The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-09-01
THE INDIANS.
rHE SOUTHWEST.

IN THE SOUTHWEST.
A CAMPAIGN PLANNED AGAINST THE SOUTH
wrsrFx INDIANs-Two THOUSAND MEN IN
THE ,FIELD-oUTRAGEs OF THE VARIOUS
HOSTILE TRIBES f1
The special correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune, writing from Col, Miles expedition
at Fort Supply, I. T., gives the following i'm |
portant information connected with the |
Indian hostflities in the Southwest: The
campaign now being prosecuted against the
Indians ofthe Southwest promises to be the
most completes OF character, and fertile fire.
suits ever undertaken by the war depart
ment, which, for once, is unfettered in its
dealings with the savages- The causes of
the outbreak are sufficiently we'll wn to
most readers in a general way. Late Ina June,
the Chevenues. Comanches and kiowas, held
their annual great medicine feast, which
was no exception to the general rule OF
Indian gatherings, in so far as concerned the
discussion of the questien n, to be or not TO De
at peace with the whites. In the spring
turn to thoughts of scsips. The
taking of a scalp is the equivalent
of the putting on of the toga virilis
In any case there Is the thirst for blood,
even il nothing special have occurred TO en-
kindle the ferocity of the redskin- IT his
triye have been punished severely, he is
sore and thirsting for revenge; If they have
escaped chastisement, they are all the more
confident And the Indian generally es-
csfpes He needs neither baggage nor forage
train; he is not encountered with non-com-
batants; he has ample time to mature his
plans: he strikes his blow where il is least
expected, and, when he is holly pursued, he
crosses the line into his reservation and he
is safe. There are, of course, honorable ex-
ceptions, but these are few indeed, and, rs a
general rule, a very trifiipg opportunity
suffices to make the bad Indian. Not that
the Indian is not without his r.ir
FREQUENT GROUNDS FOR COMPLAINT,
both general and special. Apart from the
fact that the whole Indian policy itself is
fraud, comes the fact that even this enron
eous policy is not faithfully administered.
The Indian is plundered everywhere with
out redress. The traders smugele whisky
among them, and deal out q vile chemical
compound at the rate of $50 gallon, -pelts
or ponies being the currency. Toe Indian
lives under msgnifed system of proteo-
ton, that compels him to buy the dearest
and sell in the cheapest market. Then the
buffalo; hunters, especially since the Kansas
railroads began to be pushed west, have been
an abundant source of annoyance. When the
country is filed with organized companies of
hunters, armed with the best weapon pro-
durable, and Staying the bison as business
and not for sport or to satisfy necessity.
when the meat does not pay for transporta I
ton, and train after train OF hides come III
to every station-it is not to be wondered at
that buffalo become scarce and shy, aud that
the Indians are annoyed and alarmed. Nor
are the hunters at all nice about regarding
treaties and reservation-lines, and their
negligence in this respect Is another fertile
source of trouble. While these special and
general causes ut work, an Indian outbreak,
always possible. was this year rendered
very probable. Fanaticsm lent its aid; and,
when the "Comanche medicine man." who
had been preaching war of determination
against the whites, began TO vomit ball cart
ridge, divine beheSt was accepted as a
further incentive to action. The movements
of troops in the North, Stanley's expedition
last year, and Clusters this summer, were
quoted as proof that the whites were max
ing ready to crush them-suggesting re-
taliation, or rather, anticipation Be-
cause the northern and southern tribes
maintain an elaborate system of communi-
cation, separated as they are by distance and
apparently without any community of inter-
ests. While the old men were holding coun-
Gil, the young men-either from wanton-
ness, or, more probably, with a view to
commit the tribes ircetrievably to warlke
policy-slipped away, and, dividing into
small parties, committed the outrages of
July Al, having as their field of operations
the whole frontier along the Canadian aud
Cimarron rivers out to New Mexico and
Colorado. 1t is needless to repeat the .prin-
cipal Incidents; suffice it to say that, fear
ing punishment, the savages at once con-
centrated and pushed toward the Staked
plains, where they have been in council,
and, some say, have arrived az a warlike de-
termination. To punish them thoroughly
for these and past offences,
FIVE COLUMNS,
convergiug on the plains as a common CEN
ter, have been placed in the field. One is
led by Col Nelson A. Miles, and consists of
eight companies of the Sixth cavalry, under
Majors Compton and Biddle, four companies
of the Fifth infantry, and twenty Delaware
scouts. with two Calling guns and one Par
rot. the second column Is composed of
four companies of the Eighth cavalry,
marching from Fort Union, n. NJ. under
Major Price. Three columns take the field
from the Texan side. Col. Mckenzie, Fourth
cavalry, moves from Fort Concho with eight
companies Of cavalry and four of infantry;
Col. Buell., from Griffin, with six COM
panies-two OF infantry: and Col. j. It. Da-
wilson, from Fort Sill, with ten companies
two of infantry. Altogether we shall
probably have nearly 1000 men in
the field. 1t is expected, and hoped,
that we shall press the savages refore
us from all sides, and involve
them in a net whence there is no escape. The
infantry are to guard the trains, while the
cavalry will sweep the country on every
side, striking every hostile band il meets.
To facilitate operations, the peaceful Indians
have been ordered into camp on the east OF
Cache creek, where they are compelled to
answer roll-call daily, safeguards being Civ
en- them. The troops are empowered to pur-
sue the Indians upon their reservations, and
those without safeguards will be considered
bad Indians. The columns united are as
strong as all the tribes that are outpost
bly, shade stronger-and so able, If they
can only come upon the savages, to mete
out TO them proper punishment. While,
however, we have no tear OF ourselves we
have good reason to dread the eounter-blow
that tha Indiana hox, In baf~ go a