The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-25


through the indian lines and brought word 70 Fort
Wallace OF ITS perllous condition aud Breyet Colonel
H. q. Bankhead, Captain Fifth infantry, colntiaau-
ing Fort wallace, with the most colnnenuaple en-
ergy started TO It's relief with 100 from tha post
and BIeyet Lieutenant Colonel Carpenters COM
pany OF the Tenth cavalry then H,drche protec-
ing The stage line 10 Denver reaching Forsyth on the
morning OF the the 25th OF September.
About the same time Brevet Brlgadier 'enerM w.
IL. Penrose, from Fort Lyon, Colorado Ierritory.
WIN troop Seventh cavalry, pursued parry "
Indians who were driving on stock rom the SCI
tiers ana killed four. Wine these operations were
| la progress the Governor OF Kansas, knowing now
hard we were pressed for troops, proposeu 70 TO-
heve the COMPANIES | had on the Eastern
frontier settlements or Kansas II arms ammunition
and rations could be issued by the government Tor
| 900 militia from she state This gladly assented 70,
and these conditions were carrier OUT ny uirec'iuh
| OF the Lieutenant General
1 AS soon as the agreement was contaminated
drew the Two companies OF the Seventh cavalry At
Harker and proceeded to Larned tOty 10 induce the
| KiOwas and Comanches to return TO their reservA-
zion al Fort Cobb. l offered TO furnish them ratons
10 thai post ana Breyet Major General Hazen, sent
10y General sherman 10 conducts the Indians To their
reaervatlons agreed 10 feed them during the winter
ami their annntles This proposition was ac-
cepted but only decoy to get their families out
OF the proximity OF the post and then openly 10 be-
come hostile. There no doubt IN my mind OF the
! young men having been 10 previously.
| Previous To this Interview with the Kiowas ana
before General Suly moved south OF the Arkansas,
| IN order 10 keep portion OK the Arapahoes, VINO
were not known To be hostile, out OF the war, he III
vited their principal chiefs to vts us AZ Fort Dodge
there offered 10 provide for them during the win
! ter, which proposition they accepted, but only as
cover 10 get their stock and families Out OF the reach
| OF the troops and when General Suy moved south
they were the first 10 attack him mention this cir
cinstance To show that we exhausted every aterac
tive 70 be friendly with Indians not known TO oe
| fnlY engaged in the strife, as we had exhausted
every alternative during the summer to preserve tue
4 peace with all the tribes
| During the period embraced In the foregoing
events the Lieutenant General ordered Brevet Major
| General q. G. Augur, commanding Departments OF
the Patie. to send from Fort Sedgwick TO the forks
OF the Republican river six companies OF the Twen-
tysevcnth infantry and two companies or the Sec
| ond cavalry, under command OF Brevet Brigadier
General 4. p. Bradley, Lieutenant Colonel OF the
Twentyseventn infantry and at the same time moth
ned that the seven companies OF the Fifth cavalry
would report 70 me at Fort Harker, General Brad
ley arrived on the Republican river on the 25th OF
September, IN lime 10 be OF material assistance 10
Colonel Forsyth by the approach OF his command,
west the head waters OF the Republican,; but his
command being principally infantry II cannot DO
1t became fully known that the Kiowas
| ANA Conanches We're engaged In hostiii-
ties we had against rs the full number of 5000 war
riors, well mounted and armed, and deemed IL
necessary to say our force was too small and orders
received TO call the Governor OF Kansas for
one regiment OF cavalry 200 strong, This regiment
| VIII coon he organized and ready for the field.
| ON September 20 seven companies OF the Fifth
ana the oa
| Beaver creek under command OF Brevet Colonel w.
b. Royal Major Fifth cavalry but as yet have not
| succeeded III finding the Indians. On October IL
General suily ordered Custer's command nom Chalk
BluN creek 10 scour the country on Medicine Lodge
| ana me Big Benu O1 the ArkansdS,
pending the accumulation OF supplies ut Dodge for
an expedition 10 the Canadian river ana Wachita
mountains. only small parties OF Indians who had
been dcpredatng on the line from Harker to Dodge
were found, ana who drew south to watch the move
ments OF Custer. Two Indians were reported o. pro-
baby Killed IN some small dashes made by them at
sundry times, but no families or villages we re
found.
on october General Bradley notified me that the
trail OF the Indians Coone Royal was sent after had
crossed Beaver creek IN southwesery direction.
