The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-04
Annual Report Of the General
OF the Army.
NECESSITY FOR A LARGER FORCE
The Indian Troubles Reviewed
and Explained.
CONDITION OF THE DEPARTMENTS
Suggestions Regarding the Education OF
Officers and Soldiers.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3. 1879.
General Sherman's annual report to the Secretary
of War completed to-day. 1t is prefaced with
the usual tabular statements and returns compiled
by tho Adjutant General Commenting on which
General sherman says
The eleven generals. $50 officers. 2o56G men
and 233 Indian scouts together with such officers of
the staff assigned by the War Department to
duty with the troops constitute the army proper or
tho "combatve force" All other parts Of
law for special service less con-
nected with the army the militia but
instance. the 397 enlisted men OF ordnance in
fact, workmen at the arsenals; the 1872 men Of the
Engineer Corps are at Willetts Point undergoing in
struction in torpedo practice and are not subject to
the division commander; the 456 men of the Signal
Corps are employed in observing the weather or in
working teegraphs: the ia ordnance sergeants
have charge of old forts liked Magazines the 151
commissary sergeants in charge of stores; 1877
men stewards of hospitals; the West Point de-
tachnent, 186 III number, is localized at the Military
Academy; the prison guard at Fort Leavenworth
comprises 10 men. and the recruiting attachments
absorb Ito men ut Davis Island, Columbus Ohio.
and Jefferson Barracks. No. These various detach-
ments aggregating 1863 enlisted of the highest
grades, compose about onesixth part OF the en-
listed men provided by law tor the whole
army, leaving but 20,799 for actual service.
mention these figures in some detail because
know it is the popular belief, shared by many
bers of Congress, that have % 900 for duty.
have done all i'll my power to reduce these detach-
meuts to the lowest number possible. as to afford
more men to our skeleton companies, but have
found it impossible, and notice that similar de-
tachments reported on all army returns for fifty
army; $4,000 would give iity-eight to each.
which is small any company should
be. and I earnestly recommend tina. that you
$4,000 provided by law may be allowed exclu-
svely for the regiments of the line and that special
provision be made these several detachments as
has already been done for the Signal Service. The
army cannot with justice, be held responsible for
the work Of $4,000 when so large fraction is neces-
n n
tional Importance.
The tables above referred to show that the grand
aggregate of the army roll is 2.ls7 officers aud
men in service and 1888 officers retired.
UTE TROUBLES
General Sherman devotes large portion of his re-
port the Ute troubles. He introduces the subject
with a history of the tribe, from which it appears
that the Indian term Utee," from which Utah takes
its name, applied to all the nomads west Of the
Rocky Mountains, as far as Nevada, and south into
New Mexico and Arizona. The General continues =
Gradually they have been surrounded by white
settlers and broken up into many distinct bands the
four principal OF which ws:-"The
Uintahs i'll Northeast Utah. estimated at 430 souls
the "Los Pinos'' in the Uncompahagre Valley. Col,
estimated at 1900 souls the Southern Utes'' in
Southwest Colorado with 934 souls. and the white
River Utes in Northwest Colorado estimated at 800
souls. TO such desire to study the nature Of
in that quarter refer the reports OF the
agents of these separate bands. Suffice it now for
me to say that these Indians Of tho worst
class. and occupy the toughest part of our country
for farming. grazing or for military operations.
Their management is complicated by the fact that
their country is known to possess mineral deposits
which attra bold and adventurous class Of white
men. They are very warlike and have no difficulty
in procuring exchange for their deer skins horses
and sheep any amount of the best rifles and ammu-
ntion In former years they used east of the Rocky
Mountains, to hunt buffalo, but of late they
have confined their hunting to the bear elk and deer
of tho mountain region. As long game lasts they
will not work or attempt farming except in the
To- md mos yyav nal pnl Inv
compulsion.
rHoRNBUnGH's MOVEMENT.
The report details ut some length the history Of
events leading up to tho movement by Major Thorn
burgh's command and tho detachment Of that
officer.
The orders to Major Thornburgh, commanding
Fort Steele. were made by General Crook. based on
Endorsements from army headquarters, and were
dated September IL. 1879, to move with sufficient
number of troops to the White River Ute Agency,
Colorado. Under special instructions Major Thorn
burgh moved from Fort Steele September 81 1872
with the effective strength Of three companies of
cavalry and one of infantry, about two hundred men,
with rations for thirty days and forage for fifty
days. force which was considered by
Mr.. Moeker had only asked for 100 men.
Major Thornburgh reported back from camp
met some Ute chiefs. who had seemed friendly and
promised to go with him to the agency. They said
they did not understand why we had come. and he
did not anticipate trouble.
CAUSE THE ourBREAK-TRIByTE rHoRNBURGH.
With knowledge now of the result and to throw
as much light on the immediate cause OF this war as
possible give the last letters which passed between
Major Thornburgh and MIR. Meeker. and will here
record my judgment that Major Thornbureh was an
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.
THoRNDURGH MEEKER.
HEADQUARTERS WHITE RrvKR EXPEDITION.
Mr. MrKxxa. Indian Agent. White River Agency Col =
srRIn obedience to Instructions from tho General of
there the inst for the purpose OF aordine any
sso ssd q
desire until nvesgations made by your department..
what Of affairs exist whether the Ind
% at %y of Sr sspS
communicate with me as soon as possible, giving all
what am II a s ON
the road at the earliest moment Very 5e,gss,fpy
AGENT MEEKER's REPLY.
To this Agent Meekcr replies, under date of Sep
TENDER "a 1879. as follows:-
with United States troops l send messenger. Mr.
Eskrdse, and two indians Henry dntsrpre,e and John
ard Wish ,S to ,sa stop AZ sS%s % camping
can be had. This agree to- do pro-
The Indians TO consider the advance IT tho troops
" ps" bs s a 90 Sy
cannot do whatever they please The first object
""' n C. MEEKER. Indian Agent
THoRNnuRaH MEEKER
Under date OF September %, 1872 Major Thorn
burgh writes to Agent Meeker rs follows:-
sip-I shall with my entire command gov.
,rument camp and within striking distance OF
your agency reaching such point during the 10Th shall
aud the and proceed to tho agency
with guido and Ave soldiers. communicated In my
letter Of 9th inst Then and there will be ready
have Inference with you aud the Indians that
M der stan ding be arrived at and my course OF
action determined. | have carefully considered
whether or not IL would be advisable to have
my command at "a point as distant. as that
desired by the Indians who In my camp last night
aud have reached the conclusion that undcr ORDERS
which require this command to tho agency
am liberty leave II Ut point whore IL would
not he available OF trouble You authorized to
saw the Indians that my OF conduct
entirely dependent them Our desir Is TO avoid
trou Bile and not come for requested you
In my of the 26th meet the road before
reached the agency. request that do so,
and further that bring such chiefs wish
10 accompany you.
MEEKEn TlroRNBURGH.
Under date OF one r. NJ, September 20, 1879, Agent
Meckcr replied:
DEAR srR-I expect TO leave In tho morning with
Douglass and Serick to meet You Things poaceabe
aud Dou glass flies tho United states Tag. III have
trouble in getting through the canyon today lot know
what force. have been guard three nights and
shall be tonight not because know there is danger but
because there.may be. like your last programme. Tits
based ON true military principles