The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-05-05
MILITARY MATTERS.

Gen. George d. Ruggles, Of st. Paul,
Adjutant General of the Department of
Dakota, has arrived at Omaha. Gen.
Ruggies was Adjutant General of this
department under Gen. Augur, and af-
forwards under Gen. Ord, and has a
large circle of warm friends. Adjutant
General Platte, of the Department of
the Missouri is also at Omaha.
A Bismarck dispatch says that Cen
eral Miles has ordered Lieut.. Baldwin
to proceed to Poplar Greek with a small
force of infantry, to await the arrival
of a number of hostile Indians, who are
expected to surrender to him there.
Advices from Fort Buford intimate
that it is possible that large numbers
will follow suit, if the treatment of this
first batch should prove satisfactory
to them. The Indians have been una
BILE to procure food, which may account
for the surrender.
The Kautz court martial now in
progress at Omaha, attracts much at
tention. 1t is charged that Colonel
Kautz wrote a book and revealed army
secrets, which it is claimed is against
the regulations.
The Bee says the court was formally
opened, Gen. Augur presiding, when
the defendant, Col. Kautz, presented
his special plea in bar, and proceeded
to read the same. 1t was quite lengthy.
and when the defendant was about half
through, Judge Advocate Burnham in
terrupted him, and urged an objection
to the plea, on account of its being ar
gumentative, and irrelevant in some
particulars, as it brought in matters
having no direct bearing on the case.
The opinion of the Court was asked
for, and accordingly, as is usual in such
cases, the room was cleared of all per-
sons except the court, who then discuss
ed the matter and decided TO allow the
defendant to proceed with the reading
of the plea.
Gen. Kautz then read it through. 1t
was evidently Il carefully prepared doc
ument, the substance Of which was that
he admitted the truth of the preferred
charges, but that the acts with which
he was charged did not constitute q
military offense for which he ought to
be tried. Col. Kautz also i'm his plea
entered somewhat into a defense of his
course.
The courtroom was again cleared
and the court considered the plea, and
overruled the same. The defendant
was then called upon to plead to the
charges, and he pleaded not guilty,
which of course brought the main issue
to trial. The next thing was the Civ
ing of testimony, the first witness call
ed being Major Platte, of L.eavenworth.
The Court of inquiry, of which Gen
eral Mackenzie, Fourth Cavalry, was
president, at Fort Clark, Texas, has
adjourned. The Court was ordered
some time since, at the request of Col.
w. r. Shaifer, Twenty-fourth infantry,
to investigate the charges made against
him, while commanding that section of
the Mexican frontier, by Liept. Turner,
Third Cavalry.
The Court has made its report to
Gen. Ord, commanding the Department
of Texas, saying that but one of the
specifications is sustained, and that only
in such part as does not involve offence,
and that the whole matter grew out of
irresponsible camp talk and an insub-
ordinate spirit toward Col. Shaffer.
The Court formally recommends that
no further proceedings in the Ease be
had, and the recommendation and re-
port has been approved.
Go to Melander's for your hats. 1t