The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-09-22
Our Bozeman Letter.
Views on Military Matters and Indian Policy
Disposition Of Troops.

Special Correspondence New Northwest.
NOT EXACTLY.
You intimated last week week, that J.
v. B., disgusted over military results, had
not written. Well, not exactly disgusted,
but somewhat disappointed. The fact is,
the government has had troops enough in
the field to perhaps successfully meet the
Sioux, but not enough to force them to bat
tie. Has not such been the situation? I
think SO, and the result has been the avoid
ance of the commands by an overwhelming
force of hostiles, who, on their own ground
and reduced to desperation, certainly have
held the vantage.
SOLDIERS AND CITIZENS,
AS Indian fighters, are generally compared
with the disadvantages presented to the
soldiers, and, though it may be an unpopu-
lar assertion, imagine the comparison is
not fairly made. AS rule, citizens hold
the advantage, being upon the defensive;
while, as a rule, soldiers are placed upon
the offensive, thus giving the advantage to
the Indian. Does, not this, added to the
fact that the Indian knows, appreciates and
acts upon it, and the additional fact that
while the Indian is upon his own ground
the soldier is not, explain why the army
has experienced SO many disasters during
SO many years?
It should also be remembered that the
troops cannot be blamed for non-results
which follow SO naturally the mistaken pol
icy of the government in its war plans for
Indian campaigns. Perhaps a change may
come when it may decide to whip the Sioux
or be whipped by them, and when it shall
SO change troops will hardly be sent out
again hastily (being driven to the last
ditch) mounted upon, granted horses and
hampered and encountered with wagon
trains loaded with oats.
THE GOVERNMENT,
However, is unjustly criticised in the CON-
mon comparison made against it, and IN
favor of Canada's Indian results. There
pushing, teeming, ever-emigrating popula-
tion is not forever crowding the Indian
from one point to another, lone result,
from the difference of the situation, being
a better state of feeling there between
the two races.
No one can deny that the Peace Policy =
a creditable one; but, under all the circum-
stances, it must be conceded, the govern
ment has undertaken too much.
Perhaps did not the cry for blood echo
SO increasingly from the frontier, Eastern
people would long since have opened tnei'
ewes to the, perhaps mournfui, TACT tna'
neither whites nor Indians can or viii oo
serve the treaties from which tho East, ano
all GOOD men, have expected so much.
| No matter what the crimes or perfidy o
the Indian. who can deny that the unltee
States have written their Indian history y
blood upon page whose story is one o
wrong. Of mal-administration, Of want 2
Judgment, Of base cruelty and Wanton SCI
| fishness2
n NAV be treason to say this at the West
but. as Captain Cutie remarked = y
be, so be.
THE SECOND CAVALRY,
= L st,;,ra 10 blow. win return to Eli
cl,aprined and disappointed For years
has cl,afed over its confinement at its posi-
/ onlv to be sent upon ilI-planned and resnl'
lass so-oalled. campaigns down the yellow
stone. This year Il hoped mncn' %
tloreht il might return perhaps De-lanIe'su