Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1876-09-08
Ren. Sherman and the Army,

for the army: You Ill know that in
battle you can only bring about two th1rt
OF the best organized force to the from
and would challenge any member of tt
c"mmlttee tO say that he could take 10
COO men and bring 100 into line Of ba,
tie. We have $50 men unassigned to an
regimen: or organization, engaged in re
Icruitinx service. That msy be the exces
lof propriety, but it seems to be result q
lexperiencc, and certainly have striven
by all means in my power. to reduce tina
number. Then, we have 299 men charged
Ice general service men-m en- who are EN-
|p'oyed 1t the War D'p.rtment, Ut th'
headquarters Of the army, aud In the diff
ferrnt military divisions and depar, me Ut,
who are in fact, clerks AMI nothing else
Then. the ordinance dcpartmr mt. which
never SENDS man Into the field ~ mat.
ter of course, has 3J5 men enrolled. and
charged against aggregate of 25. 900 men.
Then, We have 23O men at West Point tn
aid the young MN there in their ihstruc-
ton, t" take care Of their house e, do police e
work, etc. Ever since the revolutionary
war We have always kept from 100 10
|2OO men VI West Point. therefore ther-
are $50 men there, q number which is lot
regarded by the authorities Us excessive.
Ii cOuli l would reduce 1t somew bat.
You all know what they mean. They do
not take nuskets. Then We have liz Or
dinance serxeants. scattered Along the
ser h'ard. mostly. u cpurse they .annol
be hrOu hit mo the field in tn. Indian or
any other war. Then we have l5l COM
misery sg.nts. 81 men rs PRISON guard
for Fort Leav, nwor,h. aud 273 recruits
who are available and may be sent for
ward. This makes nearly 3 .OOO men out
y, ,OQ0. The remainder has not only to-
sDgaxe i. Indian wars. but has tO take
care If a. imm, n.e amount If property
probably hu'.dreds of millions Of dollars
worth all Of Which would Oe expose,t to
plunder and ali the accidents of cOmmop
property ", re not these men sta ION, d rs
llcy ar. Indeed our Eve artillery regi
mcnts arc mostly engaged in guarding
public properly. but recently, under the
pressure. we have t.ken nearly half of
Them. leaving the rest tO taae care If the
guns. magazines. and property Of the
most valuable kind. on which COngr-s>
Ass expended bundreds of millions of dol
ars, aud which if not wstched would run
% decs, or be carlied Oft by peopl round
lOOut ! can account for evs ry man In
he army. In the meantime discharge
re going on on account Of expiration Of
'ervice. or of sickness. deaths, etc., SO
hat doubt whether We have to-day l6.
100 men who are. properly speaking. sol
licrs 10 the line Of taitle. There is an
'th-r consideration. We cannot send the
vt'Ole of our available force into the In
|ian country b+cause the Indians occupy I
central position WITH reference to four
cry important Territories, VIZ: Montana.
dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska. The
'ioux Indians have Tor years and years
ren depr-dating upon these Territories.
he Union Pacific railroad passes through
Wyoming and Nebraska, over which we /
ave invit. travel from al parts of 'heI :
lvillzed globe, and If any accrdent were r
, happs to one of Their trains from hos. !,
lis. aud If people were murdered in them :,
would be q national disgrace and shame :
therefore we are compelled, whiis We ,
re engaged up on the Yellowstone In Z
ghting Sitting Bull and his Indians. t0| 4
nsrL against the chances of detachmenrs I
lriking either the Pacific railroad or the &
settlements around about. fo