The New York herald., 1879-03-11

his duty who seems TO have acted upon the best of
his Judgment. and who zfterwsrd crowned has works
by deeds of gallsntry.
ARMY QUESTION.
II must besbo In mind that he supposed tho
was not the fact is state Of things which the board
finds itself unable to clear up Ihe respon-
sibility for the continued possession OF hre-
arms by the prisoners seeins. or course to
rest upon the officer who was in command
when they were captured TO dsarm them was the
first and most natural idea. Yet the Board IL
satisfied that its accomplishment impraaticable
on Chatlron Creek After their Imprisonment at
Fort Robinson while they We're apparently contsntsa t
government was announced to them 1t is possible
that disarmament might have been effactually and
tanly supposed that he was being successful In his
attempt. The Board is OF opinion that the arms
and ammunition used by the Cheyonnes n IN a tnenr
the troops were previously IN their possession ana
had been introduced into and concealed by them in
the prison. 1t is possible that very Few
might have been conveyed to them by Wis
itors, but certainly not all nor nearly
all With regard to his arms. the Indian is adroit
aud cunning it is not surprising that he should
have ouded the vigilance OF his jailors The arms
were most probably taken apart and concealed upon
the persons of the squaws until favorable oppor-
tunity of hiding them under the floor OF the room
presented itself.
reason why he desIned it iinpractcabe unwisc to
convey the 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 creating their ditrust and without
preciptatng an attempt to escape. This suggestion
is founded upon similar cases That have occurred in
Arizona and Texas. and at first view conlmends
itself to the Judgment. But this marked difference
seems to exist that in those cases tho Indians secm
to have been thoroughly whipped while here
this was not only not SO. but the ilti-
mate escape Of tho Bucks would have been
greatly facilitated by the absence of tho encum-
brances of flight and it is doubtful if this separation
could have becn made without exciting the suspicious
Of the Indians and quickening the final result.
.cAprAIN wEssTr.Ls' ACTION.
While the Board has felt its duty to be TO call the
mitted by Captain Wesscls. it cannot overlook the
fact that that officer fortunate as to succeed
to the policy inauguratcd by his predecessor and
superior in command, Major Carlton, and almost
necessarily committed IN advance to tho pursuance
of his system. Captain Vessels found these Indians
imprisoned in certain fashion, ana seems. il any
thing. to have added precautions to their security 1t
was natural and reasonable that he should suppose
that they had becu really disarmed. The Board has
pointed certain errors it believes to have been
blame to any one in tho military, service:
And in view OF all the circumstances Of
this unfortunate business, of sthc manifest
act that collision with these Indians and consequent
loss Of life unavoidable, OF the evident dcsre OF
every concerned out the orders OF the gov
ernment in the most effective and yet most humane
manner and of the probability that NO one else OF
equal experience Judgment could have done any
better, respectfully recommends that no further
action be taken.
The foregoing document. which is signed by the
three officers of the Board is ndorsod by General
Crook as tollows:-
havo nothing to add to the findings of the
within Board which are very complete and which
are approved
No action has been taken upon the report by the
authorities at Washington.