New-York tribune., 1878-11-11
WHY THE INDIANS GO TO WAR.
THE ANNUAL REPORT OF GENERAL SHERIDAN DE-
VOTED TO THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATcHl

VOTED TO THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT.
lGESERAL PRESS DIsPATCH1
W,suINGTOy Nov, 1O-The annual report OF
General Sheridan deals almost entirely with the
Indian question. The General says: There does
not seem to be now and there never has been much
steadiness In the management Of the Indians; and
II il were not for the results which so severely In
yolve the military, this would. be none OF my
business and would not be mentioned mere"
IL IL ofteL SAID that this country ought 10 De
able to get along without Indian wars, Just as the
Government of Canada does. General sheridan
takes up this question and discusses the causes Oh
Indian wars III the United States.
He attributes our wars to two classe, OF cnuses,
thc first being the constant encroachment upon the
lands of the Indians, sacredly guaranteed to them
by treaty. and the constant removal OF the troes 10
distant reservations in which they are again
troubled by the tide of immigration. lie continues:
IN Other words wo took away their country and ther
means OF support, broke up their mOue Oh Nius, ui
habits OF e introduced disease ana aetss nav waSe war;
Cou any expect less Then why "0nuer ~ inui"u
difficulties ! ,, =. ,,.,,,o h,o
and therefore sufficient number OF soldiers should nave
been provided TO meet them ona wa" No other Nation
IN the world would have attempted Tue Ieau.son ,t ~
these Wild tribes and occupation o. lne bs Whole force
employed and scattered over lhe enoI ies,o a
described numbered 14OOO men, hnu ueelp VIZ
third of this force has been c0nhned 10 tho hho ol o
Rio Grande to protect the Mexican frontier. Ine con
sequence was that every cngagement wasa noPo,
and was attended with q loss or lie unphruueloo al
warfare. No quarter wns given Dy ts sMaso,
and the officers aud had 10 enter on tneF ~
With the barbarous oruelties staring tnen m tn
face In case OF defeat Nor WAS ths mlroruno
~ the soldier IL extended 10 the settler VINO Was nso
killed or came home to his wife ana chursh a u
drred and his stock stolen suoh In truth mas peen tne
contest on our Western frontier during the lat yen nn
IL would have been less expensive an army VI oo. 81
or 20 900 men had been maintained ana moreof1l ae
blood OF gallant officers. soldiers and ctzens "oua no'
have rested on our hands. ~ r,,,.r wor.
This then, was tho first cause OF our ihuian mais. %
They would have occurred, no matter Wnht
policy the Government might have adopted VIZ u cpuu
deprive primitive people OF ther houes
lived In barbarOus conteDtu ior
without war and the only thing strange aDont neso
vars was the manner and means adopted ny tno uo''
brnment to meet them. , :,
The second cause the General describes as the dis-
salsfaction of the Indian at being compelled TO re-
main on reservations, with his limits circumscrDed'
his opportunities of limiting abridged and his game
disappearing with sickness in his lodge from change
of life and food and insuiciency of the later ana
this irregulary supplied, and the reflection coming
to him of what he was and what he now is' Gen
,ral Sheridan believes that with kind treatment OF
the Indian, administered with steadiqess and justice