Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-11-22
General Sherman's Report.
WAsUINGToS. Nov. IL

WASHINGTON, Nov IL.
Gen. Sherman has submitted his annual re-
port to Secretary McCrary. In 1t he refers to
the reports of the different commanders of
the military departments, and invites particu-
lar attention to that of Gen. Sheridan. His
command, says Gen. Sherman, embraces eight
Of the ten regiments of cavalry and eighteen
of twenty-five regiments of infantry which
compose the entire army, and, although
he states this force to be entirely in
adequate to perform the duties re-
quired, yet it is impossible further to re-
inforce him without stripping the seabo ard
or abandoning other territories subjected to
the same dangers which he so graphically de-
scribes in his own. His territorial command
is fifteen hundred miles long and twelve hun
dred miles broad. This vast region has in the
past ten years undergone radical change.
From being the pasture field of millions of
buffalo, elk, etc, affording abundant food for
the Indians, 1t has passed into a farming
country, traversed by many railroads. The
game is nearly all gone, and the Indian has
been forced on small reservations. Nearly
all Indian treaties were made on the theory
that this change would occur more slowly,
and that the Government would have to fur
nish partial food for the Indian, and that it
would procure half or quarter of the neces-
sary meat by hunting.
Again il was favOrite theory that the In
dian would see for himself a reason Why he
should cultivate the ground like white men,
but his progress In this case is scarcely per-
ceptible save in remnants of tribes like the
Santees, Pawnees, Cherokees, etc, while the
Sioux, Cheyennes, ArapahOes, KiOwas, etc,
seem to prefer death TO the common toll of
the farmer. Beyond question it was hunger
which drove the Bannocks and Cheyennes to
war this summer, and similar escapades will
occur each year unless these Indians be kept
quiet with more food.
1t seems idle to expect that the enteTurising
white race will cease till every acre Of this
continent is susceptible of cultivation. 1t is
not to be expected that these pasture fields
can be used by the two races without everlast-
ing conflict The reservations already set
apart for the Indians are large enough, and
should suffice them to raise all the meat and
grain necessary for their subsistence, but
meantime they must have food, or else they
will steal and fight.
To convert these Indians into pastoral
race Is the first step in the upward progress
OF civilization. That OF culture must be the
next stage, though slower of realization, but
In this direction is the sole hope of rescuihg
any part Of the Indians from utter annihila-
ton. This end cannot be reached by means
of the present peace agents, because persua-
sion is wasted on the Indian. There must not
only be a show OF force, but actual force and
subjection used. Force will be necessary to
compel the "nomad' to cultivate his own
ground. There is wide distinction among
the tribes, and each tribe must be dealt with
according to its nature. Large discretion TO
supply food must be lodged with the Presi-
dent or somewhere else. Starvation win
each year cause wars such as occurred this
season with the Shoshones and Southern
Cheyennes. The army cannot foresee or pre-
vent these wars; all 1t can do after the In
dians break out and plunder or steal and kill
harmless families, is to pursue and capture
them In detail after infinite toll, then conduct
them back to their reservations and turn
them loose TO return TO the same game ad
Abitum.
(,cnVreas can alone nrovide a rannady and
II prevention be wiser than cure money and
discretion must be lodged somewhere In time
TO prevent starvation.
The reports OF Gems. Mcdowell, Howard
and Wilcox describe the condition OF affairs
In the States and Territories bordering on the
Pacific Ocean. These Indians are collected by
tribes and families on small reservations, wen
apart, so that Indian wars ON large scale re-
quirlng concert of action are not probable.
Yet the NeK Perces war Of 1877 and shoshone