The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-10-22

Promtsed-The Southern Utes Reported
Peacefully Incllned-Terrible Barbarities
of the Apaches. ,.... ....,...gf.. estgselrz
Secretary SEIZURE Enplaims.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 2O.-seoretary schurz has
to-day been asked by many persons whether he
thought the dispatch of Gen. Sheridan to Gen.
Sherman, in which the former speaks of Gen.
Merritt's command az being tiled up" and
'sold OUT" was intended to reflect on the in
terror department. In response to this ques-
ton and number of coguate inquiries nd
dressed to him by representatives of The asso-
ciated press in an extended interview, schurz
made the following interesting statements,
with which are given the letters therein re-
ferred to: .' -. -s szalI. 2aEg g "}41
can reflect upon this department, nor do I
think ibis dispatch was intended for publics-
ton, but since it has been published and the
disposition of troops has been made known,
the rest of the story may properly accompany
it. When Gen. Merritt was still supposed to
have to fight his way through to White River
agency instructed Gen. Chas. Adams, not as
peace commissioner but a special agent of this
department on temporary service chosen on &C.
count of his ability, and intimate acquaintano
with the chiefs, to proceed to Los Pinos
agency to strengthen chief Onray in
his friendly attitude in case of refusal of the
government to stop proceedings produced ex-
element among the Los Pinos Utes and then
to endeavor to bring about the surrender of
the hostiles, or failing in that to draw the
peacably disposed Utes away from them and
thus isolate them. He was to assure all In
dams within his reach that the troops were
bound to force their way to White river and to
1osfrn yo1l Ston IN
ance lasted the worse it would be for the In
dams.
On the 14th we received information that the
Utes had disappeared from White river, that
Gen. Merritt had proceeded to the agency with
out resistance and had lost sight of the hos
tiles. then instructed Gen. Adams to ascer-
tain the whereabouts of the White river hos.
tiles, TO summon them to surrender or use
every possible endeavor to induce the peacea-
BILE Utes to give them up and to put himself
in communication with Gen. Merritt and give
him all the information he had together with
his opinion of the condition of things.
These dispatches were communicated by me
to Gen. Sherman before they were sent off.
Gen. Sherman communicated them to Gen.
Sheridan and Gen. Merritt was advised to give
OBEDIENCE to what Gen. Adams might tell him,
as he had the confidence Of this department..
These are undoubtedly the dispatches referred
to in Gen. Sheridan's telegram. Gen. Sher-
man evidently didn't think that by these in
structions which were intended not to arrest
but facilitate and aid Gen. Merritt's move
ments, in securing to him information which,
judging from his own reports, he couldn't
otherwise obtain, were calculated to ''tie up''
and 'sel out" the troops under command of
Gen. Merritt. If he had thought so he
would undoubtedly have said to me before
sending them off to Gen. Sheridan, Gen
Sheridan might have said 80 before communi-
eating them to Gen. Merritt. -.
l.
had read the dispatch from Gen. Sheridan
published in the newspapers, he addressed to
me the following letter, which is additional
evidence that he, down to that time, hadn't
understood my Instructions to the special
agent of this department to stop any move
ment.
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY UNITED STATES,
WASHINGTON, Oct. II.
Hon. Carl Schurz, Secretary of the Interior,
Washington, D. C-Dear Sir: I have tele-
gram from Gen. Sheridan saying he has a mes
sage from Gen. Merritt to the effect that to
punish the hostile Utes, he would on the 18th
inst move from White River for Grand River
and Los Pinos agency. But Gen. Sheridan
supposes that before starting Gen. Merritt will
have received my dispatch of October 18th,
notifying him of the appointment of Special
Az ADAMS Adams and to be govs1nsd in
Do you want Gen. Merritt's force Of about
1000 men to be at White River at Los Pinos
agency? Some one must determine this ques-
ton and as the Interior department. has charge
of the Ute Indians and the military is acting
to support the Indian Bureau in its manage
ment of this tribe of Indians, l beg Of you
to inform me whether you prefer that this
military force shall be at Los Pinos agency, or
at White River. Your obedieut servant,
w. T. SHERMAN, General.
I received this letter on the evening of the
18th, and the same evening visited Gen. Sher-
man at his house for the purpose of ascertain
ing what it meant. Gen. Sherman explained
to me the difficulties Gen. Merritt's command
would have to encounter in crossing the high
mountain range between White river and Los
Pinos, without any wagon road. the possibility
of being showed in, ETC., and also that another
force could be concentrated in a short time at
Alamosa, to accomplish all that was necessary
its way. ~ The expression of his
views was of course satisfactory
to me and left Gen. Sherman with the un-
derstanding that would officially answer his
letter on the following morning, which I did,
and here is the answer. ... -n-. i5.s.. /
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 49, 1879. !
GENERAL: In reply 10 your letter yesterday,
referring to Gen. She1idan's dispatch, in which
he expressed his apprehension as to the difficult
ties likely to attend movement Of Gen.
Merritts troops across the mountain ridge be.
which dispatch you communicated to me in
full at our interview subsequent to the receipt
of your letter, I have the honor to say, Gen.
Chas Adams, special agent of This department,
will probably reach Los Pinos agency to-day
or tomorrow. As you know, he is instructed
to ascertain, if possible, the present where
abouts of the White River Utes and succeed
ing in this, to every effort, with the aid of
Chief Ouray, to bring about their surrender.
| may have telegraphic report from him by
Wednesday next. It will probably then ap-
pear whether that surrender can be accom-
plished without the assistance of considerable
body of troops not. In the meantime I
fully agree with the opinion you expressed at
our interview last night that Gen. Merritt
should not at present undertake the hazardous
march across the mountain divide, but remain
at or near White river and that another body
of troops be concentrated at Alamosa to act as
the Condition of things at Los Pinos and the
Southern Ute agency may require. shall
without delay inform Gen. Adams of the in
structions telegraphed by you to Gen. Sheri-
dan last night and direct him to put himself
in comm unication, not only with Gen. Merritt
as ordered before, but also with the command
er of forces at Alamosa, keeping both these Of
fcers fully advised Of the situation Of things.
Very truly your obedient servant,
D. @. SCHURZ, Secretary.