The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-20
THE THEORY OF OPERATION.
What Was Accomplished by the
Early Spring Expedition.
A FRONTIER EDITOR ON THE SITUATION
Scathing Denunciation Of the Manage
ment Of Indian Affairs
OMAHA, May Is, 1915

which military the frontiers OF Nebraska,
Dakota and Wyoming have predicted so long II was
In anticipation Of this that Brigader General George
A. Crook was in 1875 transferred from Arizona, where
be had rendered brilliant service TO the command Of
Inc Department Of the Platte which includes in its
boundaries the principal agencies Of The only
trbcs whose power Is cause Of apprehension 10 the
whitez His ability in warfare with tho Indians has
been well demonstrated in the country OF the
Araches, Comanchcs and Kiowas that II needs no
rulogy In the War Oflce It Is held In high esteem
and has caused the giving him OF tho task OF reduc
Ing to submission the wild bands Of the Sioux No
brigader in the army could have inspired the people Of
this department with OF confidence In the efficacy
OF his protecting power His intention OF fully exert
ing II Is determined. The to that end to
be offensive well defensive until the enemy OF the
miner and settler shall recognized the tity OF
further attempts at aggression and independence Ac-
cordingy
THE EXPEDITION
has been projected which rendezvous at Fort Fet
torman, In Wyoming Territory, is to thence
into the region which is the summer resort Of Crazy
Horse Sitting Bull the Elder and Little Big Man, and
whence they make their incursions upon the white
sculements II is a beautiful country traverscd by
me Big Horn, Yellowstone and Powder rivers, and
lbounds in game and pasture. portion OF It is the
patrimony and stronghold OF the Crows uhe Absaro-
keel where, however they perpetually harassed,
and often beaten and massacred by tho
Sioux their ancient end inveterate foes II
probable that In the coming expedition the services
f Grow will be employed and the od-time feud
utilized Some Pnwnees also expected to volunteer
10 tight the side OF tho troops They owe the ruin
Of their tribe TO the Sioux who occupy their
Giant domain.
The united forces Of the hostile Sioux are supposed
to number about 5000 warriors Constant reinforce
who lounge about the agencies on the White
River during The winter, and who amuse themselves
by committing murder and rapine during the summer.
The whole body of troops which will be directed
against them will number 1900 men, principally
cavalry. General Crook will be in active command,
accompanied by his aides, Captain A. H. Nicholson and
Lieutenant Bourke Tho march viii begin about June
EARLY STRING ExPEDTr1oN,
Of which meagre and imperfect accounts have been
published. little less than failure results be-
ing much inferior TO anticipation From ono OF the
ablest field officers Of the West have received
a clear description Of tho battle In which IL
eliminated, fought with Crazy Horses band the
Powder River But for the OF two subordi-
aate officers It would undoubtedly have proven great
victory for the troops Those OF them who werc ir
action did their duty admirably. Captain Eagan gal
apt COMMANDER, drove the Indians into deep canyon
stceply walled by bluffs, while Captain Noyes, execut-
Ing rapid movement captured their herd Of ponies,
which grazing the bottom. Captain Moore,
who was stationed the plateau. was ordered 10
the edge Of the canyon and pour plunging
fire upon the enemy huddled in tho narrow space
below Had this been done there is no doubt that
they would have been annhiiated. It said that
Captain Moore did not his position and per-
m.sd the Indians % escape uney alsrwnra recap
hts horses before the hiring had ceased, immediately
alter sweeping the herd of across tho For this
l.oo mi " hnnn Fod W NJ
and rcprimanded The oiccr whose special duty twas
20 destroy with his command the Sioux village with
FIRE and carbine, has gwen explanation OF his where
abous during the action. II simply known that he
was II appears from the above facts that
the attack upon Crazy Horse was well planned, but
that mscarried through the cowardlce Jealousy or
stupidity OF subalterns II Is rumored that two
three Of these are to be tried oy court martial and MS
true light. According 10 General Crooks theory of
lighting the Indians Of tho plains the In which
that military stroke attempted much
favorable TO success than the months OF summer Tho
enemy then found encamped In a village. From
June unit. October they will wander from pasture
pasture and hunting ground 10 hunting ground, and
the probability OF entrappIng them again insc lair
terprlsc therefore, Ii more likely TO be the ashes OF
wasted gunpowdcr alone than anything else, while tho
Bioux may steaithiy add many scaps 10 their blood
incrus,ed trophies - fs4,
The Nvs9 ssGs s as ~ q. I % the
his victims without the dash Of rosy aud
4 worse shsa sas which EsrIisn Who
Spoiled Mexico and Perm shameless and anjuaabls
struggle has been '1s a ssn q the wrong
ssn; therefore; pat him andsI L drive him
Il = y s s sr
ss. they would ssssrssn no crupes o.
sEss a ss ass s' Vain
o. the
A. them 70 The naming Of u hsis atrocities BY see
%oassnd other nimies continually inicsd The red
hem .Sase'' ''''-'' '"'''''''' -S''"''
The leading editor Of this military department spoke
Illus TO-DAY the beginning Of conversation ON Tho
subject OF the Indian question Through his journal
be has often bcrcnded IN argument tho cause Of tho
Sioux and shown thereby both moral and physical
bravery Such sentiments are eema,esk IN the West
Further he says that The people hcreare mercenary
parvenns all their thoughts concerning the Indians
Tho same spirit influenced all the treaties that havo
been negotiated with them. Twenty years OF life in
Nebraska, from It's infancy as colony 10 It's Adde'S
rcnoe as a Ssa.e has nIei him with intensely embt-
lercd detcstaton OF the vile traits displayed BY the
American pioneers and settlers their lack Of honor
.f course. continued he IL am identified with The
veal OF the white race; with us progress its civilian
tiou It's enrichment / cannot wish that the savages
ight thor vengeance my kind, but cannot
help but feel painful but irresistible sympathy with
their wrongs IL Is commonplace 70 say that rom
the beginning Of tho intercourse Of Englishmen with
Them 70 the present time there has only been made
truth Is not Whit less dreadful although ia impress
vcncss has been dulied by rceraiicn 10 selfish ears
Contrsed with tho Indians OF British America whose
tuteaRc was naugurated by the Preach, what are our
thousands Of wardsf II Is shameful crime TO plum
DER an orphaned child. What Is II 10 wrong these
simple children OF nature, orphaned by cheat and DIS
honor Of that protecting which government
swod them from the beginning. Even tho results OF
spanish enslavcment and subsequent Liberation In
South America arc nobcr than these OF STERN
uoiid and soinsh Anglo-Saxon policy which, IN spirit
Ii tho same a. that OF cortcz and Pizarro"
do you think THAI the treaties with tho Sioux
negotiated with fraudulent intcptyu
eyes. II has been the desire OF any nceo.ia-
tor but General Harvey, and perhaps General Terry
be candid and frank IN explanation OF the OF tho
proposed covenants Indeed. IL 10 doubtful IL they
could have communicated their ideas clearly II they
had wished, all the interpreters placed at their
command being chosen IN the interest OF the ngcnfs
instead Of the Indians But tho rarity OF cIcient In
trrprccrs has served 10 favor The Of
she whites Tho best interpreters could be obtained
only nth the best pay; but they within tie