The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-26

The Indian War-Its Origfn--The SUCCESS
Already Observation-Disclosures Fighting the
True Mode Of SubjugatiOn-DescripfiOn of
| Medicine Lodge-Two Couriers Killed by
Indians-Retarn of Wagon Train.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI
CAMP SUPPLY,
| FORKS BEAVER AND WOLF RIVERS, /: T.,
Dec O, 1858.
| No influence exerts more power the savage
| mind than that OF fear. The ordinary feelings OF
| humanity ind no existence there and such i'm
pulses sympathy or gratitude to incte recipro
cation OF good deeds are az dead as the thirst for
blood is strong and beyond control
review OF the causes and progress of the present
Indian war is but repetition OF that same expe-
rience which hos been the natural condition,
1t would seem, of Indian affairs for some
years past but in the present instance
indicates the exercise OF more energy, OF more skill
and with better prospects OF durable results than
have characterized former attempts at q decisive
subjugation OF the hostile tribes. The great draw
back in the past has been the regard for the auto
matte philanthropy OF n class urged on in their cant
BY their own interests those OF corrupt officials
and their tools. This class has even the bOldness in
the present 80 disfgure the true state Of the
case and again, with their usual Misrepresentation
ignorance aud fasehood attribute the blame OF the
to the white settlers. In response to cOwardly
feeling OF socaled humanity the Peace Commits
the 'whole Indian question for practical and
II possible peaceable solution" To further this OBJ
ject the operations Of the troops were made subor
dinatc to the Commission. This Commission at
least deserves the credit OF showing interchangeable
spirit II 1t did come out barren OF results. Treaties
were entered into with the Cheyennes, Arapahoes,
Kiowas and Comanches. At the recommendation
Of the Peace Commission the Powder river country
was abandoned. This action was construed by the
vndt fhn ltpff IN rt NJ Our
eminent. The Sioux having accomplished their
| frat purpose now extended their depreciation to
| the Pacific Railroad, on the Platte. The Indians
along the Arkansas, on the south, were not slow In
believing that the whites had been forced ont OF the
Powder river country and undertook, in emulation
OF the boast Of the Sioux in the North TO drive the
| whites out OF the Smoky Hill country. Both these
| sections are fine ranges for the bunalo.
The Cheyennes In August last took the warpath,
iieyed, against band Of Indians towards which
| they were hostile. In the same month they made
their the me- IN the VALLEY
treatment they suddenly threw of their disguise,
and instead OF appearing as friends they were sud
valleys OF the Saline and Solomon suddenly became
the scene OF relentless. savage war, and in turn
| the tOmahawk the scaping knife and the irebrand
swept along the Smoky Hill and the Arkansas.
The war was now fairly inaugurated and its incep-
treachery which had frequently before resulted in
the massacre OF innocent and unsuspecting men,
L
met their end at the hands OF the savages. The
chiefs Of the Arapahocs had promised to proceed
to For; Cobb and get their annuities, and thence
withdraw their reservation. In stead OF fulfilling
their promises, they began series OF depredatons
Colorado territory The Kiowas and Comanches
about the same time entered into an agreement at
IMPRESSION xed on the minds Of those e who m repre
sented the government The next information was
that the Kiowas and Comanches had Joined the
the practical view OF the condition OF affairs within
the limits OF his department at once transferred his
| headquarters TO the field, and commenced prepare
tons for a determined war General Suliy's fight
near this POINT Forsyth's gallant night on the ART
hams fight on the Beaver branch OF the Republican
General Cars dc :tsiye g It In the same vicinity,
Kettles band In the battle OF the washita, be
sides a number OF small engagements, y
would be a low estimate to say that at
least three hundred warriors have been killed since
cially for. The dexterity OF the Indian in
getting or HIS dead would largely increase the
knowledge OF the Indian loss from the bodies seen
carried OF or which fell into the possession OF the
troops Nor have the wounded been estimated; and
II il quite natural to suppose that In loss OF two
hundred and ffty warriors killed many more were
: wounded, OF which fair proportion may be called
II IL very evident the savage, thought the inccm-
ency OF the winter would them in their remote
, again resume their dcprcdatiois and afro.
cities. The wisdom OF this winter campaign
| mas tWOiOu SlSntUCanCc. FIST the indians have
received thus far the most rapid and decisive thrash.
|. ! ssix .ney nave ever been entertained with I'm the
same length OF time, In the second place It ex.
podes their BELIEF that the SHOWS and storms OF
winter Will prove an insurmounable barrier against
the approach OF troops at time when the effective
| ness Of their mode OF warfare ceases. These two
considerations have, doubtless, by This time had
some cnect. but the savagcs have so far only seen
the beginning OF what Is IN store for them.
There are 50 many considerations involved in an
Indian war that to premise anything would be use
less. One thing II certan unless higher authorities
/ mod iu fhp m N Va % IN nj
reaches an even greater success aud more decisive
and durable results. The captive squaws think their
| people have had enough and will come into Fort
| Cobb and surrender. RI they do 80 they como now
as conquered people, N the dust, and VIII be tied
| down to the most rigid agreements. When the
| Peace Commission treated with them the savages
came In shouting and firing their rifles and with
were some hoId the on,n,on tbo the hostile
viii take their families to the Staked Plains, bar
rem waste In Texas and return and unite In league,
sible, for the that the larder OF an Indiao
family s the plain and the wood his daily food con-
ssng OF the proceeds OF the chase. Ill success IL the
that the Staked Plains consist OF the most barren,
desolatc waste In this entire region and are per-
iecty devoid OF animal life. The savagcs therefore,
nave no place TO retire 10 that cannot be reached
| by the columns.
. AS an instance Of the faithlessness and shrewd-
ness OF the savages against which General Sheridan
now operating some secrets let out by the prison
ers may bc mentioned. Several weeks since war
party, consisting OF Cheyennes, Kiowas and Arapa-
noes, started on the warpath towards Fort Lyon.
Az the same time another party started TO operate
In the vicinity OF Fort Larned. and 4
third party on foot, set out moving north
TO fall upon small parties AZ the same Zinc fhesc
hostile expeditions were about leaving Representa-.
lives rom easn band repaired to Fort Cobb aud SO.
| cured from the representative OF the Peace Com.
mission there large Quantities OF provisions ana
other supplies. WOW
,, a, TIC time Of the capture ?! Black Kettles camp
.nesee s.".eS 800 .s.Si aii6 destroyed, together
with large quantities of powder nnd lcod e