The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-03-31
The Piegan Pother.


The following important official com
munication from General Sheridan was
received to-day at army headquarters:
HEADQRs MIL. DIV. OF THE
MISSOURI,
CHICAGO, ILL.,, March IS, 1870.
"Gen. W t. Sherman, commanding United
States Army, Washington, ID c.:
GENERAL The further report of Col.
Baker, III reference to the punishment of
the Piegan Indians, has not yet been re-
ceived
g 1t seems strange that there should be
such want of knowledge of the position
which army officers have TO maintain In
reference to Indian affairs ] have in my
command at least five thousand miles of
frontier settlements, my chief and only
duty being to give protection to the
families residing on these long lines
against the Outrages OF the Indians. The
government has invited these settlers by
opening the lands to them for pre-emp
tion and improvement The number Of
men, women aud children Oh this extend
ell frontier is very great, and there is not
a day from one years end to the other
that these families are exempt from the
fearful thought of being murdered in the
most fendish manner, the men Scalped
the women ravished, the brains of the
Children dashed out. When | said, in IA
previous letter, that eight hundred had
met that fate since 1852 was below the
figure, and should have said twelve thou
Sand My duties are to protect these
people. | have nothing to do with the
Iudians but in this connection there is
scarcely day in which I do not receive
the most heartrending appeals to save
settlers from the crueI fate which may
come upon them; and | am forced to the
alternative of choosing whether | shall
regard their appeals, or allow them to be
butchered in order to save myself from
the hue and cry of people who know not
the Indian, and whose families have not
the fear, morning, noon and night, of be
ing ravished and scalped ty them
The wife of the man at she
centre of wealth, civilization
and refinement is no more to him than is
the wife Of the pioneer of the frontier /
have no hesitation in making my choice
| am goipg to stand by the people over
whom l am placed, and give them what
protection | can.
I'VE have not the troops 10 place at
each mans house to defend it, and have
sometimes to take the offensive to punish
for crimes already committed, in order to
prevent the preparation of Others In
taking the offensive have to select that
season when | can catch the fiends, and,
if village is attacked, and women and
children killed, this responsibility is not
tlnc Il Er,A, A. T. l.
whose crimes necessitate that attack
During the war, did any one hesitate to
attack a village or town occupied by the
enemy, because wOmenor children where
within its limits? Did we cease to throw
shells into Vicksburg CT Atlanta because
women and children were there? If the
women and children were saved in these
places, it was because they had cellars to
go into; and should any of the women
and children of the Piegans have lost
their lives | sincerely regret they had
not similar places of refuge, though 1
doubt if they would have availed them
selves of them, for they fight with more
fury than the men.
1.-THE soldiers do not want to kill Indi-
ans. After two years of Indian frontier
service, am satisfied they are the onIr
good, practical friends the Indians have.
"We cannot avoid being abused by one
aide or the other. If we allow the de-
fenSeless people of the frontier to be
scalped and ravished, we are burnt in
efigy and execrated as soulless monsters,
insensible to the suffcrings of humanity.
1t the Indians are punished to give secu-
rity TO these people, we are the same soul
less monsters from the other side. This
is a bad predicament to be in; but, as
have said, | have made my choice, and
am going to stand by the people whom
the government has placed me here to
protect
The reservation is the last ditch to
che wild Indian; but, to get him there,
he must be forced by the troops. Those
who think he can be induced to go there
by other means are mistaken When on
the reservation, he will have to be kept
there by the presence of troops, and thus
become tangible for the good work of
civilization; and he can only be protect
ed in his rights while there by troops
keeping off the emigrants who encroach
on his land. All these points are practic-
ally exhibited each year
Inc Cheyennes, Arrapahoes, Conan
ches, Kiowas, and Apaches, have just
been forced on by the troops. During the
last year,as soon as | withdrew the troops
from the Sac and Fox reservation, the
emigrants took possession. A flood of
emigration, almost ten thousand strong,
moved in solid mass and occupied the Os-
age Reservation, because there were no
troops there to keep them off All the
other reservations Oh which the Indian
may yet be placed will be lost in the
same manner, unless guarded by the mil
itary. Yours truly,
"P. I'll. SHERIDAN,