The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-25
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1868.
What Has Been Done and What Remains
to Be Accomplished.
THE PEACE COMMISSIONS
INDIAN DEPREDATIONS.

MAJOR General sheridan, commanding the Depart
pent OF the Missouri, having completed his annual
seport Of affairs within his command for tho year
lsos, has forwarded the same TO Lieutenant General
". 4. Sherman, commanding the Military Division
Or the Missouri.
The following Is a copy OF the report with accom-
panying documents
HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT or rue MIssouRL
IkTHR FIELp, Fort HAYS, Nov 10, 1865.
Lieutenant General w. 4. SHERMAN, Commanding
4 Military Division OF the Missouri, II. Louis MOI
GENKRAI-in reply to your letter OF October call
ine for an annual report regret TO state that /
VIII be compelled, In consequence OF my presence IA
enc deld being necessary 70 MAKE niuch more III
assumed the permanent command OF the Depart
nent OF the Missouri March 2 1868, relieving Breyet
Major General A. J. Smith, Colonel Seventh cavalry,
Temporarily IN command. The department com
prises the districts OF New Mexico, the Indian Terri
tory. Kansas the Upper Arkansas and the State OF
the District OF New Mexico, commanded by Dre-
vet Major General G. W. Getty, is an old and estsb
lished command. IL has within its limits the Navajo
nation OF Indians, the Utes aud wandering bands of
Apaches. together with few bands OF semi-civized
Indians The district has been, with the exception
OF an occasional depreciation on the part OF the
Apache bands, comparatively quiet. During the past
under authority OF the Lieutenant General, from
their temporary reservation near Fort Sumner 10
their permanent reservation In the northwestern
portion OF the Territory. The Utes have remained
friendly, although more neglected by tue government
than any other Indian tribe within my command. In
u
The smallest bands has been very great. This
district has been ably and economically I'D
Mlnistered by It's distinguished commander
The District Of the Indian Territory Is also an old
district having In II the posts Of forts Gibson and
Arbuckle, and has been under the command OF
Rreyct Major General Gfierson, colonel Tenth
airy, since May, 1865. IL had previously been COM
manded by Brevet Major Montgomery Bryant cap
tain sixth lnfa ltry This district has In IL all the
aemlclviized bands oi Indians the principal tribes
being the Cherokees, Chckasaws, Choctaws and
osages 1t also contains the reservations OF the
r.
lxed by tue treaty with the Indian Peace Commits
soner OF last fan. OF these bands por-
uon OF the Kiowas and Comanches visited Fort
Coob cary last sprung, the point designated
for their agent TO reside at apparently for tue pur
pose OF obtaining their annnilies and otner sup
plies. The Indian Department having JAILED 10 fur
Dlsh the supplies they fell out with the agent drove
him OF, destroyed the agency building and came up
TO their old haunts on the Arkansas threatening war
n their demands were not compiled with. No other
events OF importance occurred in this district during
thc last year. The district was fairly ard economi-
cally managed by both its commanders. Troops
we're gent twice or three times 10 Cobb on requisi
zion Of the agent who appeared TO be constantly In
trouble either through has own FAULT that OF the
lndiansmost probably The latter, AS they told ne
they did not like hlIn, but wanted Mr.. Tappan, the
Indian trader AT Larned, 10 be their agent and that
they put halter about his neck and had him led
out on the prairie and that II they had any more
bad agents they would hang them.
The District OF Kansas mas been under the control
" Brevet Lieutenant Colonei T. 4. English MAJOR Fifth
infantry since the departure Of General hoffman,
about the beginning of May, 1865. IL comprises
within Its limits the posts Oi Forts Riley and Leaven
worth, with one company OF soldiers o. the Kaw
crossing OF the Cottonwood, not far from Council
drove, ana one company on the Republican, al the
Big Bend. The District has been very well COM
nanded.
nearly all the Territory OF Colorado and that portion
: 81 Kansas west Of q north and south line through
Fort Barker and has been commanded by Brevet
Br1gader General A. Suly, Lieutenant Colonel Third
Infantry since May lsos, previous to which time IL
EnS S MAJOR = Filth Infautry. Tas District
was by far the most difficult 10 manage
and the most pregnant with events during the year
II had within ITS limits the territory OF the Che
yennes Arapahoes kiowas and Comanches, which
they had agreed 10 give up IN their treaty with me
Peace Commission. The TWO great commercial nigh
WAYS to Colorado and Kew Mexico, and the lateral
roads connecting them from AarScr 10 Larned, and
HAYS to Dodge aud Wallace 10 Lyon, pass through
tie District also the Western line OF frontier settle
IN Kansas and the eastern line OF settlements
In Colorado, which. from their scattered and help
oupdity OF the savage. II is likewise the hunting
ground OF Sioux, northern ATapahoea aud north.
