New-York tribune., 1868-12-19
LIE INDIAN WAR
GEN. sHERIDAS's PLAN or OrERArI0Ns-rHE
WINTER CAMPAIGN.
,nnnM - orc AsInN AL CnRRKSPnNDKNrl

Crs. suEEIDAN's PLAN or OPERArIOSS-THB
WINTER CAMPAIGN.
tPPoN Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENCE
W,sHrxGroN. ID. c., Dec. 14.-Through the
courtesy Of Brcvet Brig Gen Chauncy hcKeeyer' AS
,iStant Adutant General. A. and In charge OF the
Denartment OF the Missouri while Cen Sherdans head
uar,ers mr. IN the eld obtained during recent Visit
Ia Fort Hays much Information In regard 10 Cen sheri'
dans movements. with permission to make thHm KNOWN
Gen shcrdans plan Of the present campaign against
the Choyenn Indians aud their allies emDtaCss al eos
Grating during the wier when the ssyages are
only oss inclined but almost unable 10 ,nAe [sp S
aud extensive marchcs IN oFuer oapao ~ ~, =, 80
tsement The other il that OF surrounding the vast re
ces.es Of the Plains INTO which witch 'He' u'uA'' io'0 "
To carry ont the first plan he has established base Of
supplies IN the heart yt 'he nSse 1an loaded Viii
corn for the cavalry horses These animals do very wei
Indnns have always found Il necessary allow their
PONIES 10 most Of the Winter season II they wouu
keep them Ve rom becoming poor anu
the dead grass Of the pfaries not containing suHeen
rnirmont 10 sustain working animals IN cold weather
From these facts GEN Sheridan Of once cohpfenehded
that Winter campaign, properly nshssea, sVun sTg I'M
his troop. great advantage over tho indiah, he VII
donbsis prove in this to have shown ms usua .agacty
M. alan shows readiness endure the d'cOniori- AMI
hardships of winters campaign 10 hresion "HcS IT,
friendly house tree, can be had for shelter "no
his more fortunate brother officers are enjoying e'ha
'9n s.g ,,o ~. over which the Cheyennes Comanches
Klowas and Auapah0es roam. Is OF zach g'at extent
that no military onccr has hitherto cOnsidered pra.u
:.
nort Of Colorado and New Iico on the west aAd OF
Texas on the south have been their he OF operations
century that they have not preycd on the e ana prop
er Of Of M sS Sf they afrta with the half
riytirsd triIcs Who occupied reserves here. when
ssa4 ;ss s Il S s Ts n feSS5 Ey %SSd
in New Me xlco, Tcras,o Mehco to dsposo Oh tLeir
broad domains fOr SOME new nrld OF adventure fhis
Ne has been the ednea,lon Of me ySnnS "arrGrs OF
nccr. travellers through th'r country ha, become
habitual. ,
the Pacn Railroads. and The consequent large iucrc:o
of the number Of tntsd s'aies i9,,' eas . ms.;s'g
south This fact has rendered II more feasible for Gen
ue. OF Col FORSYTH Gen Bankhead aud Others had
PEELED the Indians from Western Kansas toward tho
Indian Territory. aud Gen. sheridan formed his hrst
inco,ng lines ou the east, north an wcst mat nhe was
more than lOO0 miles lOug ConNcTghS eolulh6. accom-
Cusiar Cart Fcnrose aud Bradley, and Cols Crawford
Fort Abnckle in Indian Territory north TO eArkan
sas River, thence west TO the mountan, ami
1hese NOV IN troops formed three aides OF some 10000
square miles of territory hitherto sacred 10 toe naIaud
A2rspaGoe Tribes. This domain embraces most oi the
head waters OF the Cauaiau and Red Rivers, and - in
foot OF a white has ever stepped on the banks Of
these streams the alone have eamped either 10
rontnned success has bred IN them supreme contempt
for the entire white race; The santa re road runs
che value Of millions cf dollars hss annually passed over
this trail IN snd mule trains Tor forty Years past Inc
road have the gloomy sgnhcauce Of some murder. OF
even outrage. committed - these tlpe'' Nus
Custar's late hight was 100 miles beyond a
strip o the Santa 10 road. known known as the Jor-
nddo dti HHerfo rhe Journey OF the Dead. .
Gen sheridan knowing that tho sayagcs, pursued.
would retire southwark toward the Texas line. and
10 the OF the Witohfa Mountains, where
the mild climate, good grass and aeundan, game would
naturally Atrnet them has selected that locality As the
va tn hat Dol nn
cavalry as the fisherman inclO,es shoal OF nsh IN hls
seine, uDl he fenees n tina hostile warriors VINO are
worldly goods aud number 3oo0 400 warriors.
and rs 300 souls once IN position 10 sfaPpe WIN the
wary enemy he must either surrender ana 80 upon fes-
ervatous be fed at Government expense or take his
chances battle. II he chooses the latter ALTERNATIVE;
the Ocpns. VIII be 1g ne' the Sss
from time to time given them arms. aud lastly the great
Peace has provided she@ With so ,s bn
followed other examples IN arnng its enemies 70 XII us
II was not expected that our troops would overakeany
OF the Indians until tho latter were surrounded Gen
ou,s recent ngn T hSDs @ espture S and sha, nd
the with these indians IS west ana sonh OF ROT.
Cobb Indian TerrS perhaps 100 mss ana aSo 1SS St
meridian OF longitude II must be remembered that the
Of hs plan depends In no small degree upon me
frontier Of TeIa that the Indians do not escape
southwaru Also that the General sommsndns tne ne
Lano Eaaeado and enter Mexico. In the latter event
they could n be pursued al our troops nave no perns
have taken pains 10 elaborate these features
IN Indian nHhting because OF their great mportanoe
being the only method by which these and other tribes
similarly situated be secured and placed on reserva-
tions Il will carry the fret lesson TO the Indians OF the
That there s no escape from the Inc xorbe fate OF
rsservaton peace and plenty 10 eat Tho White Mountain
New xrisons and Northern Mexico should mex.
be caught and disposed OF and then tho hostile bands OF
the North and the Northwest. o.