Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-10-03
FRIDAY, OCT. 8, 1879.
TIE MURDERED ARMY
OFFICERS.

A few years ago Gen. Candy was
murdered by the Modocs in the lava
beds of Oregon. In July 1876
Gen. Custer, with a few hundred
soldiera, was attacked at Little Horn
River by four thousand Sioux. He
and three hundred of his men we're
massacred. It was 9 horrible
butchery. Now Maj. Thomas 7.
Thornburgh has been sent into the
heart of belligerens tribe of
savage Utes. He, with ten of his
men, were killed, several others
wounded, and the remainder left in
great peril. We have no informa~
ton as to the precise strength Of
his command, but it did not exceed
two hundred men. At least fifty of
these were required under the cir
cumstances to guard his wagon train.
He was surrounded OF, all sides
by hostile savages and bis
train required strong guard. He
had then not exceeding one hundred
and fifty men for service in fight.
He went with orders to arrest such
indians as the Agent might point
out to him as having been trouble
some and belligerent. If he had
fired upon the cred devils when
they began to prowl around in
threatening manner, thousand
sickly sentimentalists throughout
the land would have denounced it as
an act of barbarity, and he would
probably have, been cashiered for
exceeding his orders. So, with his
handful of men, he became the VIC
tim of a treacherous foe, from the
time he left Rowells Springs with
orders from superior authority.
It does seem high time for such
nonsense to be stopped. Maj. Thorn
burgh has been murdered, and the
authorities of the Government he
has SO faithfully served, are respon-
sible for it., Indeed, it would not
be putting it too strong to say they
have murdered him. One of two
things ought to be done. Let the
army be abolished entirely, and
leave the settlers on the frontier to
protect themselves against savage
brutalt as best they can, or let it
be increased to double its present
strength, $50 that it will be available
for defense. AS it now stands, it is
a burlesque. The officers of the
army are not to blame. They make
the most they can out of the small
force they have. 1t is the inferno
demagogues in Congress who, 70,
the sake of popularity, or from 9
prejudice born of smouldering trea
son, have urged reduc-
ion of the army from par
tisan considerations, that ar,
responsible for these periodical
butcheries. The blood of Candy
of Custer, and of Thornburgh, ant
their men, is upon the hands 0
these demagogues, and while tn
world will not hold them techni-
cally responsible as murderers, the,
are just as much accountable for i
as if they had taken double-bar
relied shot gun and assassinate,
them in the dead hour of night
The Utes became belligerent. Gu
dispatches this morning show tina
the fears of the Agent were vel
grounded. The Indians have de
stroyed his buildings and murdere
his family and employees. 1t be
came necessary to send militar
force there. The handful of me
who composed Maj. Thornburgh
command were all that were avails
bic, owing to the suicidal polio
adopted by Congress in reducing th
army far below the poir
at which reason, common sens
and common patriotism woul
stop. He was ordered to go. A
e..-,e 30 ,--