New-York tribune., 1876-11-24
GEN. sHERMAN,S REPORT.
CONDITION OF THE ARMY-wEsT POINT RAISED TO
A CoNMAND-THE WAR WITH THE INDIANS


GEN. SHERMANS REPORI.
CONDITION OF The ARMY-wEsT POINT RAISED TO
A CoMMAND-THE WAR WITH THE INDIANS
THE TROOPS IN THE SOUTH.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-Gen. Sherman, In
his annual report made to the Secretary of War, says
"By the assignment OF MaiOr-Gen. SchOheld to the
superintendency of the Military Academy, that nsttu
ton is raised to q command equal to that Of DIVISION
and West Point should rightfny constitute military
department, so that its Superintendent, as the COM
manding general Of department, may exercise all the
powers and functions OF such commanderespecaly TO
order general courtsmartia, to approve disappoye
Of their findings and to execute all sentences not espe
ciay reserved by the articles Of war the President
and Secretary of War. The Military Academy, In addl
On to its wellesabished character as literary ana
scientific school, should form the model tor an army aud
the the youth trained therein should be in exact
accordance with what experience has demonstrated to
be necessary for the efficient government OF an army IN
the field" Gen. Sherman says the Academy under
Cen schohelds administration will take rank among
the first educational establishments Of the world.
The aggregate force OF the army now consists OF
25 331 ali OF whom actively employed as though
war existed BY the subdivision OF territory every loot
OF the country is under the supervision of general Off
cer near at hand with part of the army proportioned
the supposed necessity to maintain order and peace
whereby settlement of the country may progress and
the civil officers enabled TO enforce the laws OF the
United States. Gen. Sherman further says;
thereby submit the annual reports Of all the division
them refer for the more details OF events witch
occurred therein during the past year. From these
IL will appear that rematkabie state OF peace s Deeh
maintanedamOng the Indian tribes of thc Pacific state
and Territories. At time TIE removal Of the Chr
Indians In Arizona to place selected Tor them D
the Indian Agent on san Carlos Reservation threatened
serious hostiltes, but by the prompt action OF Gen
q 9th Cavalry and Stn Infantry,
the removal was effected without serious results.
In the Military Division OF the Atlantic there are no
hostile Indians but the troops have been actively EN-
poyed IN aiding the United states marshais Ia enforcing
the revenue and In protecting the weak against he
preudces OF the the frequent cases OF eeo
lions These duties call for the highest qualities OF ness
and prudence anu an the behavior OF the troops IN
every instance has commanded the respect Of all men
The Of public property ana OF lc
division hut the reports OF the Chief OF Engineers aud
OF the Ordnance Bureau will better describe tncu ct
condition than am able 10 DO Hom any repol' 70 'N'
In the Department Of the Gulf the troops under Gen.
Augur have been shifted from place TO place IN ala OF
the civil authorities, under the same state OF acts rs
heretofore referred 10 IN the Department OF the souD
with slmar results. and have always used their power
with c0Isummate discretion ana good Judgment. Oh
the Texas fOntier especially the Mexican border nere
Civil war has existed in the border Mexican states anu
each faction has at times sought an asylum on ths ss
OK the Rio Grande; but from Gen Ords letters ana re-
ports thre seems seems 10 S,nns o snh indians Who cross 10
tie Texas side commit murders steal horses, cattle &
escape with their stolen property 70 the Ohr sue
where they comparatively safe from pursuit lrOi
our troops who rarely hear Of the raid until Is too ate
to intercept them. believe no one suploses thaV the
authorities OF the National Government OF Mexico can be
privy TO this nefarlous business, 1t IS probably car
red on in spite of the better people on both sides 0t the
border There In Texas two regiments Oi cav
ary-the sth and lOtt-whch will be hlled up rs rap
IDLY as possible to the maximum Standard ana also
three regiments OF infaDtry-the 10th, 24t, ana 2ol-
which ale necessarily very small under the existing
laws still hope, with Increased actNly, tnat lhtoc
troops will suffice protect the border nom the incur
sions which discourage settlement and are otherwise
very irritating and demoralzing. ,-,,.. ., ~
In the Department OF Missouri the Indians OF New
Mexico have been remarkably good and the kioWas,
Comanches, Cheyennes and ATapahoes located on inc
reservation at and near Fort sill. have Dcen exception
aly auie this Summer though requiring Tor fcasOaDe
security to the Kansas frontier pretty strong gaTrsU
sons along the Arkansas River and the Kansas Fdeihc
Railroad.
The chief events to which Gen. Sherman refers are
those relating the with the Sioux and after
giving a detailed history concerning the late exped-
ons against them and the death OF Gen. Custer with his
command, &C.. Gen. Sherman says:
Col Hazen 9th Infantry, commanding Fort Bnford,
has started np the Missouri Ky kVef & PE orr ret n % d m
Sitting Bull who is reported by the surrendered cheIs
TO have RRf1 y1 % ne retreat at DOWN Bad Route Creek and
10 have resumed his course for Fort Peck OF he Bs
nossessons Col Miles reports his purpose to replenlsh
bs supplies to turn north and follow this last desperate
band TO the death The Winter close at hand aud there
A. rea danger from the weather In that hRh latitude,
but with reasonable certainty OF hndng some iOou AT
Fort Peek and abundance ut Fort Bni0rd OF DIS own
c1nonment on the Yellowstone, he will be sure TO fetel
up AT one or the other and trust will make an emu Oh
Hs before related Gen. Crook after his long march
from the Yellowstone to the agencies at tle HEAD 0l
White Earth in eooPeraon& h & M, vrV Ts assisted in dis
arming aud dsmounting those Indians. he theh aus
rbuted his troops To their posts ana at once
reorganized new column at Fort Fetterman, win
which he left on the 27h day OF October Tor another
early WINTER campaign against that fraction OF hostile
sioux under Crazy Horse, which was last encountered
by him near Slim Butte, north ana east OF the BLACK
Jlls which are now filed by considerable population
Of miners capable OF their own defense. trust ia tins
also he will be successful. Gen. Sheridan IN his
ast dlspaeh on this subject the following language,
which heartily ndorse: II successful which no not
dombt the Sioux and all other Indian wars In this
country of any magnitude will be over forever Gems.
Sheridan Terry and Crook have been so constantly en-
poyed that they have not yet transmitted their annual
reports. These will be received and submitted ~ uu9
season and will fully detail the events when
nave ATTEMPTED sketch from their short dispatches
which were transmitted from day TO day.
The complete arrangements made 1Or nenlInlhg III anu
ntnring The remainder OF the hostile Sioux during the
Winter must result comparative oreompete success
meantime no change be attempted this year at the
aencies but trust that next year all or the sioux
Nation will be compelled 10 remove 10 the missouri
River near Fort Randall where they can be guarded and
fed M one half present cost and where there Is
any chance ciyilzng them, the opportunity Tor SO
doing will be far better than In their present scattered
agencies.