Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-03-21

was evident to the Indians that they had no
alternative but TO consent to return; that a
violent outbreak of some sort must occur
should have been apparent TO everyone who
considered the temper OF the Indians. Had
1t been practicable to secure barricades to
prevent their actual exit from prison. 1t is
altogether probab that they would have i'm
mOlated themselves rather than surrender.
That they would attempt to escape on the
night ofJan. seems to have been clearly in
dicated that day, and was even predicted. In
view of these circumstances 1t would seem
that sufficient precautions were not taken. it
was manifestly an error OF judgment to relin-
quish the guard or at least the watch over the
Indians when discovered in their intrench.
ments; but IL is SO much easier to point out
after the event what might or should have
been done before 1t, that the Board finds IL
difficult to condemn an officer who was other
wise jealous In the discharge OF his duty, who
seems to have acted upon the best Of his judg-
ment, and who afterward crowned his works
by deeds OF galiantry.
Il must be borne in mind that he supposed
the prisoners to be without firearms, and that
such was not the fact is a state of things
which the Board finds itself unable to clear
up. The responsibility for the continued pos
session Of firearms by the prisoners seems, of
course to rest upon the officer who was in
command when they were captured. To dis
arm them was the first and most natural idea.
Yet the Board Is satisfied that its accomplish
ment was impracticablea at Chadron Creek. Aft
er their imprisonment at Fort Robinson, while
they were apparently contented and satisfied,
and before the determination of the Govern
ment was announced to them, it is possible
that disarmament might have been effectual-
ly and thoroughly done. The officer who un-
dertook it certainly supposed that he was
being successful in his attempt. The Board
is of opinion that the arms and ammunition
used by the Cheyennes In their outbreak
Except those captured by them from the
troops) were previously in their posses
sion, and had been introduced into and con-
cealed by them In the prison. II is possible
that very few might have been conveyed to
them by visitors, but certainly not all nor
nearly all. With regard to his arms the In
dian is so adroit and cunning that 1t is not
surprising that he should have eluded the
vigilance of his iailers. The arms were most
probably taken apart and concealed upon the
persons of the sQuaws until a favorable oppor-
tunity OF hiding them under the floor of the
room presented itself.
Colonel Carlton, in his evidence, has given
his reason why he deemed it impractlcable or
unwise to convey the men separately from the
women and children. 1t has occurred to the
Board that the latter class might have been
simply placed in camp near by, without Great
ing their distrust and without precipitating
an attempt to escape. This suggestion is
founded upon similar cases that have occurred
in Arizona and Texas, and at first view COM
marked difference seems to exist; that IN
those cases the Indians seem to have been
thoroughly whipped, while here this was not
only not so, but the ultimate escape of the
bucks would have been greatly facilitated by
the absence of the membranes of flight;
and it is doubtful If this separation could
have been made without exciting the suspi-
cions of the Indians and quickenlng the final
result.
While the Board has felt its duty to be to
call the attention to what it deems errors of
judgment committed by Captain Vessels, it
cannot overlook the fact that that officer was
so fortunate as to succeed to the policy in
augurated by his predecessor and superior in
command, Major Carlton, and almost neces-
sarily committed in advance to the pursuance
of his system. Captain Vessels found these
Indians imprisoned in a certain fashion, and
seems, If anything, to have added precautions
to their security. 1t was natural and reason
able that he should suppose that they had
been really disarmed. The Board has pointed
out certain errors it believes to have been
committed, but beyond that attaches no
blame to any one in the military service,
and in view OF all the circumstances of this
unfortunate business, of the manifest fact
that collision with these Indians and conse-
queut loss of life was unavoidable, of the evil
dent desire OF every one concerned to carry
out the orders of the Government in the most
effective manner, and of the probability that
no one else OF usual experience or judgment
could have done any better, respectfully re-
commends that no further action be taken.
The foregoing document, which is signed
by the three officers of the Board, is endorsed
by General Crook as follows: 81 have moth
ing to add to the findings of the within Board,
which are very complete, and which are ap-
proved
No action has been taken upon the report
by the authorities at Washington.