Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-11-13
Army Reports.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9.
,sGEN. SHERMAN.
Gen. Sherman's annual report to the
Secretary of, War shows the total num-
Der of enlisted men in the army ON Oct. 10
to have been 26,441. 1t estimates that
this number will probably be reduced
through natural causes by the 1st of j an
uary, 1875, to the $4,000 allowed by law
1t deprecates the inadequacy of so small
an army for the demands of SO large an
area of territory as it has to be scattered
over, involving the necessity of
withdrawing troops from one depart
ment to meet the requirements of others
long distance away 1t compliments
the high efficiency of Gen. Sheridan and
his subordinate officers in maintain
ing comparative peace in the Indian
country. 1t says the reports of the COM
manding officers demonstrate that the
small army of the United States, called
peace establishment, is. the hardest
worked body of men in this or any coun-
try The discipline and behavior of the
officers and men have been worthy OF all
praise; and whether employed on the ex-
treme and distant frontier, or in aiding
civil officers in the execution of civil proc
esses, have been model for the lmlta-
ton of all good men.
In regard to the removal Of his head
quarters to st. Louis he says: :" am
prepared to execute the duties that may
be devolved on me by proper authority.
Here am centrally located, and should
occasion arise can personally proceed
to any point on this continent where my
services are needed. .ai
GEN. SHERIDAN.
Go,, Gbori5op in hic 1al rp
port, touches slightly upon Gen. Clusters
Black Hills expedition, which it pro-
nounces successful reconno1s-
sance.. The country of the Black
Hills was found to be much
better than was expected, with plenty of
good timber and considerable good soil
at high attitudes and an abundant supply
of good water and grass Some gold was
found near Harney's Peak, but of its
abundance there is at present no reliable
information. Sufficient time could not
be given by an expedition such as that'of
Gen. Clusters to prospect and determine
it's quantity. Gen. Sheridan again rec
ommends the establishment of large
military post in the Black Hill country.
Of the Indian troubles Gen. Sheridan
says: 81 respectfully differ with Gen.
Pope as to the chief cause of these In
dian troubles, and attribute it to the i'm
munity with which the tribes have been
treated In all theirraids into Texas for
the past three years their reservations
have furnished them the supplies with
which to make the raids and sheltered
them from pursuit when they returned
with their scalps and plunder NO
man of close observation, ~it-seems to
me, can. travel across the great plains
from Nebraska and Wyoming to
Texas, and see the established ranches,
with their hundreds of thousands OF head
of cattle, sheep and horses, together with
the families of the owners, and reasona-
bly, think that these people, SO much 1'a1 ex-
posed and having such valuable interests,
are desirous of provoking Indian wars
There was a time, possibly, when the
population of the Indian frontier may
have been desirous of Indian troubles,
but that has passed long ago." p"