Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-09
THE ARMY.
Annual Reports Of Generals Sherman and Sheridan.
The Strength of the Army-A Resume
OF Military OperatiOns-The Indian
Troubles I'm the West.

General Sherman, in his annual Official re-
port, dated headquarters army of the United
States, st. Louis, November 4, 1874, says: "Ths
total returns received up to October Is, shows
that the strength OF the army to BE- at that date
2e,i41 enlisted men, and adds; 81 have no doubt
that by the first OF January, 1875, the M mber OF
enlisted men will be reduced by the ordinary
casualties, discharges, and deaths, to the num-
Der limited by law, viz: 25 ,OCO, and will ven
ture the expression of the opinion that this
limits the forces of the companies to so small a
standard that the efficiency of the service is
greatly inspired thereby. Ii is utterly impossi-
Die TO maintain the companies in remote sta
tons up TO the very small legal standard, be-
cause months must ne cessarily elapse after dis.
charges and deaths before recruits can be sent
from the general rendezvous. General Sher.
man then refers to the reports of officers COM
manding the different divisions and depart
ments, which accompany his report.
Referring TO the military division Of the Mis-
souri,, commanded by Lieutenant General
Sheridan, he says:-'This important division
embraces substantially all the territory east OF
and east and including the states of Illinois and
Minnesota. Within this immense area are
grouped most of the Indian tribes, who are in a
transitive state from savage barbarism to a con-
dition of comparative civilization. 1t is within
this area that there has been, and must con-
t1nue tor years to come, that contact of the
frontier settlers with the aboriginal savage re-
sultiDg in
CHRONIC STATE OF WAR.
During the past year, by the extraordinary
activity Of the troops and the good sense of our
military officers, the frontier has been compare
lively safe. On the northern line of Texas and
the southern line OF Kansas, the untsmsd saw
ages, KiOwas, COmanches, Cheyennes and
Arrapaboes, began this season their usual aids
and as the Indian agents confessed their utter
inability to manage their respective tribes by
the
USUAL HUMANE AND CHRISTIAN TREATMENT
the whole subject was turned over to the War
department and committed to the management
OF Lieutenant General Sheridan, who has laid
hold OF IL with his accustomed energy, and for
full details L eier to his admirable report, to-
gether with those of the department. command
ers, Generals Pope and Augur. x
General Ord has ~ antained admirably the
safety OF the great Pacific r8iiway-nOW one OF
the grand avenues OF travel for the whole world
And General A. n. Terry, now at the north, has
In Ike manner, given security TO our extern
sive and valuable frontier and has pushed ex-
plOrations into the Black Hill region and into
The beautiful Valles that lie along the streams
which constitute the sources of the YeIlo wstone
and Missouri rivers. = [ enclose the
annual reports of all these generals, and
refer TO them for valuable infOr Ormation touching
these remote states and territories. They are
luckily so rsmOte rom headquarters th at to the
officers on the spot are left the supreme control
OF all the details, and the consequence is the Ut
most harmony of action and economy OF admin
istTatiOn. / have net the least dOnbt that 20
General Schoield's judicious super vision aud
the prompt action of General jeff. q. Davis in
oregon last spring we are indebted to peace
q war with the Shoshones and Snake indians
Also, General Crook, being armed with full au-
th0rlty and but little complicated with civil
agents and their administration. has maintained
an almost uninterrupted peace III that most diff
hcult country, Arizona. / enclose the reports
OF all these officers and refer to them with
pride as samples of military literature,
clear and concise in the statement of facts
aid demonstrating that the army of the
Unite States called a peace establishment
is the hardest worked body of men
in this or any country. The discipline and be.
havior or officers and men have been worthy of
all praise, and whether employed on the ex-
officers in the execution of civil process, have
been q model for the imitation of all good men.
In CONCLUSION, Gen. Sherman refers TO the as
sent or the President and Secretary Of War to
the removal OF army headquarters to st. Louis,
and says:-''Where am at present established
prepared to execute any duties that NAV be de-
volyed on me by proper authority. Here am
centrally located, and should occasion arise, /
can personally proceed to any point Of this con.
tinent where my services are needed"
GEN. sHBRIDAN's REPORT,
The report Of Lieut. Gen. Sheridan gives a
full account of the military operations con-
Quoted in his division during the year. All of
which have been published in s'THB STAR"
Gen. Sheridan expresses the opinion that the
definite settlement of the Indian troubles in the
southeast will be accomplished before or about
mid winter by the troops now operating in that
locality. he does not agree with Gen. Pope as
to the causss OF these troubles, but attributes
the Kiowas, Cheyennes, and ComanchesO
have been treated in all their raids into Texas
for the past years. Their reservations have
furnished them supplies with which to make
the raids and sheltered them from pursuit when
they returned with their scslps and plunder.