The New York herald., 1876-09-25
THE CUSTER MASSACRE.
GENERAL. MILES REPLY TO TIE RECENT LETTER
or WENDELL PHILLIPS.
Mourn PowDEE RIVER, VI. T.,



and what 1 consider very unjust and unwarrantcd
charge against the officers OF the United States Army
In your reference 10 what you call the 'Custer mas
sacre YOU assert that in 1868 he attacked ''peace
iul cheyenne village Fort Cobb whose inhah
itants either prisoners or our guests, DWELL
ing there by our order. AT midnight, without ths
slightest warning, his shouts wake this quiet sctuc'
inent, and the terrified secpers rush from thcf
huts Custer shoots down scores OF women, half asleep
and OF nnarmed peaceful men" In this brief state
ment you unfortunately make no less than seven cr
rors, viz. 1T not Cheyenne village; 1t wasa
long distance from Fort Cobb; It's inhabitants, or
the savages neither prisoners nor our guests
they were in a moving camp and not in huts; the
women not SO much asleep ne to prevent thei
cutting throata Of innocent white capves in thc
hands before the troops could reach them Custer ol-
lowed tho of their warriors into this camp, and
after the fight was over found among their plumber
such articles as fresh whte scaps and United Statei
mail The neither "unarmed' nor peace
full" they killed a of Custer's officers and
men before they were overcome.
II would but Christian charity to allow Custer
that bleak, barren crest where he fell, sur.
rounded by his gallant knsmen and faithful comrades
fear the character and real merits OF Custer
little understood and appreciated by the good people ol
the New England States your own along tho remote
frontier settlements; and could you have known him
you would have found him an able accomplished and
whole man, whose whole life had been devoted
to the servce of his country in darkest hour Of
peril and in the defence OF the defenceless and suffer-
ing scattered tho territories OF tho West
His official and private communications have bceI
one series of solemn protests against the mal-admins
tration OF our Indian affairs. No one has had mort
experience or studied this Indian question
more carefully; anu while he knew the strength and
numbers OF the enemy, hc in obedience 10 the orders
of his government, cheerully took mis- place at the
front OF the column and died heroic DEATH While
he welded for the honor Of his country and
Tor protection OF his deenceless countrymen, he
without Justyng the atrocliy OF their crimes, welded
his earlcssly in exposing The great wrongs IN
cted upon thc red men by inscriptions and corrupt
whites and one OF his last and strongest protests was
made against the OF land cedcd TO tho Indians
by solemn treaty by party OF white men.
As TO his last battle with non-trcaty making and
hostile Sioux IT will stand in history of the
most heroic engagements ever fought and his name
Will be respected SO long as chivairy is appauded aud
civilization battles against barbarism.
AS TO your address 10 the General OF the Army.
that Official cmnontly qualified to speak for himself
should he feel SO inclined; yet when you insinuato
that The officers OF the Republic below tho level OF
humanity you insult tho brothers, sons relatives and
OF many OF the best families in every section OF
our land The army in sense responsible for that
dark page in our history which records our relation
ship with tie Indians OF this country and which,
next African slavery has dono more to disgrace
government, Dlacken alr name and reflect upon
our civilization than aught elso For the past nifty
years II has been confined to any one political
party administration class of individuals, but has
been a source OF corruption and disturbing element
which should now have an end. With scarcely an
exception officers the army have dcalt iarlv and
honestly with the Indians. The Commission that madc
the treaty with the Sioux nation and secured the right
OF way through their country tor our Pacific railroads
was largely composed OF distinguished army officers.
The has been violated and their territory
by gold hunters and adventurers When other
efforts failed, officer OF the army, General U. o.
