The New York herald., 1873-05-12
BORDER INDIANS.
Reflections on the Conduct Of Campaigns
Against the Savages.
HOW THE WARRIORS FIGHT.
The Value Of Indian Allies in the
Field.
EFFICACY OF MARTIAL LAW.

BAN ANTONIO, Texas, May 8, 1873.
Those who reside in cities, afar from the wilds
In which the savage roams, can scarcely conceive
his character, or even his appearance The painted
braves who make visits to the Great Father, ana
who are followed with eager curiosity by crowds
as they pass through your Streets are not the
proper specimens. You should see them as they
appear out here, the men erect in their own skins,
except clout, every muscle showing what
strength and endurance there is in the hardy
frame. which is not even protected by covering.
The women don the same costume, and do not
seem to think it at all amss to show their classic
busts in all the beauty OF nature.
LIGHT MARCHING WARRIORS.
These people emphatically carry no baggage,
and, when necessity requires it, they can scale
mountains where a cat could scarcely climb En-
numbered and hampered with clothing, how is it
possible for the white troops or the black
brigades to do the same The officers
OF negro regiments, which are concen-
trated here, maintain that their soldiers cope
with the Indian that they go into action with
YELL which demoralizes the red SKINS and that
they fight bravely. But, how often will the Indians
permit themselves to be forced into pitched bat
tie? One can conceive the disgust OF the Indians
at being brought into collision with negroes, and
| what distaste they must have for taking woolly
scalp. But that the negro can ever surpass or
even equal the white man as an Indian fighter
will scarcely find credence in many brains. At
one of the forts, some years ago, officer deter
mined TO go on q scout with about fifteen darkies.
When the latter got tired they simply refused to
go another foot in spite of orders and the rage of
the officer. Go back they would and did, and we're
meted out afterwards proper punishment
one OF our distinguished officers, Major General
Irwin Mcdowell, when in command in Arizona,
struck
THE KEYNOTE OF PROPER POLICY.
The Apaches have hereditary enemies the
Pmos, who are friendly to the whites and do not
as to refuse ensting IN the service, because they
feared collision between the French in
Mexico and the United States, and did not
sured upon this point, and that under no
circumstances sno.ld they be led against the
whites 200 OF their best warriors at enlisted,
upon condition that they might select their own
time for operations, and would only draw pay and
rations while IN active service. Their horses were
offered for use for merely keeping them properly
shod The result OF the policy was wonderful.
About 400 extra warriors came forward to assist in
the fights, SIMPLY sharing the pay OF the Others,
and being furnished with ratons During the full
moon they went on the warpath. The balance Of
| the montn-the dark OF the m0On-they preferred
to stay at home to assist their women about their
crop. The Apaches were soon driven to their
PLACES Kept Kept n d Oss S
same auxiliaries in the late successful operations.
An officer In oregon, some years ago. engaged
some Indians to go with him on scout. In two
days they all deserted in disgust. When asked for
reasons they said
He gets up in the morning and makes heap
noise. He travels In day time and kicks up mucn
dust. See him Tor twenty miles. At night he
makes big fire. See him everywhere" They had
| considered their personal safety endangered, as
| the hostile Indians were at once warned Of the
| an ambuscade, where the advantage would GER
tainly be all on their own side.
The Indian plan is entirely different. In the
bright moonlight they rapidly follow trail, and
when morning dawns they hide away to sleep,
posting sentinel in some high position, from
which TO watch the country. At nightfall their
future action is determined by the observations OF
the sentry, and again they travel with rapidity by
moonlight. If the enemy is overtaken the blow Is
struck without delay, and object is especially
TO Kill every member OF the party. II even one
stanter and decamp, to avoid being overtaken in
turn and surprised in an enemy's country. 1t will
not do to class oil Indians together, and place all
alike In similar reservation. Herein is
ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES,
which Is the greatest to surmount. Some tribes
gers and others are lower in the scale and live
even on grasshoppers. Some are lowlanders, and
others are only willing to live in the mountains
Probably these reasons greatly Influenced the
Modocs In refusing to leave their homes, and they
determined to die rather than to be transferred
places. where they would have been out OF their
element. II Captain Jack had stood upon that de.
termination his name and fame would not have
suffered + i only the reachery and perdy which
the determination OF the warriors sine
qua non; but the perfdy OF the white
man In the past has had much to do with the difi-
cuties which the Indian question so unwelcOmely
thrusts upon us. The wishes OF the white man
have always been carried out, however Punic the
faith may have been. And the recollection OF
these acts, handed down from generation to gener-
tion in the Indian tribes, have caused much OF that
mstrust In the Indian mind, and has been the
OF self-justidcaton for their treachery and
robbery and murder.
General Mcdowell mentioned to me once the
horror and perturbation felt by his auxiliary
Indians when they showed him the dead body of
one OF their warriors murdered by Texan VINO
scarcely conceive how great nation would permit
friend to be assassinated and that no punishment
would be inflicted. And yet this is one Of the great
sources OF future trouble, the
IMPoSsIBILITY OF PUNIsHING WHITE MURDERERs
by jures; and 1t is idle 10 think OF any other ulti
mate result than the determination OF the Indians,
unless the government will boldly take the author
ity OF governing the Indian country by martial
law, and bring every man, white, red or black,
under the jurisdiction OF the drum-head court mar
lial This power has been freely exercised in the
States, in spite OF protestatons and denunciations
of violated constitutions. The Justification has only
been political. But In the Indian settlements It
would be sound public policy and would teach the
prompt punishment would be dealt out TO the bad
white men, who embroil the races by detestable
and horrible deeds, and thus bring destruction
upon the weaker race. Forts should not be To-
Gated in the white settlements, but rather placed
in the Indian country where surveillance could be
constant and repression instantaneous.