The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-21
His kilograms in Regsardto the Pros.
ecutlon Of the Ute Indian War,
Which Have Created the Impression
thatHe Reflects on the Policy
Pursued by the Interior
Department. ilaa
Secretary Schurz Rises to Explain
"Rhy this was Done and Why
that was Not"

eTal sherman, which says: l feeeivel
your dispatch Of yesterday last night
Your suggestions in reference 70 tht
columns at POgossa and Alamosa have
to some extent, been anticipated by, Gen
Pope. Gen. Hatch Is at Pagossa and be
yond a column Of eight companies Of in
fantry and four companies cavalry, thert
Is now being organized at Garland, which
Is better point than Alamosa, q column
OF six companies Of infantry, to which car
be added two more companies Of infantry,
aud ], can also add six more companies ol
cavalry now at RaWlins Station, making q
force OF 10 companies, aggregating a
least 900 men. Gen. Merritt has follow.
ed the hostiles In direction ofthe Uncom.
pAhugance agency as he has notified me,
but turned back on receiving your dis.
patch oil the 18Th. Had he gone on II was
my intention TO have supplied him from
the south by his own request, so
that there need have been no
fears on the part Of the Interior Depart.
ment regarding his supplies. My telegram
related TO the pass between Rawlins and
the White River Agency. Wenow under.
stand this affair in llits bearings, and will
not give you any further trouble except
70 send information as It arrives. regret
that Merritt has not been permitted 70 90
on, as l have not the slightest belief that
0nray eau deliver up the murderers, and
l fear valuable time will be lost. After
your dispatch OF the 18th, directed Crook
TO send to the White River Agency SUP.
plies in abundance before the deep SHOWS
came on, aud / will assume the risk Of
keeping Merritt with his present force at
that point 70 await further developments.
understand the country pretty we'll. My
last summers trip gave me q very fair
knowledge OF tue country in the vicinity
OF the Los Pinos Agency and south Of
that place.
Secretary schurz has to-day been asked
by many persons whether he thought the
dispatch Of General Sheridan to General
Sherman, In which the former speaks Of
General Merritrs command as being .'del
up" and sold ont" was intended to re-
fleet on the Interior Department In re-
sponse to this question and number Of
cognate inquiries, addressed TO him BY a rep
resentatiye Of the Associated Press in an.
extended interview to-day, the Secretary
made the following interesting statements
with which are given letters therein re-
ierred to: II do not see how Gen. Sheri-
dams telegram can reflect on this Depart.
ment, nor do | think his dispatch was in.
tended for publication, bat since It has
been published and the disposition Of the
troops. has been made known, the rest OF
The story may properly accompany It"
When General Merritt was still sup.
posed to haye TO fight his WAN through the
White River agency, ! .instruoted General
Charles Adams, not Peace Commissioner,
but special agent Of this department, on
Temporary services Chosen on account OF
his ability and intimate acquaintance with
the Ute chiets), to proceed to the Los
Pinos agency to strengthen the chief
0uray In his friendly attitude, in case OF
the refusal OF the government to stop the
troops, which produced excitement among
the Los Pinos Utes, and then 10 en-.
deayor to bring about the surrende er OF the
hpstiles, or, falling in that, TO draw the
peaceably disposed Utes away from them
and thus isolate them. He was to assure
all Indians within his reach that the
troops were bound to force their way TO
White River, and to destroy ali
resistance, and the longer the re-.
sistance lastedrt the worse il would be
for the Indians. On the 18th inst, we re-
ceived information that the Utes had dis.
appeared from the White river and that
Cen Merrittt bad proceededto the agency
without resistance, and had lost sight OF
the hostiles. / then instructed Gen. Ad-
ANS to ascertain the whereabouts of.the
White river hostiles, to suumon them 10
surrender or use every possible endeavor
to induce the peaceable ,Utes to.gfSethem
up, and to put himself in communities.
ton 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 10
Gen. Sherman before they were sent of,
and Gen. Sherman communicated them
TO Gen. Merritt, and Gen. Merritt was
advised 70 give credence to what General
Adams might tell him as he had the conf.
dence OF the department.. These ara IN.
dopbtedly the dispatches referred to in
General sheridans telegram. General
Sherman evidently did not think thai
these instructions, which were intend-
ed not 70 arrest but 70 facilitate and aid
Merritt's movements in securing TO him.
information which, Judging from his own
reports, he could not otherwise obtain,
were calculated TO "tIe up" and "seli
OUT the troops under the command Oh
Gen. Merritt. II be had Thought 20 be
would undoubtedly have said so to me
before sending them of 70 General Sheri.
dan, and as General Sheridan might have
said before communicating them TO Gen.
sral Merritt. -. - - ,-stFI-
Wben'G Genersl sherman tous daysafter.
wards had received dispatch from Gen.
eral Sheridan, published in the news.
paper ;he addressed tome the following lef.
ter, which IS additional evidence that he,
down 20 that time had MISUNDERSTOOD nv
Instructions to the special agent OF this
department to stop any movement. 2
'HEApouARrERs Army OF THEU. g ~ ~
WASHINGTON, D. o., Oct. II, ,;lsIg.,
Hon: Carl SehurE. Seretary ofM Interior
HdstfpgIon, D.iQ.I B. HnT745 I!
DEARslR: l have d telegram from Gen.
eral Sheridan saying he has mesaSga
from General. Aarfitt, to tho effect thaf n
punish the hostile btes he w6nld, on ths
10Th in'tant move from White river for
Grand river and Los Pinos agency, but
General Sheridan supposes that before
starting Merritt will have received my
dispatch Of October Is, notifying him
Of the appointment OF Special Agent
Adams and be governed in his conduct by
lis instructions. Do you want Meyrittis 4
force OF about 1000 men "a, be at White