Howard went, at the risk OF his liie into the noun
tains OF Arizona met the cruel and dreaded Cochise,
and made terms winch have since been complied with
by both parties. The noble Candy gave up his lie
while Withholding his troops and endcavoring 10 USE
peaceful measures could glvo you almost number
control and management OF indian affairs and given
eminent satisfaction TO tho Indians They do not ad
vocae cxcrminatiOn. neither do they desire annhiia-
ton Should tho army disappear tomorrow this In
dian war would not cease but be taken up by such
suffered the OF Indian deprcdations; and it not
supposed that they would deal more lenienty with
them than the army has done.
Now my dear sir, service Is more laboroCs,
thankcss dangerous than concnding against these
treacherous savagcs and you will come out and learn
The reaI sentiments OF the army you Will md the off,
GERS of the army the strongest advocates OF any peace
policy that sail be just and honorable. You will lind
out here. 900 miles ircm railroad communication
III barren, dcsolae and worthless country as tho
sun shines rpon--vocanlc broken ana almost impass-
able; so rugged make granite hills OF Vermont
and New Hampshire appear, IN comparison, as pleas
an, parks Jagged p pccipious ellis. and deep
arroyos filed with massive boulders alkai water, or
Tor miles miles none at all; vcgetatlOn,
cactus and sage bushcswill represent to you iecbly
indeed, the true scene OF the present campaign, In
which we are contending against the most powerful,
warikc and best armed body OF savagcs on the Amcr-
can continent armed and mounted, partly at the ex-
pensc OF the government and fully supplied with tho
most ,nproycd magazine guns and tons metallic am.
munton | am pleased tnat you have become inter-
estcd this question. Tor the more It IS agtaed the
quickly Will It be understood and the evil abated
No one adnres your philanthropy and high sense OF
justice moro than myself, yet am Iorced
believe that when you become familiar
with the subject your ideas VIII DO ma.
Eastern who has had personal observation OF
these Wild carpvorous, Plains Indians who has not
changed his opinions Of them. Now. let me give you
my opiuon OF some OF the causes OF Tho lndian dis
affection and OF this endless roublc:-First our vacil
latng policy aud the difficulty of adherence TO AM
treaty or terms made with the Indians; again, We
either cater their savage tastes by annually making
them presents horses, rifles, fancy blankets beads,
rcd paint &C, which on.y encourage them 10 continue
in barbarisu attempt to suddenly change their
natures and make them ners OF the soil, an occupa-
ton them both degrading and distas.efuL lnthis
way they arc kept IN a state OF ideness and depen-
dcncc, and frequently they are treated without
mercy. Their agents are frequently wen meaning men
but TOO often arc either inexperienced or Incompetent
the dupes OF INSCRIPTIONS contractors or men con
vcnient and useful to political managers Now DO
Iicye The remedy to first disarm and dsmount them
by the strong OF the government; make them SUB
1ccl and laws OF the State issue their
supplies and annuiiics through the supply department
Of the government where rigid accountability 10
forced through well established system In place OF
their thousands OF war ponies give them domestic
up all their barbarous modes OF lille, such rs living IN
tents, carrying arms, wearing tho paraphcrna,a OF
savagcs or nothing, their tastes dictate. Place In
charge OF their affairs acknowledged character
and known cArlty and business capacity Banish
from their territory all the Indian traders who have
received from fruits OF the chase, amounting
TO hundreds o thousands OF dollars annually and sup.
piled them with munitions OF war with which they
nave cut down bataiions Of United States troops and
laid waste tho settlements OF our pioneers IL the mo-
ney winch expended or worthless ariicos 70
crafty :ncr savage tastes had been saved II would
sun %
ty of tho youth of the different tribes and here n
where the work OF reformation and civilization should
be applied And there Is an ample and rich field for the
good pcoplc OF the East. Ii almost idle To at
,cnpi TO civilze these old warriors through the mo
dunl OF somc unreliable and uninteigcnt half breed
The hope of every nation rests with It's youth and h
sooner the rising generation taught the English
language and Tho advantages and benefits OF ctvzaon
the sooner will this problem that cost us millions
OF money annually, and been the disturbing ec,ncnt 10
the Western states and Territories be solved In fact
establish permsnent plan OF civilization, tho iounda.