cru Cheyennes and II was the permanent residence
Of the fret named tribes These Indians rhc
Kiowas, Comauches Araphoes and Cheyennes)
were able 10 put into the field about G.0O0 well
mounted and wei armed Warriors, with from TWO 10
ten spare horses each.
10 guard the hines OF the Union Pacific Railroad
ana the Denver stage line and Other interests in
this state, there had been established in 1867 the
posta OF Fort iarkcr Hays AMI Wallace, aud the
outpost or Cedar Point; ana 10 guard the line OF the
Arkansas 10 New Mexico there were the posts of
Lafned, Dodge, Lyon aud Reynolds, and the out
posts Of 2arah aud mouth OF Little Arkansas. All
companies OF The Tenth cavalry, seventh cavalry,
Flfth and Third infantry and four companies o. the
TnrtJ eighth infantry al very inlch renaccl W
numbers, which gave me force o. 100 cavalry
and about 100 infantry. After distributing th,s
force for the protection 81 The railroad and the dli
ferent posts and along the line OF settlements had
available Tor the ncid nj the commencement of
hostiliaes only eleven companies oil cavalry :.
cavalry, IN eli anOut 800 men. For par
t.euIars touching the outbreak I respectfully
refer you 10 my report Of September &C. 1868
cd IL
rive operations IL was Impossible TO accomplish %
great deal IN SO extensive country. The indian,
mounted on his hardy pony and familiar with the
country, WAS about d hard 10 Dnu, 50 long - TIE
grass lasted as the Alabama on the ocean. Tue
mpauies of the seventh cavalry, Joined by
Vests company OF the same regiment moved TO
fort Dodge. whne the four companies OF tue Tenth
csvary moved from tue saline 70 The crossing ol
walnut creek 90 the road nom Fort HaJs 10 Fort
Dodge, and there awaited information of the direc-
eon in which the families and vl or the Indians
hao moved; while Breyet Colonel G.. A. Forsyth,
with party OF nfty scouts, north Of the ruil-
road 10 Beaver creek TO watch the direction OF the
trails. AL % which ne reported a. leading to tho
On the 7th september General Snfy whose com :
mand had been increased by company Of the seventh
cavalry from Lyon aud Breyet MAJOR Pages c0nbnny
Third infantry, IN All between i've and SIX hundred
men crossed the Arkansas az Dodge 10 strike The vi.
hayes OF the indians reported ON the CimArron about
forty miles distant
ON arriving at tho cimsrron Il was found cha, the
villages had moved, and the tran was followed Win
more or less diminishing unit the ciossiug ~ the
north fork or the Canadian or Middle river vas
reached, when the Indians made brisk attack, Int
were driven OF after which the command moved
north towards Fort Dodge and went iuto camp on
4nak Bun creek 70 await further escort Of iifau-
try for The wagon train the amount OF infantry
with II not being considered sufficient 70
guard successfully. Captain Hae's COMPANY.
jr0m the Solomon; Captain Asbury's, from Larncd
and nreyet Major BecOe's Company NJ the Thirty.
eighth were sent: hot 40 much time Was consumed
IN getting these companies from remote poipiz
sNat the rations FOR the expedition at Dodg, aud
with the command were eaten ~, snd not much has
since been accomplished oy this gOlumn. Tue In.
diana lost IN the series OF skrInishes On this move.
irout south Of the Arkansas nom seventeen 10 TWEEN
ts~two Killed and unknown number wounded;
the troops lost two Killed and one wounded
WINE General Suly was operating south Of the
Arkansas Captain Graham, Win his company Of the
itnta cavaify vas sent out rom wallace 10 give ~
hUch pro ecti0n ne could along the stage line 10
Denver on tho leth September ne WAS attacked on
ii RANDY creek by about 100 Indians, defeated
taem killed eleven and wounded an unknown nun.
her. Meantime Hreyft Cui1uei q. A Iorxyth. win