Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-11-22
cry sHERIDANs REPORT.

CEN,
,co November l7.-Lieutenant Gen
, ohayiIan. in his annual report to the
"..tant.Gencra! Of the army, dated Octo-
9th gives a detailed account of the army
.Ia west aud on the Rio Grande during
:" ,-4ar. He commences by saying
r.. =, five Department of Texas the usual
'1,,s IN the Rio Grande have occurred.
I ALA RIM loose by thousands on our side of
4 -;rar. and Mexicans and Indians cross
~ and steal them. This gives rise to all
III, If examinations and recriminations
h r:.+arnational questions which, with the
..r,, revolutions, make an unsettled
,4tjon of affairs on that border. The IN
f. +rmIbles on the Rio Grande border, the
H.. outbreak on the Western frontier
Nav Mexico. and the Indian war in the
aartncnts OF The Platte and Dakota, have
f., thp small and inadequate force in this
II ion in a constant state of activity and
Hast without rest night and day. Some
i thp cavalry regiments have, during the
r;uc and summer, travelled, in pursuit of
%,ranS and for the purpose Of protecting
Enospd settlements y distance or Y e 1000
lis and the hard work and wear and tear
u both men and ANIMALS in these from
N campaigns can be fully appreciated on
NV those who are familiar with the coun-
4 onedated in and who know its character
lono distances to be overcome and the
Nat difficulty of furnishing supplies. This
E%ndition of affairs is not only true for the
IA wear, but it has been nearly the same
'fng for the past ten years, and | think l
n safely say that no men have eyer work
harder or shown a higher sense of duty
Rn the little army which defended our
pidly extending Western settlements.
Nlhe expense and the very great loss of
d Attending these operations have arisen
Municipality from being obliged to use an in
kQuate force to perform services which, to
eomplsh quickly and properly required
least double IFS numbers. If the compa-
had I'LL been filled TO one hundred men
h the additional expense would have not
Rn so great in the end, as it has now PROV
to be with companies ranging from 80
10 men. Then the Indian troubles might
Re been settled promptly, and there is a
mg probability that they would not have
buried at all, and | therefore respectfully
GoMmend an increase Of all the compa-
sin the service to one hundred men each.
@2eieyei it would be true economy. and at
same it would enable the army to salts
efoFliy perform the work required of it.
pVrlng the last two Years the ratio OF loss
@eieers aud men, in proportion to the
alloer engaged in this division, ia the IN
wars has been eqnal to or greater than
ratio OF loss on either side in the pres
ho~Sslo-iurkisi campaign, and in the
clEii war in this country. While the
oaa troubles in this division are over for
present, cannot say that they are final
F'led. Complications are still liable to
T. aho our experience should teach us to
oeltef prepared for them than we have
nef'o oeeh. Only a very few of the re-
ss made by the exposed settlements
"'iF territorial representatives in Con-
= nave been complied with, even when
~ compelled to recognize the justice of
'e'hahds OH account of the utter in
kaaaes Oh our small force to garrison the
- lor which troops were asked.