Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-10

supplemental report to the annual re-
port of Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan for 1878
with reference to Indian affairs, in re-
spOnse to the request of Secretary
Schurz that specifications he furnished
in support of the statement made By
Gen. Sheridan in his annual report:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE
MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
CHICAGO, Dec. ", 1879.
To Gen. W. T. Sherman. Washington:
GENERAL:-In consequence of law suit in
the United States Circuit Court in the city of
New York, was compelled to go to that city
shortly after the receipt Of the communication
from the Honorable Secretary of the Interior
of Nov. 10th, 1875 endorsed by you Nov. Goth,
and forwarded to me- In this cOmmunica-
| tion the Secretary took exception to certain
conclusions arrived at and stated in my an
nual report OF this year. The General quotes
| the conclusions, and says: The object had
| in view in my annual report was to show
that Indian wars came from two causes (see
report) but that while the first war could
| not be avoided by the Government the second
was clearly within its control and resulted
| from bad management of Indian affairs.
made no charges against the Honorable Secre-
| tary of the Interior; / made no charges
against anyone. l desired simply to call the
attention Of my superior officers to the causes
| that produce discomfort and outbreaks, and
| that from the inadequacy of our military
force resulted in the massacre OF officers, sol
| diers and citizens, and the horrible and un-
mentionable barbarities perpetrated on wOm-
en- and children, and to state my belief that
these disasters might have been ayerted by
better organization, more complete system,
and more integrity in agents employed. The
| Secretary of the Interior saw fit to take this
up, and by disingenuously saying that had
made charges as to corruptions at every
agency in the limits of this military division,
/ oh hol mn IN q oh hn
| has himself put into my mouth. His infer
! ences are not warranted by the language of
the report, but in support of what did say l
respectfully submit the data accompanying
this supplemental report.
The question of Justice and right to the In
dian is past and cannot be recalled. We have
occupied his country, taken away from him
| his lordly ,dOmain, destroyed his herds OF
| game, penned him upon reservations, and re-
dueed him to poverty. For humanity's sake,
| then, let us give him enough to eat and in
/ tegrity in agents over him. To show how in
cOnsiderate the Honorable Secretary of the
| Interior was IN his first and second letters of
| November 10th aud November 10Th respec-
! lively, 1t is only necessary for me to call the
attention of the General Of the Army to the
fact that since 1874 have carefully retained
copies of Indian reports coming to my Of
flee, briefs of which are herewith inclosed,
and It was on this information that my re-
| port was made. Surely the Honorable Secre-
| ldI1 Ol lnt tdhuOI llnpuJt
ness to the officers making these reports.
! They were ON the ground, generally as ofil-
| cial inspectors for the Indian Bureau, or in
some official capacity and are among the
/ best in the service most OF them probably
known TO the General of the Army and many
Of them to the country. My object was To
l call attention to- and II possible prevent, ca
lamities occurring To the frontier settlers, TO
| the officers and men of the army, and to re-
! duce the unnecessary expenses brought upon
us n
The report of Lieut.. Lee, givlsg an exact
! exposition Of the Indian management at Spot
| ted Tail Agency, was obtained since the date
| of my annual report, but the facts as related
were well known to me. In fact, was instru.
mental TO some extent In the detection Of the
McCann fraud. His report is submitted first
for the reason that II gives a fair and compre-
hensive idea OF the lRdian management, and
/ i believe may be assumed as fair eXplana-
i tion of what has occurred at many OF the
| other agencies, and which produced the hun
/ ger and discomfort described In the accompany
! Ing briefs. In this connection | also call at
! tention to the briefs OF correspondence from
Lieut.. Dougherty, relative to the attempt 10
/ force upon him since he has been acting as
agent at Grow Creek employees of bad charae-
/ ter and of the loose and criminal manner
In which the eIndian goods were shipped with.
out bills of lading or invoices. This Is true
/ also for the Cheyenne and Brule agencies on
! the Missouri River, as well as OF Grow Greek,
whose agent, DIR. Livingston, has recently
been indicted on about l24 charges, and as
! many more that were thrown out under the