The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-12

In recent dispatches to headquarters Gen.
Howard throws some light upon the strate
gy of his campaign against JOSEPH. The
first despatch to Gen. SHERMAN is dated at
Virginia, Montana. As Virginia IL little
more than two hundred miles from the point
where the hostile Indians last overlook Gen.
HOWARD, there is clearly no occasion for APP
prehcnsions in regard to the personal safety
of the Christian commander. The fear that
he might unnecessarily expose himself to
capture was unwarrantcd, and II may be dis
missed.
The Virginia despatch explains IowARDs
otherwise incomprehcnsiblc detour east
ward Just arrived here" he tclegraphs,
latter an extraordinary effort Ia ovcrtakc
GIBBoN, with horses faded" II will be OBJ
served that it is GIBBoN, and not JOSEPH,
that HOWARD is after. At last accounts
GIBBoN was engaged with other hostiles
still further TO the east. Tho immediate
object of HowARDs extraordinary, though
unsuccessful, pursuit of him may not be APP
parent TO minds unskilled in the intricacies
of strategic combinations. Tho satisfactory
fact remains, however, that although he
did not overtake GIBBoN, JOSEPH did not
overtakc him, and there Is no immediate
denger of the Christian hero's losing his
scalp.
HowARD's announcement of his plans for
the future strengthens the belief that his
mastery efforts to evade the active and
bloodthirsty JOSEPH will continue Ia be sue
ccssful. My command" he says, ais so
much worn with fatigue that cannot push
it further. think may stop near where l
am, and in few days work my way back to
Fort Boice slowly, and distribute my troops
before the snow falls in the mountains" BY
scattering his troops over a large territory
and taking judicious measures for their
cflectual concealment, the good HOWARD
can undoubtedly thwart the cruel designs of
his pursuer. 1t is n case where cunning
may legitimately be opposed to cunning.
Unfortunately, Gen. SHERMAN did not take
q charitable view of HowARD's purpose His
reply to the despatch from which we have
quoted has not been furnished TO the press,
but the tone Of it may be inferred from
HowARDs immediate and indignant protest,
dated four days later at Helena. a hun
dred miles further from JOSEPH and from
peril The Christian soldier says IN his
Helena despatch:
never iiag II was the command including the uustcn
erecuc Young officers that aud weary by u
mot extraordinary march, You need fear the
Champaign Neither you nor Gen NcDOwSiL can doubt
my pluck and energy. Imoye IN the morning, and WILL
continue 10 the end.n
If SHERMAN lost confidence for the mo-
ment in IowARDs ability to keep out of the
way of the hostiles and feared that he and
his command, wearied by forced marches
and constant anxiety, might prefer surren-
der to continued flight, these brave words
must have treasured him. HOWARD never
flags. 1t was the young officers Of his COM
mand that were weary of flight, and pre-
ferred to risk their scalps rather than tax
further the muscles of their legs. How
ARD will continue to the end. The coun-
try may rest assured that he will put him
self in place Of permanent safety, even If
lie has to ride all the way TO Fortress Monroe.