ne absurd n
the aggressive or furnishing the defenders as they
deserve.
There Is very lltte uOuDt tnat TcCcut bttdCks
were made not by the Indians resident In this VI
cinity, but by small bands OF sioux and Cheyennes
from the north principally, composed OF young
braves who are always itching for mischief, and
being restrained by their chiefs In their own country,
make dash into this quarter and are on as soon as
they have had their amusement The whites, not
discriminating between one tribe and another re.
uuentiy retaliate upon the peaceable INDIANS, ana
then comes series Of fights which not unfrequently
give rise to an Indian Ths is one OF the causes
or these Indian troubles. Another may be FOUND IN
the rascality OF the agents and treaty makers, VINO
cheat the unwary savage To point past endurance,
begettng suspicion and hatred OF the whites Hence
IL il that the Indians are accused or violating urea
tea No doubt they do go violate them But, then.
many times they do not half comprehend thein and
often sign the documents In ignorance OF tner con-
tents They have been 80 repeatedly cheated Oy the
agents IN signing receipts for only half what they
really receive In the way OF annuties &C. that they