The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-26
REVIEW OF THE INDIAN WAR.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
1t Is almost incom prehensible that few nomades
sOnld set at defiance the nation which proved Itself
capable Of crushing the most gigantic rebellion
known In history. STILL 1t Is q truth easily proven
that this IL the case The ab0rigine destroys each
year the lives and property OF citizens to an ex
tat almost beyond belief He does this, too nearly
without punishment; and whyS The Indian fools
the white man, and chooses the time and place for
war. When the winter season is at hand and the
deep SHOWS preclude the Indian pony from his buffalo
grass the rcdskin knows that he must go to the vii
lagos and lay up until the grass is sprouting anew
under the influence Of the bright spring weather OF
the Plains. II Is during this season. then, that the
Indian must remain peaceful, and what peace
Simply the colng OF the snake prior to fatal spring;
for the grass Is sooner sufficiently strong to afford
ample sustenance to the mustang when the Indian vii
layers are moving and the bucks the old TRAIL
which has its beginning In spring. and invariably
ending In the late fall at which time the Indian
makes his appearance the vicinity Of military posts
and represents himself tired OF into which he
had been lei by some very bad Indians, who are
now gone somewhere, but exactly In hat direction
the peacefully disposed party has no idea. In fact
he is GLAD that he does not know, for this very bad
tribe or band OF Indians has made great trouble for
those OF the red brothers who well disposed to-
ward the whites. II is just trife curious to know
where these very bad Indians go TO, for every band
which comes In has almost similar story. 1t reminds
one Of schoolboy days, when "Nobody did It, slrn
Seemingly this thing has gone to sufficient length
and we are to have a winter campaign against the
Indians, which, II 1t proves successful, must, to
certain extent terminate "0ur Indian Troubes'
paragraph, which has been so long standing item
In nearly every Journal In the country
The section OF country which the Indian finds most
fitted for his raids and devastation is that portion OF
the Plains through which we have the three great
trading routes to the far West-the Arkansas the
Smoky. Hill and the Platte. This Is not q level
tract, far from 1t; no more broken country can be
found In our broad territory unless 1t be among the
mountain ranges. Thus II may be seen that II Ia
easy for band OF Indians, whether 1t be composed
OF ten or 100 warriors. TO conceal themselves
near the travelled routes and swo0p hawk
IKE with ho,, little exposure to danger on
routes Is far greater than would he beived by par
ties unfamiliar with the Plains. Some idea may be
OF 1865 ana 1859 more than 10000 cattle frozen
to death. These cattle are the motive power OF the
The completion Of the Union Pacific Railroad will
facilitate the transportation OF freight 10 portion
OF Colorado Utah. Nevada aud the Territories OF the
Northwest: but New Mexico must still send out Its
wool aud receive other articles OF commerce In re-
turn by means OF what ~ known on the frontier az
'bull trainsr which must travel via the Arkansas
route. which IL quite 800 miles south OF the Platte
river TO the north OF which the Pacific Railroad has
been constructed will the construction and COM
pction OF the Union Pacific Railroad 800 miles to the
northward, and to reach which a country must be
raversed which few white men have ever
done more than follow some tolcraby well
known route through, enhance the safety OF
travel over the more southern routesY Even now
mischief has been done to the railroad and telegraph
lines; TO be we hear lltle OF tins. nevertheless
II is the case. The extermnation or thorough nun.
shment OF a single band OF indians whose number
seems rdiculously small would do more to give us
safer transit across the buffalo range than oil the
treaties that could be made by well paid commission
ers, or humanitarian meetings thar may be held at
Cooper Institute or elsewhere.
what Is known as the "lo.s soldier band OF Chcy-
ennc is composed OF the best fighters OF the Chey.
cnne tribes, a few Arapahoes and sioux. They arc
well mounted upon stock stolen from our cayalry
the Overland Stage Company and from trains twag.
on) which have suffered from Indian stampedes. IL
would be Impossible to imagine men better armed
var ably brcech-loadcrs OF the most approved
pattern. Where the supply OF ammunition comes
abundance. Seven hundred warriors IL the full
number OF this band, which has been concerned in
nearly every outrage that has been credited to the
reaskin on the buffalo range. Where they have not
been participat0rs they have insgated the amir.
For instance, keep the Cheyenne away from the
Kiowa, whose natural range Is southwark OF the
Arkansas river and II would not be difficult 10 keep
the Kiowa upon such reservations might be as
signed to them In what Is known as the Indian Ter
ritory; but let the Cheyenne and kiowa once CON-
municate with each other, AMI, II u be summer
time, we have Indian war where there should be
1t very naturally suggests itself to thinking per-
son that these Cheyennes should be thrashed. Yes
to be sure, but ere we pot the pigeon would no,
be wei to have 1t on handf and II IL beyond the
range OF possibilities for troops to overtake wei
mounted band OF Indians during the summer season
In the winter the Indians manage to be al
peace. The capture Of i've Aabamas would have
been more easy than the capture of this single band
Of Indians during the summer season. Send o."
body OF troops against them aud they wiz =.
an Indian until the Indians ma'- never SCI
stampede the horses some v an attempt Y
or q small hunting OF ;Srn!ng just at daylight
camp 6y MY or ssajyta party Is chasea s ns
reach 10 ,o 80 ae, Pursuit to ie sure but when 20
land. there ~ p NJ 'e nearest vtlc or high ridge
follow the trail ami Won ,l,oP In sight Undertake
are trails I'm nil I,ny,o" ~I speedily and that thcr
to rendezvona M ~ ,ns The Indians have divide
selves. Return me place known best TO tnc !,
frat thing thu your late camping ground anu tn
which has .strikes you IL the clean glcanl
particle : zen done during your absence; not
which II food or article OF any use whatsv
to b" ,ou may rene nber 10 nave ieIt W anyWne
d. found. The Indians have visited the sp