Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-11-06
Gen. sher,nan,s Repo,,,t.

are stewards of hospitals. The West
Point detachment 1856 iu number, is
localized at the military academy. The prison
yard at Fort Leavenwsrth comprises 70 men,
and recruiting detaohments abroad l.7o7
men at Davis Island Columbus, O., and in
Jefferson barracks, New. These various detach-
ments aggregating 3,463 enlisted men, of the
highest grades, compose about one-sixth part
of the enlisted men provided by law for the
whole army, leaving but 20, for actual ser
vice.
I mention these figures in some detail, be-
cause I know that it is q popular opinion
shared by many members of Congress, that We
have twenty-five Thousand men on duty. /
have done all in my power to reduce these de-
tachments to the lowest number possible, so a.
to afford more men to run skeleton com
panies, and have found it impossible. Inotice
Parmy returns for fifty years back. There
are four hundred and thirty companies in the
regular army. Twenty-Five Thousand men
would give ffty-eight to each. which is
as small as any company should be,
and earnestly recommend that you
AJAX Congress to 50 legislate that the $4,000
men provided by law may be allowed exclus-
cvely for regiments of the line and that spe-
uial provision be made for these several de-
tachments as has already been done for the
signal service. The army cannot with justice
be held responsible for the work of $4,000
men, when so large fraction is necessarily
Diverted to other uses, perhaps of equal ma
tioaal Importance.
The tables above referred to show that the
grand aggregate of the army roll is 2,1S7 Off
GERS and "a 1852 men in service and 1888 officers
retired.
Gen. Sherman devotes a large portion of his
report to the Ute troubles. He introduces the
subject with history of the Ute tribe. These
Indians, he says, are of the worst class and oc-
cupy the toughest part of our country for
military operations. Their management is
complicated by the fact that their country ia
known to possess mineral deposits
which attract bold and adventurous
warlike and have no dificultyi in procuring, in
exchange for their deerskips, horses and sheep,
any amount of the best rifles and ammunition.
As long as game lasts they will not work Or at
tempt farming, except in the smallest and
most ridiculous way. and that only by COM
plslon.
The report details at some length the history
of the we'll known event leading up to the
movement by Major Thornburgh's command
and continues: With knowledge of the re-
suit, and to throw as much light on the i'm
mediate cause of this war as possible, I give
the last letters which passed between Major
Thornburgh and Mr.. Meeker, and will here
| record my judgment that Major Thornburgh
was an officer and gentleman of whom any one
has reason to be proud. He was young, ardent,
ambitious, of good Judgment, and no man
could have done better in life, nor met death
| with more herOism.
HEADQUARTERS WHITE RIVER EXPEDITION,
! CAMP ON FoRr1F1cAT1oN CREEK, Sept. Is, 1879.
Mr.. Meeker, Indian Agent, White River
Agency-Sir: In obedience to instructions
! from the general of the army, am en- route to
| your agency, and expect to arrive on the Goth
inst, for the purpose of affording you any as
sistance in my power, and to make arrests at
your suggestion, and to hold as prisoners such
| of your Indians al you desire, until investiga-
| tiOns are made by your department.. have
heard nothing definite from your agency for
ten days, and do not know what state of af-
fairs exist-whether the Indians will leave at
| my approach or show hostilities. I send this
letter by Mr.. Lowry, one of my guides, and de-
sire You to communicate with me as soon as
| possible, giving me all the information in your
power, in order that may know what course I
am to pursue. If practicable. meet me on the
road at the earliest moment. Very respect
T. T. THoRNBuBaH.
To this Agent Meeker replies, under date of
Sept. ~, as follows:
misunderstanding that you are on your
way hither with United States troops, send q
messenger, Mr.. Eskredge, and tive Indians,
Henry, interpreter, and John Byersly, to in
form you that the Indians are greatly excited,
and wish you to stop at some convenient camp
ing place and then that you and five soldiers
of your command come into the agency, when
talk and better understanding can be had.
This agree to, but 1 do not propose your
movements but it seems to be best. The In
dams seem to consider the advance of troops
as declaration of real war. In this am Ia
boring to undeceive them, and at the same
time to convince them that they cannot do
whatever they please. The first object is to
allay apprehensians. Respectfully,
N. O. MEEKER, Indian Agent.
Under date Of Sept. %. Maj. Thornburgh
writes to Agent Meeker as follows:
SIR: shall move with my entire command
to some convenient camp, near and within
striking distance OF your agency, reaching
such point during the 29th, Shall then halt
and eneamp my troops and proceed to the
agency with my guide and five soldiers, as
communicated IN your letter of the 9th inst,
and then and there will be ready to have q
conference with you and the Indians, SO that
an understanding may be arrived at and my
course of action determined. I have carefully
considered whether or not it would be advisable
to have my command at . point a. distant as
that desired by the Indians who were in my
camp last night, and have reached q decision
that under my orders which require me to
liberty to leave it at present where it would
not be available in case of trouble. You are
| authorized to say for me to the Indians that
my course of conduct is entirely dependent on
| them. Our desire is to avoid trouble and we
| have not come for war. requested you, in
my letter Of the 2eth, to meet me on the road
before reached the agency. renew my re-
quest that yon do 30, and further that you,
bring such chiefs Is may wish to accompany
you. sss BIZ
Under date Of Sept. 20, Agent Meeker re-
Piled: Dear Sir Il expect to leave IN the morn
ing with Dougla. and as5riek to meet
| 1aa niAa tho ri. a. S. f1an. IF vnn h.va