The New York herald., 1879-08-02
GENERAL MILES CAMPAIGN.

Ff6tn the st. Paul Minn.) Pioneer Press. July 29.l
Information from department headquarters ut st.
Paul makes it evident that Washington correspond
ents and Eastern newspapers have been quite too
preciptate in charging General Miles with precipita
ton in pushing his column the Milk River in
pursuit Of the Indians. All his movements in their
general plan aim and outline have been directed by
General Terry. and there is no evidence his
Eastern critics assume that he has in any respect
ceeded his instructions. The general purpose of his
campaign is to clear the country north Of the Mis-
souri, of the hostile Indians whose marauding bands
have been harassing the agency at Fort
Peck and other exposed settlements, and endangering
the security of navigation the Missouri River and
invading the Buffalo territory of peaceful Indians
north OF the river. General Miles instructed to
accomplish these objects as tar as practicable by
display OF force rather than by active hostilities
that is. suppose he not expected to force the
Indians to fight to seek u needless collision with
themif the object could be accomplished by soaring
them out OF the country without effusion OF
blood. There Is no evidence and no reason to
suppose that General Miles has in any way
exceeded his Instructions. The vigorous promp-
titude with which he threw his little COM
mand across the Milk River after the
reported position OF sitting Bulls camp. led to the
hasty inference that he determined to push for
ward to an immediate attack upon hostiles with
out any regard to the question whether his own
torse OF six o. hundred effective troops was
adequate to cope with an enemy estimated to num-
Der between four and five Thousand well armed war;
riors.i Bur General Miles evidently comprehendcd
the requirements of the situation much better than
the Washington wiseacres who undertook to
crticise his movements at q distance OF some
1900 miles from the seat OF his opera
tions. His latest dispatches show that the OBJ
ject OF his movement was to interpose
his troops between the Indians and their
food-that is. between the present position of Sit
ting Bulls camp ON the upper waters of the Little
Rocky and the buffalo on Frenchman's Creek which
is their base of supplies. SO to speak by this move
ment lie forces them to vacate the country to at
tack him in an advantageous position of his own
choosing He will undoubtedly not press forward
to attack the Indians IL he finds them greatly
perior forces unless perfectly confident OF his aDl-
ity to whip them, his instructions being In the
trary case halt and await reinforcenlents which
are. perhaps their way to him in antici-
patton OF the contingency that he may
need them though this Is only a surmise.
1t is not unlikely that. having accomplished the
strategic purpose OF his movement by putting his
force between the hosii .es and their God, lac liz
waiting Frenchmans Creek, partly for more
troops to enable him to resume offensive dcmonstra
tions sufficiently imposing scale to the
Indians out OF the country to give them battle IL
they choose to accept it, Meanwhile he seems to
have acted with prudence and good judgment in car
rying out the general plan ana purpose of his ex-
pedition and there is not the slightest to ap
preend that he will display any lack OF discretion
in his future movements or OF bodness either IL the
cir inls sho re IL