The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-24
" WASHINGTON.
Gen. Sherman's Annual Report.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-Gen. Sherman, in
his annual report made to the Secretary of Wal
says that by the assignment of Major General
Schoheld to the SUPPLEMENTARY of the Militia.
ry Academy, that institution is raised to a
command equal to that of division, and West
Point should righttully constitute military
department SO that its superintendent, as the
commanding general of a department., may ex.
ercise all the powers and functions of such
commander, especially to order general courts
martial to approve or disapprove their finding
and execute all sentences not specially reserved
by the articles of war to the President and Sec
rotary of War. The Mill. ary Academy in ad.
dition to Its we'll established character as a lit
erary and scientific school. should form the
model for an army, and the habits of the youth
trained there 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 Ac-
ademy under Gen. Scboield's administration
will take rank among the first educational es.
adjustments of the world.
The aggregate force of the army now consists
OF 1881 men, all of whom are as actively en-
ployed as though war existed. By sub-di-
vision OF the territory every foot of the country
is under the supervision Of general officer
near at hand with part of the army proper
TONED to the supposed necessity, to maintain
order and peace, whereby the settlement of the
country may progress and the civil officers be
enabled to enforce the laws of the United
States. herewith submit the annual reports
of all the division and department commanders
as far as received, and to them refer for the
more minute details of events which have oc-
CURED therein during the past year. From
these it will appear that remarkable state of
peace has been among the Indian tribes of the
Pacific states and territories. AT one time the
removal of the Chirichua Indians in Arizona to
place selected for them by the Indian agent
on the San Carlos reservation threatened seri-
GUS hostilites, but by the prompt action of Gen.
Kautz with parts of the 9th cavalry and 9Th in
fantry, the movement was effected without bad
results.
In the military division of the Atlantic there
are no hostile Indians, but the troops have been
actively employed in aiding the U s. Marshals
IN enforcing the revenue laws, and in protect
ing the weak against the strong in the frequent
cases OF civil elections. These duties call for
the highest qualities of firmness and prudence,
and am sure the behavior of the troops in
every instance has commanded the respect of
all men. The care and preservation of the
pubic property and of the sea coast forts is a
chief duty of the troops in this division, but
tie reports of the chief engineers and of ord
nance will better describe their actual condition
than am able to do from any reports that
reach me.
Gen. Sherman says that the chief events of
the year have transpired in the military divis-
ion OF the Missouri, and then he reviews at
some length the raids on the Mexican border
There are now stationed on the border two reg
iments of cavalry and three regiments of in
fantry.
The Indians in New Mexico have been re.
markaby good and the Kiowas, Comanches,
Cheyennes and Arrapahoes have been excep-
tionally quiet.
The report then details at length the history
of the Sioux war. The report says: Col. Haz-
Ell, of the 9th Infantry, commanding at Fort
Buford, has started up the Missouri river for
Fort Peck, with four companies of his regi-
mept to head off Sitting Bull, who is reported
by the surrendered chiefs to have slipped out
with thirty lodges of his own especial follow
ers during the retreat down Bad Route Creek,
and to have resumed his course for Fort Peck
or the British Possessions.
Col. Miles reports that it is his purpose to re
plenish his supplies, turn north and follow this
last desperate band to the DEATH The winter is
close at hand and there is great danger from
the weather in that high latitude but with a
reasonable certainty of finding some food at
Fort Peck and abundance at Fort Buford or his
own cantonment on the Yellowstone, he will
be sure to fetch at one or thu other, and L trust
enroute will make an end of Sitting bull.
Gems. Sheridan, Terry and Cook have been
so constantly employed that they have not vet
transmitted their annual reports. These will
come and be submitted in due season, and will
more fully detail the events which [ have at
tempted to sketch from their short despa tches
transmitted from day to day.
Inc complete arrangements made foI BENIN
ing in and capturing the remainder of the hos
tile Sioux during the winter must result III COM
parative or complete success Meantime no
change can be attempted this year at agencies,
but trust that next year oil the Sioux nation
will be compelled to remove to the Missouri
river near Fort Randall, where they can be
guarded and fed at one half the present cost
and where if there be any chance to civilize
them, the opportunity will be far better than
in their present scattered agencies.