The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-02-05


In another column the reader win find
communication from "Palo Pinto on this
subject. The writer has been misinforned
as TO the details of the bill before the
present Legislature. There appears to be
no disposition TO continue the home com.
pany system.
The remarks of "Pal9 Pinto are, in the
main, appropriate and judicious. He is
quite correct in assuming that there should
be unity of purpose and concert of action
to reuder the operations of frontier force
effective. In order to obtain these, there
must be an officer placed over them as COM
mander, and he must possess the necessary
qualifications to give efficiency to his com
mand. BE must be acquainted with the
frontier, and with Indian character. He
must have had experience as an Indian
fighter. He should possess the confidence
of the border settlers, and be enabled to
secure their cooperation in furnishing news
of Indian forays, guides for particular To-
calities, and in other ways.
Experience has proven that-pursuit of In
dians from near the immediate scene of a
depreciation has been failure in nine cases
out of ten. The Indians move with great
celebrity. They dive stolen horses before
them at 9 gaIlop, and when the horses upon
which they are mounted become fatigued,
they halt long enough to lasso and saddle
others.
In this manner they travel from sixty to
one hundred miles per day. They have
scouts in their rear who ascend hills, and
ascertain whether they are pursued. In
ttat arant they travel llus md nifiht, a6d
take every 1-5-sfion 70 gudru
prise, and to throw their pursuers off the
trail. This course gives the Indians great
advantages. They gain nights march in
every twenty-four hours-traiIs cannot be
followed at night.
The better plan is to follow marauding
bands more slowly. Let them have a day
or two the start. After having gone beyond
the line of settlers, and having seen no one
in pursuit, they grow more OF less careless,
stop to rest their iaded horses, and to recu-
perate themselves by eating and sleeping.
They may be reached while thus engaged.
An officer in pursuit Of Indians should leave
camp prepared to follow them to their
lodges, and to fight them among their
wives and children. Tho Indian carries
war to the domestic hearth of the white
man, and gloats over tho deeds of blood he
can perpetrate there. but when the pale
face retorts upon tho red man, the dismay
and terror consequent are truly intense.
Garry the war into Africa-let the rifle
speak to- the cars of the squaw and the
papoose-=lct the warrior fall before his wig
wan, and hissurvi7ing relations and friends
will think seriously Of peace, and when
made they viii not break it for trivial
causes.
In order to do this the frontier forces
should be well armed and mounted. They
should be drilled, else they could not be
handled in the field. This drill should In
clude the tactics requisite to fight Indians
with success. The soldiers should be good
horsemen, good shots, and Injured to life in
the woods.
A great deal has been said about the
rations Of Texas rangers, and much Of it is
CANNON. The old time rangers were capa-
bic of bearing fatigue, hunger and priva-
ton, without murmuring, but they loved
good eating as well as others, and would
grumble when their rations were cut short
without good reason. Men must be prop
erly fed il good service Is sexpected Of them.
Hence the commissariat Of frontier troops
should be adequately supplied.
We say this because efficiency cannot be
attained By q mistaken sense Of economy.
II our Legislators mean to call out troops,
they must appropriate sufficient funds to
place them IN the field with al the modern
means and appliances to make war. Any
appropriation falling short Of this would be
a wanton waste Of the public money.
Organize and Ct them out on this basis,
and they win do good service, otherwise
they win fail to accomplish the end desired.
In our opinion there is another matter to
be kept steadily n vieW-ths frontier forces
should act in conjunction with those Of the
United States. Their commanding officer
should consult the commander 81 this de-
partment and, Il requisite, be should OBEY
his orders. L Is not the intention Of our
Legislature 20 interfere with the Indian pol
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