Brevet Major General Il. A. Carr Major Fifth cav
AIRY, who arrived after the detachment OF his
regiment had taken the ded, was ordered to Join his
comlnanI aud take the trail reported by General Brad
ley, with directions TO Brevet Colonel Bankhead, at
Fort Wallace to furnish him with Brevet Lieutenant
Colonel Carpenters and Captain Graham's compa-
mes OF the Tenth cavalry numbering about 100
these instructions, was with his party attacked on
the 18TH Inst by about 400 Of these Indians on Beaver
creek, and after an engagement OF six hours re-
pulsed the Indians, killing nine and wounding an
unknown number Three OF the escort were
wounded.
The above gives YOU an account OF the principal
movements and principal combats since the 18th
August: out IN addition there were number Of
lace, Dodge. Lyon aud Hays, in which
some Indians were killed. In all contests
To thls ,l,ne about ninety-two Indians have
been killed aud an unknown number wounded. NO
amount o soek eap,efea hunter q
! Indians killed, think can be safely relied upon az
correct. The number OF soeers killed in this period
has been SIX, and OF scouts in tue government service
five Of soldiers wounded ten and OF scouts sixteen.
The number OF citizens Killed and officially reported
is set forth in the accompanying list OF Indian
outrages and murders, AMI viii number seventyfve
killed and niue wounded. In nearly ali cases the
most horrible and savage baroarities perpetra-
Ted Oh the bodies Of the victims
The amount or stock run or IN Colorado and Kan
sas aud from the freight trains TO New Mexico ana
Colorado IL very large-prohably IN excess OF i've
tnoasauk head. The settlements have been driven In
and ranches abandoned, making the damage done
To all interests very large, In fact, unless the indi
ans are crushed and made TO obey the authority
Of the government there VIII be total para yss OF
OF the best interests OF this section OF country
AL confidence is destroyed. The people had felt
degree OF security from the assurances Of the
Peace Commission, and many OF them have met
horrible fate In consequence. No peace which viii
give confidence can be hereafter made by paying
tribute 10 these savage bands OF cruel marauders.
am exceedingly glad thar the Peace Commission
resolved az their late meeting that Indian tribes
should not he dealt with as independent nations.
They are wards 81 the government, and should be
made 10 respect the laws aud the lives and the pro-
perry Of cti2ens The Indian history OF this country
for tho last OO years shows that OF all the great ma
tons ~ Indians oniy the remnants have been saved.
The same fate awaits those now hostile, and the best
WAY Tor the government ~ 10 now make them poor
by tie destruction OF their stock AMI then settle
them on the lands allotted TO them. The motive Of
the Peace Commission was humane; but there was
an error OF Judgment IN making peace with these
indians last TALL. They should have been pun
isned and mate 20 give up the plumber captured
and winch they now hold, and after properly submit
ting 10 tbs military and disgorging their plumber
they could nave been turned to The cry agents.
THIS error has given many more victims 70 savage
| i.rocify.
The present system Of deaing with the Indians, I
\ think. Ia an error. There too many fingers In
tho Pie, zoo many ends to be subserved and too much
money ~ be made and AZ IL the interest OF the nation
and % humanity 10 put an end 10 TINS inhuman farce.
The Peace JOmmiSson and the Indian Department
ard tue military ana the Indians make 6aiky
! team The public treasury IL depleted aud IDno.
cent people murdered in the Quadranguar manage.
ment N which the public treasury and the IN
| armed settlers are the greatest sufferers. There
| should be only one head In the government ol
| Indians now they look 10 the Peace Commission,
then 10 the indian Department, both of which are
expensive Institutions, without any system or afe-
| guate machinery la make good Their promises.
Then the Indian alr back tho military. which is
! tue only reliable resort ia case he becomes pnched
| from hunger.
| respectfully recommend, In view OF what have
| seeu since came Ia command Oi tins department
and nom long experience with Indians heretofore,
that the lneian Department be transferred 10 the
! war Department and that the Lieutenant General.
~ the common SUPERIOR. have sole aud entire charge
| or the Indians: that each department commander
and the officers under him have the sole and enITe