Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-04
Gen. Shern,0n,s Rep0rt.

Gen. Shernaan's Report.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-Gen. Sherman's a
nual report to the secretary of war was Col
pleted to day. 1t is prefaced with the usu
tabular statements and returns compiled b
adutant generals commanding, on which Ger
Sherman says The IL generals 1859 officers
2O,566 men and 2SS Indian scouts, togethe
with such officers of the staff as are assigned b
the war department to duty with troops, con
s!ituto the army proper, or the combativ
force. All other parts of the military estab
lishment are provided by law TO
ecial service which is more or less con
nected with the army or militia, but ar
not available for frontier duties. Thus for in
stance the 397 enlisted men Of the ordnance
department are fast workmen at the arsenals
The 1872 men of the Engineers corps are at Will
let's Point undergoing instructions In the tor
pcdo practice. and are not subject to the di
vision com mander. The 456 men of the signal
corps are employed in observing the weather
or in working the telegraphs. The III
ordnance sergeants have charge of old
forts or fixed magazines. The ISL
commissary sergeants are in charge of stores.
One hundred and eighty seven men
are stewards of hospitals. The West
Pint detachment, 1856 i'll number, is
localized at the military academy. The prison
and recruiting detachments abroad l,707
men at Davis Island, Columbus, o., and in
Jefferson barracks, New. These various detach-
mepts, aygregating 3, 1863 enlisted men, of the
highest grades, compose about one-sixth part
of the enlisted men provided by law for the
whole army, leaving but TO- 99 for actual ser
vice.
| mention these figures in some DETAIL be-
Cause l know that it is 4 popular opinion
shared by many members of Congress, that we
have twenty five thousand men on duty.
have done all in my power to reduce these de-
tachments to tho lowest number possible, 80 as
to afford moro men to run skeleton COM
panies, and have found it impossible. notice
that similar detachments are reported on all
army returns for fifty years back. There
are fonr hundred and thirty companies in the
regular army Twenty-Five Thousand men
would give ffty-eight to each, which is
IA small rs any company should be,
and l earnestly recommend that you
ask Congress to SO legislate that the rs, 900
men provided by law may be allowed exclus-
lively for regiments of the line and that spe-
cial provision be made for these several de-
taohments as has already been done for the
signal service. The army cannot with justice
be held responsible for the work of $4,000
men, when SO large fraction is necessarily
Diverted to other uses, perhaps of equal ma
tioaal Importance.
The tables above referred to show that the
grand aggregate of the army roll is 2, 1877 Off
cers and ~, 262 men III service and 1888 officers
retired.
Gen. Sherman devotes large portion Of his
report to the Ute troubles. He introduces the
subject with history Of the Ute tribe These
Indians, lie says, are OF the worst class and oc-
cupy the toughest part of our country for
military operations. Their management is
complicated by the fact that their country is
known to possess mineral deposits
which attract q bold and adventurous
class of white men. They are very
warlike and have no difficulty in procuring, in
exchange for their deerskins, horses and sheep,
any amount of the best rifles and ammunition.
AS long as game lasts they will not work at
tempt farming, except in the smallest and
most ridiculous way. and that only by COM
pulsion.
The report details at some length tho history
of the we'll known event leading up to the
movement by Major Thornburgh's command
and continues: With a knowledge of the re-
suit, end to throw az much light on the i'm
mediate cause of thia war possible, give
tho last letters which passed between Major
rhornhuryh and Mr. Meeller, and ilAhere
record my Judgment that Major Thornburgh
was an officer and gentleman of whom any one
has reason to be proud. He was young, ardent,
could have done better in life, nor met death
with more haroism.
HEADQUARTERS WHITE RIVER EXPEDITION,
CAMP ON FoRr1FICArIoN CREEK, Sept. 25, 1879.
Mr.. hleeker, Indian Agent, White River
Agency-Sir: In obedience to instructions
from the general of the army, am en- route to
your agency, and expect to arrive on the Goth
inst, for the purpose of affording you any as
sistance in my power, and to make arrests at
your suggestion, and to hold rs prisoners such
Of your Indians as you desire, until investiga-
lions are made by your department. 1 have
heard nothing definite from your agency for
ten days, and do not know what state of af-
fairs cxist-whether the Indians will leave at
my approach or show hostilities. I send this
letter by Mir. Lowry, one of my gnides, and de-
sire yOu to communicate with me as soon as
possible, giving me all the information in your
power, in order that may know what course I
am to pursue. If practicable. meet me on the
road at the earliest moment. Very RESPECT
fully, your obedient servant,
T. T. THoRNBURaH.
To this Agent Meeker replies, under date of
Sept. IL follows:
SIR--U Understanding that you are on your
way hither with United States troops, send a
messenger, Mr.. Eskrcdge, and tive Indians,
Henry, interpreter, and John Byersly, to in
form you that the Indians are greatly excited,
and wish You to stop at some convenient camp
ing place and then that you and five soldiers
of your command come into the agency, when
talk and better understanding can be had.
This | agree to, but l do not propose YOUR
movements, but it seems to be best. The In
diaus seem to consider the advance of troops
as a declaration of real war. In this am Ia
boring to undeceive them, and al the same
time to convince them that they car not do
Whatever they please. The first object is to
allay apprehensians. Respectfully,
N. q. MEEKER, Indian Agent.
Under date of Sept. %, Maj. Thornburgh
writes to Agent Meeker as follows:
. SIR. | shall move with nv entire
to some convenient camp, near aud within
striking distance of your agency. reaching
such point during the Goth, Shall then halt
and eneamp my troops and proceed to the
agency with my guide and five soldiers, as
municated IN your letter of the 9th inst,
aud then and there will be ready to have a
conference with you and the Indians, SO that
an understanding may be arrived at and my
course of action determined. have carefully
considered whether or not it would be advisable
to have my command at point rs distant as
that desired by the Indians who were in nv
camp last night, and have reached decision
tina: under my orders which require me to
march the command to the agency, am not at
liberty to leave it at present where it would
not be available in case of trouble, You are
authorized to say for me to the Indians that
my course of cond uct is entirely dependent on
them. Our desire is to avoid trouble and we
have not come for war. I requested Won. in
my letter of the Goth, to meet me on the road
before 1 reached the agency. renew nv re.
quest that you do 80, and further that Won
bring such chiefs as may wish to accompany
you.
Under date of Sept. 20, Agent Meeker re.
plied Dear SRI expect to leave in the morn.
ing with Douglas and Gerriek to meet
you. Things are peaceable and Doug,
las flies the .. g. flag. If you have
trouble in getting through the canon to-day
let me know. We have been on guard three
nights and shall be tonight, not because We
know there is danger but because there may