New-York tribune., 1878-10-12
THE CHEYENNE RAID.
A STORY OF FORGED REVOLT.


OTHER ARMY OFFICERS TO THEIR BAD TREAT
MENT.
lPRoN AN occ AsIoSAL CORRESPONDENT TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE Government can offer
no adequate compensation for the damage the
Northern CheyeDnes have done in their rad across
Kansas. Nebraska and Dakota. any more than an
order from tho Secretary Of the Interior can
bring to life the farmsrs who have been
killed while defending their homes and their fami-
lies from the sayages. This outbreak has been pre-
dicted by the officers Of the Army stationed In
Indian territory for more than year; in fact,
ever since The CheyenBes were sent from Dakota
to the location they have just left and If the Secre-
tary of the Interior aud the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs had aiken notice of General POpos warnings,
the trail Of blood and raplne and fire would never
have been drawn across the prosperous settlements
in Kansas and Nebraska.
The revolving Indians are known as the Northern
Cheyennes. to distinguish them from the other frag
mont of their nation, which has been for many
years in the south For several years the Northern
Cheyennes have received their ratiOns at Red Cloud
Agency. and have lived exclusively among the
Sioux They were with the hostile Sioux under
Sitting Bull at the Custer massacre. but afterward
surrendered to tho Government sent several OF their
chiefs to Washington and agreed to their removal to
Indian Territory, as remembered without protest.
Commissioner Hayt says now that their outbreak
is due to their dissatisfaction on account of this
removal which he says against their WILL aud
they made their escape soon as possible, to return
to their old neighbOrs at Red Cloud. The commits
sioner is evidently mistaken in this statement, or
else he was mistaken when he wrote his report for
1877, in which, speaking of these same Northern
Cheyennes he says rep Sec. of Int. vol. 1, page
415l:
After the surrender Of the main portion OF this tribe,
Cheyenne5 suddenly seized by desire TO re-
10 the Indian Teir,tory. This unexpected an
nouncement was followed by prompt action ana on tae
2Sih Of May last 937 Cheyennes leIJ kd Con hR6soy
under military escort aud after seventy DAYS journey
reported AT Fort Reno. etc, etc.
In the annual report of Friend Miles. sbe agent
who had them IN charge, their census is given as
follows: Families, 103 men. 23S women, 313 ;
children 1856 total. 037. Agent Miles now joins
with Commissioner Hayt in explaining that dissat-
isfacton at their removal, and not starvation, was
the cause Of the revolt lie also should read his an
uual report for 1877, for in that he describes the
great Joy" exhibited by the Cheyennes over their
now home, and says that general time of rejoic-
ing and feasting was kept up for many days"
General Pope has been predicting this outbreak
for more than year. lie has written month after
month to the War Department that if the Cheyennes
were not regularly supplied with food there would
be serious trouble and he protested last Fall, when
some of his troops taken away and sent to the
Toxas border saying that there certainly would be
revolt of the Cheyennes unless there change In
the management at the Indian Bureau. The re-
moyal of the troops left him very weak, aud the
consequence was when the outbreak that he pre-
dictod occurred, he had few available.
General PopU's annual report to the General of
the Army for 1S77-written about the same time
that Agent Miles described the feastng and reoic-
ing among these Cheyennes, reads as follows Ire
port Of Secretary Of War, volume t. page 6OD:
But urge upon the authorities the absolute ne
ccssty both of the safety Of this frontier and IN
the interest OF humanity aud airdealirg that these In
dtaps he better fed than they are now have been
ding that they have been away siK
from their supplies yet these supplies. intended
for whole year, barely sufficient on the return
of the Iudaus from their six months hunt 20 tuFnlsn
thom with half rstIOns for the remainder OF the year
It injustice 90 the character OF me Goyern-
compelled to remain on iheiE reservation, ana theh
slowly stsrye and II Is painful aud Gnnappy unty iGp o.
he troops they should he kept IN large Numbers IN
their presence. with no power OF authority except 10
force them to starve tauquily saeh Sats St tngs @
brelk. alike fatal 10 life and to confidence 49,
Tho coalition OF the kiowas aud COmanches IN thls
respect nearly the same as ~ require no oher sPe
Cial mention.
The statements Of General Pope were called es-
pecaly to the attention of Secretary Schurz by the
Secretary of War. Whenever a report comes in
from an Army officer relating 10 the Indian Service.
a couy Is always made and sent to tho Secretary OF
the Interior for his information. But 1t appears
no attention was paid to his complaints, for at
later date he writes to the Department: unless
the Indiapsp lreferring to these same Northern
Cheyennesa fed there will be constant danger oil
an outbreak; and every time Gensral Pope has
written almost. he has made the same complaints.
In inclosng letter from Colonel Mckenzie, last
Winter, ho says
Ifeel almost ashamed 10 repeat often facts that
cannot but DO well known 10 the authorities of the ln-
dian Bureau but pOtuing so Tar as Know mas Oeen
dms 10 remedy the distressng condition OF affairs rs 10
subsistence, and the results OF further neglect ana IN
attention tho subject but mildly set forth III Col
oue McKeuzies letter deem II nos only proper but
an absolute obligation OF duty TO urge that IuDeuae
tuton not absolute starvation, TO Protect the honQr
aud good faith OF the Government aud 10 reneNe luis
frontier from n constant danger FROM outbreaks
This letter, with all others referring to the same
subject, we're at once upon their receipt forwarded
TO Secretary Sohurz but whether any attention was
pa,d to them or not no improvement in the condi-
tiop OF The Indians was noticed. and the outbreak
was tho result.
Colonel MoKenze's letter, alluded to above, was ac-
companied by the report Of inspection of the con-
dtiop of the Cheyenne Indians, made by Lieutenant
LawtOn, regmentsl quartermaster OF the 4th CAV-
airy under the direction of General Pope, who had
heard the complaints of lack of food, and wished
to ascertain the exact truth Of tho matter.
Lieutenant Lawton reported that "full rations
are not and have not been issued for
some time no flour or corn, or anything i'll lieu of
them. has been issued for long time.
All the Choyennes are dissatisfied. and complain
that they are not receiving what was promised
them; that they would be satisfied if they received
what tho treaty allows" The agency Interpreter
told him, so Lieutenant Lawton writes. that " the
Indians are well inclined, and wish to do right as
far as they know. but that they have good reason
TO complain and unless they fed they will leave
and canse troubleD "The Indians says Lieutenant
-. .. nna,rt thnt THAR neonle are not getting