Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-02
SHERIDAN TO SCHURZ.
The Lieut.. General In Defense of His An
nua1 Report Grounds for His Criticism
of Indian Management, and Suggestions

the United States circuit court In the city of
New York, was compelled to go to that city
shortly after the receipt of the communication
from the honorable secretary of the interior of
November l6, 1878, endorsed by you Nov. 20,
and forwarded to me-. In the Communication
the secretary took exception to certain conelu-
sions arrived at and stated IN my annual re-
port Of this year. The general quotes the con-
illusions mentioned and says:
The object had in view on my annual re-
port was to show that Indian wars came from
two causes (see report). but that while the first
war could not be avoided by the government,
the second clearly within it's control. and
resulted from bad management of Indian af-
fairs. made no charges against the then Sec
rotary of the interior. I made charge
against any one. I desired simply to call the
attention of my superior officers to the causes
that produced discomfort and outbreaks. and
that from the inadequacy Of our military force,
resulted in the massacre OF officers, soldiers and
citizens and the horrible and uncomfortable
barbarities perpetrated on women and children
and to state my belief that these disasters
might have been ayerted by better organiza-
tion a more complete system, soad more integ
rity in agents employed
The secretary of the interior fit to take
this up, and by disigeniously saying that had
made charges as to corruptions at every agency
in the lin its of this military division, chal-
lenges me for facts to prove charge he ha
himself put into my mouth. His inference
are not warranted by the language of the re
port, but in support of what did say re
spectfully submit the data accompanying thi
supplemental report. The question of justic
and right to the Indian is past and canno
be recalled. We have occupied hi
country, taken away from him hi
lordly domain destroyed, his herds of gam
gone, and himself penned upon reservation
and reduced to poverty for humanity's sake
Then let us give him enough to eat and integ--
ifui TO q
10 show how inconsiderate the honorablee
secretary of the interior was in his first andt
second letters of Nov. ]6 and Nov. 20, respects
vely it is only necessary for one to call the ats
tention of the general of the army to the facte
that since 1874 have carefully retained copiess
of Indian reports coming to my Office, briefs.
of which are herewith enclosed, and it was on
information that my report was made.
Surely the honorable secretary of the in.
terror cannot impute untruthfulnsss to officers
making these reports. They were on the
ground generally official inspectors for the
and are among the best in the service, the most
of them personally known to the general of
the army, and many of them to the country.
My object was to call attention to, and, if pos
sible, prevent the caamities occurring to from
tier settlers, to the officers and men in the
army, and to reduce unnecessary expenses
brought upon us. The report
of Lieut.. Lee giving an exact
position of Indian management at Spotted
Tail agency was obtaisssd since the date of my
annual report, but the facts as related were
we'll known to me. In fact, was instrumental
to some extent in the detection of McCann's
frauds. His report is submitted first for the
reason tha- it gives fair and comprehensive
idea of Indian management and, [ believe,
may be assumed as a fair explanation OF what
has occurred at many other agencies, and which
produced the hunger and discomfort.
also call attention to briefs of correspond
ence from DR.. Dougherty, relative to the at
ing agent at Grow Creek, employees of bad
character, and of the loose and criminal man
ner in which Indian goods were shipped with
out bills of lading or invoices. This is true
also for the Cheyenne and Brule agencies on
the Missouri river, well Grow Greek,
whose agent, DR.. Livingston, has recently been
indicted on about 1874 charges, and as many
more that were thrown out under the statute
of Limitation.
The attens f6n of the general of the army is
expressly called to the report on Standing Rock
agency, under the arrangements of Agents
Benkes and Hughes. Then look at the Man
dans Arickaree, eros Ventres, Assinaboines,
Pigeons and Grows in Montana Territory. At
the Latter agency fraud has been ram
pant, although to the best of my recollection
agents have been changed at least five or six
times in the last seven years. Then come down
Southern Cheyennes, Wapahoes, Kiowas and
COMMANDERS, Utes and Southern Apaches, and
ask them why they have gone to war, or have
been hostile or turbulent for the last six or
seven years. The answer will be insufficiency
Of food, irregularity in its supply and broken
promises.
The present Indian commissioner il doubt.
less honest. He has discharged number of
agents for malfeasance in office. Commissioner
Smith, who preceded him, was an honest man
also, SO far as I know, and likewise the COM
missioner Of Indian affairs before him, and so
on back. They all did as we'll as they knew
how, but I fear with all of the presentations of
honesty, that the system and manner of ac-
countability are too loose for the government
of people who cannot read or write, and SO pc
culiar and primitive in their habits as the In
dian.
1t will be seen by extracts from reports to
the board of Indian commissioners, as we'll as
to the commissioners of Indian affairs here
with attached, they too support me in this con-
clusion. Then, with these facts before us and
to the best of my belief in possession Of the
Indian bureau, what was the object
of challenging the conclusions in my report
and giving the letter to the public before it
had been sent to the secretary of war, to whom
it was addressed. Surely, officers who guard
agencies and who are held responsible for the
protection of the lives and property of settlers,
should have right to report to their superiors
the cause of trouble without danger of being
lectured into silence by the honorable secretary
of the interior.
Let us now come down to the matter of the
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Indians and their
return to points further west last fall. In
reference to this matter made no accusations
against the Indian bureau. I simply stated
had hoped that the agencies of these Indians,
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail, would have been
retained on the Missouri river, where they
could have been fed and looked after at a com
paratively small expense. But this
would not have suited the traders
and contractors who, 1 fear, labored
systematically last summer and fall to work up
the result which has been explained, and now
these Indians are on worse ground than the
| Missouri river bottom, and located at points
| beyond river lines of transportation. For in
stance, Red Clouds band. where the expense of
feeding will probably be five times as great as
on the Missouri river.
| In addition, these Indians are now located
near the 'iue of travel to the Black Hills and
| are on the extreme western limit of their reser.
| liable to frequently occur, and I. doubt if in
the present frame of mind of the Red CLOUD
| Indians the two races can live 30 closely to
gether without fighting.
This does not charge anything on the Indiar
bureau, SO that it will be seen that again tn,
honorable secretary puts a charge into my
mouth which never made, and gives them t,
the public in the same way.
The general urges again. as in his annual re
port, that the removal of these Indians was un
wise, quotes letters from General Crook in sup
port OF his views, and continues: L did no
say that the Indian bureau had anything to d
with it, and utterly disclaim any intention O
criticising the actions of the President. In m,
report only expressed my regret At what haa