The New York herald., 1876-10-09
Proposed Winter Campaign Against
the Sioux.


Proposed Winter Campaign Against
tho Sioux.
Our generals, having signally failed in
their summer operations against the hostile
Indians, propose to continue the war during
the winter months. The cause of this reso-
luton is partly military and partly political;
for the authorities at Washington are natu-
rally averse to acknowledging the complete
failure Of campaign which was undertaken
with great lightness of heart and without
any thought of its seriousness. In fact, when
our generals went out to fight they
had only the mistiest kind Of idea
what they meant to do or whom they
were going to fight. No effort had been
the hostile bands or the exact location of
their villages. AS result the columns of
troops which had been organized at great
expense went wandering about in search Of
foe much after the style of the lamented
knight of La Mancha; and when they did
happen to stumble on the enemy the story
of the windmill was reproduced, our gallant
Indian fighters finding themselves generally
very high up in the air, with only confused
notions of what power had raised them so
high up in the world. Now, we sin
cerely hope, for the sake Of the poor
soldiers who have to suffer from the
stupidity of their commanders and for
the sake Of the public who are made to
feel the blunders of great generals through
their purses, that the haphazard system of
conducting warfare which obtained during
the summer will not be tried again in the
winter. The country does not want any
wandering Don Quixotes marching up hill
and then down again, in what they are
pleased to call pursuit of the Sioux, when
in reality the worthy men are simply fol-
lowing their noses without the slightest idea
whether they are following the Sioux or the
Sioux are following them. That kind of
farce has been played long enough, and
should any great Indian fighter again try it
the public would probably request Congress
to relieve him of his commission. harsh
measure, no doubt but a just one. After
all we pay soldiers, and especially generals,
to win battles We 60 to the trouble of
educating them, SO that they may be in
structed in the best way of accomplishing
their work, and if they prove themselves in
competent there is really no reason why
they should be continued in employment
any more than any other class Of profess
sional men. There is no position in which
incompetence can do more injury than in
an army, and yet by strange contradiction
it is the only place where it is privileged.
No matter how stupid man who has man
aged to live long enough to reach the grade
Of general may be, he considers himself en-
titled to exercise command, and his claim is
acquiesced in. 1t is time for military men to
understand that this system is on its last legs
and that the American people will not permit
an incompetent man to be intrusted with
the lives of our soldiers. Our generals will
do themselves and the country some service
by keeping these considerations in mind.
The summer campaign was arranged after
the manner of military promenade rather
than planned for the accomplishment of
serious work. 1t never seemed to occur to
the military authorities that they could OBJ
tain reliable information as to the location
of the hostile camp, and q fair approx imation
to the fighting strength which Sitting Bull
and his chiefs had at their disposal, by the
proper employment ofscouts and spies. In
deed, nothing was more painfully apparent
during the progress of the campaign than
that the generals commanding the various
columns were in complete ignorance of
everything which was transpiring outside
their own outposts. Yet it is the first duty
of general to keep himself informed MS to
the movements of his enemies Equal in
difference was shown in the matter Of supply
ing the troops with medical and hospital
stores. Only the most essential drugs were
carried by the doctors, and in limited guam
tity. No preparation was made for the
transportation of the sick and wounded-an
error which, repeated in winter campaign,
would be sure to lead to the most fatal re-
suits. Should these mistakes be committed
again the military authorities could not de-
cline to accept the responsibility. They
may be sure that the country will visit with
severe condemnation any neglect to secure
to the wounded and the sick such care and
attention as are bestowed on the unfortunate
in civilized armies. In this, as in the
general conduct Of the campaign, tho mill
tary authorities in Washington, as we'll as
the commanding officers in the field, will be
held to strict accountability.
MARRIED WOMEN AS TEACHERS. n
woman is married should she be permitted
to teach in the public schools? That is
tho educational question which has been
raised. We do not believe that marriage