New-York tribune., 1878-11-14
WASHINGTON.
THE REPORT OF GENERAL SHERMAN.
A STRONG SUPERVISION OF THE INDIANS NEEDED

LIE hGsIOhl OE ULNGAaL
A STRONG SUPERVISION OF THE INDIANS NEEDED
WEST PoINT-AN EFFICIENT ARMY.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.-General Sherman,
in his report the reports Of the different
commanders OF military departments Among them.
that Of Lieutenant General Sheridan, the causes OF
Indian wars. will. he says, attract the nrst
notice. To this report he invites close study, and ne
supplements what General Sheridan had TO say
by comments of his own upon Indian affairs. He
points 10 the disappearance OF the game, and
says that the West, from being the pastnre-grouni
Of millions of buffalo, elk, etc, has passed INTO
n farming country He says mauy OF the Indians pre-
fer death TO the toll OF the farmer, and that 1t was
hunger which drove the Bannacks and Cheyenges 10
war this Summer. He continues:
To convert these Indians into pastoral race p inc
first step in the upward progress OF ciVLaon-tpato %.
culture must be the next STAGE, though slower WET
from utter annhiiatior fbis be reached by
wasted Indian. There must not only DC SNOW 81
force hut actual and suhirciion used Force VIII
There is vide distinction among the tgihGs, and each
tribe must ne dealt with according TO iis nature birge
discretion supply food mus DC lodged with the fIel
dent or somewhere else. Starvation will each year
with the shoshones and Southern Cheyenncs.
TIE army cannot forcsee or prevent inese "ori' ri
punder. steal aud kill harmless families Is to pursue
and capture th.n in detail after inlte t9 tnen % Som
duet them back 70 Their reservations and turn tcih
ioose to return 10 hc same game AL btum. Congress
alone can provide remedy, and, If prevention ne wiser
than cure, money and discretion must be OdSeu hOme-
where IN time TO prevent starvation. ,, . 49,. -
The General reports that the Indian problem IA not
single problem Measures which would be wise In one
instance would he folly another. ard whatever dc
partment Of the Government Is charged with the work
must he armed not only with force but large ds"re
ton and authority TO furnish food In emergencies
General Sherman concurs in the recommendation OF
General schoeld that the September appointments OF
fffrtn aIIlg Tpg
tho new cadets be examined by the Academic Board
early in june and that cadet be examined or ad-
mitted after the 1st OF July. He questions
however, the wisdom OF the rceommen-
dat!on that the standard for the admission
Of cadets be raised. He thinks that erroneous i'm
preston IS common that the Academy Will graduate
more officers than are needed for the army Experience
has shown be saws that vacancies annually in the
army 10 least the number OF sixty, when ls more
than the average OF the graduatingelass.
The report shows that there are 7e2O enlisted men IN
thr ten regiments of cavalry In the army 1850 men IN
the nve regiments Of artillery and ll,2O2 In the
twenty five regiments OF Infantry, making a
the engineer battalion 100; permanent and recruit
ing parties, muse boys and recruits IN depots,
lI2f enlisted detached on general service, 81
ordnance department. 344; West Point detachment,
100 prison guard II hospital stewards. lss ord,
nance sorceals III eommss9Ty n sergeants i4S and
lndan sconts $40 to,a' I 3Ug; I 7Gi 'ne ""o'0
The report concludes as follows; "In conclusion, l
beg state that from personal inspections ana from
official reports. AN sure the army is wen ana econo-
as good could he expected from Its scat.
tered condition, and from the vast amount OF
promptly and cheerfuly every call Of duty and Of bard
ship; 10 has accomplished amount OF work. WHICH, as
General Sheridan has well said, No O'htr Marion IN the
world would have attempted with less than 10000 or
10000 men,